Introduction
God is about to do a new thing.
The word “thing” stands out to me in this text, because I’ve always thought the word “thing” was just too general a word. Too simple. Too easy. Not terribly descriptive.
You all know I am a big fan of words. After all, how many times have you heard me say, “Why use ten words when you can use a hundred?” But I am not a fan of just spewing words for the sake of, well, spewing words. I am one who chooses his words exceedingly carefully, methodically, and intentionally. And rarely do I make my words simple, easy, or non-descriptive. But my medium of choice, for the art I so love to craft, is becoming…what’s the word for what words are becoming… Annoying. Old. A thing of the past shall we say? I mean, preachers are implicitly told by their churches all the time—“Hey Rev, less is more. The less words you use the more of our Sunday afternoon we get.” But now we have moved to no longer using words—instead we use pictures or versions of words. It is a new thing. And though it is the new thing, it may not be our thing.
But here’s the thing … To see and be part of God’s new thing, we are going to have to start doing a new thing. But to do a new thing, we will have to change some old things.
Move 1
The other day I sent a long, windbag, text message to a friend, and I got a reply back of just the “shrugging” emoji. The “I don’t know what that means” emoji. At least that’s what I thought this emoji meant. So I wrote back another long, windbag, text message explaining what I meant by the first long, windbag, text message I sent. And that second long, windbag, text message prompted another reply, this time with actual words, explaining they understood my first long, windbag, text message, while also explaining what they meant by the “shrugging” “I don’t know what that means” emoji. Apparently the “shrugging” “I don’t know what that means” emoji means “Yes, of course.” (But, I’m not so sure about that.)
The point I want to make is that words as we know them—the way we used to communicate—is passé. There’s a new thing now. Apparently we have regressed back to using something like ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics— the original pictures that say a thousand words. Fortunately today’s emoji hieroglyphics are already deciphered for us. Some of us know about encyclopedias, and some know of Wikipedia, well now there is Emoji-pedia. Which is where I went to look up the “shrugging” “I don’t know what that means” emoji. And now I get to tell my friend they need to look it up too! (Pssst…It doesn’t mean, “Yes, of course!”)
Move 2
But wait! I said nowadays we use pictures AND versions of words to communicate. Emojis are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to communicating today.
Take for instance the following linguistics quiz—a garden variety text exchange between male and female teenagers that incorporates some of the top slang words of the day. See if you can interpret what is actually being said:
Male: Bae, you’re slayin’ today. Your hair is on fleek. Bible. Love our ship.
Female: Feels. Can’t even.
Male: You wanna roll up with my squad later and get some pizza scream?
Female: Is that even a thing?
Note this exchange was tested for authenticity by a 17-year-old who understood exactly what was being communicated. Here are the translations—score one hipster point for each correct answer.
Male: Babe, you look beautiful today. Your hair is perfect. I swear on the Bible. I love our relationship.
Female: I am touched in a way I cannot express.
Male: Would you like to go with my friends and me later to sample some pizza-flavored ice cream?
Female: Is there such a thing as pizza-flavored ice cream?
Note the deft way in which actual words are shortened or re-purposed. “Bae” is short for “babe.” “Ship” substitutes for “relationship.” “Feels” sums up “heartfelt emotions”. “On fleek” is “about as perfect as it gets” (though I still don’t understand what a “fleek” actually is). And my favorite… “Bible”. Bible is short for “I swear on the Bible.” (Apparently we have the Kardashians to thank for that one.)
As a writer and preacher, this all seems rather base and monosyllabic to my windbag sensibilities—but nonetheless it’s the current shorthand today’s younger generation uses to communicate.
Now if you’re shaking your head in disbelief, just remember your generation had similarly obtuse ways of speaking as well. Boomers you know you’ve all used, and maybe still use, terms like: groovy, far out, cat’s meow, and bee’s knees. As a strong and proud Gen-Xer, I know my generation still drops the occasional, “As if…”, “To the max”, “Totally awesome”, “Take a chill-pill”, and the all-encompassing, “Dude.” Millennials, yes, we know, if we are not “woke” then you’re gonna throw “shade,” tell us “Bye Felicia”, and no kiki for us. Fair enough. And Gen-Zers, or Zoomers as I learned this week… Yes, “no cap”, this sermon is “big yikes.”
Whatever generation moniker we wear, all of us are left wondering, “Bees knees… Totally awesome…Shade… Big yikes… is that even a thing?” And the answer is yes, yes it is. But here’s the thing about a thing—God’s been doing a thing longer than any-thing. And each time God did a thing—it was a new thing. And God’s thing is always a good thing.
Move 3
Slang will always be a thing. And determining whether something is actually a “thing” is vitally important in more ways than one.
According to Urban Dictionary.com, the phrase “Is that a thing?” originating from dialogue on the television program “That 70s Show.” (Note I threw in “television program” for those of a certain historic age.)
“Is that a thing?” is a way of expressing doubt as to whether something is real, true or possible—which is always a consideration in relativistic postmodern culture. People, and especially our youngest generation, question truth and whether they can count on a thing actually being a thing, especially when it comes to the big questions in life. But truth be told, the question of whether something is a “thing” goes back a lot further than a now-canceled sitcom. It goes all the way back to the Bible itself. Bible.
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In Isaiah 43, the people of God are in exile when they receive a word of hope from God. “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old,” says God to the people. “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”
To put it in 21st century vernacular, “That thing you thought was a thing actually isn’t even a thing anymore. There’s a new thing about to happen. And it’s a really good thing.” Bible.
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So what is this new “thing”? What is the new thing God is doing in our text? And what is the new thing God is doing for God’s people today?
For the people being addressed in our text, it has been decades of slavery and displacement in Babylon. Which no doubt had the people questioning if God’s long-promised deliverance was ever going to be a thing. But through Isaiah, God defines the very thing for which they have been looking and longing for… and it is most assuredly, a thing.
And now, for the people hearing this text today, those of us who have been in the displacement of a broken world of division, disagreement, racism, poverty, socio-economic imbalance, privilege for some and not for all, a pandemic—all wrapped up in a culture that has shifted away from needing or wanting anything to do with the church (unless it’s for a wedding or a funeral) God’s new thing is calling the church to be abundantly aware of these displacements, and be different in how it is present within them all.
God’s message of Good News has not changed, but the culture around us has changed. Which means we must change how we share and spread God’s message of Good News. We must see the new thing God is doing, and get on board with doing it. Bible.
Move 4
This past week God began a new thing here at First Christian Church of Stow. God began a new ministry in a new staff position called Director of Church Relations. I hope you will perceive this.
This new thing has been born out of blessings from the past, the fulfillment of pervious ministry, and the new thing God has led us to do. It holds aspects of the former, but it is different.
Nonetheless, we can rest assured God is doing good things within the different unfolding around us. Our job now is to see the new thing God is doing as a good thing; as faithful, as a gift—and embrace this new thing.
Director of Church Relations is the new thing God is doing. And God has called Christian Sanko to be part of this new work, this new ministry, this new thing.
He’s a he. He is young—a Zoomer. He is different. But he, and this new ministry, is God’s new thing. And it is good, faithful, and a gift. Bible.
Conclusion
We are in a different world today.
In a culture where people are wondering if God is even a thing— let alone if God’s love is a thing— it’s critical for God’s people to communicate—in pictures, slang or otherwise—the Good News that God wants to bring us back in “ship” with God—in relationship, in fellowship. God is making new opportunities available to us to further and deepen our relationships with God, and our fellowships with others. God is making good things happen within the different unfolding around us because different can be good, it can be faithful, and it can be a gift. And because different can be good, faithful, and a gift we need to ask ourselves: What opportunities do we see God presenting to us? As individuals? As a church? What new things is God leading us to do and be? What risks is God encouraging us to take? What changes is God calling us to make?
These are questions of growth. These are questions of faith. These are questions that move us from one thing to the new thing. Let us ask them, and answer them. Because no joke dudes… God is doing a, groovy, totally awesome, woke, no cap new thing here at First Christian Church. Bible. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer, May 9, 2021
Gracious God there are no adequate words to thank you for mothers, or those, who, in a godly fashion, gifted us with life, nurture, security, and wellbeing. We bless your holy name for mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, stepmothers, aunts or anyone mother-like who sacrificially parented our lives into self-conscious awareness that we matter, are loved, and valued.
We celebrate today all women who dreamed of a world without barriers in which we might flower and grow into all you created us to be until we could dream and fend for ourselves. They saw us through eyes of love, created in your image, worthy of dignity and value you alone provide—capable of bringing greatness into the world. For them all we give you thanks.
We pray, today, as well, for every mother who sacrificially left jobs during the COVID pandemic to provide care and virtual schooling for their children. We pray that every barrier to women’s equality is broken so that women, who increasingly serve as caregivers, may adequately provide for their families.
We ask your blessings O God for mothers oppressed by poverty, unable to give earthly gifts to their children, yet, instilling the priceless heavenly treasure of love and self-worth.
Lord, we pray, especially, for mothers, grieving endlessly for children they lost by various means, and for mothers of children killed by gun violence.
We lift to you the truth that for some today can be a challenge. Some no longer have their mother, and today is a reminder of that loss. Some are not mothers, in the traditional sense, and today so overtly emphasizes such a painful truth. Some long to be mothers and have the embrace of a role they have longed for, but it has not come to be as they hoped and envisioned.
Only a holy and righteous God of boundless love could replicate a love found in women who love as a mother—women who are patient, kind, always protecting, always hopeful, and always persevering—a love that flows steadily from the throne of God.
So we pray, Almighty God, for your steadfast protection, health, and strength for all women today and every day.
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Hear now the prayers of our hearts, as we hold them before you in this time of Holy Silence.
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This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who taught us to pray, saying, “Our Creator…”