Happy New Year! We hope 2017 has started well for all of
you! Over at Gruene, our sermon series
is “Zoe Life”. The Greek word Zoe means
“derived, sustained by God” it is an “absolute fullness of life where we are
created in His image with the capacity to know His eternal life.” Our aim is to be Joyful, Healthy and Whole in
our minds, bodies and souls. Even as we
look at each of the individual parts, we are to remember the oneness of Zoe –
all the parts are connected and cannot be treated separately.
Today’s Scripture reading is from
the book of Matthew, Chapter Six, verses 22-23:
“The eye is the lamp of the
body. If your eyes are healthy, your
whole body will be full of light. But if
your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how
great is the darkness.” The word of God,
Thanks be to God.
At the age when Matthew was
written, before the science and technology of today’s world, people believed
that there was actual light emitted from the body through the eyes, that caused
us to be able to see. Healthy people
could see well – their “lamps” worked properly.
Unhealthy people had broken lamps and could not see well. There are many stories of blind people in the
New Testament where they believed they were cursed or possessed in some way. In Roman times, the body was separate from
the mind and soul. That’s why Romans
were known for their immoral behavior, decadent eating and otherwise physically
unhealthy lifestyle – the body didn’t matter – how they treated it was
irrelevant to the salvation of their soul.
We know now - that’s not how it works.
In Modern times, we know that you
cannot separate the two. There is a
definitive connection between mind and body, body and soul. We may be diagnosed with a life-threatening
illness, but our outlook and emotional and spiritual health will give us the
strength we need to fight the physical battle.
Or perhaps we’re feeling blue and have a case of the “blah’s”. Going for a walk, getting some sunshine,
visiting with friends – all of these things can cheer us up and make us feel
better. Isaac Newton’s Law of Inertia states,
“An object in motion stays in motion.”
We’ve heard this paraphrased in TV ads, “A body in motion stays in
motion.” When I was a kid and didn’t
feel well, my Mom usually wouldn’t let me stay in bed – I always had to get up
and get moving. Probably 9 out of 10
times, I’d feel better and be able to go to school and get on with my day. Likewise, people who eat junk food or
unhealthy diets – lots of fat and grease, or way too much bread and pasta, too
much sugary sweets and drinks – they not only have physical symptoms, but can
also have negative outlooks on life, be grumpy or depressed. Some people have actual changes to their
personality if they eat too much sugar or other damaging foods. Science and medicine has proven that we
cannot disconnect our mind and soul from our bodies. We seek to find the balance of healthy and
wholeness that works for each of us individually. We are also all created differently, so what
works for one does not necessarily work for another.
Even though there was originally
literal meaning or intent of this passage – (“The eye is the lamp of the body.
“) - darkness was attributed to actual, physical circumstances – it is also
figuratively true. How many of us know
someone who is ill or unhealthy with a dark, dreary outlook on life? How many of us know people with numerous
burdens and stresses that makes them physically ill? It’s been scientifically proven that stress
is bad for our heart. Being physically
burdened can affect our psychological health.
But we also know people whose light is so bright that even a diagnosis
of cancer cannot put it out. Their faith
is strong, their souls are steady – even though their bodies are being
challenged and ravaged, they are filled with joy and peace. They’re like the Energizer Bunny or Timex
watch – they just keep going and going and going! Luckily – we know what their secret is! They are filled with the light of Christ and
his love and mercy flow through them into every situation and
circumstance. It is possible to
“recharge” our batteries, to be lifted up when we are down, to return to the
light when darkness begins to creep in.
Another way to consider the verses
from Matthew is to think about what we see with our eyes. Do we study scripture and look for God
throughout our day? Do we seek out
beauty and light? Richard Rohr writes in
his book Breathing Under Water, “Anything exposed to light will become
light.” Do we use our eyes to gain God’s
perspective on the world around us? Do
we see others through Jesus’ eyes of mercy and compassion?
Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, I
urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as
a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.
This is your true and proper worship.”
If we seek light and goodness with our eyes; fill our minds with love
and the words of scripture; share with others what we have learned and our
experiences with our Savior; if we Intentionally invite God into every day,
every action, every moment of our lives – This would be “True and Proper
Worship.”
And God is so great, isn’t He? He even sent his son to teach us how to
recharge our batteries! By reciting the
Lords’ prayer, by remembering the words of institution and receiving Holy
Communion, by sharing the bread and the cup, we are reminded of Jesus’
sacrifice for us – His great Love, given for all, sent by our Heavenly Father
for the forgiveness of all our sins and the salvation of our eternal souls, no
matter the condition of our worldly bodies.
Let us Pray: O Lord, fill our Bodies, Minds and Souls with
your love and mercy. Guide us to a Zoe
life – a life filled with your light – that we may experience You in every way,
and Know that you are always with us, guiding us with your Holy Spirit.
