Standing on the Edge sermon for 28th September

(Exodus 14: 10-14 & 21-29)

“There is hardly anything more obvious than the fact that evil is present in the Universe”Martin Luther King, preaching on today’s text said this: “The Bible affirms the reality of evil in glaring terms... This story symbolizes something basic about the universe. It symbolizes something much deeper than the drowning of a few men, for no one can rejoice at the death or the defeat of a human person. This story, at bottom, symbolizes the death of evil. It was the death of inhuman oppression and ungodly exploitation...“The death of the Egyptians upon the seashore is a glaring symbol of the ultimate doom of evil in its struggle with good...“There is a Red Sea in history that ultimately comes to carry the forces of goodness to victory, and that same Red Sea closes in to bring doom and destruction to the forces of evil.This is our hope.”

(Martin Luther King “The Death of Evil upon the Seashore,” Sermon Delivered at the Service of Prayer and Thanksgiving, Cathedral of St. John the Divine1956)

“There is hardly anything more obvious than the fact that evil is present in the universe”

Today, our journey through the Old Testament reaches the shores of the Red Sea; the tale has moved on, Abraham’s descendants; the children of Israel, now live in exile in a foreign world; they are so multitudinous that Pharaoh has decreed that any male offspring born must be put to death; Moses escaped death and was raised in a place of privilege, but now his time has come.

His life was spared; his life has a purpose; and he has worked with God to free the people.

Yet already they are wishing they were back in Egypt under the tyranny, but safe!

Thus the scene is set; the army closing in behind, the impenetrable sea ahead, and the feel that they are doomed.

This Red Sea rescue has been repeated time and again through history, when faithful people, in the most extreme of circumstances have come back from the brink of disaster, to restoration and renewal.

Thus it is, all around our world today: this year we have an outstanding harvest: the weather has been perfect: and all around we have seen crops brought in early, in our gardens we have harvested fruit and vegetables – yet only 12 months ago, we were bemoaning the harvest, the weather, rain had flooded the land, and local homes; all seemed lost. Crops were poor; the soil waterlogged, the few warm days had lifted the spirits, but were not enough to save the harvest...

This week we have been privileged to host the I Witness Exhibition; I have taken it to the Primary School and the High School, and we have shared the story of the triumph of good over evil; we have learnt of how evil, corruption is alive and well, and we have learnt that there is still hope. That goodness will succeed, that the poorest people in the Western Hemisphere can rebuild in the face of utter destruction.

Our floods and torrential rain last summer were terrible and detrimental to our land, our harvest; but that is nothing compared to what Haiti has endured in recent years.

2010 saw a massive earthquake which all but flattened the country: the capital Port O Prince was reduced to a pile of rubble; and then in 2012 hurricane Sandy added to the devastation... yet still they move forward, the spirit is not bowed, and the restoration work continues.

Christian Aid works tirelessly wherever there is poverty, injustice and persecution; we all know they come in during major disasters; but how many of you know that the work is long term, on-going.

It doesn’t stop.

If there is a need, then Christian Aid will keep on working to create better circumstances for the people.

This is a different sort of harvest, but no less worthy of celebration!

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere – not that there is no money, but that it is not used in the best way.

Houses are built, but government contracts are not honoured, so they lie incomplete, empty – a ghost town.

Yet, even there, is hope!
Christian Aid has had offices in Haiti for more than 25 years! Their offices were also lost in the earthquake; they had been working at that time to help with reforestation; and with health services, providing education on nutrition, and clinics to give not only immunisations, but advice, and hope.

So, following the earthquake, there were people already there, to get the help to where it was needed.

Terrible things happened; but out of that came goodness in new and unexpected places.

New communities: moving out of the densely packed capital, into the fertile lands; building homes, and community centres; and forming farmers’ cooperatives, so they could get the best prices for their crops and their milk: which in turn made milk available at much better prices...

Such simple things, but the effect is vast.

As Martin Luther King said so profoundly:

“The death of the Egyptians upon the seashore is a glaring symbol of the ultimate doom of evil in its struggle with good...“There is a Red Sea in history that ultimately comes to carry the forces of goodness to victory, and that same Red Sea closes in to bring doom and destruction to the forces of evil.This is our hope.”

This is our hope still: that bad things happen; but even then good will out. The harvest comes and goes: from year to year it varies: rich and full; disappointing and poor, life continues.

We stand at the edge of the sea, in the knowledge that God is with us; offering protection, showing us the way forward, we trust God to be with us every step of the way.

Stand at the shore, and step out – watching God make the way clear for us and remembering always that the way was made clear by Moses raising his arms....

The real blessing that comes from reading about the rebuilding of Haiti is the knowledge that people worked together to bring renewal and restoration and hope.

When people get together, and work together for good, there is no limit to the harvest that will be brought in.

And that is worth celebrating!

Amen