Love Bade Me Welcome

What if preachers were as contagiously joyful in their preaching as Louis Armstrong was in his playing and singing? As rich in their sermonic renderings as Sarah Vaughn was in her musical vocals? As honest about heartache as Bille Holliday was every time she sang about the blues of life? As alluringly clear as the angelic voice of Ella Fitzgerald? As tenaciously uninhibited in the action of creating as Duke Ellington? [i]  

One of my favorite quotes about music is from T.S. Eliot, in his poem Dry Salvages, when he writes these words: “music heard so deeply that it is not heard at all, but you are the music…” [ii]

I understand that metaphor in the fiber of my being. I too hear music so deeply that the improvisation becomes part of me. For me, music is the improvisation of God’s activity in the world, which becomes integrated into my body, mind, and spirit.

Each one of us has the chance at improvisation – no matter what situation we find ourselves encountering. Like jazz, life has no master score, but as Eliot has said, we are able to hear the music so deeply that instead of merely hearing, we become the music. I believe that to be the improvisational work of the Holy Spirit.

In preparing for this jazz service, I did some research. My understanding is that jazz musicians have a foundation, and patterns for their compositions. In order to improvise, the musicians need to study and listen to distinguished performers, learn theory, practice scales, rehearse new works, develop a repertoire, and perform.

Improvisation and jazz, like the Holy Spirit, cannot be precisely defined, or kept into a box; they are both alive, and breathing throughout creation. “Improvisation – art of composing in the moment, while performing, without a written score – has long been seen as the hall mark that sets jazz apart from other music, even though many musical cultures of the world do improvise to one degree or another” [iii] We know this, we feel it, hear it, it becomes part of our body, mind and spirit.

I too have studied and continue to study theory and theology. I have learned and continue to learn from the masters. I have developed my repertoire, and continue to refine aspects of its work. Louis Armstrong once said, "If I do not practice for a day, I know it. If I do not practice for two days, the critics know it. And if I do not practice for three days, the public knows it."

In both jazz and in life, each soloist has his or her own distinctive gifts, cherished and given by God. We are called into community to create an ensemble with our own personal style, rhythm, and tone so that it is discernable from one another, though each member plays the same song. Our congregation, like members of a Jazz ensemble need to listen, be open, feel the music of the other, in whatever gift they are able to offer the community.

This morning, we have the gift of a jazz service. I invite you to listen, see, and feel the music created by the Rick Whitehead Trio, and our own Sanelma Sutton. By listening with your body, mind, and spirit, you will be able to distinguish how each member of the ensemble listens carefully to the soloist and follows on their lead as each of them improvise on the accompaniment. In addition, each ensemble members will encourage with comments and gestures, to the improvising solo. In other words, jazz can be compared to what Paul has said, “The body does not consist of one member but of many” (I Cor.12:14).

In our Hebrew Bible text we first we see Elijah and Elisha at the end of Elijah’s life. One day they left out of Gilgal, where the school of prophets was based heading for Bethel in the company of the other prophets or disciples. Three times, Elijah says to Elisha, "Stay here; God has sent me on”. He says this at Bethel, Jericho, and Jordan.

At the Jordon River, the other disciples hang back and Elisha and Elijah go up to the riverside. Elijah parts the Jordan with his cloak or mantle, just as Moses has parted the waters in Exodus with his rod. Elisha and Elijah cross over the Jordan where Elijah asks Elisha if there is anything he can do for him. Elisha then asks for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit.

What did it take for Elisha to inherit the spirit? The ability to see. In addition, in order to see, he had to be in the right place at the right time. Three times Elijah told Elisha to stay behind while he went on ahead. Nevertheless, Elisha stuck to him, following him from town to town, even though Elijah discouraged him from coming. He saw because he WANTED to be there. In order to see, you have to be present where God is acting, and open your eyes. I know why he wanted a double portion of Elijah's spirit. HE WANTED MORE OF GOD.

How many of us are willing to recognize the spirit at work in our lives? How many of us are willing to take up the mantle? How many of us are willing to join the ensemble and create improvisation together?

I see so many Christians content with going only as far as there leader has gone or content with what they have. God wants more! God wants us our passion! God longs for us to long for God!

As I re-read, and internally digest this text, I am reminded of many instances in my own life where I have been encouraged to be less zealous, less certain, just sit back and follow the status quo, not to ruffle any feathers.

I say to those disciples, NO THANKS! I have not, and will not sit back, nor will I keep my mouth shut, be less zealous and follow the status quo, and not ruffle any feathers.

Each one of us has been given at least one spiritual gift from God, or charism. Improvisation is more than what happens between the parts of the ensemble; it is much more than the sum of the parts, it is found in the midst of the living relationship. Jazz improvisation combines the “complimentary themes of shared community values and idiosyncratic [individual] musical perspectives”. [iv]

In community life, each one of us will get a turn to improvise, sometimes with our voice, our presence, our gifts of comfort and care, in offering food, a hug, a note, a visit, a phone call, or our feet. Duke Ellington once said, “Every man [and woman] prays in his [or her] own language, and there is no language God does not understand.” [v]

I long for that whirlwind to come for me! I love that line of a song by Margaret Becker "I want to be there when the horses come for me”.

I not only want to be there, I want to be ready, willing, and eager. I want to be on fire, I want to be anointed, and I want ALL that God has in mind for me, just like Elisha. I want to see God’s power manifested. What do you want?

I am sure many of us have had moments of transformation. Perhaps our own experience is more like a long gradual walk through the valley than a chariot of fire, or a whirlwind. However sudden or gradual it is, the change comes from within. In fact, it is a metamorphosis, or realization of the action and presence of God from the inside. [vi]

Paul assures: "all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit." [vii]

Perhaps the other disciples hung back because they encouraged each other to be less zealous, less certain, just sit back, and follow the status quo, not to ruffle any feathers. Perhaps what kept them from asking for a double portion of blessing, of not taking up the mantel, or not wanting to be part of an ensemble with God was simply a crippling fear.

Nelson Mandela quoted Marianne Williamson in his inaugural speech with these words.

 Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. [viii]

How many of you are willing to recognize the spirit at work in your lives? How many of you are willing to take up the mantle? How many of you are willing to join the ensemble and create improvisation together? How many of you want to be on fire for God?

Goethe once said, “The way you see people is the way you treat them and the way you treat them is what they become”. [ix] I believe that to be a very deep truth, and it can be one of our spiritual gifts.

Dear friends, it is time to step up into the light, do not let fear detour your journey with Christ.

TRANSFIGURATION: PRELUDE by Timothy Haut,

February, 2006

 The morning sun glistened
 on the dew-dappled grass,
 and a spring breeze rustled
 the budded willow
 where a choir of red-winged blackbirds
 chanted matins at first light.
 Elijah closed his eyes,
 taking a deep breath of sweet air
 and Moses smiled in sympathy
 at the knot of men, hanging back,
 hiding their faces from the glory.
 He remembered
 his own burning bush
 as the redwings exploded from the tree,
 a flame of birds
 sanctifying this holy morning.
 "Here he comes,"
 the old prophet whispered
 in the joyous light.
 

Amen.