A sermon preached at John Knox Kirk of Kansas City, Missouri, on June 22, 2014.

Romans 6:1-11
and Genesis 21:8-21

 

Not that long ago, Greg Garrett spent a weekend lecturing and preaching

in Cody, Wyoming.

His hosts built in time so he could take

a long hike in Yellowstone National Park.

Greg Garrett is a novelist, a professor of English at Baylor University,

and a licensed lay preacher in the Episcopal Church.

But knowing that he was going hiking ALONE on a bear-laden trail,

they warned Garrett about the Swiss hiker

who had been eaten, on that very trail.

Only prudent, you know.

But that warning affected his whole Yellowstone experience.

On his hike, he saw bears everywhere:

this stump,

that clump of grass,

those shadows deep in the forest.

                     Bears.

                          Bears everywhere. He was so jumpy thinking he was seeing all those bears,

it was hard for him to enjoy the amazing views around him.

In fact, he didn’t notice the views at all—

–just lots and lots and lots of things that looked like bears.

Garrett reflects:

“From the news we consume,

to the opinions we hold,

to the pain we feel,

and the preoccupations we share—

–in today’s world:

if you’re looking for bears,

                                                      you will most certainly see bears.    

                                                            …But, bears may be ALL you see.”

Garrett was speaking about his last six years studying the

emotional, spiritual, and theological responses

to the events of the past decade, beginning with 9/11.

Among the many conclusions he draws from his research is that

our culture has spent a decade plus warning us about BEARS.

As a result, people of faith come to God’s promises,

but DON’T experience those promises—

–INSTEAD “we see bears everywhere”

                                    because we expect to find them there.[i]

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