"Open Doors"
a condensed version of the sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore on Sunday, May 20, 2007 at Union Congregational Church in Somonauk, Illinois.

PODCAST of "Open Doors."

Maybe you’ve noticed this about me. I have a thing about the exploitation of people. In general I’m a pretty easygoing, gentle and kind person.

But when I witness or hear about the exploitation of others, it gets my feathers furled. Most that have seen me get on my "high horse" at any time in my life have seen it in relation to exploitation. Here’s something I said in a recent sermon:

When do we get on our high horse? When do we leave the area of "kind?" I think it is when we see something that is oppressive to others or it excludes others – or when we see exploitation, abuse or degradation of another. I think we are obligated to act.

Today’s scripture begins with exploitation. A slave-girl (right away with exploitation! Let me start this one by saying: The culture of Paul’s time – and any time slavery has been allowed – got it wrong.) had a "spirit of divination" and was able to tell people’s fortunes – giving lots of money to her owners.

I’ve got to stop here. In New Testament times, the idea of mental illness had not really occurred to people. Those who were mentally ill were described as being demon possessed. That idea continues today. Mental illness comes with a stigma attached. Insurance companies limit coverage for mental illness. Some forego medical treatment for medical illness in favor of exorcisms or other religious rituals. Many think that a person can just "snap out of it" by praying enough or simply deciding to change.

I’m not in that camp. I don’t understand the supernatural forces at work in our universe. I believe that God hears and answers our prayers. I also believe that God has given us the ability to learn and to treat illness with medicine and medical treatment. And I think that mental illness, like physical illness, needs to be understood as real and treatable. I don’t think doctors should get lazy and over-prescribe medications to anyone, but I think that people with mental illness should receive the same standard of care and the same insurance benefits as a person with any illness. I’m an ardent supporter of Pathways to Promise (take a look at the poster in fellowship hall) and the UCC mental illness network.

I think you might say I just went on a rant – now I’m done and we can continue.

This exploited woman with a mental illness was annoying Paul. He got tired of her mouth and he, disdainfully, I think, said ""I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." (referring to the spirit.) and she was healed. I don’t know exactly what happened, but she stopped being able to tell people’s fortunes.

And what could have been a happy ending (God healed a woman with mental illness!) turned into a prison experience for Paul and Silas. Why did that happen?

Well, just suppose you feel a financial pinch due to the actions of some people who have a different religious perspective than you do. Suppose instead of seeking retribution or compensation based on financial loss you paint the other people as wrong, evil or lawbreakers based on religious intolerance rather than finances.

Suppose you have the other people thrown in jail so that they’ll keep quiet. That’s what the slave owners did. The "kangaroo court" judges didn’t want to upset the rich slave owners so they sent Paul and Silas to jail. The no-longer annoyed, but now-in-trouble Paul and Silas were incarcerated. And the part that really catches my attention in all of this is how Paul and Silas were painted not with a brush of financial loss, but with one of religious intolerance.

And then, Paul and Silas sang hymns together. What hymns? Likely one of the oldest hymns in the Bible – the Song of Miriam: "Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea." They probably sang some of the Psalms too. While they were singing hymns together, BOOM! an earthquake opened the doors of the jail. Everyone could escape! When the jailer saw the doors opened, he was about to kill himself because he knew he faced death for letting the prisoners free. But Paul called out to let the jailer know that no prisoner had left. The jailer was overcome and asked Paul how to be saved. Paul simply told him, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." (Remember how Lydia "and her household" were baptized last week? This time it was a Roman jailer and his household who is included in God’s unconditional love and extravagant welcome!) It appears as though Paul and Silas were set free. As I mentioned last week, after staying with the jailer, they stayed with Lydia.

There’s a lot in this account that has to do with open doors.

The most obvious one is the open doors of the prison – Paul and Silas were no longer captive in the jail – they were free.

But here are other open doors in this passage.

• The slave girl experienced open doors by being freed from her illness.
• The jailer experienced open doors as he was freed from sadness and certain death and instead experienced love and salvation.

Some others in the passage may have had some open doors that they didn’t walk through

• The slave owners lived their life in greed. They didn’t go through the open doors of generosity
• The slave owners also lived their life as anti-Semites -- racists. Far too many people in our world still have not gone through the open door of respect for all people – all races.
• The ones who threw Paul and Silas into prison lived their lives in fear of the rich and powerful. They didn’t go through the open doors of justice and fairness.
• Paul and Silas lived their lives thinking it was all right to treat people with mental illness with disdain. Well, they didn’t get what was going on – but now we have an open door to treat everyone with respect and love.

Some of you are wondering about this ‘Open doors" thing.

"Isn’t that a network of homes and workshops in Sandwich?"

Yes, it is. And people continue to walk through open doors of encouragement, independence and care.

"Isn’t that part of the United Methodist Church advertising campaign?"

Yes it is – Open hearts, open minds, open doors.

The United Methodist Church describes it this way:

Our open hearts are evident not only in our shared theology but also in our service to the world; our open minds focus on servanthood; and our open doors allow for a variety of understandings within a single faith community.

It’s very similar to the United Church of Christ’s phrase, "No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey . . . You’re welcome here."

Open Doors.

• Sometimes open doors represent opportunities for us to do something better or to learn how to follow God better.
• Sometimes open doors ask us to stretch beyond our comfort level in welcoming everyone with God’s unconditional love and extravagant welcome.
• Sometimes open doors represent opportunities for us to reach out to brothers and sisters in need or to reach out to brothers and sisters when we are in need.

Open doors always represent freedom. It’s the freedom we have through Jesus. It’s the freedom we have because of God’s grace and because of God’s unconditional love.

What can we do, knowing all of that? What doors can we open?

• How about the doors that have been closed by conflict with others? We can open doors to begin reconciliation.
• How about the doors that have been closed because we are afraid to fail? We can open doors to new and exciting possibilities and we can try – even if well might fail?
• How about the doors that have been closed because of the stigma of mental illness. We can open doors to recognize that all are worthy of God’s love and all should have access to healthcare for physical and mental illnesses?
• How about the doors that have been closed because we don’t think that our faith is something we’re allowed to talk about. We can open doors and bubble about what God means to us?

What other doors are closed? What would it be like if we took a chance and experienced instead open doors?

Close with prayer

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