Get What You Need - August 22, 2021
Sermon - “Get What You Need”, By Carolyn Smith
Summer at church sometimes takes on a lazy hazy feel - The soothing experience of the
spirit, calming, restful, safe and relaxing, somehow we make friends with God when the
sun drifts through the trees, we dabble with transformation, and in warm breezes, we
more easily fall into the Spirit’s call and embrace. We sing Spirit of Gentleness, and
Come and find the quiet center-
How many of you are resting in this moment? Sensing that peace?
I wonder too for some or many of us, our thoughts drift, our prayers rise up... faces and
names rise, situations and concerns rise, ... we have things close to the surface that need
prayer and care. And maybe some of them well up, because they are harder than gentle
breezes seem to fix.
All summer with our song series, we’ve heard a variety of music that matters to you, it’s
been said that “where words fail, music speaks.” We’ve heard longing, joy, hope, and
dark frustration, from Doris Day’s “Secret Love” to Billy Joel, the Stranger. Some
extremes of emotion or loud heavy metal are awkward to manage in church as we know it
though - it keeps its distance, -those who do come in might mollify themselves with
saying “I haven’t got it as bad as others” except I wish, or I wonder if we could be less
tidy with the extremes and engage with the Spirit at work beyond typical church comfort
zones.
So to be handed a song by what has been named “the Greatest Rock & Roll band in the
world,” was a treat and a challenge. As much as I am comfortable in the pews singing
Spirit fo Gentleness, I have a hardcore love of Rock & Roll. Harold Devenne - the who
also brings our prayers later today - he requested I take a look at the Rolling Stones, and
their song“You Can’t Always Get what you want.” A song that says somehow ‘never
give up, be open to something totally different.’ I WISH I could play it for you and I’d
be totally content if you were to pause this live stream, and go listen .... I posted it in
Facebook a couple of days ago so you might find it there... It kind of ‘shakes the
foundations’ that the Stones - the iconic and world changing band fronted by swaggering
Mick Jagger and the everlasting Keith Richards, has made its way to this pulpit of sorts.
And these swaggering rock-n-rollers provide an veritable look and soundtrack for our
parable today, of the Lost Son - the Prodigal - an eye-rolling, over-confident fellow
setting off, partying in unseemly company while squandering his inheritance, thumbing
his nose (or likely raising a middle finger) to authority and orthodox expectations. It’s
“told you so” parable, easy in its extremes.. .we like wagging our fingers because the
lesson is so obvious!
But it’s all relative... any “I told you so” wisdom that I have comes from my fair share in
making mistakes and facing frustrations. Any wisdom I’ve earned didn’t come easily or
elegantly any more than anyone else. When I look back and get past the embarrassment
in my head... I know I was trying hard to figure my way out - trying to look capable,
instead of awkward like I felt.
This Stones song begins surprisingly with the entirely elegant London Bach Choir - a
foreshadowing contrast to the swaggering and irreverent song it turns into... it swings
between themes of drugs and politics, standing up defiantly and retreating to lazy, hazy
bad behaviour... it’s a pure late 60’s Coming of Age experience.. at one point swinging
from a drug-fuelled party to a protest march, singing
“And I went down to the demonstration To get my fair share of abuse
Singing, "We're gonna vent our frustration, If we don’t, we're gonna blow a fifty-amp
fuse”
He’s Loud and frustrated enough to march, and then what? He fizzles out to lazing
around by the drug store, drinking cherry soda, hanging with strangers, all the swagger
deflated into a clumsy and awkward dolt... Feel the extremes of the song and the story, -
the Prodigal son- prodigal meaning Extravagant, Foolish, Wasteful...a cocky Jewish kid
setting off with confidence to languishing in an unkosher pig-sty... lower than low! It’s
interesting that this story, like the Good Samaritan -still means something to generations
who probably haven’t even been to church ever... because nearly everyone recognizes
the shame and struggle trying to find our way in hard places...... So while this is
extreme, the truth is often much less flashy: we have all stood in an awkward places
thinking we wanted one thing, and then realizing we were off-base. A fork in the road,
maybe having messed up and or made the wrong call. Sold out on our values, trying to
salvage our dignity, but a bit or a lot lost.
This deflated guy in our parable knows what’s coming... “I will set out and go back to
my family and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer
worthy to be called your son. Maybe he’ll take me back as one of his servants.
And the Parent has a choice. Common human response, and the basis of our laws and
our justice system, and many a family’s discipline structures are just so obvious. This
Dad has every right to be angry and teach this kid a lesson. Natural consequences, Fire
and brimstone. We want for the Dad to be vindicated, like the brother, who plays the
role of authoritarian, he points it out indignantly - we want The lazy good-for-nothing son
to learn his place. For every memory we have of times we were pushed around.... We can
feel the want, except it tastes bitter.
And I wish I was playing you the song right now... as the rhythm and the chords and the
energy shift from bitter frustrated awkwardness ... and shift and lift up and come together
and rise with new energy... You can’t always get what you want.... You can’t always get
what you want....
But if you try sometimes..... you might just find .... You get what You need! Oh
yeah...
With energy something like dawning awareness - like the light that dawns on the son, and
in all who witness...a hopeful grace-full lesson... instead of vengeance. Because if you
haven’t guessed... it’s the lousiest secret in the world - Our story - this lost son & this
surprising parent is the Kingdom of God... our Kin-dom - the family of- our Loving
Forgiving Parent God. The Spirit we are supposed to follow and create together - a
grace-filled family that turns the ways of the world upside down.
Where the boy returns home, wanting what’s coming to him, trying to own up,
You can’t always get what you want.... But if you try sometimes....
And the Dad tries something unexpected... Father meets him with open arms, wanting -
no - NEEDING to embrace this precious one - This parent, NEEDING to lift him up, to
heal him ... NEEDING to grant a second chance... To offer GRACE...
And the lost one - Wanting just to be allowed back in shame, who NEEDED instead to
discover GRACE.
And the music in the song progresses and swells ... and yeah - its one reason the Stones
might be the Greatest,... The music swells, shifting the awkward swagger into confident
fullness somehow channelling a that grace with a Spirit of assurance.... If you try
sometimes, you might just find... you get what you need...
Try again. God knows that people, individuals, growing up kids fall back so easily.
God knows that cultures, nations, power-structures are so tied to pride and bitterness, that
progress can collapse just like that.... Even our small aches and worries ... they don’t
necessarily feel small on the inside... do you doubt that this parable is an everyday
reminder of to you as a lanky kid, the brother, or maybe the giver?
God knows it’s a good thing for this world that the Spirit works outside of churches so
often - it’s a hopeful thing that even the “Greatest Rock & Roll Band in the world could
channel somehow some Spirit Wisdom wth just a lifting rhythm and a groove...”.
Each week I’ve offered a reminder to try this..., hoping it becomes your favourite habit...
to catch yourself in those moments, when bitterness and wanting, or the ache sets in, to
name them as a moment in need of grace... to pause and breathe deep, to feel and hear
and know the call and beckoning of the Spirit of love embracing you... you are beloved,
worthy to be lifted back to the graceful rhythm of life in the kindom...
Just what you need. Amen.