Richard Lee Phillips - "How Dare You Ask" (October 30, 1994)

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-	Good morning, we'd like to welcome you to Duke Chapel.	0:07
	Our guest preacher this morning is Dr. Richard Phillips	0:11
	from Syracuse University where he is	0:15
	Dean of Hendricks Chapel.	0:18
	We're happy to welcome he and his wife Ethel	0:20
	and invite you to greet them	0:23
	in the narthex after the service.	0:24
	I'd also like to call to your attention	0:27
	that the offertory anthem for today is Psalm 46,	0:29
	which is being premiered by Dr. David Arcus.	0:33
	There are a couple of announcements	0:37
	I'd like to call to your attention.	0:39
	We will begin as of this week a	0:41
	weekly children's celebration in the chapel basement,	0:44
	which is a time of worship and song and art and celebration	0:48
	for children under the age of 10.	0:53
	And we invite your children to participate in that.	0:55
	Also, on Monday at 10:30 pm is our annual	0:58
	All Hallows' Eve celebration here in the chapel.	1:03
	It's a wonderful celebration remembering the saints	1:06
	but also God's call to us to be saints in the world.	1:10
	We invite you to join us for that.	1:14
	Would you please stand as we continue	1:17
	our worship with the greeting?	1:18
	The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.	1:25
Congregation	And also with you.	1:28
Minister	The risen Christ is with us.	1:30
Congregation	Praise the Lord.	1:32
	♪ A mighty fortress is our God ♪	2:35
	♪ A bulwark never failing ♪	2:41
	♪ Our helper he amid the flood ♪	2:49
	♪ Of mortal ills prevailing ♪	2:55
	♪ For still our ancient foe ♪	3:03
	♪ Doth seek to work us woe ♪	3:09
	♪ His craft and power are great ♪	3:15
	♪ And armed with cruel hate ♪	3:22
	♪ On earth is not his equal ♪	3:28
	♪ Did we in our own strength confide ♪	3:37
	♪ Our striving would be losing ♪	3:43
	♪ Were not the right man on our side ♪	3:51
	♪ The man of God's own choosing ♪	3:57
	♪ Dost ask who that may be ♪	4:06
	♪ Christ Jesus, it is he ♪	4:12
	♪ Lord Sabaoth his name ♪	4:18
	♪ From age to age the same ♪	4:24
	♪ And he must win the battle ♪	4:31
	♪ And though this world with devils filled ♪	4:40
	♪ Should threaten to undo us ♪	4:46
	♪ We will not fear for God hath willed ♪	4:54
	♪ His truth to triumph through us ♪	5:00
	♪ The Prince of Darkness grim ♪	5:08
	♪ We tremble not for him ♪	5:15
	♪ His rage we can endure ♪	5:21
	♪ For lo, his doom is sure ♪	5:27
	♪ One little word shall fell him ♪	5:34
	♪ That word above all earthly powers ♪	5:44
	♪ No thanks to them abideth ♪	5:51
	♪ The Spirit and the gifts are ours ♪	6:00
	♪ Through him who with us sideth ♪	6:06
	♪ Let goods and kindred go ♪	6:15
	♪ This mortal life also ♪	6:21
	♪ The body they may kill ♪	6:28
	♪ God's truth abideth still ♪	6:34
	♪ His kingdom is forever ♪	6:41
-	Let us pray.	6:55
	Almighty God, you pour out on all who desire it,	6:58
	the Spirit of grace and love.	7:03
	Deliver us as we come into your presence,	7:07
	from cold hearts and wandering thoughts,	7:11
	that we may be at peace and worship you	7:15
	with all our heart and soul and mind and strength.	7:19
	Through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.	7:27
	You may be seated.	7:32
-	Let us pray together the prayer for illumination.	7:46
-	[Lector and Congregation] Open our hearts and minds,	7:50
	O God, by the power of your Holy Spirit,	7:52
	so that as the word is read and proclaimed	7:56
	we might hear your words with joy this day, amen.	7:59
	The Old Testament lesson is taken	8:05
	from the book of Ruth 1:15-18.	8:07
	So, Naomi said to Ruth, "See, your sister-in-law has gone	8:14
	"back to her people and to her gods.	8:18
	"Return after your sister-in-law."	8:21
	But Ruth said, "Do not press me to leave you	8:24
	"or to turn back from following you.	8:28
	"Where you go, I will go.	8:30
	"Where you lodge, I will lodge.	8:34
	"Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.	8:37
	"Where you die, I will die, there will I be buried.	8:42
	"May the Lord do thus and so to me	8:47
	"and more as well, if even death parts me from you."	8:49
	When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her,	8:54
	she said no more to her.	8:57
	This is the Word of the Lord.	9:00
Congregation	Thanks be to God.	9:02
	♪ When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion ♪	9:19
	♪ Then was our mouth filled with laughter ♪	9:25
	♪ With laughter, with laughter and joy ♪	9:31
	♪ Then was our mouth filled with laughter ♪	9:35
	♪ With laughter, with laughter, with laughter and joy ♪	9:40
	♪ When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion ♪	9:47
	♪ Then was our mouth filled with laughter ♪	9:53
	♪ With laughter and joy ♪	9:59
	♪ Then was our mouth filled with laughter ♪	10:02
	♪ With laughter, with laughter, with laughter and joy ♪	10:07
	♪ Then was our mouth filled with laugher ♪	10:13
	♪ With laughter and joy ♪	10:19
	♪ Then was our mouth filled with laugher ♪	10:22
	♪ With laughter, with laughter, with laughter and joy ♪	10:27
	♪ For they said among the heathen ♪	10:33
	♪ The Lord hath done great things for them ♪	10:39
	♪ Whereof we are glad ♪	10:44
	♪ The Lord hath done great things for them ♪	10:47
	♪ The Lord hath done great things for them ♪	10:53
	♪ Whereof we are glad ♪	10:56
	♪ The Lord hath done great things for them ♪	10:59
	♪ Whereof we are glad ♪	11:05
	♪ The Lord hath done great things for them ♪	11:07
	♪ The Lord hath done great things for them ♪	11:13
	♪ Whereof we are glad ♪	11:16
	♪ The Lord hath done great things for them ♪	11:19
	♪ Whereof we are glad ♪	11:25
	♪ Turn again our captivity, O Lord ♪	11:29
	♪ As the rivers in the South ♪	11:33
	♪ For they that sow in tears shall reap in joy ♪	11:37
	♪ Shall reap, shall reap in joy ♪	11:44
	♪ Shall reap, shall reap in joy ♪	11:51
	♪ Shall reap, shall reap, shall reap in joy ♪	11:58
	♪ Shall reap, shall reap, shall reap in joy ♪	12:05
	♪ For they that sow in tears shall reap in joy ♪	12:12
	♪ Shall reap, shall reap in joy ♪	12:18
	♪ Shall reap, shall reap in joy ♪	12:25
	♪ Shall reap, shall reap, shall reap in joy ♪	12:33
	♪ Shall reap, shall reap, shall reap in joy ♪	12:40
-	The Gospel lesson is take from Mark 12:28-34.	13:02
	One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing	13:10
	with one another, and seeing that he answered them well,	13:13
	he answered him, "Which commandment is first of all?"	13:17
	Jesus answered, "The first is, hear O Israel,	13:21
	"The Lord our God, the Lord is one.	13:24
	"You shall love the Lord your God	13:27
	"with all your heart and with all your soul	13:29
	"and with all your mind and with all your strength.	13:32
	"The second is this, you shall love	13:35
	"your neighbor as yourself.	13:38
	"There is no other commandment greater than these."	13:41
	Then the scribe said to him,	13:44
	"You are right, teacher, you have truly said that he is one,	13:46
	"and besides him there is no other,	13:50
	"and to love him with all the heart	13:53
	"and with all the understanding	13:55
	"and with all the strength,	13:56
	"and to love one's neighbor as oneself.	13:58
	"This is much more important	14:02
	"than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifice."	14:04
	When Jesus saw that he answered wisely,	14:07
	he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."	14:09
	After that, no one dared ask him any question.	14:14
	This is the Word of the Lord.	14:18
Congregation	Thanks be to God.	14:20
-	Bless, O God, Will Willimon as he as this moment steps	14:36
	into a pulpit in Syracuse.	14:41
	May his ministry of preaching be your ministry	14:44
	to your people, everywhere.	14:47
	And bless, O God, the words of my mouth,	14:51
	that they may convey your good news	14:55
	here in this place, amen.	14:58
	Good morning, I want to thank all who have prepared	15:04
	for this service of worship,	15:09
	both in the weeks that have preceded it,	15:11
	and of course, for this outstanding and beautiful weekend.	15:13
	It is pure delight for me to be here with you,	15:17
	and it is an equal delight to have Will preaching	15:21
	at Hendrick's Chapel at Syracuse University.	15:25
	We have planned this for about three years,	15:28
	that's how long it takes for an exchange to work itself out.	15:31
	Now, I trust that there are a few Syracusans	15:36
	who've seen the newspaper and other items	15:38
	that have announced today's visit, other than Ethel	15:41
	out there in the congregation, because believe me,	15:45
	a Yankee who presumes to come and preach	15:49
	below the Mason-Dixon line needs all the support	15:52
	that he or she can get.	15:55
	One example of that is that I had sought out of the readings	15:59
	for today one of the readings	16:03
	that didn't quite make it onto your bulletin.	16:06
	And as chance would have it,	16:09
	I've used that particular reading	16:10
	of the lectionary as part of my text for my remarks today.	16:12
	And so I'm going to inflict upon hopefully a bit of joy	16:18
	with another of today's biblical passages.	16:23
	It happens to be a Psalm and we're getting	16:26
	quite a bit of Psalm treatment today	16:28
	with the choir and with a special number you're	16:31
	about to hear in just a little while.	16:34
	But this particular Psalm, Psalm 146,	16:38
	is one of the great Psalms of praise in all of the Psalter.	16:41
	And I read it to you at this time.	16:45
	Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.	16:49
	I will praise the Lord as long as I live.	16:54
	I will sing praises to my God, while I have being.	16:57
	Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man,	17:01
	in whom there is no help.	17:04
	When his breath departs, he returns to his earth,	17:07
	and on that day his great plans perish.	17:10
	Happy is he whose help is in the God of Jacob,	17:14
	whose hope is in the Lord his God.	17:18
	God who made heaven and earth and sea	17:22
	and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever,	17:24
	who executes justice for the oppressed,	17:28
	who gives food to the hungry.	17:31
	The Lord sets the prisoners free.	17:34
	The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.	17:37
	The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down.	17:40
	The Lord loves the righteous.	17:43
	The Lord watches over the sojourners.	17:46
	He upholds the widow and the fatherless	17:48
	by the way of the wicked.	17:51
	They will be brought down to ruin.	17:53
	The Lord will reign forever, thy God,	17:56
	O Zion, to all generations.	17:59
	Praise the Lord.	18:02
	Certainly this 146th Psalm is among the distillations	18:05
	of praise literature that is famous	18:11
	throughout the history of both Judaism and Christianity.	18:14
	It is a distillation, if you will, of the divine drama	18:19
	and some sense of the importance of the human	18:23
	as our reaction to it.	18:27
	It is an extremely well-crated Psalm,	18:30
	a beautiful piece of our Scriptural tradition.	18:33
	And I'll return to it a bit later.	18:36
	The Gospel lesson, that you've just heard	18:40
	David so beautifully read,	18:42
	is indeed one of the most compelling Gospel passages	18:44
	in the entire New Testament.	18:48
	The first and the second commandment stories are paralleled	18:51
	in Matthew and Luke with very little difference.	18:55
	We read them with some sense that this is the distillation	18:59
	of the Christian message, that Jesus has prepared for us.	19:04
	And in the Gospel of Luke,	19:08
	there is even a follow-up question.	19:09
	Jesus is asked, "And who is my neighbor	19:13
	"that I am to love as myself?"	19:17
	And the story that Jesus tells to follow that question	19:20
	is in fact the story of the Good Samaritan.	19:25
	So, with these two Scriptures, Psalm 146	19:28
	and this Gospel passage of the great commandments,	19:32
	the first and the second, I would like to add a few remarks.	19:35
	Let me begin by observing that the United States of America	19:41
	is in an absolutely unique position	19:45
	never before experienced in the entire human history.	19:49
	Since the demise and the breakup of the Soviet Union,	19:55
	the great power balance in the world	20:00
	that has dominated since the end of World War II,	20:02
	and even before, has crumbled.	20:06
	We, and I speak for all Americans at this point,	20:10
	are now at the head of the heap,	20:14
	the head of the power heap with no parallel,	20:17
	with no even close competitors throughout the world.	20:21
	And for the immediate foreseeable future,	20:26
	that surely is the way it will remain.	20:30
	Such a challenge has never before befallen any government,	20:33
	any nation-state, any people,	20:39
	in the entire history of humankind.	20:44
	The question is not how we got here.	20:49
	Perhaps there are those who would like	20:52
	to see the hand of God moving in this history.	20:54
	And surely if God's hand has ever moved in history,	20:57
	it continues to move in contemporary history.	21:01
	But whatever the reason for this emergence	21:05
	of the United States of America as a supreme power	21:08
	and potentially the most influential leader	21:12
	for the future of humankind that the world has ever seen,	21:17
	the question remains, how will we react?	21:22
	Will we go forth in the world as peacemakers,	21:29
	or will we continue to be the broker and the builder	21:33
	of arms and speak of balances of power?	21:38
	Will our forays into the Middle East, and Haiti,	21:43
	and yet unforeseen problem points in the world,	21:49
	be contacts with the world that will prove worthy	21:54
	of the status that has been given to us as a nation,	21:57
	or will we continue with a MAD philosophy	22:03
	that we have learned to conduct as foreign policy	22:07
	for all these many decades.	22:10
	MAD incidentally, for those of you who are not familiar,	22:13
	is the entire policy of this government,	22:18
	from the end of World War II	22:21
	until the demise of the Soviet Union.	22:23
	Perhaps, it still is the pervasive philosophy of many parts.	22:26
	There are those Pentagon observers who have said	22:31
	that that particular governmental establishment has	22:34
	not figured out yet that we're in a new phase.	22:37
	MAD stands for Mutually Assured Destruction.	22:40
	Must we continue to conduct foreign policy	22:46
	on the basis of a philosophy	22:50
	which no longer describes the condition of the world,	22:52
	or can we now go forth as a nation,	22:56
	leading on the basis of some other criteria	23:00
	than the balance of power?	23:04
	Perhaps, the kind of of criteria that has been suggested	23:06
	to us in the Scripture readings of the day.	23:10
	I submit to you that our only position	23:14
	in the world today, I'm sorry.	23:17
	The only result of our position	23:20
	in the world today is not the international responsibility	23:22
	that has been thrust upon us,	23:26
	but is equally the domestic realities we confront	23:28
	and the responsibilities we have in that arena.	23:33
	How can we as a nation ever expect to lead the world,	23:38
	if we cannot with the same kind of compassion	23:43
	and insight and perspective and underlying philosophy	23:45
	of love for all of God's children expect the world	23:50
	to follow us if we cannot apply the principle here at home.	23:54
	And so it is both internationally and domestically	24:00
	that I am concerned about how America conducts itself,	24:03
	given its new status or relatively new status in the world.	24:07
	William Sloane Coffin, no stranger to those	24:13
	in campus ministry, and I'm sure on this campus as well,	24:16
	this congregation and this campus participation combined	24:21
	in particular, has said that basically	24:25
	there are three kinds of problems	24:28
	that are agreed by virtually all analysts	24:30
	as the principle problems of the day.	24:33
	They are the problems of weapons building,	24:37
	weapons improvement, and weapons distribution	24:40
	and proliferation throughout the world,	24:43
	as our number one problem.	24:47
	The number two problem that the world is confronting is	24:49
	that we have become environmentally insensitive,	24:52
	if not behaving environmentally in a disastrous way	24:56
	in terms of assuring the future	25:01
	of the human living experience.	25:04
	And yet, a third problem that we all seem	25:07
	to feel helpless toward, that Coffin enumerates,	25:12
	is the problem of the increasing disparity	25:16
	between the wealthy and the poor.	25:19
	And certainly, this nation has had both its guilt	25:24
	and its opportunity to bring forward	25:30
	to the current scene in all of these areas.	25:34
	The past 14 years, says Republican Political Analyst	25:39
	Kevin Phillips, and I'm sure some of you joined	25:43
	with a group of us ministers in Syracuse	25:47
	who studied his book a couple of years ago	25:49
	in an ongoing study group we have,	25:52
	talks about the change that has take place	25:56
	in the past 14 years in our economic life,	25:59
	concerning the distribution of wealth.	26:04
	He points out that 14 years ago,	26:07
	there was great disparity between the wealthy	26:10
	and that underbelly of America that had almost nothing.	26:13
	And that today, after what some call Reaganomics,	26:18
	but I'm trying to be apolitical today,	26:22
	the wealthy over that period of time,	26:27
	the top 10% of those who hold economic power	26:30
	in our society have increased their wealth by 74%.	26:34
	And during those same dozen or more years,	26:41
	the bottom 10% of our population has come	26:45
	to control 10.5 less of the wealth	26:49
	of this nation than they did.	26:55
	That's what is being spoken of by Kevin Phillips,	26:58
	who's incidentally no relative that I know of of mine.	27:03
	That's what's being spoken of	27:07
	by William Sloan Coffin about the disparity,	27:08
	the disparity between the wealthy and the poor.	27:12
	That's a commonly agreed upon problem	27:17
	facing our nation today.	27:21
	I quote Kevin Phillips in this regard,	27:26
	about the results of that period of time,	27:29
	a result incidentally which withdrew the support	27:32
	of the Republican Party from the analysis,	27:37
	the book that he published:	27:39
	"This period of time created new wealth in profusion	27:43
	"for the bright, the bold, the educated,	27:47
	"and the politically favored.	27:50
	"But for the less fortunate, it was economic carnage."	27:54
	Bill Coffin tells us that there is a growing consensus	28:05
	that there is much wrong with America,	28:10
	but he also points out that any philosophy	28:14
	for rebuilding this great nation,	28:19
	any plan for how we shall attack these problems	28:24
	is much disputed.	28:29
	If we can get together on the analysis,	28:33
	can we not also get together	28:37
	and point the direction toward a solution?	28:41
	From this pulpit, I know you've heard many point directions	28:46
	for solutions, and I want to do so today based	28:51
	upon the Scriptures that you have heard read.	28:55
	In Psalm 146, that great Psalm of praise	28:59
	that I read for you a few moments ago,	29:03
	it does say put not your trust in princes,	29:07
	in mortals, in the sons of men,	29:11
	and I am sure today it would say the sons	29:14
	and the daughters of men and women,	29:17
	for in them there is no ultimate help.	29:21
	Their dreams will die with them.	29:26
	Now, I think that's a bit harsh on the part of the psalmist,	29:30
	for we read throughout the Scriptures	29:34
	that those in political authority are due their honor,	29:36
	due the homage that citizenry should pay to them,	29:41
	and do a fair chance to exercise	29:45
	their particular leadership	29:49
	and authority amongst us.	29:52
	And I do believe that each of those positions is	29:55
	scripturally justifiable and points in a correct direction,	29:58
	but ultimately, it is the Word and the praise of the Lord	30:03
	that is put forth as the answer to our problems	30:09
	and not faith in our so-called political realms.	30:12
	Let me review what the psalmist has prescribed	30:18
	that humans value as a result	30:22
	of their relationship with the divine.	30:24
	Execute justice for the oppressed,	30:30
	the number-one item listed.	30:34
	Justice is a cry that we have heard	30:37
	since before the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement	30:39
	in the late '50s, but increasingly have heard	30:41
	from those who study the conditions	30:46
	of the relationships in our own society.	30:48
	That is the key reason for our continued failures	30:51
	and the continued separation between us as a people.	30:55
	Execute justice for the oppressed.	31:00
	Increasingly, as I age and near that period of time	31:05
	which we call retirement,	31:08
	I am convinced that a ministry of justice	31:12
	has to be the leading ministry performed by any Christian,	31:18
	be they in the laity or in the clergy.	31:23
	The second point that is made is food for the hungry,	31:28
	hardly needing elucidation in a sermon in this chapel.	31:33
	The third point is to set the prisoners free.	31:39
	And how many kinds of prisoners are there?	31:43
	You are a prisoner.	31:46
	What are the chief bonds that bind you from being	31:50
	what you really know you ought to be?	31:53
	Can your prison-hood be ended, can you be freed?	31:58
	Don't think of prisoners as those alone	32:04
	who are behind steel bars?	32:09
	On the Syracuse University quadrangle,	32:12
	we have a very famous statue by Malvina Hoffman.	32:14
	She created this statue in the 1930s,	32:19
	and it is just slightly larger than life-size.	32:22
	And it's a bronze of the man who is emerging	32:25
	from the stone that he has been chiseled from,	32:29
	and he's about three quarters chiseled out, but his legs	32:32
	and part of his lower torso remain in the stone.	32:36
	And the stone has its chip marks along the side	32:41
	and the front for where the sculpture is working.	32:44
	And she entitled the figure Elemental Man.	32:47
	And if we study the Scripture for just	32:53
	the sculpture for just a little while,	32:55
	we realize that in the making of this human being	32:59
	how he, in this case a male, will come out.	33:04
	What kind of a person he will be is dependent upon	33:08
	every stroke of the hammer, every placement of the chisel.	33:12
	The power and the direction of every blow,	33:17
	all will determine how this prisoner of stone emerges	33:22
	as a full human being in this life.	33:28
	It is among the more powerful pieces of sculpture	33:32
	I have ever seen, and to me it speaks of the importance	33:35
	of every act, every blow of the hammer	33:39
	that any of us yields, in terms of building	33:43
	not only what we as individuals would be,	33:46
	but freeing us from the prisoners we are	33:50
	to become the potential that lies within us.	33:53
	Well, we not only see the prisoners set free in this Psalm,	33:58
	we see the opening of the eyes of the blind.	34:02
	And how many kinds of blindness are there?	34:05
	I will not elucidate.	34:08
	It talks about lifting up those who are bowed down,	34:11
	indeed, a ministry of compassion, a ministry of support.	34:16
	It talks about those who love righteousness.	34:22
	How quickly we have fallen into a people	34:26
	that pay greater homage to power and wealth	34:29
	than we do to righteousness.	34:34
	It talks about watching over the strangers.	34:38
	"Minister always to the strangers within thy gates,"	34:44
	Scripture implores over and over and over again.	34:49
	Yet, how easy it is to say of those whose eyes take	34:55
	on a different slant, or whose hair has a different kink,	34:59
	or whose skin a different tone,	35:03
	or culture, a different way of expressing	35:05
	even the most basic things of	35:08
	how easy it is	35:10
	to not care for the stranger within our gates.	35:14
	And then he finishes, this psalmist does,	35:21
	with an admonition for upholding the orphans and the widows.	35:25
	Can you believe in a little Psalm, a little poem	35:31
	of but a few lines that took less	35:36
	than a minute and a half to read,	35:38
	there is the power of the summary	35:41
	of an entire people's idea	35:44
	of what it is God is after	35:48
	in that part of creation known	35:52
	as the human experience?	35:55
	And the Gospel lessons that I've referred to,	35:59
	with Mark 12 being the one that was read this morning,	36:02
	we have Jesus being queried by the scribes and the Sadducees	36:06
	and others of the intellectual community of the day.	36:10
	The attempt was obviously to trap him.	36:14
	He trapped rather poorly	36:18
	because he gave the correct answers.	36:19
	The first and the most important commandment is	36:21
	to love the Lord your God with all of your heart,	36:26
	with all of your soul, with all of your mind,	36:30
	and not insignificantly, with all of your strength.	36:35
	No commandment could ever be seen as the core of Judaism,	36:41
	or Christianity, or Islam for that matter,	36:46
	but this commandment.	36:51
	But Jesus doesn't pause there, he goes right on	36:53
	to tie a second commandment to it,	36:56
	which he says without	36:59
	hesitation of equal importance,	37:01
	"Love your neighbor	37:06
	"as you love yourself."	37:11
	And when the concession was given	37:15
	that indeed he has spoken truthfully,	37:17
	and that these two commandments are the sum	37:22
	of the law, the prophets, and the gospel,	37:25
	they became silent.	37:33
	Mark puts it this way, "After that,	37:36
	"no one dared ask him any questions."	37:41
	The charge that lies before us as Christians in this day	37:51
	is not a muddled charge,	37:57
	not a confused set of instructions,	38:00
	not a difficult thing to do or to understand.	38:04
	I take that back, it's a difficult thing to do.	38:10
	It's not a difficult thing to understand.	38:12
	And so when it comes to understanding what's expected	38:17
	of us as Christians,	38:21
	read these passages and then	38:25
	how dare you ask,	38:30
	"Go out and do."	38:33
	♪ What does the Lord require for praise and offering ♪	39:12
	♪ What sacrifice desire ♪	39:21
	♪ Or tribute bid you bring ♪	39:25
	♪ Do justly, love mercy ♪	39:31
	♪ Walk humbly with your God ♪	39:36
	♪ Rulers of earth give ear ♪	39:44
	♪ Should you not justice show ♪	39:48
	♪ Will God your pleading hear ♪	39:53
	♪ While crime and cruelty grow ♪	39:57
	♪ Do justly, love mercy ♪	40:03
	♪ Walk humbly with your God ♪	40:09
	♪ Still down the ages ring ♪	40:16
	♪ The prophet's stern commands ♪	40:20
	♪ To merchant, worker, king ♪	40:25
	♪ He brings God's high demands ♪	40:29
	♪ Do justly, love mercy ♪	40:35
	♪ Walk humbly with your God ♪	40:41
	♪ How shall my life fulfill ♪	40:48
	♪ God's law so hard and high ♪	40:52
	♪ Let Christ endure our will ♪	40:58
	♪ With grace to fortify ♪	41:02
	♪ Then justly, in mercy ♪	41:08
	♪ We'll humbly walk with God ♪	41:14
Minister	The Lord be with you.	41:25
Congregation	And also with you.	41:26
-	Let us pray.	41:28
	Almighty God, you have given us grace	41:40
	at this time with one accord	41:45
	to make our common supplication to you.	41:49
	And you have promised through your well-beloved Son	41:53
	that when two or three are gathered together in his name,	41:57
	you will be in the midst of them.	42:03
	Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions	42:07
	as may be best for us,	42:12
	granting us knowledge of your truth.	42:15
	Lord, in your mercy.	42:18
-	[Minister and Congregation] Hear our prayer.	42:21
Minister	We pray for the wisdom and will	42:23
	to love you with all our heart	42:27
	and understanding and strength,	42:30
	and our neighbors as ourselves.	42:34
	Lord, in your mercy.	42:37
-	[Minister and Congregation] Hear our prayer.	42:39
Minister	For this holy house and for all	42:42
	who offer here their worship and praise.	42:45
	Lord, in your mercy.	42:49
-	[Minister and Congregation] Hear our prayer.	42:52
-	For the faithful who have gone before us and are at rest,	42:55
	that we may be guided by their witness.	42:59
	Lord, in your mercy.	43:03
-	[Minister and Congregation] Hear our prayer.	43:05
-	For this university, its faculty, students and staff,	43:08
	that it may be conformed to the rule	43:14
	of your truth and justice, and that each of us may	43:16
	faithfully fulfill our role.	43:20
	Lord, in your mercy.	43:24
-	[Minister and Congregation] Hear our prayer.	43:26
-	For our public servants, for the government	43:29
	and those in positions of power,	43:32
	that they may be guided by your wisdom to do justly,	43:35
	love mercy, and walk humbly with you.	43:40
	Lord, in your mercy.	43:46
-	[Minister and Congregation] Hear our prayer.	43:48
-	For the peace of the whole world,	43:51
	especially for the Middle East, Bosnia,	43:53
	Rwanda, South Africa,	43:57
	Haiti, Guatemala,	44:00
	and for all who live with daily fear of violence.	44:03
	Lord, in your mercy.	44:09
-	[Minister and Congregation] Hear our prayer.	44:11
-	For those who grieve, that they may know the comfort	44:13
	of memory, the care of friends,	44:17
	and the peace of your presence.	44:20
	Lord, in your mercy.	44:24
-	[Minister and Congregation] Hear our prayer.	44:26
-	For those who are sick in body or in mind,	44:28
	that they may be comforted by those who care for them	44:33
	and heal from their afflictions.	44:36
	Lord, in your mercy.	44:39
-	[Minister and Congregation] Hear our prayer.	44:41
-	For the aging whose increasing years bring them isolation,	44:44
	distress, or weakness, that they may have homes	44:49
	of dignity, understanding helpers,	44:53
	the willingness to accept help,	44:57
	and the assurance of your unending love.	44:59
	Lord, in your mercy.	45:03
-	[Minister and Congregation] Hear our prayer.	45:06
-	For the oppressed, for the poor,	45:08
	and for all who feel powerless	45:11
	to change their circumstances,	45:13
	that they may be empowered by your grace	45:16
	and served by our faithfulness.	45:19
	Lord, in your mercy.	45:23
-	[Minister and Congregation] Hear our prayer.	45:25
-	All these things, and whatever else you see that we need,	45:28
	grant us, O God, for the sake of the one who died	45:33
	and rose again, and now lives and reigns with you	45:37
	in the unity of the Holy Spirit,	45:40
	one God, forever and ever, amen.	45:43
	All good things that we possess and all the time	45:50
	that we enjoy on this earth are gift	45:53
	of God's grace and mercy.	45:55
	Let us give generously in thanksgiving.	45:58
	♪ God is our refuge and strength ♪	47:08
	♪ A very present power in trouble ♪	47:14
	♪ Therefore, we will not fear ♪	47:25
	♪ Though the earth should change ♪	47:31
	♪ Though the mountains shake ♪	47:36
	♪ In the fount of the sea ♪	47:39
	♪ Though its waters roar and roll ♪	47:46
	♪ Though the mountains ♪	48:00
	♪ Tremble with its tumult ♪	48:04
	♪ There is a river ♪	48:16
	♪ Whose streams makes glad the city of God ♪	48:21
	♪ The holy habitation ♪	48:29
	♪ Of the Most High ♪	48:34
	♪ God is ♪	48:47
	♪ In the midst of the city ♪	48:50
	♪ It shall not be moved ♪	48:55
	♪ God will ♪	49:03
	♪ Help it when the morning dawns ♪	49:06
	♪ The nations raged ♪	49:22
	♪ The kingdoms were moved ♪	49:27
	♪ God's voice resounds, resounds, resounds ♪	49:31
	♪ The earth ♪	49:42
	♪ Melts ♪	49:51
	♪ The Lord of hosts ♪	50:08
	♪ Is with us ♪	50:15
	♪ The God of Jacob ♪	50:24
	♪ Is our refuge ♪	50:33
	♪ Come now behold the works of the Lord ♪	50:54
	♪ Come now behold the works of the Lord ♪	51:00
	♪ Who has brought desolation ♪	51:08
	♪ On the earth ♪	51:14
	♪ Who makes wars to cease ♪	51:20
	♪ To the ends of the earth ♪	51:25
	♪ Breaks the bow, shatters the spear ♪	51:32
	♪ Breaks the bow, shatters the spear ♪	51:38
	♪ And burns ♪	51:44
	♪ The shields ♪	51:51
	♪ With fire ♪	51:56
	♪ With fire ♪	51:59
	♪ With fire ♪	52:02
	♪ With fire ♪	52:04
	♪ Be still ♪	52:11
	♪ And know ♪	52:15
	♪ That I am God ♪	52:18
	♪ I am exalted among the nations ♪	52:31
	♪ I am exalted in the earth ♪	52:37
	♪ I am exalted among the nations ♪	52:43
	♪ I am exalted ♪	52:48
	♪ I am exalted ♪	52:54
	♪ In the earth ♪	53:00
	♪ The Lord of hosts ♪	53:28
	♪ Is with us ♪	53:35
	♪ The God of Jacob ♪	53:50
	♪ Is our refuge ♪	54:04
	♪ Praise God, from whom all blessings flow ♪	55:26
	♪ Praise God, all creatures here below ♪	55:32
	♪ Alleluia ♪	55:38
	♪ Alleluia ♪	55:42
	♪ Praise God above, ye heavenly host ♪	55:46
	♪ Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ♪	55:52
	♪ Alleluia ♪	55:59
	♪ Alleluia ♪	56:02
	♪ Alleluia ♪	56:05
	♪ Alleluia ♪	56:08
	♪ Alleluia ♪	56:11
Minister	Let us pray.	56:24
	Generous God, we dedicate these gifts and ourselves to you,	56:26
	for we want to accomplish the greater works	56:32
	to which Christ calls us.	56:35
	Increase our generosity, that we may learn	56:37
	to give in proportion to the mercy we have received.	56:41
	Ready us for the sacrifices that may be required	56:45
	of all who seek to live in faithful response to you.	56:48
	May our lives in the ministries supported	56:54
	by our offerings be a witness to your grace.	56:56
	In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior,	57:00
	who taught us to pray together, saying.	57:03
-	[Minister and Congregation] Our Father, who art in heaven,	57:05
	hallowed be thy name.	57:08
	Thy kingdom come, thy will be done	57:10
	on earth as it is in heaven.	57:14
	Give us this day our daily bread,	57:16
	and forgive us our trespasses	57:19
	as we forgive those who trespass against us.	57:21
	Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.	57:25
	For thine is the kingdom and the power	57:29
	and the glory forever, amen.	57:32
	♪ O holy city, seen of John ♪	58:13
	♪ Where Christ, the Lamb, doth reign ♪	58:19
	♪ Within whose foursquare walls shall come ♪	58:25
	♪ No night, nor need, nor pain ♪	58:30
	♪ And where the tears are wiped from eyes ♪	58:37
	♪ That shall not weep again ♪	58:43
	♪ Hark, how from men whose lives are held ♪	58:50
	♪ More cheap than merchandise ♪	58:56
	♪ From women struggling sore for bread ♪	59:02
	♪ From little children's cries ♪	59:08
	♪ There swells the sobbing human plaint ♪	59:15
	♪ That bids thy walls arise ♪	59:21
	♪ O shame to us who rest content ♪	59:29
	♪ While lust and greed for gain ♪	59:35
	♪ In street and shop and tenement ♪	59:41
	♪ Wring gold from human pain ♪	59:47
	♪ And bitter lips in blind despair ♪	59:53
	♪ Cry, Christ hath died in vain ♪	59:59
	♪ Give us, O God, the strength to build ♪	1:00:07
	♪ The city that hath stood ♪	1:00:13
	♪ Too long a dream, whose laws are love ♪	1:00:20
	♪ Whose crown is servanthood ♪	1:00:26
	♪ And where the sun that shineth is ♪	1:00:33
	♪ God's grace for human good ♪	1:00:39
	♪ Already in the mind of God ♪	1:00:47
	♪ That city riseth fair ♪	1:00:53
	♪ Lo, how its splendor challenges ♪	1:00:59
	♪ The souls that greatly dare ♪	1:01:05
	♪ Yea, bids us seize the whole of life ♪	1:01:12
	♪ And build its glory there ♪	1:01:18
-	Go to serve God and your neighbor	1:01:29
	in all that you do.	1:01:31
	May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,	1:01:33
	and the communion of the Holy Spirit be	1:01:36
	with you and keep you, amen.	1:01:38
	♪ God be in my head ♪	1:01:42
	♪ And in my understanding ♪	1:01:49
	♪ God be in mine eyes ♪	1:02:00
	♪ And in my looking ♪	1:02:07
	♪ God be in my mouth ♪	1:02:19
	♪ And in my speaking ♪	1:02:26
	♪ God be in my heart ♪	1:02:38
	♪ And in my thinking ♪	1:02:46
	♪ God be at mine end ♪	1:02:56
	♪ And in my departing ♪	1:03:08
	(organ music)	1:03:33

Item Info

Title:

Richard Lee Phillips - "How Dare You Ask" (October 30, 1994)

Description:

Sermon start time: 14:36. Sermon end time: 38:37.
With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the coalescing of world power in the US, American Christians must think critically about how we should react. Psalm 146 and Mark 12 provide a clear distillation of a proper Christian response. We must execute justice for the oppressed, feed the hungry, set the prisoners free, give sight to the blind, lift up the downtrodden, care for the strangers in our midst and for the widows and orphans. Or, as summed up by Jesus, we must love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves. (Abstract created by Duke Divinity School staff.)
Key quotation: “Can you believe in a little psalm, a little poem of but a few lines, there is packed the power of the summary of an entire people’s idea of what it is God is after in that part of creation known as the human experience?”

Permalink:

https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/r4cv4c64s

Date:

October 30, 1994

Speaker:

Phillips, Richard Lee

Biblical Book:

Chapter and Verse:

Subject:

Contributor:

Duke University. Chapel

Identifier:

UA.17.01.0003 VHS-0396
ref9490_fve
uachapelsermaud
duke:321510
dcrmv001378
ark:/87924/r4cv4c64s
b13c9ab9-a935-4918-97bb-7939f1afc1a7

Digital Collection:

Duke Chapel Recordings

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Duke University Chapel recordings, 1954-2005

Language:

English

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United States
North Carolina
Durham (N.C.)

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The Duke University Chapel Recordings were transferred to the Duke University Archives beginning in 1970.

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This material is made available for research, scholarship, and private study. Copyright in this material has not been transferred to Duke University. For reuses of this material beyond those permitted by fair use or otherwise allowed under the Copyright Act, please see our page on copyright and citations: https://library.duke.edu/rubenstein/research/citations-and-permissions.

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Richard Lee Phillips - "How Dare You Ask" (October 30, 1994)

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Duke University Archives

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