Nov. 25, 2018          To Which Truth Do You Belong?                          

         The story of the first thanksgiving begins in England in 1609. At that time King James decreed that only worship in the Church of England was allowed, and those who chose to worship otherwise, were reported to the authorities and thrown in jail.        

         So the Pilgrims, a people who wanted to worship in their own church and in their own way, prayed to God for guidance in the midst of these persecutions, and God gave them a vision of a new life in a new land. Of course this meant giving up their life, and lands, and friends in England, but they trusted in God, so the Pilgrims sailed to Holland to escape this persecution, and settled into life among the Dutch.

         But Holland was not England. After living among the dutch for a number of years, the pilgrims decided that their customs and festivals were to frivolous, permissive, and unhealthy for their children and families. So they prayed again to God, and God showed them a vision of life in New World. Of course this meant working to raise the funds to rent passage on a ship, which took 7 years, but they trusted in God, and so they set off for the new world.

         On September 6th, 1620, the Pilgrims set sail for the New World on a ship called the Mayflower. There were 44 pilgrims on board, and 66 others whom the pilgrims referred to as “strangers”. During the trip, a number of people fell ill, provisions ran low, and there were a number of disagreements among the passengers and crew. So the pilgrims prayed to God to guide them, and God opened their hearts to the “strangers”, and they worked out an agreement called the Mayflower Compact, which brought them together.

         The Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in mid-November. They struggled to build shelters and find food that first winter. Many more died from starvation and cold. So they prayed again to God, to give them the strength to care for each other, and keep as many as they could alive until the spring. And in the spring, 50 of the original 110 who set out on the Mayflower survived the winter.     

         In March of that year, an Indian walked into the Plymouth settlement. At first the pilgrims were afraid, fearing that they might be attacked, but they prayed again to God, who gave them the peace to welcome and accept help from the Indians. By the fall, they learned to plant crops, build homes, and store up provisions for the winter.

         And in the fall, they gathered together with their new Indian friends to celebrate with a week long feast, and they gave thanks to God for bringing them through their trials and troubles to life in this new land!

         This morning, in our gospel lesson, Pilate ends his discussion with Jesus by asking, “What is Truth?”

         Pilate is a well educated man, who recognizes that there are many truths by which we live our lives, and which we use to make decisions in our lives.

         But he does not recognize that there is one truth above all, the truth of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ.

         The pilgrims recognized this truth and it can be seen in the story of their travels and the first thanksgiving.

         The pilgrims recognized that God calls us to worship God in freedom, not according to the whims of the state, or some religious hierarchy. The pilgrims recognized that we are called to live by faith, and that calls us to be responsible, faithful, and obedient to God’s will – not to live in frivolous, permissive or unhealthy ways. The pilgrims recognized that God calls us to care for each other as brothers and sisters, especially in times of hardship, not to be uncaring towards others, even if they believe differently than ourselves. And finally, they recognized that God calls us to welcome and to learn from those who are different from us, even those of other nations, who might have something to teach us about living, life, and love for others.

         The pilgrims believed in this truth that is above all, that guides us through our trials and troubles and leads us to peace with God and with one another, that we may give thanks and praise to God for God’s blessings in all our lives.

         Which leads us to ask ourselves, Which Truth Do We Live By?

Do we live by the truth of King James – or the Jewish leaders of Jesus day, who believe God calls us to judge and condemn those who do not worship as we do? – Or do we live by the truth of Jesus, which calls us to worship God freely giving him thanks and praise in our own voices.

Do we live by the truth of the Dutch – or Pilate, believing there is no truth, that we are free to do as we please, indulging ourselves in this life with no thought for the next. Or do we live by the truth of Jesus, who calls us to love God and one another, living faithfully towards one another, and preparing ourselves for the life to come.

Do we live by the truth of tribalism – that we should not care for those who do not believe as we do, that we should let them die rather than share the blessings God has given us – or do we live by the truth of Jesus, who calls us to love those we disagree with as brothers and sisters, and to care for one another in times of trouble.

Finally, Do we live by the truth of nations – that only in fear is there peace, that other nations have nothing to teach us, nothing of value they can share. Or do we live by the truth of Jesus, who shows us that all people are created in the image of God, a wondrous diversity in which we can know and learn of God’s love and life in all it’s forms and wonders.

I encourage all of you, to discover the Good News of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ, that you also may know this truth in your life and be moved this thanksgiving to offer God your thanks and praise in your love for God and for one another. Amen.