Name That Song

The Rev. Joseph Winston

July 8, 2007

Sermon

Grace and peace are gifts for you from God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.1
We often associate one specific song with either a person or a group. If you
happen to prefer the ballet, you probably know the story of “The Rite of Spring”
and how this music defines Igor Stravinsky. Stravinsky started in earnest on this
work in 1912 for its world premiere on May 29, 1913. On opening night, the Rus-
sian audience broke into a riot after being shocked at the dances that depicted
fertility rites and they also were appalled by the uniqueness of Stravinsky’s mu-
sic. In spite of the harsh critiques, this ballet has become a standard part of dance
troupes around the world and its music has become forever fixed in the minds
of audiences as a work by Igor Stravinsky. If the stage or theater is your cup of
tea, “The Sound of Music” is perpetually associated with the musical powerhouse
1
Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians
1:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, Philemon 1:3

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of Rodgers and Hammerstein. This musical, which was later made into a movie,
broke many records both on the stage and in theaters. Many of us know the songs
from this production by heart. Who can forget tunes like “The Sound of Music,”
“Edelweiss,” “My Favorite Things,” “Climb Every Mountain,” and “Do-Re-Mi?”
The emotional power of these songs has completely cemented the association be-
tween “The Sound of Music” with Rodgers and Hammerstein. And if you like
country music the best, one example that comes readily to mind is Johnny Cash.
For many of his fans, the one melody that would define the man in black is “Ring
of Fire.” June Carter wrote this song to describe the gut wrenching emotions that
she felt as she fell in love with Johnny Cash. Her sister Anita Carter first recorded
this song but it was Cash’s straightforward performance and horn arrangement
that made everyone connect the “Ring of Fire” with the man in black.
If pressed to identify a tune with God, most of us would give God the song,
“My Way,” which was made famous by Frank Sinatra. These lyrics written by Paul
Anka tell of a self-reliant man who looks back on his life and is generally pleased
at what he has accomplished. The song specifically tells us that he completely
planned every step of his life. It goes on and says that all by himself he faced
every one of life’s trials and tribulations. Through the bad and the good, he lived
life “My Way.”
At first glance, it might seem that this song accurately describes God. In the
creation accounts in Genesis, we hear how God alone created the universe. Our
teachings tell us that God sustains the world daily. And by our confession we
receive absolution of all of our sins from God. However, if we listen carefully to

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today’s Gospel lesson, you will hear that God has a completely different tune in
mind. God does not do things “My Way.” Instead, God works with each of us –
the believer and the non-believer alike – to accomplish God’s will.
Jesus tells us today, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore
ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2.).
This single sentence gives us an important insight into the way that God works
in the world. God literally incorporates us into God’s plan of salvation. God has
provided us with fields ripe for harvest but God does not send workers out into the
field unless we ask.
Carefully unpacking this idea will show us how that God’s song is not “My
Way;” rather it is “You and Me Babe.” Our Christian duty, our job if you will,
is to ask God to place the correct people in the right place. This can be seen by
returning back to the farming imagery. It is commonly known that any person
concerned about the bottom line would not send cotton pickers to work in the rice
field nor would they tell the field hands to go into an area that has already been
harvested. The job of bringing in the harvest also requires planning. Sometimes
you must work around the clock to pick the onions before the rain comes while
at other times you have the leisure of making multiple passes through the toma-
toes. Finally, it is obvious that the successful completion of the harvest requires
workers. We need people to take the ripe products out of the fields. Therefore, our
job as Christian is no different. We are the ones doing God’s work. We select the
appropriate group for the task at hand and we identify what area of the field needs
our attention. Then we ask the Lord of the harvest to bless our decisions and to

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send these workers into the fields.
Likewise, except for two phrases, Jesus does not tell us what we are supposed
to say to the people who are waiting to hear the lifesaving Word. He expects that
we know what to do. How does this happen? For the author of Luke and Act,
there are two interrelated parts to the answer. First, the Holy Spirit will teach you
what you need to say (Luke 12:12.). Next, like all good teachers, we need to learn
our subject matter and how to effectively deliver that message to our students. For
Christians, we need to learn what salvation means. This word has its roots in the
medical profession. Salvation is helping in the healing process by applying a salve
to a wound. With God’s help, we do the same thing. Sometimes helping a person
get through a hard time might heal the hurt. Other times it could be staying with
them during the difficult times of life. And yet during other occasions, we might
be asked to give a witness to God.
Some Christians might balk at the idea that salvation includes a physical por-
tion. But that is exactly what Christ preached. In His first sermon in Luke, He
proclaims that “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to
preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to
proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19.). According to today’s
Gosple lesson, this is our work also. We free people. We bring light to those who
cannot see. We remove the systems and structures that oppress people. And we
speak God’s Word to the world. This is what is meant when Jesus says the king-
dom has come near.

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 If you are like me, you might find it surprising that God brings us along as an
integral part of the world’s salvation. This is because the church has done such a
poor job of reminding us that we are an integral part of God’s plan. Christ tells
us otherwise. He taught us that we are both the salt and the light of the world
(Matthew 5:13-14.). Salt has been used in many different cultures as a preserva-
tive. As the salt of the earth, we are to go into the world and help prevent it from
decaying. Light serves a similar function. It provides us with perspective that al-
lows us to see right from wrong. However, this can only happen when the light is
in the middle of the darkness. Christ’s Word to us, whether it describes us as salt,
light, or workers, is one of being sent. He wants us to fully enter into the world so
that we can help save it.
God’s song is different from every other tune because it is an amazing amal-
gamation of inclusion, of cooperation, and of relying on the foibles and follies of
you and I. God has asked each of us to work together on the salvation of the entire
planet. This means that all sorts of different people will be working together. No
longer are we to consider a person’s race or even their sex because we have been
brought together for a single task: bringing life to the entire world. In order to
work in the fields, we will need to learn our strengths and weaknesses so that we
can volunteer for the job that best suits us. Our work will be complicated since
there are people and forces that want control over us by breaking us into separate
parts. Additionally, we all need to admit that everyone of us will make bad deci-
sions that hurt God’s progress. Despite these two problems, we know that success
is ensured since God is working alongside each of us.

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 You know, most good artists have a much greater range than these single
songs that seem to define them. Stravinsky’s pagan rituals danced in “The Rite
of Spring” are light years away from his music he wrote for the Russian Ortho-
dox liturgy. He setting of the Lord’s Prayer (“Our Father”) is extremely beautiful.
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s music is no different. For example, the “King and I”
with its oriental themes and the country tinged “Oklahoma” sound nothing like
the “Sound of Music.” Probably, the best example is the last single recorded by
Johnny Cash since it single-handedly introduced a new generation to his music. In
2002, he played a cover of Trent Renzor’s song titled “Hurt.” This song’s plaintive
call is, “What have I become?” What have I changed into because I am scared of
death? This sad and mournful sentiment, accurately captured in Cash’s last music
video, showed an aged man surrounded by all the trappings of success. As the mu-
sic played, it becomes obvious that not a single one of these things was important
to the man in black. Not his house, not his records, and not even himself. All that
mattered was that he had let down everyone who he loved.
In the final part of this video are interspersed images of Christ being placed
upon the cross. Redemption for this man came because of the sacrifice made by
Jesus. This is Christ’s song, “In the Name of Love.” He came to you and saved
you because He loves you. Go and sing this song of love to others.
“The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus.”2

2
Philippians 4:7.