Isaiah 1:1, 10-18 (MSG)

I am one of those dinosaurs in our society that still prefers a morning newspaper, an actual paper copy, as my primary source of news.  I do get news on my computer and my phone, but nothing measures up to opening that newspaper and reading the headlines of the day.  (And, of course, there are the comics and puzzles to keep me entertained, as well.)

I have noticed in recent weeks several articles pertaining to homelessness in our state.  Back in May, there was an article that discussed how many homeless people there are in New Hampshire.  There had been two different counts which did not agree.  There was the Point in Time census, conducted in January by the federal government, which found that there were 1,491 people homeless in 2021.  But the other tally, conducted by the Homeless Management Information System, found 4,412 people had experienced homelessness in the past year.  The report stated that there were 239 chronic homeless people in Manchester and 889 in the state as a whole.  The number of unsheltered people was 1,082; the number of family homeless was 1,311.  The report concluded that “a lack of affordable housing is the primary precipitating factor leading to homelessness.”

The city of Keene had an issues with a homeless encampment behind a Hannaford store, and the people living there were forced to leave.  But just a short time later, another camp developed across the street.  There were about 15 people staying there.  The homeless camp behind Hannaford has been an issue for more then ten years.  When the people living there were asked to leave back in March, they were all encouraged to look for assistance from the city and they were told they would not be allowed to set up a camp in another part of the city.  But when five or six of them showed up at City Hall, they were not interested in entering a shelter, but would only go to a hotel.  The city only puts people up in hotel rooms if it is necessary.  But the human services director helps people with rental assistance or money to move into an apartment.  Three city councilors said that the city should work to establish certain locations that could be designated as appropriate for homeless camping.  They also recommended that the city provide dumpsters and latrines.

There is a continuing issue of homelessness in Manchester.  There was a neighborhood meeting in July with over 50 people in attendance.  They were concerned about small homeless encampments popping up in local parks.  Schonna Green, the city’s Director of Homelessness Initiatives, said that the city has enough services for the homeless, but they cannot make people use these services.  Those who attended the meeting were encouraged to report to city officials if they see a homeless camp forming.

Clearly, homelessness is a problem in our state.  Every December since I have lived here, I have taken part in a service in Newport commemorating those who have died homeless that year.  Their names and short biographies are read.  These services take place in a number of towns and cities on the longest night of the year.  It is so troubling and so very sad to hear those names read, and especially when there is nothing known about the person except for their name, and sometimes only their first name.

I was utterly appalled last week when I read a letter to the editor in the Union Leader about the homeless.  Peter M. Arel wrote:

The City of Manchester needs two things:  elected officials who are not afraid to play hardball with homeless people and legislation that allows Manchester’s finest to throw homeless people who beg on the streets and sidewalks of Manchester into the slammer for vagrancy.  These people can get jobs; instead they solicit money from people who don’t want to give them any … We need elected officials who aren’t afraid to act like despots with homeless people who beg on the streets and otherwise bother the people of Manchester.

When I read that letter, I couldn’t help but think about the scripture for this week’s sermon.  Isaiah brings a message from God to his people – and I think to us, as well – about what God expects from those who believe in him.  Let’s take a closer look.

Apparently, the people of Israel were very religious.  They carried on elaborate worship rituals and offered all the required sacrifices.  But their hearts weren’t in it.  They were religious but not spiritual!  And God called them on it.  In The Message version, God says to them, “Don’t you think I’ve had my fill of burnt sacrifices…?  Quit your worship charades.  I can’t stand your trivial religious games: monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings – meetings, meetings, meetings – I can’t stand one more!  (I know how God feels!)  Meetings for this, meetings for that.  I hate them!  You’ve worn me out! … I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning.”  The people were practicing what they felt compelled to do.  They were doing the right things, but they weren’t being the right kind of people.  They would fit right in with some modern congregations.  In a recent poll conducted in the US by the Ipsos polling company, about 26% of those surveyed said that Christians are hypocritical and judgmental, and 23% said they are self-righteous.  It’s no wonder that those who claim to be spiritual but not religious are the fastest-growing group!  They are choosing to practice their faith outside a church that they see as irrelevant and immoral.

God’s message didn’t end with a critique of the religious practices of Israel; God went on to spell out what is required of a person who professes faith in God.  They are to get rid of doing evil and say no to wrong.  They are to learn to do good, specifically by working for justice, helping the down-and-out, standing up for the homeless, and going to bat for the defenseless.  All of those things have deep roots in Methodism.  From the time of Wesley, Methodists worked to get rid of evil, not only in their personal lives, but in their communities as well.  Methodists worked for justice, advocating against the slave trade, working for child labor regulations, building orphanages, visiting prisoners and the sick.  In this country, Methodists were at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement and provided leadership in activism concerning peace, the rights of women, and the rights of workers to unionize, as well as environmentalism.  

We are still called to put into practice these aspects of faith:  first removing the evil from our own lives and learning to say no to what is wrong, and then learning to do good, by working for justice for everyone, helping people who are down on their luck, standing up for the homeless, and protecting the defenseless.  I don’t know what the solution to homelessness in our cities will be, but it can’t be sending armed police into city parks to arrest those who are living on the streets or in homeless camps.  We have to come up with more humane and compassionate ways of dealing with people who have nowhere else to go, for whatever reason.

If we want to get right with God, it will take work on our part.  Yes, God’s salvation through Jesus Christ is by faith alone, not by works.  But our faith ought to produce good works as a natural consequence of our being led by the Spirit of God.  We should not get so caught up in our “religiousness” and our busyness as a church that we lose sight of the deeper aspects of faith.  We will not be rewarded for the number of church meetings that we have attended, but by the number of lives we have had a positive impact on. 

As we come to the table of Christ, we remember that Jesus came to serve others, not to be served.  He was willing to humble himself and wash the feet of those who had chosen to follow him.  He had compassion on all those who were sick and out-cast and forgotten by the rest of society.  Jesus showed us what it means to put our faith into practice.  It is up to us to decide whether we can follow in his footsteps.  It is up to us to decide to get ourselves right with God.