Looking Ahead to February 21, 2021 -- 1st Sunday of Lent, Year B

 The Scripture Reading this week is Genesis 9:8-17

The Sermon title is Rainbow People, Covenant People

Early Thoughts: In recent years the Rainbow has taken on a deep meaning within the LGBTQ+ community. Since 1978 it has been the image used on the Pride flag, but it seems to me that it really only hit the mainstream within the last 10-15 years or so. The rainbow, has also been used as an image of diversity and inclusion in racial issue (such as Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Coalition). These are great uses of the effect created when light passes through a prism. Scripturally speaking however, there is a far older meaning for the rainbow.

It goes back to the story of Noah. The story of Noah is, in many ways, the story of a capricious God. God determines that the human experiment is not going well and decides to wash most of them away. But then it appears that God repents. God seems to realize this was not a healthy reaction to the brokenness of human and promises never to flood and destroy the earth again. The symbol of this promise is the rainbow.

The rainbow continues to remind us of our covenant relationship with God. The rainbow continues to remind us of God's promise. This is one of the great covenants in Jewish Scripture. It is a covenant with the whole of creation, including humanity. As the text says, this covenant is everlasting. It is still in force.

We are all people of covenant. We are all people who live in relationships based on promises. We are all people bound to each other not only by contracts but by the holy language of promise and commitment and covenant.

What does it mean to live as covenant people, living in the shadow of the rainbow? I think it encompasses both the Pride flag and the Rainbow Coalition -- and many other things. In the verses just before this week's reading humanity's part of the covenant is laid out -- an injunction against murder. To live as people of the covenant means that we do things that facilitate life and that we choose not to do things that lead to death. It is a whole life commitment.

We are covenant people. Let us live out our part. God will remain faithful to God's part
--Gord.