Everything We Know About Dragons is Wrong
In dragon training, Hiccup learns the essential truth that Vikings believe about dragons: they are extremely dangerous, kill on sight. That is how every description of every dragon ends, “extremely dangerous, kill on sight.” (With one exception: the Night Fury which they basically know nothing about. They say to run and hide from a Night Fury.) They teach Hiccup that dragons will always go for the kill. Twice in this movie Hiccup’s father lead the Vikings on an expedition to eradicate their enemies the dragons. But Hiccup discovers a different path.
By intuition, by trial and error, by following his heart Hiccup finds out that everything the Vikings know about dragons is wrong. They are not mindless killers. They do not always go for the kill. They are complex and deep. They hate eels. They like being scratched, and dragon-grass (like catnip), and they enjoy being treated with respect. Hiccup befriends the most fearsome of all dragons, the Night Fury and thereby learns that everything he has been taught about dragons is wrong.
The world teaches us to fear strangers and hate our enemies. The world teaches us to strike first and strike hardest lest we appear to be weak. The world teaches us to look out for ourselves first, only the strong will survive, and those who die with the most toys win. But Jesus teaches a completely different way.
Luke 6:27-42
‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for God is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be compassionate, just as your God is compassionate.
‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.’
He also told them a parable: ‘Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, “Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye”, when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.
Following Jesus is not all about getting our sins forgiven. It is all about living differently in the world. Everything we have been taught about the world is wrong, and no wonder it makes so many of us miserable, and leaves so many hungry and angry and fearful.
Good News: Love is the basis for the way we live in the world.
Subject: Following Jesus challenges us to relearn the very foundations of life.
Experiential Field: When we can discard our old teaching, we experience a wider vision of life.
In other words, I hope that our worship can help people see the world in a whole new way.
Which means also to look at SCUCC in new ways. What do we need to unlearn? Where do we need to reach out and encounter a Night Fury in new ways? When do we drop our knife in the sand and become a friend to our feared enemy? How do we do church in new ways, and how does following Jesus challenge us to do that?
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