Romans 13: 8-17                                                                                            Rev. Dr. Galen E. Russell III

Matthew 18: 15-20                                                                                                     September 6, 2026                                         

“If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.”

Prayer: O Ever-listening God, help us to listen to your word and each other as we seek your peace. Amen.

So, the Lindsay Clancy case was declared a mistrial because the jury could not come to a unanimous decision that she was criminally responsible for the death of her three kids. A conviction could’ve meant life in prison for Lindsay, while an acquittal could’ve led to confinement in a mental health facility.

To me, if anything, this case is shining a bright light on the huge problem of mental illness in our country and the failure of our medical system to research it thoroughly. For the last four years, Lindsay Clancy was crying out “Hear me! Hear me out! Understand what I’m saying. I’m suffering from insomnia and anxiety. I have horrible thoughts. I’m hearing voices in my head.” Apparently, she heard words that no mother should ever hear, but many do, as I have come to understand. And if they are heard, no mother ever dares utters them.

But Lindsay said the words. She told her husband, her doctors, other people.

And the response was—prescriptions. Drugs. Drugs for her post-partum depression. Drugs for her anxiety. Drugs for insomnia. Drugs to manage her drugs. Her husband testified that she was on about a dozen medications over the years since she started exhibiting signs of her mental illness.

And then there were the hospitalizations. And follow up appointments. And referrals. And still, three weeks after leaving the psychiatric hospital, her three children were gone, and Lindsay Clancy tried to take her own life by jumping out the window.

It’s a very sad case, and to be honest, both the prosecution and the defense have very compelling arguments, so it’s not a surprise to me that the jury couldn’t come to a unanimous decision. But so much more research into mental illness needs, in my view, to be given a higher priority than has been previously given.

Sorry to start my sermon off on such a downer, sad note. But, on a much lighter note, there are a couple of words spoken around our church office lately that get a lot of usage and have a lot of meaning. They are the words ‘grace’ and ‘flexibility.’ “Hear me out.”

Grace because that’s what’s needed as our two new staff people, Megan and Lisa, learn the ropes of our church’s ministries. I keep reminding myself that grace is important as they learn the computer, because that can be a real bugaboo sometimes.

Flexibility is needed when things turn out differently than expected. Flexibility to adjust when things are done in a different way at a different pace. Flexibility to not be stuck in a rut thinking “this is the way we’ve always done it.”

Grace is required to see each other’s humanity. And flexibility is required to learn and grow from different perspectives that are offered. And “Hear me Out” is needed as we listen to each other. And I ask that you offer grace and flexibility as we feel our way in our new ministry together.

All of this, of course, is part of Megan and Lisa and me becoming a team. And finding our way while avoiding conflicts, if we can help it.

But as you know, in every relationship, there’s bound to be some conflict. Sometimes we avoid conflicts, other times we create them, knowingly or unknowingly. When they occur, perhaps it’s best to go right to the source and say, “Hear me out.” And you hope for a listening ear and an open mind and heart. And you hope to receive those, too. And you share together.

This past week while on vacation in Colorado, Barb and I and our friends were driving around the development outside of Crested Butte where we were staying. I wanted to see the $4 million dollar homes that were way up on the side of the mountain. I wanted to see them up close, and I wanted to see the views of the mountains and valleys these homeowners had. And I’m the one driving the car, and we come to a road that would take us up to those houses. But, the sign says, “Private drive. No public access.” [Hands on wheel. Look left. Look right. Look backwards. Go forward! Varoom!]

Yeah. I pushed the boundaries. I took the risk. My friends went, “Oh boy… here we go…!” I drove right on up. We admired the homes. Loved the view in the open spaces between the homes. Saw some plots of land that were for sale. I drove slowly all the way up the road to a cul-de-sac and turned around and came down. And nobody called the cops.

But I made my friends nervous. I created anxiety in them that we would get in trouble. They felt some discord, some discomfort, and some disunity with me. Because they’re the type that would never do such a thing.

Afterwards, I felt it was important for me to approach Barb and our friends to apologize. And to hear them out. And for them to hear me out. And I did. It’s best I’ve learned over the years, that when someone is upset with me, or disgruntled because of something I did, it’s best to come forward. Talk to the person (s) directly about it. And make a way for reconciliation. For comfort, unity, and peace. “If they listen to you,” says Jesus, “you have regained that one.”  Or your friends, as the case may be.  And it happened.

It seems to me that Jesus’ words in today’s teaching, on the surface, are about making peace when there’s conflict between people. That when you say, “Hear me out,” you’re opening the door for mutual respect and understanding. And you’re also promising implicitly that you will offer the same to those whom you seek peace and reconciliation. Such a process, I think builds community. Reduces fragmentation. Opens the doors to peaceful relationships.

And this main point is brought out when we consider the wider context of the entire 18^th chapter of Matthew. Here we see that Jesus is teaching about how God is extra diligent in giving grace and mercy, making a way for peace to grow in relationships, especially for those who are the most vulnerable.

Because Matthew 18 starts out with Jesus saying that the greatest in God’s kingdom are the lowest ones, the kids.  Next there’s concern that the less mature, the less enlightened may be led astray. Follow that with a parable about sheep who get lost. It’s God’s will, says Jesus, that none of these little ones, these less included, these less privileged, this less esteemed by society should be lost. And then comes our passage about making reconciliation with someone who is in a bad way with you.

But God is the one who gives extravagant grace, even to the one who sins against you. Even to the one you want to shun. That’s why I emphasized the word ‘Gentile’ and ‘tax collector’ as I did when reading the text. Because Matthew knew that Jesus already learned that God’s love was for both Jews and Gentiles. And Matthew himself was a hated tax collector, and Jesus gave him grace and welcomed him as a part of his team of disciples.

You see, the overall context Jesus is teaching about is forming a particular kind of community, a community where vulnerable people are protected, where difficult truths can be spoken, where God’s will for peace and unity and love among people is to be practiced. There’s to be no fragmentation of relationships. Just unity and peace.

And no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. No one.

So, we’re called, I believe, to practice hearing each other out. It’s a reflection on our efforts to listen well to each other, especially when peace collides with the war making, that is going on in our world. And when war-making is distorted and thought to be necessary for our national security and interests. Or war-making is thought to be the way to find repaired relationships. It does not work that way.

The only way it works is if we give each other the respect by hearing each other out, by putting aside the unworthy actions that are not in keeping with God’s will for peace, and we let love be the fulfillment of God’s law. It’s time to wake up from the deep sleep of the works of darkness as we experience these days and build a community for peace. Blessed are the peacemakers. May it be so.  Amen.