Monday, December 16, 2013
SERMON: "A Season For the Weak"
"A Season For the Weak"
Luke 1:39-55
Mary was a plain, young, peasant girl – a self-described lowly handmaiden. Some Bible scholars have suggested she may have been as young as 14. She was an unwed, pregnant teenager. And yet – and yet – she was entrusted with this great honor: to allow the Savior of the world to be nurtured within her.
There’s a story told about a wandering scholar in the middle ages who was deathly sick. The scholar was very poor, so he was taken to a hospital for orphans and transients. Assuming that because he was poor he would not know their learned Latin language the doctors began to discuss the possibility of using him for some medical experiments. They rationalized, out loud, that since he was a worthless wanderer it really wouldn’t matter if the experiments were failures. When the wandering scholar heard the comment, he opened his eyes and looked up at those doctors and he said in their learned Latin tongue, “Please don’t call anyone worthless for whom Christ has died.”
If there’s a message in the fact that Jesus, the Christ, was born in a stable among animals, in an obscure village like Bethlehem, to an unknown peasant teenager, it is precisely that his coming was for everyone – that human worth is not measured by wealth or position or power, but only by the fact that everyone is a child of God. All of life is sacred – all of life is useable by God – the lowliest, the littlest, the least is exalted – is lifted up – is significant in God’s eyes.
If you hear nothing else today, hear this: there’s not a one of us who is unimportant to God. No matter what we’ve done in our lives up to this point – no matter how much we have earned – no matter the style of our clothes – we all matter to God. That’s the message of Christmas, at least according to the author of Luke.
Luke’s Gospel has been called by many Bible scholars “The Gospel of the underdog.” There’s just a sensitivity in the book for the least, the lost and the poor – those often overlooked by the rest of society. It is in Luke that we learn the story about the Samaritan who stopped and helped a stranger after a busy priest and pious Levite passed by. It is in Luke that the cleansed Samaritan leper returned to thank Jesus. It is in Luke that we read about the rich man and the poor man Lazarus. In Matthew we read, “Blessed are the poor in spirit;” but, in Luke we read, “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.” In Luke Jesus is the friend of outcasts and sinners. Only in Luke do we read the parable about the self-righteous Pharisee and despised tax gatherer; the story about Jesus’ friendship with the tax collector Zacchaeus; the story about the dying thief being granted entrance into paradise; the story of the son who disgraced himself but who found a father waiting for him when he returned.
In Luke’s day Jewish males thanked God that they were not born “a Gentile, a slave or a woman.” Luke gave every one of them a special place in his Gospel. Luke had Jesus describe his ministry by quoting from the prophet Isaiah: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed 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) It is in Luke that we read about the prophetess Anna and of Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist; that we read about the widow of Nain and of the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet in the house of Simon the Pharisee; that the pictures of Mary and Martha and Mary Magdalene is made vivid; that we read about Jesus speaking to a group of women on his way to Calvary and a group of women standing on the side of the road weeping.
So, we shouldn’t be surprised that the author chose to write about the birth from a woman’s point of view – from Mary’s point of view. And, that he has her declaring with her own voice: “God has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of low degree; God has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.” (Luke 1:52-53)
The author of Luke wrote about the coming of the Savior into the world through the point of view of the mother – Mary – because she represents so much that is significant about the way God is at work in this world doing a new thing. The author of Luke wrote about this historically, theologically significant event from the point of view of Mary because she represents the powerlessness of the young – because she represents humility – because she represents lowliness – because she represents insignificance – because she was not royalty – because she was not well-educated – because she was poor – because she represents everything other than what the insiders in the faith would expect concerning the promised one of God – because she represents the weak of our world. Yes, it is this story we know so well that has birthed this season into a time when the weak are especially paid attention to – cared for – ‘Tis indeed a season for the weak.
Once, in a seminary in Bangalore, Mother Teresa was criticized by another nun. “Mother Teresa, you are spoiling the poor people by giving them things free. They are losing their human dignity.”
Everyone got quiet. Mother Teresa then calmly responded: “No one spoils as much as God himself. See the wonderful gifts (God) has given us freely. All of you here have no glasses, yet you all can see. If God were to take money for your sight, what would happen? Continually we are breathing and living on oxygen that we do not pay for. What would happen if God were to say, ‘If you work four hours, you will get sunshine for two hours?’ How many of us would survive then?” Then Mother Teresa offered, “There are many congregations that spoil the rich; it is good to have one congregation in the name of the poor, to spoil the poor.”
The Gospel of Jesus Christ, you see, flips the social order – it elevates the humble and puts down the pompous. (1) And those of us who have said “yes, Jesus is Lord of our life and the community of faith of which we agree to be in ministry with", must take that message to heart if we are really serious about following Jesus. The only wealth we have as a church or as individual Christians is whether the poor and weak and disenfranchised are drawn to us – understand us to be a people and a place where all are welcome. It is not how large our endowment fund is or how large a staff we have or how beautiful our building is that is the measure of our faithfulness, but whether those that are poor of body, mind, wealth, spirit, or standing in the community are able to find comfort within our fellowship.
Mary envisioned a day when God would exalt the have-nots, the lowly, like her. She believed God began to pull it off by honoring her with the birthing rights to allow God to become one of us – to enter the world in this most loving act. And you and I, as Mary’s brothers and sisters, are being called/are expected to continue the birthing of God in this world.
As far as Mary’s neighbors and the religious and political leaders of the day were concerned, Mary certainly shouldn’t have been in a position to have such a major role in history. But, you see, God needed to make a point – and that point is that everyone is important in God’s kingdom. We are chosen not because of who we are but because of how God can use us – because of our willingness to let God work in and through us. God can transform the world through the lowly, the different, the insignificant when we say “yes” to the invitation to let God work through us.
It was a new day for the world when Jesus was born. He brought with him a whole new set of values. A manger exalted over a mansion – peace exalted over power – and persons seen as persons, no matter how small, no matter how big, no matter what color the skin, no matter the amount of hair on the head, or what street in the city they lay their tired heads. The gift we have to offer God is not our social position in this world nor the possessions we have accumulated; but rather, it is ourselves – complete with warts – handicaps – personality quirks – whatever our weirdness or uniqueness. God can use us with whatever we have to offer if we say “yes.”
“’Tis a season for the weak.” Mary, Bethlehem, a baby, a manger, you and me - God can use us. All it takes is our willingness to be used – our statement of faith – our “yes.”
O God of us all and all that we are or aren’t, we pause because we are mindful of your great gift. We marvel at the thought that you can use us like you used Bethlehem and Elizabeth and Mary and Joseph and an infant – we even hesitate in disbelief because we cannot find too much good in ourselves for you to use. Help us in these moments to believe you accept even us and help us to accept the invitation to be used by you.
And now, as we move toward the close of the Advent season and the focal point of all our preparation may our spirits be lifted up – may hope, peace, love, and joy again fill our every pore – may the wonder of Christ’s birth bring healing to each and everyone of us. For it’s in his name we pray. Amen.
Dr. Bill Bouknight, “Mary’s Revolutionary Song,” Collected Sermons (ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., 2002), 0-000-0000-13.
Addendum:
It's not Marxism or socialism, it's Christianity! Sorry, Rush, I think the scriptures support Pope Francis' encouraging and prophetic word in this era just as prior popes and other Christian leaders have since Jesus himself - even many non-Christians hold these axioms to be important tenets of how life should be lived/ordered/organized and what is important. This is not to defend the Catholic Church, my own United Methodist denomination, nor any other denomination or popular religious figure of being guilty of abusing our resources to the neglect of the poor and disadvantaged throughout history. That's no reason not to call ourselves to repentance and to a reemphasizing the good news for all people - yes, it's that generosity and love and charity and joy and kindness and peace are fruits of the spirit and for everyone - the meek and lowly as well as the rich and powerful. Yes, we're guilty of going through cycles of emphasizing this aspect of who we are but that doesn't make it less true for all generations. And yes, we Christians have plenty to do to get our own houses in order! We do indeed suffer from being too well off, too comfortable, too greedy!
(While I never did find the particular article I was looking for to further reference my disappointment in Rush's comments, the below articles certainly provide further wings for thinking. The one observation in particular I was trying to find was one reminding us all that Jesus lived and taught long before Karl Marx did, which means Marx may have been guilty of using some concepts similar to some of Jesus' teachings in order to popularize his oppressing political agenda, but the popes and other religious leaders down through the centuries have not been so mislead by Marx. Oh, and I did read Rush's comments in full and find them even more offensive than I thought I would.)
Mary C. Curtis, "The Message of Pope Francis Can Survive Rush and the Rest," The Washington Post, 12/6/2013.
Trent Horn, "Rush Limbaugh Doesn't Get Pope Francis," Catholic Answers, 12/4/13.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
"I've Been Flashed For the First TIme!"
"I've Been Flashed For the First Time!"
Yes, I've experienced my first original flash mob! I was sitting in the food court at Polaris Mall near Columbus while Dorothy did a little more shopping. The place was packed, but that's not unusual in a food court at Polaris as the holiday times near.
I'm not really sure how slow or small it started, but it wasn't long before there were numerous young people standing up singing the Hallelujah Chorus a cappella. It was awesome! Really, I think the sound in a large mall of a mass choir is hard to beat. I have no idea where the group was from - there was no announcement and they all split when they finished.
Sorry for the shameless post title, but now that I have your attention, I have a few other things on my mind. Actually, I've been contemplating writing something about Christmas trees for a couple of weeks. First, a little review of their historical association with the present season.
Like most of the traditions associated with the season we Christians popularly refer to as Christmas, the utilizing of evergreens to adorn the insides of our homes had a secular or at least non-Christian beginning. Long before Christianity began, ancient people decorated their homes during the winter with evergreens. In some countries it was believed such practices would ward off evil spirits. (1)
Many countries developed festivities around the winter soltice - December 21 & 22. Winter greenery - evergreens - reminded them that spring and summer would bring back other green plants. Through the centuries more cultural celebrations morphed from these early meanings to the presence of evergreens during the winter months. But you can read more about that if you care to at many sites. Just google "the history of Christmas trees." I usually start with history.com.
It's believed by most historical scholars that our Christmas tree tradition began in Germany sometime in the 16th century and that Martin Luther was the first to add lighted candles. Apparently, while walking home one evening the stars twinkling between the branches of evergreen trees really left an impression on him. (2)
The tradition was a little slow to be adopted as an appropriate way to celebrate the season. In fact, it was regarded as a pagan symbol as late as 1840. The Puritans especially were concerned about such frivolous activities (Christmas trees, Christmas carols, joyful celebrations) influencing the sacredness of Christmas. (3)
OK, enough of the history lesson. Christmas trees were one of the seasonal things dad came up with us to do to provide a little extra cash for the family business - Croy's Produce. They were on display in our front yard on West Main Street in Ottawa. As I remember how it all came together each year, Grandpa Paul Croy would go to Michigan and purchase the trees for us to sell - some years hauling them back himself and other years a truck bringing them to us.
I absolutely enjoyed selling those trees. It was the helping someone or a family find their perfect tree that offered the biggest thrill. People would point to a tree, I would pull it out and into an open area, thump its trunk bottom on the ground to shake out the loose needles and sometimes snow and to help the branches spread out. Then I would spin it around so the customer could get a good look at the whole tree. Most of our customers were people from the area that we already knew. I remember finally being trusted to price the trees myself (perhaps only a figment of my imagination knowing my dad!). It was cold work, but so enjoyable seeing satisfied customers walk away with that year's treasure and put the $3, $4, up to maybe $10 in the money pouch (trees weren't near as expensive in those days).
The last few days before Christmas may have been my favorite time though. Dad would decide the stock was getting low enough or time was getting short to unload what remained and he would start cutting the price and then Christmas eve and free trees! They weren't the pick of the front yard woods but they were sure to brighten some family's gathering. There were a few trees that were free earlier in the season as well as dad instructed us to take to such and such a house a tree because he knew they were in need. I remember a time or two when on the spot he would announce that "there's no charge for that tree, Merry Christmas!"
Sometime during those years I swore there would always be a real tree in my homes. Artificial trees were just beginning to be marketed but they were pretty ugly. Luckily, I married a woman who felt the same way and so it was for the first 15-20 years of our family life. When we shopped for a tree we didn't go to just one lot though - seemed like dozens of places had them and we would find the perfect one if we just went to another place. White Cottage in Lima was where we had the most success. But sometimes we also ventured out when the children were young to one of those tree farms and cut our own.
Then came a dark and dreary night during the Advent of 1985 or 86 or 87. I was at some "important," I'm sure, meeting at Linden Heights UMC. As I remember it the tree had already been up for a few days. This was in the days before cell phones but somehow Dorothy got the message to someone at church that I should hurry home. Like I said, it was an important meeting and continued having conversations with people as I felt I needed to and in about an hour I headed home.
After pulling the car into the garage I opened the door to the family room and discovered my wife standing on a chair, balancing herself against the picture window while holding onto the tree - she'd been like that for over an hour! I'm sure you all have seen people with steam coming out of their head? Well, this was something more like steam and ice and the red that accompanies anger all rolled into one. I don't remember her exact words but they were something like: "Where have you been? Get over here and hold this tree for awhile!" (Don't ask Dorothy for the details as our versions differ a bit, but you get the picture! I was in real trouble!)
We're still married but when the artificial trees went on sale after the holidays we were definitely in the market for one. You know, it's amazing how much more authentic they've become since my early vow to not have anything to do with them! We're on our third one in 20+ years - our most recent one is even pre lit! Oh, the last couple of years we've ended up with a real tree also to support a local food bank, but keep those complimentary comments coming about how much like a real tree our artificial one looks. It strokes our egos!
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Seasons Greetings! Happy New Year!
1. history.com, "History of Christmas Trees."
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
Yes, I've experienced my first original flash mob! I was sitting in the food court at Polaris Mall near Columbus while Dorothy did a little more shopping. The place was packed, but that's not unusual in a food court at Polaris as the holiday times near.
I'm not really sure how slow or small it started, but it wasn't long before there were numerous young people standing up singing the Hallelujah Chorus a cappella. It was awesome! Really, I think the sound in a large mall of a mass choir is hard to beat. I have no idea where the group was from - there was no announcement and they all split when they finished.
Sorry for the shameless post title, but now that I have your attention, I have a few other things on my mind. Actually, I've been contemplating writing something about Christmas trees for a couple of weeks. First, a little review of their historical association with the present season.
Like most of the traditions associated with the season we Christians popularly refer to as Christmas, the utilizing of evergreens to adorn the insides of our homes had a secular or at least non-Christian beginning. Long before Christianity began, ancient people decorated their homes during the winter with evergreens. In some countries it was believed such practices would ward off evil spirits. (1)
Many countries developed festivities around the winter soltice - December 21 & 22. Winter greenery - evergreens - reminded them that spring and summer would bring back other green plants. Through the centuries more cultural celebrations morphed from these early meanings to the presence of evergreens during the winter months. But you can read more about that if you care to at many sites. Just google "the history of Christmas trees." I usually start with history.com.
It's believed by most historical scholars that our Christmas tree tradition began in Germany sometime in the 16th century and that Martin Luther was the first to add lighted candles. Apparently, while walking home one evening the stars twinkling between the branches of evergreen trees really left an impression on him. (2)
The tradition was a little slow to be adopted as an appropriate way to celebrate the season. In fact, it was regarded as a pagan symbol as late as 1840. The Puritans especially were concerned about such frivolous activities (Christmas trees, Christmas carols, joyful celebrations) influencing the sacredness of Christmas. (3)
OK, enough of the history lesson. Christmas trees were one of the seasonal things dad came up with us to do to provide a little extra cash for the family business - Croy's Produce. They were on display in our front yard on West Main Street in Ottawa. As I remember how it all came together each year, Grandpa Paul Croy would go to Michigan and purchase the trees for us to sell - some years hauling them back himself and other years a truck bringing them to us.
I absolutely enjoyed selling those trees. It was the helping someone or a family find their perfect tree that offered the biggest thrill. People would point to a tree, I would pull it out and into an open area, thump its trunk bottom on the ground to shake out the loose needles and sometimes snow and to help the branches spread out. Then I would spin it around so the customer could get a good look at the whole tree. Most of our customers were people from the area that we already knew. I remember finally being trusted to price the trees myself (perhaps only a figment of my imagination knowing my dad!). It was cold work, but so enjoyable seeing satisfied customers walk away with that year's treasure and put the $3, $4, up to maybe $10 in the money pouch (trees weren't near as expensive in those days).
The last few days before Christmas may have been my favorite time though. Dad would decide the stock was getting low enough or time was getting short to unload what remained and he would start cutting the price and then Christmas eve and free trees! They weren't the pick of the front yard woods but they were sure to brighten some family's gathering. There were a few trees that were free earlier in the season as well as dad instructed us to take to such and such a house a tree because he knew they were in need. I remember a time or two when on the spot he would announce that "there's no charge for that tree, Merry Christmas!"
Sometime during those years I swore there would always be a real tree in my homes. Artificial trees were just beginning to be marketed but they were pretty ugly. Luckily, I married a woman who felt the same way and so it was for the first 15-20 years of our family life. When we shopped for a tree we didn't go to just one lot though - seemed like dozens of places had them and we would find the perfect one if we just went to another place. White Cottage in Lima was where we had the most success. But sometimes we also ventured out when the children were young to one of those tree farms and cut our own.
Then came a dark and dreary night during the Advent of 1985 or 86 or 87. I was at some "important," I'm sure, meeting at Linden Heights UMC. As I remember it the tree had already been up for a few days. This was in the days before cell phones but somehow Dorothy got the message to someone at church that I should hurry home. Like I said, it was an important meeting and continued having conversations with people as I felt I needed to and in about an hour I headed home.
After pulling the car into the garage I opened the door to the family room and discovered my wife standing on a chair, balancing herself against the picture window while holding onto the tree - she'd been like that for over an hour! I'm sure you all have seen people with steam coming out of their head? Well, this was something more like steam and ice and the red that accompanies anger all rolled into one. I don't remember her exact words but they were something like: "Where have you been? Get over here and hold this tree for awhile!" (Don't ask Dorothy for the details as our versions differ a bit, but you get the picture! I was in real trouble!)
We're still married but when the artificial trees went on sale after the holidays we were definitely in the market for one. You know, it's amazing how much more authentic they've become since my early vow to not have anything to do with them! We're on our third one in 20+ years - our most recent one is even pre lit! Oh, the last couple of years we've ended up with a real tree also to support a local food bank, but keep those complimentary comments coming about how much like a real tree our artificial one looks. It strokes our egos!
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Seasons Greetings! Happy New Year!
1. history.com, "History of Christmas Trees."
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
SERMON: "Walking the Walk"
"Walking the Walk"
Isaiah 11:1-10 Matthew 3:1-12
The Israelites were going through some tough times back when Isaiah was speaking on behalf of God. They were being treated cruelly by the Assyrians and thus lived in constant fear of violence. The dynasty of King David, the son of Jesse, was but a mere stump compared to what it once was. Isaiah believed God was going to send a leader who was going to turn things upside down or rightside up if you will. It was going to be a really radical shift - so radical that even the natural instincts of animals would be effected. We read about Isaiah's vision of it in the 11th chapter of the book that shares Isaiah’s name.
Several years ago I read an account about a zoo that created a special exhibit of a lion and a lamb during the Christmas season. Supposedly, they were put in the same cage and thousands of people went to see the unusual pair. A reporter asked the zoo director one day about the unusual arrangement and whether there’d been any problems with it. The zoo keeper didn’t even flinch as he responded, “Not really, except we have to put a new lamb in the cage every couple of days.”
I’m pretty sure it’s not a true story. I’m pretty sure that we’d have heard an outpouring of objections from all sorts of groups if it was. The point is, we laugh because despite the hopefulness this optimistic picture Isaiah described is, we know it’s not our reality. At times we even give in to doubting whether it will ever happen. The utopian world it portrays is so different from anything we’ve ever seen. We understand the pessimism one preacher started a sermon of his on this text with: “The wolf and the lamb? I don’t think so. The Palestinian and Israeli? No way. The Serb and the Muslim? Nope. Peace? Ain’t going to happen.” And then in another part of his sermon he mused, “A wolf and a lamb will lie together in peace - when they’re both dead.” (1)
In the workforce magazine, Personnel Journal, an incredible statistic is noted: “Since the beginning of recorded history, the entire world has been at peace less than 8% of the time!” The magazine discovered in its study that of 3,540 years of recorded history, only 286 years of them were peaceful - 8,000 peace treaties were made and broken. (2)
Call me an idealist - a naive peace-nik - if you want, but despite all the evidence against it, I still believe in, hope for, long for Isaiah’s vision. How and when will it happen? I don’t know. My understanding of that day is that we human beings are not going to bring it to pass by our own efforts. It’s going to happen when Jesus returns. Until then we’re going to experience war after war after war. Our reality is that until Jesus comes again there are always going to be the Osama Bin Laden types who want to prevent peace except by their rules and ideologies. Nations will always disagree with one another because of the reality of sin - greed, power, jealousy will always be present until Christ returns and establishes his reign on earth. While we are somewhat comforted by the blow terrorism has been dealt in recent years and by the nations sitting around the peace table committed to drawing up a new government, peace, eternal peace won’t happen until the Prince of Peace returns.
So, what should we do in the meantime? Nothing? Ignore the world situation? Bury our heads in the sand? Assume a fatalist attitude and stop trying to make a difference? No. We need to be about helping prepare the soil for Christ’s coming. Or, as Robert Beringer put it in his sermon “God’s Christmas Greeting”: “We are to establish beachheads for God’s coming kingdom. Even if we can’t win a final victory over evil, we can at least accomplish a spiritual D-day.” And then he went on to claim that we do that by reconciling the wolf and the lamb within ourselves. He described their presence inside us in this way: “There is a tiger within you and me that wants to snarl at people on the other side of the political or ideological fence.” “There is a wolf within us that reopens old wounds and past failures even within our own households, just to make sure that even those nearest to us know we haven’t forgotten their failures; maybe forgiven, but not forgotten.” “There is a cobra within us that lies in wait for people who are different from us, so that we can catch them fulfilling our prejudices about them.” “There is a bear within us that gives other people only one chance to disappoint us; and if they do, we reject them forever.” (3)
What should we do about this reality within us, this battle going on inside us so like the seemingly senseless wars between the nations of the world? If we’re to be about the task of preparing both the soil of nations and the soil of our own lives for Christ’s coming, what is it we should be doing? According to Matthew’s account of John the Baptist’s preaching he said that we should repent and produce fruit as a result of our repentance - that is, that we should face ourselves, name the conflict going on inside us, turn toward Jesus, let the Holy Spirit work inside us to control the beast, the battle, and get on with sharing the good news with others by living it - by walking the walk of faith. What we should be doing is getting to know the reality of Jesus Christ in our hearts as well as our minds, growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ, and then being about the task of sowing on his behalf - serving him with all that we have and are - walking the walk and talking the talk. We should prepare for Christ’s coming by repenting and bearing fruit consistent with our repentance.
For many of us, repentance is a word we’d rather not hear. For some of us it’s an unfamiliar word - it’s a word that was used in another period of history - when mourner’s benches and sawdust trails and tent meetings and confessionals were in vogue. For others of us, repentance is only something we have to do when we get caught - like when we get caught with our hand in the cookie jar after we’ve been told not to eat any cookies or if we’ve been caught having an affair or illegally recruiting or cheating on our taxes.
But, biblically, repentance is much more than saying “I’m sorry” when we’ve been caught doing something society says we shouldn’t. John the Baptist put a whole new twist on what is involved when repentance is put to use in one’s life when he said, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Later, he further said, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” Basically, he was saying that repentance is about preparing one’s self for the coming One - the Savior. Repentance isn’t only about changing one’s mind or feeling sorry for doing something wrong. It’s not only about resolving never to do such and such wrong act again. Repentance, according to the trail mix of locusts and wild honey eating John the Baptist, means turning ourselves toward the One, toward Jesus Christ, who has come and is coming again. Repentance is not about getting all loaded down with guilt but rather it’s about turning ourselves in Christ’s direction - it’s about turning our eyes toward him and walking/following in His steps.
And the signs of repentance are the bearing of fruits - the doing things that exemplify Christ’s living in us and through us. A woman went to the prayer chapel of her church every day. About the same time every morning she could be seen kneeling and praying. After a period of prayer she would leave the church and go to a nearby food pantry and load up her car with boxes of food for people she knew were in need. No big deal as far as she was concerned. Bearing fruit for her was as natural as eating. Repentance that turns toward Jesus Christ doesn’t lead to self-centeredness, it leads to love and service. (4)
In the book of Luke’s version of John the Baptist’s river appearance, tax collectors and soldiers went to Jesus to be baptized and asked what they should do. And he told the tax collectors that they shouldn’t collect any taxes other than those rightfully theirs and he told the soldiers that they shouldn’t level false accusations or rob others. What he was basically saying was that we should do whatever it is ours to do in life to the best of our ability, ethically and honestly. Bearing fruit is done by walking the walk as well as talking the talk - it’s about serving with all we are and all that we have.
A lay person in a church once said, “If we’re not careful, John the Baptizer will take all of the fun out of Christmas.” I think he’s wrong. I think if we turn our lives toward Jesus Christ, if we repent, and become fruit producers consistent with our repentance, then we will experience even greater joy in our hearts and in the community of faith. Repentance is the real way to prepare for Christmas. Walking the walk toward Jesus and with Jesus is the way to true joy and peace and hope during this season and throughout the year. (5)
Peace be with you all as you journey through Advent toward Christmas!
1 Homiletics, December 2001, pg. 52-53.
2 God’s Christmas Greeting, Robert A. Beringer, esermons.com.
3 Ibid.
4 2001 Christian Globe Network, Repentance, esermons.com.
5 Repent Your Way to a Merry Christmas, Brett Blair, esermons.com.
Isaiah 11:1-10 Matthew 3:1-12
The Israelites were going through some tough times back when Isaiah was speaking on behalf of God. They were being treated cruelly by the Assyrians and thus lived in constant fear of violence. The dynasty of King David, the son of Jesse, was but a mere stump compared to what it once was. Isaiah believed God was going to send a leader who was going to turn things upside down or rightside up if you will. It was going to be a really radical shift - so radical that even the natural instincts of animals would be effected. We read about Isaiah's vision of it in the 11th chapter of the book that shares Isaiah’s name.
Several years ago I read an account about a zoo that created a special exhibit of a lion and a lamb during the Christmas season. Supposedly, they were put in the same cage and thousands of people went to see the unusual pair. A reporter asked the zoo director one day about the unusual arrangement and whether there’d been any problems with it. The zoo keeper didn’t even flinch as he responded, “Not really, except we have to put a new lamb in the cage every couple of days.”
I’m pretty sure it’s not a true story. I’m pretty sure that we’d have heard an outpouring of objections from all sorts of groups if it was. The point is, we laugh because despite the hopefulness this optimistic picture Isaiah described is, we know it’s not our reality. At times we even give in to doubting whether it will ever happen. The utopian world it portrays is so different from anything we’ve ever seen. We understand the pessimism one preacher started a sermon of his on this text with: “The wolf and the lamb? I don’t think so. The Palestinian and Israeli? No way. The Serb and the Muslim? Nope. Peace? Ain’t going to happen.” And then in another part of his sermon he mused, “A wolf and a lamb will lie together in peace - when they’re both dead.” (1)
In the workforce magazine, Personnel Journal, an incredible statistic is noted: “Since the beginning of recorded history, the entire world has been at peace less than 8% of the time!” The magazine discovered in its study that of 3,540 years of recorded history, only 286 years of them were peaceful - 8,000 peace treaties were made and broken. (2)
Call me an idealist - a naive peace-nik - if you want, but despite all the evidence against it, I still believe in, hope for, long for Isaiah’s vision. How and when will it happen? I don’t know. My understanding of that day is that we human beings are not going to bring it to pass by our own efforts. It’s going to happen when Jesus returns. Until then we’re going to experience war after war after war. Our reality is that until Jesus comes again there are always going to be the Osama Bin Laden types who want to prevent peace except by their rules and ideologies. Nations will always disagree with one another because of the reality of sin - greed, power, jealousy will always be present until Christ returns and establishes his reign on earth. While we are somewhat comforted by the blow terrorism has been dealt in recent years and by the nations sitting around the peace table committed to drawing up a new government, peace, eternal peace won’t happen until the Prince of Peace returns.
So, what should we do in the meantime? Nothing? Ignore the world situation? Bury our heads in the sand? Assume a fatalist attitude and stop trying to make a difference? No. We need to be about helping prepare the soil for Christ’s coming. Or, as Robert Beringer put it in his sermon “God’s Christmas Greeting”: “We are to establish beachheads for God’s coming kingdom. Even if we can’t win a final victory over evil, we can at least accomplish a spiritual D-day.” And then he went on to claim that we do that by reconciling the wolf and the lamb within ourselves. He described their presence inside us in this way: “There is a tiger within you and me that wants to snarl at people on the other side of the political or ideological fence.” “There is a wolf within us that reopens old wounds and past failures even within our own households, just to make sure that even those nearest to us know we haven’t forgotten their failures; maybe forgiven, but not forgotten.” “There is a cobra within us that lies in wait for people who are different from us, so that we can catch them fulfilling our prejudices about them.” “There is a bear within us that gives other people only one chance to disappoint us; and if they do, we reject them forever.” (3)
What should we do about this reality within us, this battle going on inside us so like the seemingly senseless wars between the nations of the world? If we’re to be about the task of preparing both the soil of nations and the soil of our own lives for Christ’s coming, what is it we should be doing? According to Matthew’s account of John the Baptist’s preaching he said that we should repent and produce fruit as a result of our repentance - that is, that we should face ourselves, name the conflict going on inside us, turn toward Jesus, let the Holy Spirit work inside us to control the beast, the battle, and get on with sharing the good news with others by living it - by walking the walk of faith. What we should be doing is getting to know the reality of Jesus Christ in our hearts as well as our minds, growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ, and then being about the task of sowing on his behalf - serving him with all that we have and are - walking the walk and talking the talk. We should prepare for Christ’s coming by repenting and bearing fruit consistent with our repentance.
For many of us, repentance is a word we’d rather not hear. For some of us it’s an unfamiliar word - it’s a word that was used in another period of history - when mourner’s benches and sawdust trails and tent meetings and confessionals were in vogue. For others of us, repentance is only something we have to do when we get caught - like when we get caught with our hand in the cookie jar after we’ve been told not to eat any cookies or if we’ve been caught having an affair or illegally recruiting or cheating on our taxes.
But, biblically, repentance is much more than saying “I’m sorry” when we’ve been caught doing something society says we shouldn’t. John the Baptist put a whole new twist on what is involved when repentance is put to use in one’s life when he said, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Later, he further said, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” Basically, he was saying that repentance is about preparing one’s self for the coming One - the Savior. Repentance isn’t only about changing one’s mind or feeling sorry for doing something wrong. It’s not only about resolving never to do such and such wrong act again. Repentance, according to the trail mix of locusts and wild honey eating John the Baptist, means turning ourselves toward the One, toward Jesus Christ, who has come and is coming again. Repentance is not about getting all loaded down with guilt but rather it’s about turning ourselves in Christ’s direction - it’s about turning our eyes toward him and walking/following in His steps.
And the signs of repentance are the bearing of fruits - the doing things that exemplify Christ’s living in us and through us. A woman went to the prayer chapel of her church every day. About the same time every morning she could be seen kneeling and praying. After a period of prayer she would leave the church and go to a nearby food pantry and load up her car with boxes of food for people she knew were in need. No big deal as far as she was concerned. Bearing fruit for her was as natural as eating. Repentance that turns toward Jesus Christ doesn’t lead to self-centeredness, it leads to love and service. (4)
In the book of Luke’s version of John the Baptist’s river appearance, tax collectors and soldiers went to Jesus to be baptized and asked what they should do. And he told the tax collectors that they shouldn’t collect any taxes other than those rightfully theirs and he told the soldiers that they shouldn’t level false accusations or rob others. What he was basically saying was that we should do whatever it is ours to do in life to the best of our ability, ethically and honestly. Bearing fruit is done by walking the walk as well as talking the talk - it’s about serving with all we are and all that we have.
A lay person in a church once said, “If we’re not careful, John the Baptizer will take all of the fun out of Christmas.” I think he’s wrong. I think if we turn our lives toward Jesus Christ, if we repent, and become fruit producers consistent with our repentance, then we will experience even greater joy in our hearts and in the community of faith. Repentance is the real way to prepare for Christmas. Walking the walk toward Jesus and with Jesus is the way to true joy and peace and hope during this season and throughout the year. (5)
Peace be with you all as you journey through Advent toward Christmas!
1 Homiletics, December 2001, pg. 52-53.
2 God’s Christmas Greeting, Robert A. Beringer, esermons.com.
3 Ibid.
4 2001 Christian Globe Network, Repentance, esermons.com.
5 Repent Your Way to a Merry Christmas, Brett Blair, esermons.com.
Monday, December 9, 2013
SERMON: "It's Storming!" "Peace Be With You!"
"It's Storming! Peace Be With You!"
Mark 4:35-41
(A Sunday School class my pastor and others are leading this Advent season utilized the story in Mark about Jesus sleeping his way across a sea. The purpose of the class is to consider an alternative/more reflective and peaceful observance of this season. Someone mentioned remembering a sermon I shared about this text and that maybe I might want to share it with my blog community. OK, here goes. Peace be with you this Advent season!)
It was a very busy day in the life of Jesus according to the way the author of Mark records things. It was the Sabbath and Jesus began it like he began every Sabbath - in the synagogue - in a place of worship.
Some who were there were hoping to catch him do something illegal - oh, you know, like heal someone which was considered work and thus not allowed on the Sabbath. A man with a shriveled hand was there and Jesus had him stand front and center. Then he quizzed the crowd about what was the right thing to do - obey the law or do mercy. The crowd was deafeningly silent. He did the merciful thing despite his knowledge of the religious establishment's concern about his ministry and rumors that they desired to get rid of him.
He did a few other things that day:
* Like, going up a mountain with some of his followers and naming twelve of them his apostles;
* Like, stopping at a home to get a bite to eat but being interrupted by the crowd; and some of his biological family arriving because they feared he'd gone crazy. That vignette ended with his offering this new, radical, yet significant definition of the Christian faith - that those who do the will of God are his relatives;
* Like, his going back to the lake and getting into a small boat with this mass of people assembled along the edge and his telling an assortment of parables - short stories with life lessons - about seeds and different kinds of soil and putting a lamp under a bowl and finally one about the growth of the Kingdom of God being like that of a mustard seed.
Now, with all of these happenings of that day in Jesus' life swirling around in our heads - we turn our attention to the story in the text we are considering.
Jesus and his followers were still in the boat when evening came. Mark implies that the one-day boat marathon lecture came to a rather abrupt end by not mentioning any dismissal, benediction, or blessing - just this announcement on the part of Jesus: "Let's go over to the other side." Or, as one writer imagines it: "Let's get outta' here!"
Although the author of Mark doesn't offer us any explanation for the midnight cruise to the other side of the lake, some Bible scholars suggest it was probably because Jesus was just plain whipped from all the pushing and shoving and pulling that accompanies a crowd trying to get as close as possible to a celebrity. Others have made a case for this being an example of Jesus' desire/intent/plan, to broaden the focus of his ministry from just a perceived renewal movement within Judaism to a more inclusive message for all people, everywhere, and thus the trip over to the Gentile side of the Lake of Galilee.
If the desire was to get away from the crowd, the cruise was a colossal failure. The author of Mark reports that a flotilla of boats accompanied the boat Jesus was on. And, sometime during the night, a sudden storm developed with very large waves crashing over the boat threatening to capsize it. Sudden and violent storms are a common occurrence on the Lake of Galilee - has something to do with the way the hills and cliffs are situated around the lake and cool currents of air gathering between them and coming together with such force that the sea can sometimes be whipped into this ferocious water hazard.
While the storm was having its way with the boat-load of fishermen, Jesus was asleep on a cushion in an area reserved for passengers. The disciples woke him from his peaceful and needed sleep and asked him a rather stupid question, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
Jesus rebuked the wind, ordered the waves to quiet down and everything got calm - everything except Jesus that is. Staring into the fearful, soggy, and salt-streaked faces of his followers, Jesus asked them: "Why? Why did you wake me? Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" There's no question in my mind that his words stung - perhaps disappointment or criticism were conveyed. The disciples hardly ever come off looking good in the Gospels. They are forever not getting it right - misunderstanding.
The story ends with this terrified group of disciples asking themselves and one another: "Who is this guy that even the wind and the waves obey him!?"
OK, here goes: I'd like to suggest to you that the primary message of this story is not that Jesus has the power to perform miracles as many want it to be. Jesus didn't calm the wind and the sea to win more followers - to show off his powers - to make life easier or safer for his followers. In fact, until the disciples rudely awoke him he had no intention of doing anything about the storm except to sleep through it. Even though he did it, he wasn't happy about doing it because it meant that their relationship with him had not yet born in them the faith that God was with them no matter what happened to them, and because, I would suggest, it revealed that they had no or very little faith in their personal abilities to do what needed to be done.
Picture the scene again: There were a bunch of seasoned, professional fishermen on that boat that night! They'd been in a lot of storms before that one, thank you very much! What's going on here?
I would suggest this story reveals a misconception that continues in our day - that somehow having Jesus in one's life makes us dependent, skill-less, ignorant, insecure people! Friends, Jesus Christ heals us of our feelings of inferiority, our self-doubts, our lack of confidence and instills in us new attitudes about ourselves and our gifts from God - he strengthens/broadens our gifts, strengths, abilities, skills - not weakens or takes them away! Being born again means having our giftedness, our uniqueness enhanced, not discounted!
The message of this story is not that when troubles come our way all we need to do is turn them over to Jesus and let him work a miracle. It is not to make a case for the idea that we don't have to put up with what every other human being has to put up with. We live in a sinful, imperfect world, as well as a creative and beautiful one - it always has been and always will be - and we are in for some rough times as residents of this world: that's just the way it is. The storm - the weather system - didn't change just because Jesus was on board. Knowing Jesus Christ is not a vaccination from the painful realities that accompany life.
We too, will receive telephone calls in the middle of the night informing us that a loved one has been in a serious automobile accident - marriages will fall apart in our churches because of the unfaithfulness of husbands or wives - hurtful words will be shouted between parents and children in our families - we too, will be diagnosed with terminal illnesses - we too, will unexpectedly lose jobs and be ignored when it's time for a promotion - we too, will struggle and fail classes in school - we too, will be anxious about our financial situations - we too, will lose friends.
Perhaps the most important thing this lesson should implant in us is that even though we have to face the storms of life like everyone else, peace can be known/experienced while it's storming all around us. A peaceful voyage is not the ticket we purchase when we say yes to Jesus, but the journey can be peace-filled when we remember that God is on the journey with us.
The purpose of this story is not to get us to look at the storms of our lives and seek Jesus' healing touch so that they'll go away - that expectation upset Jesus, caused Jesus to question the very faith of those who thought that's what he should do. The purpose of the story is to invite us to look at the one who is willing to walk through the storms with us and to have faith that he will and does and that together we can endure whatever life sends our way. And, we experience the physical presence of Jesus when we let the community of faith that is his present reality walk with us. That, my friends, is our experience and we are so thankful for your willingness to be Jesus for us.
The invitation to Christian discipleship I would invite us to consider is to take a careful look at what's going on in our lives and to ask ourselves if we need to "put our hands in the hands of the man from Galilee" in a new way - a way that unleashes the potential within us and gives us confidence that we can use the gifts and skills God has given us to meet the issues the world needs us to.
Yeh, it's storming all around us alright. But that's OK, God is with us. "Peace be with you."
Mark 4:35-41
(A Sunday School class my pastor and others are leading this Advent season utilized the story in Mark about Jesus sleeping his way across a sea. The purpose of the class is to consider an alternative/more reflective and peaceful observance of this season. Someone mentioned remembering a sermon I shared about this text and that maybe I might want to share it with my blog community. OK, here goes. Peace be with you this Advent season!)
It was a very busy day in the life of Jesus according to the way the author of Mark records things. It was the Sabbath and Jesus began it like he began every Sabbath - in the synagogue - in a place of worship.
Some who were there were hoping to catch him do something illegal - oh, you know, like heal someone which was considered work and thus not allowed on the Sabbath. A man with a shriveled hand was there and Jesus had him stand front and center. Then he quizzed the crowd about what was the right thing to do - obey the law or do mercy. The crowd was deafeningly silent. He did the merciful thing despite his knowledge of the religious establishment's concern about his ministry and rumors that they desired to get rid of him.
He did a few other things that day:
* Like, going up a mountain with some of his followers and naming twelve of them his apostles;
* Like, stopping at a home to get a bite to eat but being interrupted by the crowd; and some of his biological family arriving because they feared he'd gone crazy. That vignette ended with his offering this new, radical, yet significant definition of the Christian faith - that those who do the will of God are his relatives;
* Like, his going back to the lake and getting into a small boat with this mass of people assembled along the edge and his telling an assortment of parables - short stories with life lessons - about seeds and different kinds of soil and putting a lamp under a bowl and finally one about the growth of the Kingdom of God being like that of a mustard seed.
Now, with all of these happenings of that day in Jesus' life swirling around in our heads - we turn our attention to the story in the text we are considering.
Jesus and his followers were still in the boat when evening came. Mark implies that the one-day boat marathon lecture came to a rather abrupt end by not mentioning any dismissal, benediction, or blessing - just this announcement on the part of Jesus: "Let's go over to the other side." Or, as one writer imagines it: "Let's get outta' here!"
Although the author of Mark doesn't offer us any explanation for the midnight cruise to the other side of the lake, some Bible scholars suggest it was probably because Jesus was just plain whipped from all the pushing and shoving and pulling that accompanies a crowd trying to get as close as possible to a celebrity. Others have made a case for this being an example of Jesus' desire/intent/plan, to broaden the focus of his ministry from just a perceived renewal movement within Judaism to a more inclusive message for all people, everywhere, and thus the trip over to the Gentile side of the Lake of Galilee.
If the desire was to get away from the crowd, the cruise was a colossal failure. The author of Mark reports that a flotilla of boats accompanied the boat Jesus was on. And, sometime during the night, a sudden storm developed with very large waves crashing over the boat threatening to capsize it. Sudden and violent storms are a common occurrence on the Lake of Galilee - has something to do with the way the hills and cliffs are situated around the lake and cool currents of air gathering between them and coming together with such force that the sea can sometimes be whipped into this ferocious water hazard.
While the storm was having its way with the boat-load of fishermen, Jesus was asleep on a cushion in an area reserved for passengers. The disciples woke him from his peaceful and needed sleep and asked him a rather stupid question, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
Jesus rebuked the wind, ordered the waves to quiet down and everything got calm - everything except Jesus that is. Staring into the fearful, soggy, and salt-streaked faces of his followers, Jesus asked them: "Why? Why did you wake me? Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" There's no question in my mind that his words stung - perhaps disappointment or criticism were conveyed. The disciples hardly ever come off looking good in the Gospels. They are forever not getting it right - misunderstanding.
The story ends with this terrified group of disciples asking themselves and one another: "Who is this guy that even the wind and the waves obey him!?"
OK, here goes: I'd like to suggest to you that the primary message of this story is not that Jesus has the power to perform miracles as many want it to be. Jesus didn't calm the wind and the sea to win more followers - to show off his powers - to make life easier or safer for his followers. In fact, until the disciples rudely awoke him he had no intention of doing anything about the storm except to sleep through it. Even though he did it, he wasn't happy about doing it because it meant that their relationship with him had not yet born in them the faith that God was with them no matter what happened to them, and because, I would suggest, it revealed that they had no or very little faith in their personal abilities to do what needed to be done.
Picture the scene again: There were a bunch of seasoned, professional fishermen on that boat that night! They'd been in a lot of storms before that one, thank you very much! What's going on here?
I would suggest this story reveals a misconception that continues in our day - that somehow having Jesus in one's life makes us dependent, skill-less, ignorant, insecure people! Friends, Jesus Christ heals us of our feelings of inferiority, our self-doubts, our lack of confidence and instills in us new attitudes about ourselves and our gifts from God - he strengthens/broadens our gifts, strengths, abilities, skills - not weakens or takes them away! Being born again means having our giftedness, our uniqueness enhanced, not discounted!
The message of this story is not that when troubles come our way all we need to do is turn them over to Jesus and let him work a miracle. It is not to make a case for the idea that we don't have to put up with what every other human being has to put up with. We live in a sinful, imperfect world, as well as a creative and beautiful one - it always has been and always will be - and we are in for some rough times as residents of this world: that's just the way it is. The storm - the weather system - didn't change just because Jesus was on board. Knowing Jesus Christ is not a vaccination from the painful realities that accompany life.
We too, will receive telephone calls in the middle of the night informing us that a loved one has been in a serious automobile accident - marriages will fall apart in our churches because of the unfaithfulness of husbands or wives - hurtful words will be shouted between parents and children in our families - we too, will be diagnosed with terminal illnesses - we too, will unexpectedly lose jobs and be ignored when it's time for a promotion - we too, will struggle and fail classes in school - we too, will be anxious about our financial situations - we too, will lose friends.
Perhaps the most important thing this lesson should implant in us is that even though we have to face the storms of life like everyone else, peace can be known/experienced while it's storming all around us. A peaceful voyage is not the ticket we purchase when we say yes to Jesus, but the journey can be peace-filled when we remember that God is on the journey with us.
The purpose of this story is not to get us to look at the storms of our lives and seek Jesus' healing touch so that they'll go away - that expectation upset Jesus, caused Jesus to question the very faith of those who thought that's what he should do. The purpose of the story is to invite us to look at the one who is willing to walk through the storms with us and to have faith that he will and does and that together we can endure whatever life sends our way. And, we experience the physical presence of Jesus when we let the community of faith that is his present reality walk with us. That, my friends, is our experience and we are so thankful for your willingness to be Jesus for us.
The invitation to Christian discipleship I would invite us to consider is to take a careful look at what's going on in our lives and to ask ourselves if we need to "put our hands in the hands of the man from Galilee" in a new way - a way that unleashes the potential within us and gives us confidence that we can use the gifts and skills God has given us to meet the issues the world needs us to.
Yeh, it's storming all around us alright. But that's OK, God is with us. "Peace be with you."
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Sermon: "Open Means Being Hospitable"
Sermon: "Open Means Being Hospitable"
Matthew 3:1-12 Isaiah 1:1-10
I received a story in an e-mail from someone a few years ago with which I would like to start this reflection.
It’s a story about two brothers living on adjoining farms. An issue developed between them one day which grew into a really nasty rift. Bitter words and weeks of silence resulted. It was the first serious disagreement between them while farming side-by-side. They shared machinery, helped each other with chores and even shared seeds with one another.
There was a knock on the older brother's door one morning a few weeks after the silence started. He opened the door to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox. The visitor said, “I’m looking for a few days of work. Perhaps you have a few small jobs here or there that I could help with? Is there some way I could help you?”
The older brother responded: “As a matter of fact, yes, I do have a job for you. If you look across that creek, you’ll see a farm. That’s my neighbor. In fact, it’s my younger brother! Last week, there was a meadow between us. He recently took his bulldozer to the river levee, and now there is a creek between us.
“He may have done this to spite me, but I’m going to do him one better. See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence - an 8’ fence so I won’t need to see his place, or his face, anymore.”
The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails, and the post-hole digger, and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.”
The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all day – measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset, when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished the job.
The farmer’s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence. Instead, there was a bridge . . . a bridge that stretched from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, with handrails, and everything!!
And then the older brother noticed his younger brother coming toward them with his hand outstretched. And the younger brother said as he approached his older brother, “You are really something, building this bridge, after all I’ve said and done.”
The two brothers met in the middle of the bridge and embraced. They turned around just in time to see the carpenter hoisting his toolbox onto his shoulder.
The older brother said, “No, wait! Stay a few days. I’ve a lot of other projects for you.”
The carpenter said, “I’d love to stay on, but I have many more bridges to build.”
Diana Butler Bass shares in her book Broken We Kneel about the 8:30 a.m. service at the Church of the Epiphany in Washington, D. C. It's planned with the homeless in mind. It’s not unusual during the worship service to have one of the 200 worshipers talking rather loudly to an invisible friend. It’s more than likely that several men will be asleep on the back pews. There will be some who will be standing and singing. It’s “an amazing cross section of humanity for a church,” writes Butler Bass, “unruly, disorderly and utterly hospitable. And holy.” She writes in her book about being told by one of the church members who started coming there when she herself was homeless, “Epiphany is the first church I ever visited that treated me like a human being. Nobody looked at me as if I was going to steal something.” (1)
A pastor was interviewing with the call committee of a church (obviously not a United Methodist Church). The stories the people told made the pastor aware that the church was made up of a lot of different kinds of people – rich and poor, young and old, persons from a wide range of different denominational backgrounds. There were people in the membership who came from some really troubled families and people there with currently troubled families. And yet they obviously got along remarkably well.
The pastor finally asked the committee how they’d been able to assimilate such a variety of people into their fellowship. One of the elders responded: “We just have to love one another. We’re all God’s children.”
It was then that the pastor remembered the logo on the church stationary and understood what it meant. The logo read: “Where hope and hospitality embrace you in the name of Jesus.”
A rowdy, dirty group of homeless men went one year to a church’s annual Christmas dinner. The church’s dinners were family affairs – people off the street, parishioners’ parents and siblings, theater folk who had nowhere to go on holidays – always a weird and wonderful mix. But, everybody didn’t necessarily always get along. One year a group of men managed to annoy somebody’s mother from the suburbs.
The church had a director of music who was quick on his feet. As he sensed tensions rising, he slid his small body behind the piano in the downstairs parish hall and began to boom out the opening lines to “Jingle Bell Rock.” He had an amazing sense of the pastoral ministry of music. By the time they got around to the chorus in “Angels We Have Heard on High,” the homeless guy and the suburban mother, both of whom it turned out had great voices, were standing next to each other harmonizing.
Glimpses of God’s kingdom – glimpses of Isaiah’s vision of God’s kingdom – that’s what these stories describe.
Thundering down through the centuries we have heard another voice every year on this 2nd Sunday of Advent. His voice always rather loudly commands: “REPENT!” As far as that locust and wild-honey eating, rummage-sale dressed character, John the Baptist, was concerned, the way to get ready for the coming of the Messiah – the establishing of God’s kingdom – the fulfillment of Isaiah’s vision – the way those who would be a part of the kingdom should act is to eat a little, maybe a whole lot of, humble pie. It involves taking stock of our lives and admitting our human condition – our human frailties – our bad thoughts and our questionable behaviors. It involves us being remorseful – feeling sorry for having done or thought things that create a chasm between us and God or others.
John also makes it quite clear that the repentance he believes is necessary involves a whole lot more than simply feeling sorry for doing wrong. John noted that there must be some “bearing fruit worthy of repentance” (vs. 8).
I would suggest to you that when we "bear fruit worthy of repentance" we catch a glimpse of the kingdom of God Isaiah so beautifully and poetically described in the text - glimpses of wolves living with lambs and leopards lying down with goats and cows feeding with bears - when we see homeless people and church people enjoying dinner together and singing together. We catch glimpses of infants playing near to the entrance to snake’s dens without any fear when those considered outsiders are offered the gift of hospitality – when the rich and poor – the young and the old – persons from every theological angle possible, all ready to experience the natural feelings of hostility, experience instead hospitality.
We catch glimpses of Isaiah’s vision of God’s kingdom when the church bears fruit worthy of repentance – when our mottos aren’t just a cleverly arranged bunch of words read once in awhile or used to take up some space on the front of a bulletin, but words which capture the essence of a church's life together. That church with the logo “Where hope and hospitality embrace you” glorified God by welcoming one another. They were a glimpse of Isaiah’s vision of what God’s kingdom is like. The church is called to be a glimpse of God’s kingdom – a place where and a people who provide hope – a welcoming, hospitable, bridge-building place and people.
That e-mail I received a few years ago ended with a few one-liners that offer some additional ideas about some things we might want to keep in mind when contemplating what some other fruits worthy of repentance might be.
* God won’t ask you what kind of car you drove, but God will ask how many people you helped get where they needed to go.
* God won’t ask the square footage of your house, but God will ask you how many people you welcomed into your home.
* God won’t ask about the clothes you had in your closet, but God will ask how many you helped to clothe.
* God won’t ask how many friends you had, but God will ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
* God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived, but God will ask how you treated your neighbors.
* God won’t ask about the color of your skin, but God will ask about the content of your character.
The fruit worthy of repentance for each of us and for a church is hospitality. People need to belong – need to be warmly received – need to be greeted no matter who they are – need to be accepted – need to be loved.
1. “The InnoCentive SOULution,” Homiletics, November/December, 2004, p. 40.
Matthew 3:1-12 Isaiah 1:1-10
I received a story in an e-mail from someone a few years ago with which I would like to start this reflection.
It’s a story about two brothers living on adjoining farms. An issue developed between them one day which grew into a really nasty rift. Bitter words and weeks of silence resulted. It was the first serious disagreement between them while farming side-by-side. They shared machinery, helped each other with chores and even shared seeds with one another.
There was a knock on the older brother's door one morning a few weeks after the silence started. He opened the door to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox. The visitor said, “I’m looking for a few days of work. Perhaps you have a few small jobs here or there that I could help with? Is there some way I could help you?”
The older brother responded: “As a matter of fact, yes, I do have a job for you. If you look across that creek, you’ll see a farm. That’s my neighbor. In fact, it’s my younger brother! Last week, there was a meadow between us. He recently took his bulldozer to the river levee, and now there is a creek between us.
“He may have done this to spite me, but I’m going to do him one better. See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence - an 8’ fence so I won’t need to see his place, or his face, anymore.”
The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails, and the post-hole digger, and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.”
The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all day – measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset, when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished the job.
The farmer’s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence. Instead, there was a bridge . . . a bridge that stretched from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, with handrails, and everything!!
And then the older brother noticed his younger brother coming toward them with his hand outstretched. And the younger brother said as he approached his older brother, “You are really something, building this bridge, after all I’ve said and done.”
The two brothers met in the middle of the bridge and embraced. They turned around just in time to see the carpenter hoisting his toolbox onto his shoulder.
The older brother said, “No, wait! Stay a few days. I’ve a lot of other projects for you.”
The carpenter said, “I’d love to stay on, but I have many more bridges to build.”
Diana Butler Bass shares in her book Broken We Kneel about the 8:30 a.m. service at the Church of the Epiphany in Washington, D. C. It's planned with the homeless in mind. It’s not unusual during the worship service to have one of the 200 worshipers talking rather loudly to an invisible friend. It’s more than likely that several men will be asleep on the back pews. There will be some who will be standing and singing. It’s “an amazing cross section of humanity for a church,” writes Butler Bass, “unruly, disorderly and utterly hospitable. And holy.” She writes in her book about being told by one of the church members who started coming there when she herself was homeless, “Epiphany is the first church I ever visited that treated me like a human being. Nobody looked at me as if I was going to steal something.” (1)
A pastor was interviewing with the call committee of a church (obviously not a United Methodist Church). The stories the people told made the pastor aware that the church was made up of a lot of different kinds of people – rich and poor, young and old, persons from a wide range of different denominational backgrounds. There were people in the membership who came from some really troubled families and people there with currently troubled families. And yet they obviously got along remarkably well.
The pastor finally asked the committee how they’d been able to assimilate such a variety of people into their fellowship. One of the elders responded: “We just have to love one another. We’re all God’s children.”
It was then that the pastor remembered the logo on the church stationary and understood what it meant. The logo read: “Where hope and hospitality embrace you in the name of Jesus.”
A rowdy, dirty group of homeless men went one year to a church’s annual Christmas dinner. The church’s dinners were family affairs – people off the street, parishioners’ parents and siblings, theater folk who had nowhere to go on holidays – always a weird and wonderful mix. But, everybody didn’t necessarily always get along. One year a group of men managed to annoy somebody’s mother from the suburbs.
The church had a director of music who was quick on his feet. As he sensed tensions rising, he slid his small body behind the piano in the downstairs parish hall and began to boom out the opening lines to “Jingle Bell Rock.” He had an amazing sense of the pastoral ministry of music. By the time they got around to the chorus in “Angels We Have Heard on High,” the homeless guy and the suburban mother, both of whom it turned out had great voices, were standing next to each other harmonizing.
Glimpses of God’s kingdom – glimpses of Isaiah’s vision of God’s kingdom – that’s what these stories describe.
Thundering down through the centuries we have heard another voice every year on this 2nd Sunday of Advent. His voice always rather loudly commands: “REPENT!” As far as that locust and wild-honey eating, rummage-sale dressed character, John the Baptist, was concerned, the way to get ready for the coming of the Messiah – the establishing of God’s kingdom – the fulfillment of Isaiah’s vision – the way those who would be a part of the kingdom should act is to eat a little, maybe a whole lot of, humble pie. It involves taking stock of our lives and admitting our human condition – our human frailties – our bad thoughts and our questionable behaviors. It involves us being remorseful – feeling sorry for having done or thought things that create a chasm between us and God or others.
John also makes it quite clear that the repentance he believes is necessary involves a whole lot more than simply feeling sorry for doing wrong. John noted that there must be some “bearing fruit worthy of repentance” (vs. 8).
I would suggest to you that when we "bear fruit worthy of repentance" we catch a glimpse of the kingdom of God Isaiah so beautifully and poetically described in the text - glimpses of wolves living with lambs and leopards lying down with goats and cows feeding with bears - when we see homeless people and church people enjoying dinner together and singing together. We catch glimpses of infants playing near to the entrance to snake’s dens without any fear when those considered outsiders are offered the gift of hospitality – when the rich and poor – the young and the old – persons from every theological angle possible, all ready to experience the natural feelings of hostility, experience instead hospitality.
We catch glimpses of Isaiah’s vision of God’s kingdom when the church bears fruit worthy of repentance – when our mottos aren’t just a cleverly arranged bunch of words read once in awhile or used to take up some space on the front of a bulletin, but words which capture the essence of a church's life together. That church with the logo “Where hope and hospitality embrace you” glorified God by welcoming one another. They were a glimpse of Isaiah’s vision of what God’s kingdom is like. The church is called to be a glimpse of God’s kingdom – a place where and a people who provide hope – a welcoming, hospitable, bridge-building place and people.
That e-mail I received a few years ago ended with a few one-liners that offer some additional ideas about some things we might want to keep in mind when contemplating what some other fruits worthy of repentance might be.
* God won’t ask you what kind of car you drove, but God will ask how many people you helped get where they needed to go.
* God won’t ask the square footage of your house, but God will ask you how many people you welcomed into your home.
* God won’t ask about the clothes you had in your closet, but God will ask how many you helped to clothe.
* God won’t ask how many friends you had, but God will ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
* God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived, but God will ask how you treated your neighbors.
* God won’t ask about the color of your skin, but God will ask about the content of your character.
The fruit worthy of repentance for each of us and for a church is hospitality. People need to belong – need to be warmly received – need to be greeted no matter who they are – need to be accepted – need to be loved.
1. “The InnoCentive SOULution,” Homiletics, November/December, 2004, p. 40.
Friday, December 6, 2013
Not a Sermon: "Entering Advent - The Season of Preparation - Lamenting""
Not a Sermon: "Entering Advent - The Season of Preparation - Lamenting"
We attended our third Central & Southern Ohio ALS Association Chapter Holiday Party this week. It's been, and once again was, a good event for us. We enjoy, er, a, maybe appreciate the opportunity, would be a better way to describe what our being with others dealing with this frustrating disease means to us.
ALS friends and our caregivers and other family members gather to share food, fellowship, and participate in a fun gift-exchange. It's both a comfortable and uncomfortable evening as we eat together with all our various limitations and abilities. We laugh as we share gifts and once in awhile steal a particularly pleasing one to our unique personalities. The PALS of our Columbus area support group and their relatives and friends are a new and special social community.
I had a different sort of night the day before this uplifting gathering - they happen every so often, although the thoughts that trigger them are always in my mind and on my heart. I suppose it was partially the result of all the family gatherings of the previous few days, but that doesn't explain it entirely. I'm not sure there really is an explanation for being down a bit. All I know is, I was overwhelmed with thoughts about what the future holds, what I'm going through, what Dorothy and my kids and the rest of our families are trying admirably to face, how one lives and how one dies while daily and hourly struggling for air but can still eat anything as long as the bipap machine is available for when I'm finished, a being invaded with the feeling of hopelessness, etc. - you get the picture.
It's over. I'm OK. Each day holds its own joys and challenges. Relax. We cried as I shared what I was feeling with Dorothy, and we recovered. So, here's what you're going to have to put up with for awhile. I've decided to preach - write - my way back to an even better place - back to sensing some realistic hope while alive and not for some afterlife relief concept (sorry, probably a little strong for some!).
Advent, Christmas Eve and the Christmas season were some of my favorite times - and I have resolved to make them so again this year! Sure part of it was the staff gatherings, Dorothy's decorating the house (our home is as beautiful as ever because of her!), family gatherings, shopping (yes, I did enjoy shopping especially for Dorothy), concerts, school programs, the sharing of Christmas and holiday cards (get over it people we piggybacked on a secular season and not the other way around!), caroling, remembering, and all the other seasonal events. But another big part for me was the wrestling with the scripture passages full of mystery/magic/myth and attempt to make the whole thing believable or at least practical and helpful.
That's right, I'm going to preach to myself for the next few weeks and you have to/get to read/avoid/contemplate/argue with/endure what I post! I may post a few other things because I'm having some Ottawa moments, etc. as well, so you may have to check out the site once in awhile just in case.
Happy holidays! Merry Christmas! Seasons Greetings!
We attended our third Central & Southern Ohio ALS Association Chapter Holiday Party this week. It's been, and once again was, a good event for us. We enjoy, er, a, maybe appreciate the opportunity, would be a better way to describe what our being with others dealing with this frustrating disease means to us.
ALS friends and our caregivers and other family members gather to share food, fellowship, and participate in a fun gift-exchange. It's both a comfortable and uncomfortable evening as we eat together with all our various limitations and abilities. We laugh as we share gifts and once in awhile steal a particularly pleasing one to our unique personalities. The PALS of our Columbus area support group and their relatives and friends are a new and special social community.
I had a different sort of night the day before this uplifting gathering - they happen every so often, although the thoughts that trigger them are always in my mind and on my heart. I suppose it was partially the result of all the family gatherings of the previous few days, but that doesn't explain it entirely. I'm not sure there really is an explanation for being down a bit. All I know is, I was overwhelmed with thoughts about what the future holds, what I'm going through, what Dorothy and my kids and the rest of our families are trying admirably to face, how one lives and how one dies while daily and hourly struggling for air but can still eat anything as long as the bipap machine is available for when I'm finished, a being invaded with the feeling of hopelessness, etc. - you get the picture.
It's over. I'm OK. Each day holds its own joys and challenges. Relax. We cried as I shared what I was feeling with Dorothy, and we recovered. So, here's what you're going to have to put up with for awhile. I've decided to preach - write - my way back to an even better place - back to sensing some realistic hope while alive and not for some afterlife relief concept (sorry, probably a little strong for some!).
Advent, Christmas Eve and the Christmas season were some of my favorite times - and I have resolved to make them so again this year! Sure part of it was the staff gatherings, Dorothy's decorating the house (our home is as beautiful as ever because of her!), family gatherings, shopping (yes, I did enjoy shopping especially for Dorothy), concerts, school programs, the sharing of Christmas and holiday cards (get over it people we piggybacked on a secular season and not the other way around!), caroling, remembering, and all the other seasonal events. But another big part for me was the wrestling with the scripture passages full of mystery/magic/myth and attempt to make the whole thing believable or at least practical and helpful.
That's right, I'm going to preach to myself for the next few weeks and you have to/get to read/avoid/contemplate/argue with/endure what I post! I may post a few other things because I'm having some Ottawa moments, etc. as well, so you may have to check out the site once in awhile just in case.
Happy holidays! Merry Christmas! Seasons Greetings!
Friday, November 29, 2013
Sermon: "Ready or Not, Here I Come!"
"Ready or Not, Here I Come!"
Matthew 24:36-44
Opening Prayer: "O Christ of Bethlehem, we bring to you our dead-end dreams and splintered hopes. In this time of reflection on your word, bring forth your star of truth. Amen."
A popular story repeated by every preacher worthy of laughing at him/herself is of the man who fell asleep during the sermon. The preacher tries in vain to wake the man up - pounding on the pulpit, raising his voice - to no avail. Finally the preacher calls an usher and whispers to her, "Go wake that man up." The usher replies loud enough for all to hear: "Wake him up yourself, you put him to sleep!"
The message of Advent is “Wake up – the Lord is coming!” Advent is a season when we are challenged to consider our "readiness" - when we measure how ready we are - when we make some new resolves about some things we might do different to better prepare ourselves for his coming – better able to experience the living Jesus.
Jesus had been discussing with his disciples the coming days - his immediate concern being that they be prepared for the events that he knew were about to unfold in Jerusalem. The disciples asked him to give them a clearer description of this end of the age and his believed to be associated coming again. And so, he did. He described for them this rather frightening picture of wars and earthquakes and famines and rejection and persecution. And then, he stopped. He didn’t name an exact time when all of these things would take place. Instead, he announced, as the first verse in the Gospel reading we're considering put it, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”
Then Jesus drew a parallel between the experience of Noah and the experience that was going to be theirs - and ours. Noah was told there was going to be a flood and that he should make preparation for it - that he should build an ark while the sun was still shining - while everyone else was living life paying attention to their daily living needs without any eye on the future. And Jesus reportedly said: "Just as Noah had to prepare for the flood without knowing when exactly the rains were going to begin so must you prepare for my future coming even though you do not know when it is going to happen."
The New International Version states it this way: "So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Or, to use a saying from our childhood game of hide and seek: "Ready or not, here I come!"
Now, there is a sense in which the words can be regarded as a warning about the future. But my sense is that Christ's real intent was to turn our attention off of a fear of the future and put it on how we are to live today. The intent of the idea behind a belief in a second coming is to produce hope, not fear - expectancy, not reluctance - an excitedness, not an anxiousness. Jesus stops short of giving us an exact roadmap because the end will take care of itself - nothing we do or don't do will bring his anticipated return any sooner or later. Knowing when it will happen will only give us excuses not to live as God desires until the last moment. Our role is not to try and figure it out but only to believe in it and to make ourselves ready for it.
Advent is about "readiness" - it's about "getting ready," "keeping watch," "staying awake." It's not about "worrying," "stewing," or "fretting," about things we cannot control. It's not about instilling in us a fear about the future. If we are ready, then Jesus' words "Here I come" will be words that produce hope in us - excitement in us - anticipation in us - a fervor for his coming.
It's easy for some to take the cataclysmic, frightening events of nature or between nations and hypothesize that they represent the end. Too often the result is inactivity, a paralysis from good and the peace of God. It's in the face of such troubles that we are called to do the essential work of proclaiming God's forgiving mercy, joyfully sharing our gifts, talents, skills, and wealth with all people, especially the poor.
Down the corridors of history we hear Jesus shout to us every Advent season: "Ready or not, here I come!" Every year it's good for our souls to ponder: "Am I ready?" I would like to suggest to you that the answer comes not just from being able to rattle off/repeat/regurgitate some neatly packaged set of beliefs - some sort of correct theology - important and vital as it is for us to pursue a clear understanding about what it is we believe. But the answer of whether we are ready or not is best gleaned from how we are interacting with those around us in this world. For in those interactions is the evidence of our relationship with God.
In a sermon I read a few years ago, the preacher observed: “The temptation is to dismiss these words from Matthew. After all, how do they pertain to us? Written at a time when the early church had bet its life on Jesus’ return, these seem odd words to hear on (a) Sunday of Advent. We are busy preparing the crèche for a baby, but Matthew appears to be announcing Jesus’ second coming. And it isn’t just an odd lesson, but a frightening one. In a season when we seek assurance, Matthew’s words are enough to scare us half to death. These words compare the coming of God’s promised one to the death and devastation of the flood during Noah’s time. We are looking forward to being reunited with family and friends while this lesson speaks of untimely separation and unpredictable departure. And then, in the event our Advent and Christmas sensibilities are not offended completely, the coming of Jesus is compared to a thief who breaks into a house at an unexpected hour. Matthew doesn’t know much about the holidays.” (1)
Perhaps it’s a different Christmas we have in mind than the one the author of Matthew had. Perhaps we have forgotten the original reason of the season was not the birth of the Savior of the world, but a way to celebrate the winter solstice – to bring some fun to the drudgery of winter. Perhaps we should quit trying to make the rest of society responsible for our not keeping our reinterpretation of the reason for the season central to our experience!
Let me state my sermon within the sermon more pointedly: we need to calm down when the government or the mall or the school doesn’t display a crèche. We are the ones who have tagged onto society’s festival – the community’s celebration – and just because we were the dominant faith for awhile and quite effectively imbued the ancient holiday/party with new meanings, that doesn’t mean that the holiday is all ours - all about us and our Savior and our meanings. It is our responsibility to display crèches and talk about the meaning of angels and shepherds and kings and Christmas trees and giving for us. Society has its reasons and history and we can take part in those aspects we are comfortable with, but we need to take responsibility for our own use of the season and quit demanding that other entities do it for us.
O.K., now that that’s off my chest, let’s get back to where I was trying to go with the idea that perhaps it’s a different Christmas we have to get prepared for. If we are to prepare ourselves for Christmas, we are going to have to remember that it is an entirely different holiday than the one that can be satisfied when all the decorations have been hung and the shopping completed. “Advent and Christmas are compromised badly when we focus too much on what is under the tree and too little on who is in the stable. The coming of Christmas is not the same as the coming of the Lord.” (2)
I’m guessing that many of you are like me whenever someone starts using words like ‘coming of the Lord.’ It’s really too bad we feel so uncomfortable. It’s my belief that some have done a terrible disservice to the scriptural understanding of the concept. Some have the idea that it’s all about preparing for a time when Jesus is going to come again riding in on a cloud from the heavens. They spend so much time speculating about it that they forget about his first arrival and that the point of that story is that God-is-with-us, now. And that God, Emmanuel - the God of the incarnation, not the God who has been with us or will be with us – but the God who-is-with-us wants us to do something with who we are and his presence in our lives in this world now. (3)
Then, you see, the question “Are you ready for Christmas?” becomes quite a bit more challenging. “To be ready for Christmas in the biblical story does not involve relaxation, but upheaval. We know that the coming of the Lord will challenge priorities and prejudices. We know that the kind of world for which we long cannot be accomplished without confrontation and change. We know that kind of messiah, no doubt, will ask a lot of us. Are we ready for that kind of Christmas?” (4)
Ours is not a messiah that came riding in on a warhorse. He is not a political figure with power granted him because of his position or to whom he was born. Our messiah sort of “slipped in the back door through the unlikely entrance of a stable, accompanied by poor parents and smelly animals.” (5)
There’s no question that it’s easier to celebrate the secular holiday of this time of year than the coming of the Lord which is our understanding of the season. Jesus is more than someone we offer personal devotion. While he was not a politician, his mission has a political nature to it – that is, he came in a real way to establish God’s ways as the rule of humankind. (6) “The messiah did not come to bless our prejudices and to look the other way from our indiscretions. No, the messiah came to lift up the humble and bring down the proud, to call people away from division and into community, to calm fears and instill courage, and to evoke our compassion for the hurting and left-out of the world. And we know changes like that are going to be painful because most of us have something invested in keeping things as they are.
“Christmas has a comfortable ring to it, but the coming of the Lord stretches and pulls and gnaws at us. Christmas will allow for family gatherings by the fireplace, but the coming of the Lord will call us to see every person on the planet as part of the family. Christmas will save us from the messiness of a troubled world; the coming of the Lord will save us from ourselves and push us to transform the messiness so that we can have real peace with ourselves and each other.” (7)
I’m afraid the author of Matthew was right – God doesn’t want people to suffer or be in pain or sorrow; and so, we’d better stay awake for those times when God might put it in our heads that we should do something about a situation in our community or world – when God might decide that it’s time to interfere with the way things are and insert God’s will. “We do not know the hour or the day, but we shouldn’t be too surprised if some voice calls us to an even greater generosity on behalf of the suffering of the world. We shouldn’t be too taken aback if we are tapped on the shoulder and directed toward some worthwhile community project that needs our support. We shouldn’t be too startled if we begin noticing things that just aren’t right and go to work to change them to benefit other people. We shouldn’t be too alarmed if we find ourselves being led to develop a deeper spiritual center for our lives.” (8)
“’Tis the season to stay awake.” A minister was standing in a check-out line one day when he noticed an eight or nine-year-old boy in front of him looking over the candy display – you know, the one that sits there challenging our wills to stay on our diets. The minister could sort of tell that this was a really important purchase for the young man. His tongue was pressed out against his lips. He appeared to be in deep thought. One has to be careful you know to choose the right one when one only has one choice.
The minister said, “I remember thinking: ‘Good choice!’ when he picked up the Baby Ruth and laid it on the counter to pay for it.”
The cashier rang it up and told him how much it was. The boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a bunch of pennies, nickels and a single dime and plopped them on the counter. The cashier gave him one of those looks and started counting. Then he looked up and said, “You’re twelve cents short. You need another twelve cents.” The boy’s shoulders dropped. His face dropped. He went from grinning to groaning in less than a second.
Just as the cashier started to tell the boy to put the candy bar back, the minister reached into his pocket and put twelve cents on the counter. The boy’s face lit up like Christmas. He said, “Thanks, Mister.” And he took off. Then he stopped and he turned around and came back and he asked, “Hey, mister, you wanna bite?”
The minister grinned and said, “No thanks. You go ahead and eat it.”
Then the boy looked at the minister real carefully as if he was studying him. Finally he asked: “How come? How come you did that?” Before the minister could answer, the boy got a look of recognition on his face. “Oh,” he said, “I know you, you’re that preacher, aren’t you? Jesus made you do it, didn’t he?”
The minister was glad he didn’t get out what he was going to say. Rather, he simply replied to the boy, “Yes, he did.”
Then the boy said, “I sure like Jesus. And I’m glad Jesus makes nice people like you. Bye.” And out the door the boy ran.
The minister finished his account of the episode by noting: “I don’t know who touched whom more. I do know that I’ve never gotten that much pleasure out of twelve cents since or before. I didn’t do anything special, but with God’s love and twelve cents I was able to touch a little boy’s life and bring glory to God simply by obeying Christ’s command to ‘love our neighbors as ourselves.’” (9)
If only we could look at every experience that comes our way and every person who crosses our path as a potential encounter with Jesus Christ, we would be ready for his coming. Jesus Christ’s announcement of his return is not to create an anxiousness in us – it is not intended to cause us to spend time worrying about when it’s going to happen. Rather, it’s an invitation to live with him every day. “’Tis the season to stay awake.” "Ready or not, here I come!" are words that should fill us with hope – should cause us to look forward to those events and days when we will have the opportunity to recognize Christ among us and perhaps be ones through whom others will come to know him. Our attitude toward Christ’s second coming should be more like the attitude we have when we think about Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. It should be one of hope, excitement, and joy rather than fear. “Stay awake” then. "Ready or not, he's coming." Amen.
1. William B. Kincaid, III, “How Unexpected Can Christmas Be?” And Then Came the Angel (Lima, Ohio: CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 1998), 0-7880-1245-2.
2. Fred Craddock, et al., Preaching Through the Christian Year A (Philadelphia: Trinity Press International, 1992), p. 9.
3. Johnny Dean, “Get Ready, Get Set...Wait!” Collected Sermons (1999), 0-0000-0000-01.
4. Kincaid.
5. Ibid.
6. Paul J. Achtemeier, General Editor, Harper’s Bible Dictionary (San Francisco: Harper, 1985), p. 630.
7. Kincaid.
8. Ibid.
9. Billy Strayhorn, Parables, Etc.
Matthew 24:36-44
Opening Prayer: "O Christ of Bethlehem, we bring to you our dead-end dreams and splintered hopes. In this time of reflection on your word, bring forth your star of truth. Amen."
A popular story repeated by every preacher worthy of laughing at him/herself is of the man who fell asleep during the sermon. The preacher tries in vain to wake the man up - pounding on the pulpit, raising his voice - to no avail. Finally the preacher calls an usher and whispers to her, "Go wake that man up." The usher replies loud enough for all to hear: "Wake him up yourself, you put him to sleep!"
The message of Advent is “Wake up – the Lord is coming!” Advent is a season when we are challenged to consider our "readiness" - when we measure how ready we are - when we make some new resolves about some things we might do different to better prepare ourselves for his coming – better able to experience the living Jesus.
Jesus had been discussing with his disciples the coming days - his immediate concern being that they be prepared for the events that he knew were about to unfold in Jerusalem. The disciples asked him to give them a clearer description of this end of the age and his believed to be associated coming again. And so, he did. He described for them this rather frightening picture of wars and earthquakes and famines and rejection and persecution. And then, he stopped. He didn’t name an exact time when all of these things would take place. Instead, he announced, as the first verse in the Gospel reading we're considering put it, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”
Then Jesus drew a parallel between the experience of Noah and the experience that was going to be theirs - and ours. Noah was told there was going to be a flood and that he should make preparation for it - that he should build an ark while the sun was still shining - while everyone else was living life paying attention to their daily living needs without any eye on the future. And Jesus reportedly said: "Just as Noah had to prepare for the flood without knowing when exactly the rains were going to begin so must you prepare for my future coming even though you do not know when it is going to happen."
The New International Version states it this way: "So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Or, to use a saying from our childhood game of hide and seek: "Ready or not, here I come!"
Now, there is a sense in which the words can be regarded as a warning about the future. But my sense is that Christ's real intent was to turn our attention off of a fear of the future and put it on how we are to live today. The intent of the idea behind a belief in a second coming is to produce hope, not fear - expectancy, not reluctance - an excitedness, not an anxiousness. Jesus stops short of giving us an exact roadmap because the end will take care of itself - nothing we do or don't do will bring his anticipated return any sooner or later. Knowing when it will happen will only give us excuses not to live as God desires until the last moment. Our role is not to try and figure it out but only to believe in it and to make ourselves ready for it.
Advent is about "readiness" - it's about "getting ready," "keeping watch," "staying awake." It's not about "worrying," "stewing," or "fretting," about things we cannot control. It's not about instilling in us a fear about the future. If we are ready, then Jesus' words "Here I come" will be words that produce hope in us - excitement in us - anticipation in us - a fervor for his coming.
It's easy for some to take the cataclysmic, frightening events of nature or between nations and hypothesize that they represent the end. Too often the result is inactivity, a paralysis from good and the peace of God. It's in the face of such troubles that we are called to do the essential work of proclaiming God's forgiving mercy, joyfully sharing our gifts, talents, skills, and wealth with all people, especially the poor.
Down the corridors of history we hear Jesus shout to us every Advent season: "Ready or not, here I come!" Every year it's good for our souls to ponder: "Am I ready?" I would like to suggest to you that the answer comes not just from being able to rattle off/repeat/regurgitate some neatly packaged set of beliefs - some sort of correct theology - important and vital as it is for us to pursue a clear understanding about what it is we believe. But the answer of whether we are ready or not is best gleaned from how we are interacting with those around us in this world. For in those interactions is the evidence of our relationship with God.
In a sermon I read a few years ago, the preacher observed: “The temptation is to dismiss these words from Matthew. After all, how do they pertain to us? Written at a time when the early church had bet its life on Jesus’ return, these seem odd words to hear on (a) Sunday of Advent. We are busy preparing the crèche for a baby, but Matthew appears to be announcing Jesus’ second coming. And it isn’t just an odd lesson, but a frightening one. In a season when we seek assurance, Matthew’s words are enough to scare us half to death. These words compare the coming of God’s promised one to the death and devastation of the flood during Noah’s time. We are looking forward to being reunited with family and friends while this lesson speaks of untimely separation and unpredictable departure. And then, in the event our Advent and Christmas sensibilities are not offended completely, the coming of Jesus is compared to a thief who breaks into a house at an unexpected hour. Matthew doesn’t know much about the holidays.” (1)
Perhaps it’s a different Christmas we have in mind than the one the author of Matthew had. Perhaps we have forgotten the original reason of the season was not the birth of the Savior of the world, but a way to celebrate the winter solstice – to bring some fun to the drudgery of winter. Perhaps we should quit trying to make the rest of society responsible for our not keeping our reinterpretation of the reason for the season central to our experience!
Let me state my sermon within the sermon more pointedly: we need to calm down when the government or the mall or the school doesn’t display a crèche. We are the ones who have tagged onto society’s festival – the community’s celebration – and just because we were the dominant faith for awhile and quite effectively imbued the ancient holiday/party with new meanings, that doesn’t mean that the holiday is all ours - all about us and our Savior and our meanings. It is our responsibility to display crèches and talk about the meaning of angels and shepherds and kings and Christmas trees and giving for us. Society has its reasons and history and we can take part in those aspects we are comfortable with, but we need to take responsibility for our own use of the season and quit demanding that other entities do it for us.
O.K., now that that’s off my chest, let’s get back to where I was trying to go with the idea that perhaps it’s a different Christmas we have to get prepared for. If we are to prepare ourselves for Christmas, we are going to have to remember that it is an entirely different holiday than the one that can be satisfied when all the decorations have been hung and the shopping completed. “Advent and Christmas are compromised badly when we focus too much on what is under the tree and too little on who is in the stable. The coming of Christmas is not the same as the coming of the Lord.” (2)
I’m guessing that many of you are like me whenever someone starts using words like ‘coming of the Lord.’ It’s really too bad we feel so uncomfortable. It’s my belief that some have done a terrible disservice to the scriptural understanding of the concept. Some have the idea that it’s all about preparing for a time when Jesus is going to come again riding in on a cloud from the heavens. They spend so much time speculating about it that they forget about his first arrival and that the point of that story is that God-is-with-us, now. And that God, Emmanuel - the God of the incarnation, not the God who has been with us or will be with us – but the God who-is-with-us wants us to do something with who we are and his presence in our lives in this world now. (3)
Then, you see, the question “Are you ready for Christmas?” becomes quite a bit more challenging. “To be ready for Christmas in the biblical story does not involve relaxation, but upheaval. We know that the coming of the Lord will challenge priorities and prejudices. We know that the kind of world for which we long cannot be accomplished without confrontation and change. We know that kind of messiah, no doubt, will ask a lot of us. Are we ready for that kind of Christmas?” (4)
Ours is not a messiah that came riding in on a warhorse. He is not a political figure with power granted him because of his position or to whom he was born. Our messiah sort of “slipped in the back door through the unlikely entrance of a stable, accompanied by poor parents and smelly animals.” (5)
There’s no question that it’s easier to celebrate the secular holiday of this time of year than the coming of the Lord which is our understanding of the season. Jesus is more than someone we offer personal devotion. While he was not a politician, his mission has a political nature to it – that is, he came in a real way to establish God’s ways as the rule of humankind. (6) “The messiah did not come to bless our prejudices and to look the other way from our indiscretions. No, the messiah came to lift up the humble and bring down the proud, to call people away from division and into community, to calm fears and instill courage, and to evoke our compassion for the hurting and left-out of the world. And we know changes like that are going to be painful because most of us have something invested in keeping things as they are.
“Christmas has a comfortable ring to it, but the coming of the Lord stretches and pulls and gnaws at us. Christmas will allow for family gatherings by the fireplace, but the coming of the Lord will call us to see every person on the planet as part of the family. Christmas will save us from the messiness of a troubled world; the coming of the Lord will save us from ourselves and push us to transform the messiness so that we can have real peace with ourselves and each other.” (7)
I’m afraid the author of Matthew was right – God doesn’t want people to suffer or be in pain or sorrow; and so, we’d better stay awake for those times when God might put it in our heads that we should do something about a situation in our community or world – when God might decide that it’s time to interfere with the way things are and insert God’s will. “We do not know the hour or the day, but we shouldn’t be too surprised if some voice calls us to an even greater generosity on behalf of the suffering of the world. We shouldn’t be too taken aback if we are tapped on the shoulder and directed toward some worthwhile community project that needs our support. We shouldn’t be too startled if we begin noticing things that just aren’t right and go to work to change them to benefit other people. We shouldn’t be too alarmed if we find ourselves being led to develop a deeper spiritual center for our lives.” (8)
“’Tis the season to stay awake.” A minister was standing in a check-out line one day when he noticed an eight or nine-year-old boy in front of him looking over the candy display – you know, the one that sits there challenging our wills to stay on our diets. The minister could sort of tell that this was a really important purchase for the young man. His tongue was pressed out against his lips. He appeared to be in deep thought. One has to be careful you know to choose the right one when one only has one choice.
The minister said, “I remember thinking: ‘Good choice!’ when he picked up the Baby Ruth and laid it on the counter to pay for it.”
The cashier rang it up and told him how much it was. The boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a bunch of pennies, nickels and a single dime and plopped them on the counter. The cashier gave him one of those looks and started counting. Then he looked up and said, “You’re twelve cents short. You need another twelve cents.” The boy’s shoulders dropped. His face dropped. He went from grinning to groaning in less than a second.
Just as the cashier started to tell the boy to put the candy bar back, the minister reached into his pocket and put twelve cents on the counter. The boy’s face lit up like Christmas. He said, “Thanks, Mister.” And he took off. Then he stopped and he turned around and came back and he asked, “Hey, mister, you wanna bite?”
The minister grinned and said, “No thanks. You go ahead and eat it.”
Then the boy looked at the minister real carefully as if he was studying him. Finally he asked: “How come? How come you did that?” Before the minister could answer, the boy got a look of recognition on his face. “Oh,” he said, “I know you, you’re that preacher, aren’t you? Jesus made you do it, didn’t he?”
The minister was glad he didn’t get out what he was going to say. Rather, he simply replied to the boy, “Yes, he did.”
Then the boy said, “I sure like Jesus. And I’m glad Jesus makes nice people like you. Bye.” And out the door the boy ran.
The minister finished his account of the episode by noting: “I don’t know who touched whom more. I do know that I’ve never gotten that much pleasure out of twelve cents since or before. I didn’t do anything special, but with God’s love and twelve cents I was able to touch a little boy’s life and bring glory to God simply by obeying Christ’s command to ‘love our neighbors as ourselves.’” (9)
If only we could look at every experience that comes our way and every person who crosses our path as a potential encounter with Jesus Christ, we would be ready for his coming. Jesus Christ’s announcement of his return is not to create an anxiousness in us – it is not intended to cause us to spend time worrying about when it’s going to happen. Rather, it’s an invitation to live with him every day. “’Tis the season to stay awake.” "Ready or not, here I come!" are words that should fill us with hope – should cause us to look forward to those events and days when we will have the opportunity to recognize Christ among us and perhaps be ones through whom others will come to know him. Our attitude toward Christ’s second coming should be more like the attitude we have when we think about Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. It should be one of hope, excitement, and joy rather than fear. “Stay awake” then. "Ready or not, he's coming." Amen.
1. William B. Kincaid, III, “How Unexpected Can Christmas Be?” And Then Came the Angel (Lima, Ohio: CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 1998), 0-7880-1245-2.
2. Fred Craddock, et al., Preaching Through the Christian Year A (Philadelphia: Trinity Press International, 1992), p. 9.
3. Johnny Dean, “Get Ready, Get Set...Wait!” Collected Sermons (1999), 0-0000-0000-01.
4. Kincaid.
5. Ibid.
6. Paul J. Achtemeier, General Editor, Harper’s Bible Dictionary (San Francisco: Harper, 1985), p. 630.
7. Kincaid.
8. Ibid.
9. Billy Strayhorn, Parables, Etc.
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