Sermon for February 17, 2008

Life in the Word
Luke 24:44-53

We’ve all seen them – Email forwards of funny things kids mistakenly say in Sunday School. Here are some of my favorites:
· Noah’s wife was called Joan of Ark.
· The fifth commandment is humor thy father and mother.
· Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by day, and a ball of fire at night.
· When Mary heard she was to be the mother of Jesus, she went off and sang the Magna Carta.
· Holy acrimony is another name for marriage.
· The Pope lives in a vacuum.
· The patron saint of travelers is St. Francis of the sea sick.
· A republican is a sinner mentioned in the Bible.
· The first commandment was when Eve told Adam to eat the apple.
· It is sometimes difficult to hear what is being said in church because the agnostics are so terrible.
· The natives of Macedonia did not believe, so Paul got stoned.

These illustrations are funny, but at the same time, it portrays a painful truth of our culture. Many of us don’t live lives immersed in God’s Word. In fact, only one out of ten Christians is able to correctly identify what the New Testament teaches about the central principle relating to their life. Why is it that even Christian believers remain largely unexposed to Christian learning? Why do bankers, lawyers, teachers, physicians, scientists, salespeople, financial gurus and domestic goddesses -- people who carry out all kinds of complicated tasks in their work and home -- remain in a dreary, elementary school level in their biblical understanding? How is it that high school students can move easily into the complex world of computers, foreign languages, DNA and calculus, and can’t even get off the ground in interpreting a single text of Scripture? How is it possible one can attend Sunday School and Bible Studies for decades and still lack the interpretive skills of someone who has taken three or four weeks in an introductory course in the Bible at a university or seminary? This morning we are going to think about how we can live more in tune with what God’s word has to say to us.

Life in the word is like a three-legged stool. Today’s text gives us an indication of how these three legs can give us stability. Kick one leg out, and we fall to the ground. Place yourself on all three, and there is stability.

Leg #1: The Written Word
Try to picture the scene in today’s gospel account. The frightened disciples sit in the upper room, planning their next move now that Jesus is gone. Two disciples interrupt the gathering. They’ve just seen Jesus on a road outside of Jerusalem. As they breathlessly explain their encounter, Jesus appears in the room out of nowhere. The disciples are frightened out of their wits. Even after they touch his nail-pierced hands, even after they see him eat, they are distrustful. Then Jesus teaches, like he had so many times before. Then Jesus opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. It’s as if Jesus is saying to his disciples: “Look guys, everything I said came true. It was all written down beforehand in the Scriptures. Scripture told you I would come to suffer and die, and rise from the dead. The words unfold before you. Don’t miss out because you are too afraid to believe.”

The first leg of our three-legged stool is the written word–the Bible. The Bible is God’s written message to us. It points us to the truth. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It ‘s God’s way of getting us ready for life. Through Scripture, God prepares us for all the good things God wants us to do.

Vince Lombardi, the legendary football, was a fanatic for fundamentals. After a game where the Green Bay Packers lost to an inferior team, Lombardi called his team together and roared, “OK, we go back to the basics.” Then, holding a football high enough for all to see, he continued to yell, “Gentlemen, this is a football.”

You know, the world thinks it’s quoting the Bible when it’s actually quoting Shakespeare. The Bible has become an unknown book. Many give restaurant menus and TV Guide a closer reading. It’s time to hold up the Bible and say, “Ladies and Gentleman, this is the Bible. This is life’s compass. Are you off course? Are your drifting in the dark sea of life? This is how you find life’s bearings.

A man in Kansas City was severely injured in an explosion. The victim’s face was badly disfigured, and he lost his eyesight as well as both hands. One of his greatest disappointments was that he could no longer read the Bible. Then he heard about a lady in England who read Braille with her lips. Hoping to do the same, he sent for some books of the Bible in Braille. Much to his dismay, however, he discovered that the nerve endings in his lips had been destroyed by the explosion. One day, as he brought one of the Braille pages to his lips, his tongue happened to touch a few of the raised characters and he could feel them. Like a flash he thought, I can read the Bible using my tongue. At the time this man was discovered, he had “read” through the entire Bible four times.

Taste God’s word. Read God’s word. Read it often. Fall in love with what it has to say, because its words are life. Allow the Spirit to help you understand the Scriptures.

Leg#2 -- The Living Word
This leads us to the second leg of our stool–the living Word. John’s gospel tells us that Christ is the living Word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God and the word and he was God” (John 1:1). Jesus is God’s message to us. Jesus communicates God’s love. He clearly demonstrates that God heals, and blesses, and understands. When we look into the face of Jesus, we see God. We see eyes that radiate compassion. We see lips that say, “God loves you.” We see God because Jesus is God.

Scripture, the written word, is supposed to point to Jesus, the Living Word. The point of the Bible is not to get people to believe the Bible, but to believe God. Scripture doesn’t say, “Believe in the Bible and you will be saved,” but “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).

The Prince of Grenada, an heir to the Spanish crown, was sentenced to life in solitary confinement in Madrid’s ancient prison. Everyone knew that once you were in, you would never come out alive. The prince was given one book to read the entire time–the Bible. He read it over hundreds of times. The book became his constant companion. After thirty-three years of imprisonment, he died. When they came to clean out his cell, they found some notes he had written using nails to mark the soft stone of the prison walls. The notations were of this sort: Psalm 118:8 is the middle verse of the Bible; Ezra 7:21 contains all the letters of the alphabet except the letter J; the ninth verse of the eight chapter of Esther is the longest verse in the Bible; no word or name of more than six syllables can be found in the Bible.

This man spent 33 years of his life studying God’s written message to us. Yet, he could only glean trivia. For all we know, he never made any religious or spiritual commitment to Christ. He simply became an expert at Bible trivia. When knowing facts about the Bible comes over a living relationship with Christ, we lose perspective. The message is that the Messiah must suffer and die, and rise again from the dead on the third day. The message is that from the creation of the world, God’s plan has been revealed and carried through, so that we could have a relationship with the Living Word, made known to us through the written word.

Leg#3 -- The Spoken Word
The final leg of our stool is the spoken word. The disciples were not called to stay in the upper room, but to communicate the gospel to the world. Proclamation of the gospel is the heart of the word-centered life. We use words in order to have a relationship with another person; through words, we connect with each other. So, when we talk about our faith, we speak the written word, that tells about the Living Word, so that hearers can establish a relationship with God. This is what Jesus told his disciples: “With my authority, take this message [take my words] of repentance to all the nations. There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me. You are witnesses to these things.” We, too, are witnesses to the love of Jesus Christ. We use words to tell this good news to everyone–those who can read, those who can’t, and those who don’t.

On January 21, 1930, the name of Harold Vidian became synonymous with heroism. On that day, England’s King George V was scheduled to give the opening address at the London Arms Conference. The king’s message was to be sent by radio all around the world. A few minutes before the king was to speak, a member of the staff of CBS tripped over an electrical wire and broke it, cutting off the entire American audience. With no hesitation, chief control operator Harold Vidian grasped one end of the broken wire in his right hand and the other in his left, and restored the circuit. Electricity surged through his body. Ignoring the pain, Vidian held on until the king had finished his address.

I see in this as the challenge for Christians. The words of the King of kings must go to the whole world. But only as we allow the power of God’s Word to pass through us can the gospel be transmitted. If we are willing to serve as conduits, the good news will be known.

Will you be a channel for the King’s message? It begins by reading Scripture, and letting it lead you to a relationship with the living Word, Jesus Christ. Live your life in the Word, and I promise you will have something to talk about.

Exercises in the Word-Centered Tradition

Here are some ideas to try to put into practice this week:

• Memorize a verse of Scripture. Here are some suggestions — Galatians 2:20; Romans 5:1’ John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8. Repeat the verse often as you go through your day.

• Read one of the shorter books of the Bible out loud. Consider one of Paul’s letters, or the gospel of Mark. Imagine how the audience of Christians listening to it for the first time might have reacted.

• Look for an opportunity to tell someone about your faith. Pray that God will put you in the path of someone who needs to hear about Jesus. Ask God that you will be given the means and words to speak about your faith I a way that does not judge or manipulate the other person.

• Share your faith in your actions. Pray for insight to see your life as others see it. As you meet people, think about how your life does or does not reflect the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control.

Sermon for Sunday, February 10

The Life of Justice
Micah 6:6-8

Requirements? What are requirements? Requirements are absolute necessities. There is no way around them. You might as well get used to them because requirements are part of everyday life. For example, one of the most important rituals of American life is getting your driver’s license. Do you remember when you got your driver’s license for the first time? Or when you taught your children so they could get their first license? That was a great day in my life – Freedom . . .Movement . . . A sign of finally growing up. There are requirements to get that first driver’s license here in the State of CT. You must be 16 years old. You must have a learner’s permit for a minimum of 120 days. You need to pass the vision exam, and the written exam, and the road test. Those are the rules of the game. No arguments. No discussion. No wiggle room. These are the requirements if you want to get a driver’s license in the state of CT.

If you want to travel internationally to most countries, you must have a passport and visa. Even if you want to travel to Canada, you need a passport to get back into the US. If you travel to France, England or Germany; to New Zealand or Fiji, to China, Japan or Taiwan, you MUST have a valid passport and a valid visa. Don’t argue. Don’t fuss. Don’t wiggle. Don’t try to get around them. These are the requirements.

Life is full of requirements. The Bible even mentions some in today’s reading from Micah. Micah 6:8 is one of those highlight verses, one of those verses that stands apart from all the rest. What does the Lord require of you. Do justice. Love kindness. And walk humbly with your God.
Would you say these words after me:
Do justice. (all repeat)
Love kindness. (all repeat)
Walk humbly with your God. (all repeat)
Let us all say those words together:
Do justice. Love kindness. And walk humbly with your God.

Micah preached the end of the good times just before his nation fell apart. There had been forty years of prosperity and peace in Israel. During times of prolonged prosperity and peace, people often forget God, ignore God, drift away from God. In our scripture passage, God and the people of Israel are in the middle of a lawsuit. They have come to court to see who is at fault in their fractured relationship. The charge? Israel has ignored her God. The people have forgotten how God saved them from the land of Egypt and brought them to the Promised Land. In choosing not to remember their own exodus and the struggles leading up to liberation, the people grow indifferent. On the stand, Israel comes up with a clever defense. The people ask, “What can we bring before the Lord to make up for what we’ve done? Maybe God would be happy if we took a valuable yearling calf and sacrificed it. No, God will want more. Maybe we should raise the value by sacrificing not one, but a thousand rams, and then smother it with rivers of precious olive oil. Then would God be pleased? What if we sacrificed our firstborn children to pay for the sins of our souls? Then would God forgive? Tell us the cost, and we will pay.”

The urgent cries of Israel don’t sound very different than our own laments today. We sin, and we have an urgent compulsion to atone. We cry, “God, what do you want from me. What can I do to make up for what I’ve done? Will you be happy if I promise to go to church every Sunday for a month? How about a year? What if I make good on my stewardship pledge? I’ll even put a little extra in? Then would you be pleased, God? How much do I need to give in order to secure forgiveness? Do I need to find the people and things that are most valuable to me and offer them to you, Lord? Then would you forgive? Tell me the cost, and I will pay.” WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE?

If we think we can buy God’s forgiveness, then we have missed the point. God doesn’t want stuff. God wants you. Do what the Lord requires. These words of Micah 6:8 are so simple. What does the Lord require of you? Say them with me . . .
Do justice.
Love kindness.
And walk humbly with your God.”

Now take those words home. Stuff them in your pant pockets with your keys. Slip those words into your purse or wallet along with your credit cards and have them available all the time. Put those words into your heart and mind and carry them within. Do justice. Love kindness. And walk humbly with your God.

Think about these words with me for a few moments.

To do justice.
There are nine words that are associated with the word, “justice,” in the Bible. Widow, fatherless, orphans, poor, hungry, stranger, needy, weak and oppressed. In this list of words, you did not find the word, “rich.” Rich is often associated with injustice. You don’t have to worry about the rich, because the rich will be able to afford justice. Worry about the widows, the fatherless, the orphans, the poor, the hungry, the strangers, the needy, the weak and the oppressed. We are to work for fairness for the little people of our world. To do justice is not a romantic ideal nor an abstract concept. Rather, justice means hard work. A life of justice asks us to work together, to truthfully critique the present unjust system and to find ways to change the system. Justice is able to disrupt, dismantle, break down, disarm, and transform the world when we dare to see what is really happening without growing cynical. Living a life of justice means being willing to risk seeing another person’s suffering as our own.

Charlie understood this. Charlie was one of those kids who the Sunday School teachers just could not get a hold on. When it came time for the Christmas pageant, the teachers thought it wise to give Charlie a simple part. Charlie would be the innkeeper. This would mean saying, “No room” three times. The night of the pageant two of the children dressed as Joseph and Mary came to the inn. “No room,” said Charlie. The couple knocked on the door a second time. “NO ROOM!” Charlie repeated. Banging on the door even harder, desperately seeking space for themselves and their new baby, Joseph and Mary pleaded with the innkeeper, “Please, is there any room in the inn?” Moved with compassion, Charlie forgot his line. “OK,” he said, “why don’t you take my room tonight?” The pageant came to a complete halt. Some parents were upset that the tradition had been changed. But for many who had come in the spirit seeking the presence of God, Charlie’s words of kindness had taught them something about justice and compassion.

Love kindness.
We all know what kindness is. Compassion, sympathy, gentleness, benevolence, helpfulness. We see it every day and we are grateful. I remember a story about theological students at Harvard who were preparing for the ministry. These theological students were taking their final examination on the topic: Kant’s Moral Imperative. Kant was a French moral philosopher. The final examination for this class gave the students two hours to write their philosophy with a ten-minute break in the middle. The students wrote furiously for fifty-five minutes. Then the students all took a break and went out into the hallway. There in the hallway was another student, not part of their class, sitting humped up on the floor, disheveled, looking like a mess. The theological students were busy in conversation with each other, getting water, taking a bathroom break. After 10 minutes, they returned for the second hour of writing their philosophy of what it meant to be a moral human being. Weeks later, the theological students received their test results: they had all failed. That is, all the students thought that their test was what they wrote for two hours in the classroom. The professor meanwhile was standing out in the hallway during the ten-minute break and grading them on who approached the man humped down on the floor and spoke a kind word. Nobody did.

Kindness. Mercy. Gentleness. The ingredient that God requires from his disciples is fundamental human kindness…to family, friends, work associates, classmates, and strangers in the hallway.

Finally, Walk humbly with your God.
Focus on the word, “walk.” Walk implies a step that is slow and measured. Walking is the opposite of running. Walking is a deliberate pace. Focus on the word, humbly. Humility is sacrificing a part of yourself to listen to the needs of others and the desires of God. The key to worshiping God is to sacrifice your own thoughts, your own conversations with others, your own agendas and desires. To walk humbly with God is to ignore your rush and busyness of life and to focus on someone other than your self and your pleasures.

Justice. Kindness. Humility. Honestly, it would be a lot easier to buy God off. But new life in Christ means living in ways that make life better for others. It’s risky and uncomfortable. When I think of Justice, I think about a Chilean singer who was imprisoned in the National stadium in Santiago when the government was overthrown by Augusto Pinochte in 1973. The singer’s name was Victor Jara. While imprisoned, he wrote a poem about the conditions in the stadium. Let me read part of it.

We are 5,000 — here in this little part of the city
We are 5,000 — how many more will there be?
In the whole city, and in the country 10,000 hands
Which could seed the fields, make run the factories.
How much humanity — now with hunger, pain, panic and terror?

There are six of us — lost in space among the stars,
One dead, one beaten like I never believed a human could be so beaten.
The other four wanting to leave all the terror,
One leaping into space, other beating their heads against the wall
All with gazes fixed on death.

As the days went on, the singer stood among the frightened and demoralized prisoners, who had been rounded up for unknown reasons, and he began a solitary song of freedom. A guitar was passed to him. The spirit began to blow. Soon thousands were singing a song of peace with him. As usual, the authorities were threatened by the power of the spirit moving so freely. They seized the young man and took him away. When the authorities returned Jara, they dumped him in the crowd and threw a smashed guitar at his feet. Not only had the guitar been destroyed, but the bones in his hands and ribs were broken. Everyone watched as his captors mockingly suggested that he play guitar for them as he lay on the ground. For a while the singer lay motionless, then he stood up and began to sing. Defiantly, Jara struggled to his feet and began to sing a popular song of freedom. Jara was taken out of the stadium. Days later, his bullet-ridden body was on a roadside on the outskirts of Santiago.

I'm not asking you to be a political dissident to do justice. Just look around you. See the world as it is. Listen to the cries of those aching for justice. You won;t have to look for long or listen very hard. The needs are all around is. The life of justice is a response to God’s goodness. It refuses to back down in the face of evil. It never relents shining the light of grace into the dark place sin the world. Do you want to experience God’s presence? Do you seek tangible evidence of the New Life? Then Do justice. Love kindness. And walk humbly with your God.

Sources:
http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_a_micah.htm
Angela L. Ying, “God Requires What?”(August 8, 1999), www.sermoncentral.com.
James Bryan Smith, A Spiritual Formation Workbook (New York: Harper, 1991), 54-55.
William Sloane Coffin, Credo (Louisville: WMJK, 2004), 146-149.
James L. Mays, Micah (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1976), 142.

Sermon for February 3, 2008

The Life of Prayer
1 Thessalonians 5:16-17
“Always be joyful. Never stop praying.”


It seems that that the powers of darkness are more visible than ever, and that the children of God are being tested more severely than ever. Have you ever wondered what it’s going to take to survive our times? What is required of those of us who want to bring light into the darkness? What is required of those of us who feel called to enter fully into the agony of our times to speak a word of hope? It’s not too difficult to see that this is a fearful and painful time of history. And in response many become tired, bitter, resentful, or simply bored. Where are we supposed to find nurture and strength?

Today we continue to investigate Christian traditions that can help us grow in our faith. Our job this morning is to look at the life of prayer, otherwise known as the contemplative tradition. I want to introduce you to some Christian contemplatives called the Desert Fathers and Mothers–hermits who lived in the deserts of Egypt during the fourth and fifth centuries. Their lives continue to inspire me and speak to us today in our own need.

As the fourth century unfolded, it seemed like Christianity was finally gaining some respectability. Emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. Christians were no longer sought out and persecuted for their faith. At the same time, the fabric of society was being torn apart. The Roman Empire Outside enemies threatened the already tender Roman Empire. Taxes soared. Ever-increasing military service was demanded. Even thought Christianity was legalized, people became more secular and less interested in the spiritual life.

In response, devout men and women fled into the deserts of Egypt to escape this corrupting conformity of the world. In the desert they waged war against sin and evil, witnessing against the destructive powers of their times and showing forth the saving power of Jesus Christ. For instance, a man named Arsenius was a well-educated Roman nobleman who lived at the court of the Emperor.

It is said that while living in the palace, Arsenius prayed, “Lord, lead me in the way of salvation.” A voice came to him saying, “Arsenius, flee from the world and you will be saved.” Having sailed from Rome directly to Alexandria Egypt, and having withdrawn to a solitary life in the desert, Arsenius prayed again, “Lord, lead me in the way of salvation.” And again he heard a voice saying, “Arsenius, flee, be silent, pray always, for these are the sources of sinlessness.” Flee, be silent and pray always. Three words summarize the spirituality of the desert.

In the desert, people learned to reject the false patterns of the world and flee to places of harsh seclusion. Once they found who they were in Christ, these men and women spoke back to the world with wisdom that confronted society’s evils. We call them the Desert Fathers and Mothers.

Many of these women and men began their ministry by seeking God alone in prayer. Remember, this is how Jesus began his ministry. He fled to the desert where he fasted forty days and did battle with the devil. The same is true with many who have transformed the shape of faith. They hear God’s call, and then they find solitary time to do battle with the demons. A story is told of Abba Anthony, the grandaddy of the desert fathers. It’s told that when he was 35 years old he went to the local tombs for long period of solitary prayer. As he prayed, the enemy came with helpers and attacked. His biographer writes:

Now schemes for working evil come easily to the devil, so when it was nighttime the demons made such a crashing noise that the whole place seemed to be shaken by a quake . . .the place was immediately filled with the appearance of lions, bears, leopards, bulls, serpents, asps, scorpions and wolves.

Anthony was struck and wounded by them, groaning in physical pain from their attacks. Then he addressed the demons and called upon the name of Christ. At that moment, it looked as if the roof was being opened and a beam of light came through. The demons instantly vanished and his pain disappeared. Anthony knew it was Christ, so he asked, “Where were you? Why didn’t you appear in the beginning?” A voice came to him and said, “I was here Anthony, but I waited to watch your struggle. And now, since you persevered, I will be your helper forever.” From this point on, Anthony was ready to minister to others in Christ’s name. He, and those who come after, show us the power of prayer. And their battle cry is the words of Paul: Never stop praying.

The Desert Fathers and Mothers showed us how to keep the world from shaping us in its image. They showed us a way to live in the Spirit during fearful and painful times. But how do we do it? How do we pray without ceasing in our own dark world? I think one of the great deceptions is to get into the habit of thinking that prayer is simply talking to God. This concept causes great frustration. If I present a problem to God, I expect a solution. If I ask God a question, I want an answer. If I ask for guidance, I want a quick response. To be honest, when I pray like this long enough, it seems as if I’m talking into the darkness. Sometimes I’m tempted to think that I must have prayed the wrong way because God’s not answering. Sometimes I’m tempted to feel cheated, and I quickly stop and find “real people” to talk to. Here’s where we get into a bind. We realize we should take time to pray–that prayer should be a priority in our lives. However, if there don’t seem to be any immediate benefits, we will begin to find reasons not to pray. The flesh becomes itchy. The world becomes alluring. Temptation is noisy and irresistible. There’s always one more phone call, one more letter, one more visit, one more meeting, one more book, one more party. One of the dessert mothers, Amma Theodora put it his way:

“You should realize that as soon as you intend to live in peace, at once the evil one comes and weighs down your soul through boredom, faintheartedness, and evil thoughts. It also attacks your body through sickness. . .and weakness of the knees. It dissipates the strength of soul and body, so that one believes one is ill and no longer able to pray, But if we are vigilant, all those temptations will fall away.”

How do we pray always, according to the desert tradition?

1. Short prayer. They asked Abba Macarius, “How should we pray?” And the old man replied, “There is no need to speak much in prayer; often stretch out your hands and say, “Lord, as you will and as you know, have mercy on me.” But if there is war in your soul, add, “Help me!” And because God knows what we need, God shows mercy on us.” The desert tradition teaches people to pray using a word or a short phrase which is quietly repeated. Even while we are talking, studying, gardening or building, short simple prayers can continue in our heart and keep us aware of God’s presence and guidance. Another Desert monk, John Climacus, said it his way:

“When you pray, do not try to express yourself in fancy words, for often it is the simple repetitious phrases of a little child that our Father finds most irresistible. Do not strive for verbosity lest your mind be distracted from devotion by a search for words.”

2. All life is a prayer. Every breath we take is a prayer. Abba Evagrius said, “Join to every breath a sober invocation of the name of Jesus and the thought of death with humility. Both these practices bring great profit to the soul”. Try it sometime. Sit still and quietly and begin to notice your breath. As you breathe out, confess sin. As you breathe in, let the air you take in be the breathe of the Holy Spirit. Breathe out the false self. Breathe in God’s presence. Breathe out that which keeps your from God. Breathe in holiness. Eventually you may be able to do this at all times, not just when you are sitting quietly.

3. Prayer is not doing but being. Abba Paul said, “Keep close to Jesus.” Abba Evagrius said, “You will pay glorious homage to God if, through virtues, you imprint God’s likeness on your soul.” Prayer is not one more thing to check off your list of things to do. Prayer has to do with who we are as God’s people, not what we do. Prayer has to do with being like Jesus. When we allow prayer to remodel us into living witnesses of Christ, we no longer have to worry about whether we are saying the right thing or making the right gestures. Christ makes his presence known even when we are not aware of it.

Do you really want a rich spiritual experience that will bolster you at all times? Do you think quantity or consistency is important? If you answered, “Yes”, then you must come to the place where you are willing to let go of the drives that propel you to be successful, better, richer or higher than someone else. You will instead to listen to the call of the Lord in your life–it’s the call to the desert where we do battle with all that keeps us from knowing God in prayer. “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus”

Exercises in the Contemplative Tradition
Today’s sermon continues our exploration of practical methods for growing in our faith. God desires that we spend time building our relationship with the divine. The contemplative tradition enables us to create the space that God desires — and we need — in our lives. As we explore different traditions, you are asked to choose an exercise and practice it for a week. Don’t forget to keep your emphasis on God, not on the method. Feel free to modify the exercises to fit your needs.

• Set aside 10 minutes for prayer. The idea is simply to stop your busy activities and turn your attention to God.
• Spend 5 to 10 minutes in silence. Pray without words or distractions, letting the peace of silence wash over you.
• Read a selection from a devotional book. However, instead of just reading for content, read it with God, knowing that God is with you and will help apply what you read to your life of faith. There are many devotionals online. Or, try praying with a book of prayers like Guerillas of Grace by Ted Loder.
• Pray, using a verse of Scripture for ten minutes. There is a tradition in the Eastern Orthodox Church called hesychasm. It is the practice of repeating a simple prayer over and over. The idea is to focus our thoughts on God so that we may experience God descending from our mind into our heart. A verse from the Psalms is a good start. Try thinking on Psalm 23, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want,” or Psalm 51, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”
• Write our a prayer. Maybe write it as if it were a letter to God. Tell God about your hopes and dreams, what you’re worried about and what you need. You may want to confess sins and seek renewal. Like a diary, your prayer journal should be private in order to allow you the freedom to be honest.

Sermon for January 27, 2008

The Life of Holiness
1 Peter 1:13-16

Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; for it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’

It was the late 1920’s when a woman and her new husband moved into the man’s old family home. It wasn’t much of a home, but it was all they had. Over the next ten years, however, the couple managed to save just enough money to tear down the old house and build another next to it. It was to be their home for the rest of their lives. To cut back on the expense of the new place the husband, without informing his wife, decided to reuse many of the materials from the old house in the construction. He used old facings and doors, and many other pieces of the finishing lumber. When it was completed, the woman was finally permitted to inspect her new home. As her husband walked her through it, tears streamed down her cheeks. They were not tears of joy, however, but sadness. As she looked around she saw the same old doors that wouldn’t shut properly, the same crown molding that was split and riddled with nail holes, the same unfinished window trimming. In fact not much of the new house was very new at all. So on what should have been one of the better days of her life, she eventually sat down and had herself a good cry. Her husband was confused at her response. “I’ve built you a new home,” he objected. “No, you didn’t,” his wife responded. “You just rearranged the old one.”

It seems to me like a lot of people in our churches today approach the Christian life in much the same way as this man approached the construction of his “new” home. Rather than opening ourselves to becoming completely new in Christ, we ask only that God remodel us so that we are just a little better version of what we were before. God is not interested in reconstructing our knotty ways and worn patterns of living. God is in the business of making us into new creations that are the visible representation of Jesus Christ in this world (see 2 Corinthians 5:17 & Romans 6:4). This process by which Christians are constructed into the image of Christ is called sanctification. The word means, “to make something holy.”

Now let’s face it--the idea of holiness may be a bit old-fashioned. To some, the word “holiness” conjures up images of bunned-hair, long skirts and black stockings. For others, the idea of holiness is associated with an offensive “holier than thou” attitude. Others associate the word with specific prohibitions–don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t dance. I think these ideas miss the true concept. To be holy is to be morally blameless. It is to be separated from sin, and therefore set apart for God. Let me say it another way; God expects every Christian to be on a constant campaign for excellence.

I think everyone who claims to be a Christian should ask him or herself this question: Is there evidence of practical holiness in my life? That is, if you were to look at your life through God’s eyes, would you be happy with what you see? The problem is this–we are called to be on a constant campaign for excellence, but at the same time, we don’t take sin seriously. We label sins according to those that are really bad, and those that are tolerable. For instance:
· Adultery is bad a sin, walking through the mall and checking another person out while your spouse isn’t looking is not so bad a sin. (By the way, your spouse probably saw you doing it).
· Lying is bad sin, shading the truth a little is not so bad a sin
· Swearing is bad sin, gossip is not so bad a sin.
· Murder is bad sin, hating your neighbor is not so bad, because after all your neighbor really is a miserable person.

There is a difference between Scripture’s attitude about sin and ours. Scripture says, “Make it your aim not to sin” (1 John 2:1). Our goal is more like, “Make it your aim not to sin very much.” In other words, don’t sweat the small stuff.

On an April night in 1912, more than 1,500 people died when the luxurious 900-ft. long cruise ship Titanic hit an iceberg that sank the ship. At least that’s what schoolteachers and screenwriters taught us. An international team of divers and scientists now challenge that theory. Using sound waves to probe through the wreckage, they discovered that the damage was surprisingly small. Instead of a huge gash, they found six relatively narrow slits across six watertight holds. The salvage team also recovered several of the rivets that secured the damaged hull. Analysis revealed the rivets were made of low-grade steel. Some scientists now propose that the Titanic sank not because of a collision with an iceberg, but because of a few small rivets of inferior quality. Had these rivets held, the ship might have survived the impact of the collision.

The failure of a tiny rivet can sink a colossal ship. We, too, can be sunk by small sins, tiny omissions, compromises that seem inconsequential. And while these failures may seem invisible to others, they have a way of doing visible damage and leading to bigger downfalls.

Peter presents a different standard. He writes, “Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.” Holiness is something God wishes for us simply because it is the best way to live. Sin disrupts and fragments our lives -- a poison that destroys us. God’s plan, on the other hand, completes our lives and makes them full. God is holy. God is pure. God is without moral blemish. Holiness is part of God’s nature. And because God is holy, God pays attention to sin. I think we need to cultivate the same attitude toward sin that God has. We can’t accept any sin as a regular feature in our lives. If we want to have lives of integrity and holiness, we begin by realizing that sin is sin. Once we realize this, God can help us to resist its alluring yet destructive trap.

Peter gives a great piece of advice for those of us who desire to pursue holiness. He says, “Prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves . . . do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance” There are three different images used here.

First Peter says, “Prepare your minds The Greek literally reads, “Gird up the loins of your minds.” Picture a Middle Easterner with long flowing robes. The robes got in the way of physical activity unless they were tucked up under the belt. This left his limbs free for action. Peter is saying that if you seek holiness, free yourself up for some tough mental and spiritual work.

Next Peter says, “discipline yourselves .” Peter’s talking about having clarity of mind. He suggests having alertness and steadiness in the face of oncoming temptations.

We are also counseled to nonconformity. Peter uses the Greek verb suschêmatídzo. It is related to our English word “scheme”. Peter’s saying, “Don’t let tired and worn patterns schematize your life. Don’t let the desires of the world force you into their pattern. Don’t fit yourself into that old structure”

Here’s the deal: God wants you to be holy. God doesn’t want you to sin. We’ve established that. But here is why: God wants you to be holy because you are a person of worth and dignity in his eyes. You are a person of purpose. You are created in the image of God and God doesn’t make junk. You are the only one like you. Once you are gone, the earth will never see another person like you. God doesn’t want you to take the beautiful, worthwhile person that you are and waste it away by trying to look like someone else’s design. We are created in God’s image, and we spend our time trying to conform to the world’s pattern. Peter says don’t be a conformist. Be a transformist. We become transformists by learning how to deny temptation. It’s a slow and painful process, filled with failure. Old desires and sinful habits are not easily dislodged. Breaking them requires persistence, often in the face of little success. But this is the path to holiness that we tread, painful though it may be.

At this point, let me make something clear. If you are trying to be a morally upright person just because I’m giving you a guilt trip, forget it. It won’t work. Our holiness before God depends entirely upon the work of Jesus Christ for us by God’s will. If the hand of God in Christ has ever touched you, then holiness is your calling.

If you, as a devoted follower of Jesus, want to be transformed, let me offer some tips on how to carry out your side of the deal.

Holy habits are developed with repetition. Most people don’t play the piano like Adam Podd after their first lesson. You parents of teens know that your kids aren’t expert drivers after their time behind the wheel. Habits, both good and bad, only develop through frequent repetition. We need to acquire the habit of saying “no” to sin while also developing the habit of saying “yes” to things that are good, pure, and true.

Avoid the “just this once” syndrome. I read about an experiment in which some scientists made cocaine available to monkeys. The monkeys were allowed to pull a feeding lever that released cocaine into their feeding trays. Soon the monkeys became addicted. They found that if allowed to, the monkeys would keep pulling the lever and taking the drug until they died of overdose. Then the scientists began to withhold the fix when the monkey’s pulled the lever. Over and over the monkeys pulled, trying to get the cocaine, but none came out. They continued to pull, not 10, not 100, not even 1000, but 12,800 times! We say that we will only indulge a behavior just this once, and tomorrow will be different. Deep inside we know that tomorrow it will be even more difficult to say no. So, be strong and don’t make an exception for any sinful behavior.

Don’t be discouraged by failure. Gen. Patton once said, “Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.” We will make mistakes. We will have to face our failures at holiness. But then what do you do? Thomas Edison’s manufacturing facilities in West Orange, N. J., were heavily damaged by fire one night in December, 1914. Edison lost almost $1 million worth of equipment and the record of much of his work. The next morning, walking about the charred embers of his hopes and dreams, the 67-year-old inventor said: “There is value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Now we can start anew.” We become failures when we give up or stop trying. Don’t give up. God is rooting for you, and God is working, by the presence of the Holy Spirit, to transform you. The good news is there is forgiveness, second chances, and a God who gives us the power to get up and try again.

God loves you. God has the best planned for you. That includes living holy lives. Later in his letter, Peter says these words; they are also my words of blessing and encouragement to you as you continue your campaign of excellence unto the Lord: You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who has called you out of darkness and into his marvelous light.

Souces:
Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1978), 13-14, 18-19.
James Bryan Smith, A Spiritual Formation Workbook (New York; Harper, 1991), 39.

Exercises in The Holiness Tradition

Today’s sermon begins our exploration of practical methods for growing in our faith. The result of these exercises is a greater ability to obey the commandments of God. With practice, you will find that God begins to mold and shape your life. As we explore different traditions, you are asked to choose an exercise and practice it for a week. Don’t forget to keep your emphasis on God, not on the method. Feel free to modify the exercises to fit your needs. These ideas come from A Spiritual Formation Workbook by James Bryan Smith.

1. Pray that the Holy Spirit purify your heart and mind and then listen. God works from the inside out. Set apart a substantial amount of time (say one hour) for a deep heartfelt prayer. Ask God to clean and purify you. The key to the effectiveness of your prayer will be your willingness to surrender control of your life to God.
2. Try a 24-hour fast. When we fast, we say “no” to uncontrolled appetites of the body and seek mastery over them. The practice of fasting reveals hidden things about us – short tempers, selfishness, the inability to delay gratification, etc. A simple way to begin fasting is to fast from lunch to lunch, skipping dinner and breakfast in between. Be sure to drink plenty of water.
3. Go a day without saying anything negative. In the morning, pray that the Spirit will guard the door of your mouth (Psalm 143:3), preventing you from saying anything negative. It’s OK to be honest, but not critical. Search for ways to be positive about everything around you and be bold in offering compliments when you can.
4. Go a day without saying anything dishonest. Do not be manipulative with your words. Let your yes be yes and your no be no.

If you have any other ideas, questions, or concerns, feel free to contact Pastor Matt.

Sermon for January 6, 2007

Arise and Shine
Isaiah 60:1-5, 9, 19-22


With a new year ahead of us, I thought it would be interesting to look up the top 10 under-reported news stories of 2007. These stories come from Time.com. Story #1 – There is a refugee crisis in Somalia that rivals that of Darfur in Sudan – over 1 million Somalis fled their homes in 2007 due to civil unrest. Another story: 41 countries have confirmed cases of extensively drug-resistant TB. And the region with the highest level of TB treatment failures is Europe. Here’s another story from Africa: Tensions are once again building between Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea. Each country has at least 100,000 troops poised for battle on their borders. This story comes from CNN. Trafficking in human beings – slavery, in other words -- is the third biggest criminal industry on the planet. Only the trade in guns and drugs exceed the sale of people on the global scales of illegal enterprise. Two million people are taken, or sold, from their homes into a life of forced labor. An estimated 30,000 girls are trafficked into the sex industry every year. A few years ago I ran across a story about another group we rarely hear about: the Bajadores of Nogales, Mexico.

Nogales is a dusty Mexican town about 60 miles south of Tucson. A tall steel and concrete fence marks the border, barring illegal immigrants from the US. This town has ballooned from a sleepy village of 13,000 to its present population of approximately 160,000 in the last 45 years. 80% of its inhabitants live in wood and cardboard settlements with no services of any kind.

A few years ago, The Economist, the international news magazine from London, printed an article about the abandoned children of this town,

Some as young as six, who live in old storm drains 20 feet below the ground amid the sewage and garbage that seeps downhill from Mexico to Arizona. Abandoned, abused, doing whatever it takes to stay alive, the children have made these sewers and the streets around the sewage outlets their own. There are estimated to be at least 200 of them. Many are brain-damaged from the stolen additives, spray paint and other substances they use in a constant effort to stay high and escape their wretched reality. Disease and violence are a fact of life . . . Known as bajadores, or tunnel rats, they run drugs for the cocaine cartels, rob unwary passers-by, and attack people being sent through the tunnels and across the border by the smugglers of illegal immigrants.

What despair and hopelessness! But these children are not alone in their despair. How many more thousands and millions of people are there in similar situations. The other day I was reminded of the movie Requiem for a Dream. That movie scared the beejeebers out of me as I watched the self-destruction of good people who are hooked on drugs. I was reminded of how many seemingly normal teens and adults will totally destroy their lives in vain attempts to escape reality. How will they find a way out of their darkness?

How many people do you know who find life worthless and meaningless, and find now way of escape? How many here at Trumbull Congregational Church this morning, beneath a veneer of smiles and calm, are frustrated, angry, feeling trapped

in a marriage that is not at all what was anticipated,
in a dead end job, hopes for advancement dashed,
in a home where you feel unmotivated and misunderstood?
How many have feel betrayed by those they trusted?
How many have received some terrible news and don’t know how life will go on?

Today God has a word for those who are caught in traps, to those who feel despair; to those who think there is little worthwhile left in their lives.

Chapters 60-62 of the prophet Isaiah present a glorious vision of the promises to God’s people, to those who turn and depend upon God. These chapters picture a God who will bring light out of darkness, who will cause those who were lost in darkness to shine. God will substitute freedom for the prisons that bind us, gladness for mourning, shouts of joy for humiliation. All tears will be wiped away, all wrongs righted and paid for, and God’s people will be the delight of the Lord. Here’s my question: How can you be sure that you will share in this glory? How can we make sure that we are among those who experience this hope?

Let’s try to put this passage in perspective. Seventy or so years before this word, God’s people were taken over by the armies of Babylon and marched into exile. Babylon’s armies destroyed the land, and smashed the temple in Jerusalem to the ground. Some Israelites remained in their devastated homeland, but most were forced to live as vanquished slaves in a foreign land. When Cyrus, King of Persia, conquered the Babylonians, he let the Jews go back to their homes in Israel. It was taken as a sign of the Lord’s favor, and the third generation exiles eagerly began to go home and rebuild what was taken from them.

However, in the years immediately following the rebuilding, there were signs that the path to reconstruction would not be as smooth as they thought. Rebuilding foundered in the midst of partisan bickering. And the number of those returning was more of a trickle than a mighty stream. On one hand, the people had the promises of the prophet Isaiah who predicted a magnificent return of God’s chosen people. On the other hand, the reality was that they lost hope.

For the Jews, it was a disappointing time of hardship. They felt lost in darkness. The situation was so bleak that many people predicted the death for all the returning exiles. I can just hear the people asking, “Where is God? Does God even care about us? After all of these pie-in-the-sky promises, where is God now when we are facing death and darkness? Does the Lord care?”

It’s a good question. Does God see the injustice and hurt and pain of the bajadores and the homeless victims of disaster? Does God bother to notice those who are depressed and despised, those who are sick and surviving, those who are in the darkness of dying? Does God hear the cries of those who are lost and alone? Does God care about you this morning?

Today God speaks to the darkness. “Arise, shine, for the light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” To people who walk in darkness, God gives a great light. To those who are lost in shadows and gloom -- to those who are moaning in pain, God replaces that darkness with the brightness of God’s presence. In today’s reading from Isaiah, there are images of the sun, of God rising and shining on his people, resulting in the same folks who were lost in darkness becoming light themselves!

In fact, in 60:5, we, God's people, are said to be radiant. Radiant! Whenever I hear the word “radiant” I have to think of Wilbur the Pig in Charlotte's Web. Remember, Charlotte, the clever spider, saves Wilbur from becoming pork by writing words in webs above his stall. She first weaves “some pig” to the astonishment of everyone around. But her second word is this one: “Radiant.” Radiant: shining, glowing, beaming, brilliant. Giving off light. God says this radiance is characteristic of all of us together, of the entire people of God. And as Isaiah writes in 62:1, our righteousness will then shine like the dawn. God replaces the gloom in which we are lost with light. We ourselves, individually and corporately, become light, as God works to save us.

God does some thing else in the passage. God replaces sorrow with joy. The contrast with earlier chapters of Isaiah cannot be more striking. Grief, humiliation, sorrow, weeping will all be changed, as we will be overwhelmed with joy and gladness.

God’s word is not just blind idealism in the face of pain. God is not just telling us to buck up and get on with life. God is offering transformation. God says, “This is my promise. Turn to me and I will transform your sin into righteousness! Turn to me and judgment will become mercy! Turn to me and I will exchange your sorrow for joy and turn your darkness into light.” And you know what else God says? It will happen swiftly. The fulfillment of the promise come at just the right time.

Return for a moment with me to the bajadores of Nogales. The same news article I quoted earlier tells of a ministry to these forlorn children, a ministry that provides shelter, food, education, and listening ears to these who are in despair. The name of the ministry: Mi Nueva Casa, my new house. A shelter from the storms raging around the lives of these children, a place of refuge for those who have never had a real home.

God offers us a nueva casa, but one that provides much more than relief of our physical needs. God’s message to those in despair is here: “ARISE! SHINE! I will substitute good for bad, I will redeem the lost! Justice will be done, evil will be beaten, and I will set all things right!”
~ Do you sometimes feel like a bajadore, a tunnel rat, when God has a new home prepared for you? Arise and Shine!
~ Did you come here discouraged this morning? Arise and Shine!
~ Are you disappointed with what life has thrown at you? Arise and Shine!
~ Did you come here with a heavy sadness on your heart? Arise and Shine!
~ Are you enslaved by sin and longing for righteousness? Arise and Shine!
~ Are you crying out for justice? Arise and Shine!
~ Are you lonely? Arise and Shine!
~ Are you sick? Arise and Shine!
~ Do you yearn to find some peace in a fallen world? Arise and Shine!
~ Are you longing for God to do something new and wonderful in your life? Arise and Shine, for the Light has come!

New life begins today. God’s promise to us today is that God brings us light and life. Sin and darkness will be obliterated. God will put all right, and we will share in the greatest joy imaginable. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more. The Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.

Sermon for December 16, 2007

Joy of Mary
Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:26-38

There was a perfect man who met a perfect woman. After a perfect courtship, they had a perfect wedding. Their life together was, of course, perfect. One snowy, stormy Christmas Eve this perfect couple was driving along a winding road when they noticed someone at the roadside in distress. Being the perfect couple, they stopped to help. There stood Santa Claus with a huge bundle of toys. Not wanting to disappoint any children on the eve of Christmas, the perfect couple loaded Santa and his toys into their vehicle. Soon they were driving along delivering the toys. Unfortunately, the driving conditions deteriorated and the perfect couple and Santa Claus had an accident. Only one of them survived the accident. Who was the survivor?
Answer: The perfect woman. She’s the only one that really existed in the first place.
A Man’s Response: So, if there is no perfect man and no Santa Claus, the perfect woman must have been driving. This explains why there was a car accident.

The longer I’m married, the more I realize that there are some real differences in the ways my wife and I go through life. There seem to be some differences between Mary and Joseph when they first receive the news of Jesus. The first is given in the Gospel according to Matthew.

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’

I can imagine how Joseph must have felt. The poor guy comes home from a hard day’s work at the carpentry shop. He cleans up a little and goes out to see his wife-to-be at her parent’s house. When he gets there, she pulls him aside to a private spot and says, “Joe, I’m pregnant. This angel appeared to me and told me I’m going to give birth to God’s Son. Then the Holy Spirit came and put a child in my womb” . . . I don’t know . . . I guess if I were Joseph, I’d be a little upset. My first thought would be that my fiancée was fooling around behind my back. Of all the excuses, this one would have seen most pathetic. Notice that the text calls Joseph just, which probably means he was careful to observe the law. According to Jewish law, if a virgin promised to a man had sexual relations with another, she and the other man could be punished by death. But not wanting a public scandal or a harsh punishment, Josephs decided just to divorce her. He would publicly declare that she had been defiled, and the marriage contract would be annulled.

It’s not until the angel appears to Joseph that Mary’s bizarre story is confirmed. The angel then tells Joseph to take the woman home to be his wife. Good News is about to be proclaimed to the entire earth. The long-awaited hope of a Messiah will be fulfilled.

Joseph models one that people act when they are confused and uncertain. Mary offers another response to the situation.

Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

I have a difficult time relating to Mary. Her unselfish attitude makes me uncomfortable. Here is a young lady, maybe as young as 15. She is pledged to be married to a working man. Her future seems to be shaping up well. All of the sudden, out of nowhere, this angel appears and tells her that she is going to give virgin birth to God’s Son.

I would not have been happy with news like that. As a matter of fact, I would be scared out of my wits. I would have complained. I would have said , “You know, I’m really not worthy of such an honor, sir. Maybe you should find someone else. I’m sure Sarah down the road wouldn’t mind giving birth to the Son of God. Maybe you should give her a try. If you need anything else, though, don’t hesitate to call.” Because of this news, she would be outcast from society. People would accuse her of adultery. If she told the truth, people would think she was crazy.

Mary’s real attitude confirms my own selfishness. She doesn’t try to get out of it. She doesn’t even sound uncomfortable. She says, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said,” She later praises God saying, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” These are not words of disappointment. They are acclamations of praise. I am humbled by her acceptance of duty. Her faith and willingness leave me astounded.

There’s something different between the reactions of Mary and Joseph. Joseph tries to find a way out. God has to send a messenger to get him to change his mind. Mary’s obedience is marked by instant joy. Her excitement bubbles out in splashes of praise. She goes a step beyond obedience. In the midst of uncertainty, doubt, and anxiety, she expresses her trust in God. She had the faith to understand that the world would be changed through her.

On the surface Mary and Joseph’s story may seem far removed from us. After all, not many of us can claim to have had a virgin birth induced by the Holy Spirit. But think about the feelings and reactions that lie underneath. How do you react to troubling or confusing news? What do you do when everything seems to be going wrong? How do you respond when the future seems uncertain?

Some of us react like Joseph at first, trying to run away or avoid the problems. It may very well take something miraculous to help us regain focus.

There is another attitude – a posture like Mary’s – trust that God has something wonderful planned for your life. It’s the knowledge that God wants to do great things through you, just as you are. In the midst of our despair . . . our fear . . . our uncertainty, we know that God can transform us. God turns fear into courage. God transforms uncertainty into assurance. God can take despair and turn it into a song of praise.

During Advent, we remember that there is who shows us the full scope of God’s love. His name is Jesus. When we hear and believe the Good News that God has come to bring wholeness and new life to all, our lives will be transformed. Jesus Christ, God With Us, has come to mend fractured lives. We are changed when we meet Jesus. This is cause to rejoice and sing!

In the end, it doesn’t matter whether you are a typical man or a typical woman . God looks at the heart. God is searching for those who can look upon the future with joy.

I hope you can find the joy and hope of God this Advent season. In the face of fear, loneliness, and uncertainty, may you know peace.

Sermon for December 2 -- Advent 1

The Radiance of Christ
December 2, 2007

I learned about Jesus' birth while wearing a bathrobe. Each Advent season I got a part in the Christmas pageant, generally as either a shepherd or a wise man. At the appropriate moment, I shuffled into place and said my line—usually only one, occasionally two -- “Let us go to Jerusalem!” or “We have seen his star shining in the east.” The idea was to show Jesus' birth as history, but effort at historical authenticity never went too far. I always thought we should have real sheep and camels in the pageant. My ideas were always overruled by the Sunday School superintendent.

There are troubling parts of the Christmas story that were never told. Herod’s slaughtering of the innocents doesn’t get a lot of stage time in Christmas pageants. But it’s part of the story. We are not even aware of another violent subplot to our Christmas story. It comes from the Hanukkah story. Hanukkah is not the modern Jewish alternative to Christmas. The holiday actually began 200 years before the birth of Jesus. Hanukkah is the story of the survival of the Jewish religion against impossible odds. It is the story of a bloody fight for Jewish independence. It was a world suffering from political and religious stress, a world more like modern Afghanistan or Iraq or Israel than anything I learned by wearing my bathrobe during a Christmas pageant.

After Alexander the Great died, his empire was divided into different regions. Israel and its surrounding countries were ruled by a dynasty called the Seleucids. Our story begins with the reign of a Seleucid king named Antiochus IV. He decided that all of his territory would become unified under Greek language and culture. He sent messengers to Jerusalem, instructing Jews to stop practicing their religion and to adopt his national unity religion. Antiochus banned sacrifices in the temple. To make his point, he sacrificed a pig on the temple altar and erected a statue of Zeus in the holy place. The Jewish religion was outlawed. Anyone who resisted was executed cruelly.

In reaction, the priest named Mattathias and his sons led a bloody guerrilla uprising against Antiochus and his successors. They mostly succeeded, winning some independence for the Jewish state. On the eve of battle, the troops prayed to God for victory. They fasted, they read the Law. They were pious, devoted Jews. They were also courageous and ferocious Jews whose bravery ultimately defeats their enemies. The greatest hero was Judas Maccabeus, an outstanding general who led his outnumbered army to victory upon victory.

Hanukkah began when the victorious Jews returned to their desecrated Tample and rededicated it to the worship of God. That’s why Hanukkah is sometimes called the Feast of Dedication. We read about Jesus attending the Feast of Dedication in the Gospel of John.

In Jesus' day, 200 years later, the political situation remains strikingly similar. Instead of the Seleucids, the Romans now Rule. Instead of Antiochus, Jesus faces King Herod, the vicious puppet King of Rome. Instead of The Maccabees, Jesus is born to a world where a group called The Zealots oppose Rome through violent resistance. There were other groups who chose peaceful responses like Saducees, Pharisees, and Essenes. They all defined themselves by answering two crucial questions: "What do we do about Rome?" and, "What kind of people should we be?" These are the same questions asked today by Kurds facing Iraq, by Palestinians facing Israel, by Basques facing Spain. They are, by their nature, highly emotive questions, and they frequently lead to violence.

The birth of Jesus inaugurates a new way to answer those questions. He is called the Prince of Peace. He is a new king, born in humility. In his adult life, Jesus does things that anger almost everybody. To the Zealots he is not enough of a revolutionary. Jesus rejects the way of the Essenes by mixing with and ministering to society. He horrifies the Pharisees in his disregard of ceremonial purity. The Sadducees call Jesus a blasphemer.

Jesus is also anti-Maccabean. Understand the impact of this. It’s the same as saying that an American is anti-George Washington – against the revolutionary heroes who defined our nation. But Jesus resistes the ways of the Maccabees. When someone strikes you, he says, turn the other cheek. When someone forces you to carry a load for a mile, give him another mile. Love your enemies. Judas Maccabeus could not have followed Jesus without giving up the way of revolt and taking up his cross.

Against the backdrop of Jewish History, Jesus changes the terms of Israel's faith. The natural tendency is to accentuate our differences with our enemies, to draw clear lines and to assault the foe head on. That’s part of the story of Hanukkah. Jesus, however, does not follow the script. Jesus suggests that the truly evil empire is not headquartered in Rome. The power to do good or evil resides in human will. We can choose to hide our light, or we can choose to let our light shine. For some, it may shine like a beacon – like a Christmas star. For others, the light may shine like a humble Hanukkah candle. Either way, light shines in the darkness and exposes the places where evil intentions lurk.

Hanukah is time to remember when the Jews took back their Temple and rededicated it to the worship of God. They relit the temple torches, celebrating that the light of God had returned to the people.

Our second gospel reading tells the story about Jesus being transformed into radiant light on the mountaintop. We usually read that story right before Lent. But imagine if this is really a Hanukkah story. I think Matthew wrote his gospel as a collection of Jesus stories for Jewish worship. The earliest Christians were still considered themselves Jewish. They wanted to hear the stories of Jesus during their important holidays. The synagogue had a liturgical year in which the great moments of Jewish history were relived. Matthew’s gospel allowed worshippers to remember Jesus in the context of their own worship. And the text for Hanukkah would have been the story of the transfiguration.

In this story, Jesus becomes the new temple on whom the light of God rests. Jesus becomes the new meeting place between God and human life. Hanukah celebrates the light of God being restored to the Temple. Transfiguration celebrates the light of God resting on Jesus.

Well, up to this point you put up with a lot of history and theological thinking. Here’s the point. The radiance of Christ does not shine upon you. It shines from within you. We need to go only as far as our own hearts to make contact with the divine. Life might be better if we can remember that this Advent season. The light of Christ can transform our lives and the lives around us. But in doing so we will be challenged to change. The radiance of Christ challenges us to see who we really are, and love each other not just because of what we know but also in spite of what we know about each other. We very easily choose to live in darkness if it were not for the light of Christ that calls us, and compels us to live a new way as co-creators of a new life of peace and justice. We are challenged to help create a world where the meek will come out on top; the hungry go to the front of the food line; the powerful wash the feet of the homeless; where children are protected and life is cherished. We work for justice, seek peace, give ourselves away in service to others, love our enemies, show respect to the elderly, honoring one another and ourselves.
Take some time to reflect this Advent season about who you are. Even as we live our lives in this world, we don’t belong to it. We belong to God. So let God’s light shine.

I close with poem from Marry Oliver called “When Death Comes.”

When death comes
like the hungry bear in autumn;
when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse

to buy me, and snaps the purse shut;
when death comes
like the measle-pox;

when death comes
like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,

I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering
what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?

And therefore I look upon everything
as a brotherhood and sisterhood,
and I look upon time as no more than an idea,
and I consider eternity as another possibility,

and I think of each life as a flower, as common
as a field daisy, and as singular,

and each name a comfortable music in the mouth,
tending, as all music does, toward silence,

and each body a lion of courage, and something
precious to the earth.

When it’s over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it’s over, I don’t want to wonder
if I made my life something particular, and real.
I don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.

I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.