it takes discipline

Discipline.  Just the word itself seems intimidating enough without us having to talk about it.  But spiritual discipline is what the season of Lent calls for, and it is what Christians the world over hope to achieve.  Through the disciplines of prayer, reading Holy Scripture, repentance, worship, fasting, works of love and giving alms, we hope to draw closer to God and strengthen our relationship with Christ Jesus.  Through such practices as these, we hope to enhance our faith and grow as disciples of our Lord, following his example of servant leadership for the sake of others.

During this season of Lent, I find myself serving a new congregation in a new place.  One year ago I couldn’t have imagined being where I am today.  Yet, even as the scenery has changed and there are new names and faces to learn, the focus of Lent remains the same; understanding my need for God’s forgiveness and mercy, and leading my flock to grow in their understanding of the same so that we can be a powerful witness of God’s love through Christ Jesus to the world around us.  How do I, and how do we do this?  Discipline.

Becoming a disciple of Christ Jesus isn’t easy.  Accepting Christ’s call to follow him and become fishers of people means Christians must become living reminders of God’s love for his people.  In order to become such followers of Jesus, Christians must draw closer to God, strengthening their faith and relationship with Christ Jesus on a daily basis.  The disciplines of Lent are the tools for building such faith.

The late Henri J.M. Nouwen puts it this way:

“Discipline is the other side of discipleship. Discipleship without discipline is like waiting to run in the marathon without ever practicing. Discipline without discipleship is like always practicing for the marathon but never participating. It is important, however, to realize that discipline in the spiritual life is not the same as discipline in sports. Discipline in sports is the concentrated effort to master the body so that it can obey the mind better. Discipline in the spiritual life is the concentrated effort to create the space and time where God can become our master and where we can respond freely to God’s guidance.”  (Bread for the Journey)

The disciplines of Lent focus us on God’s saving act through Christ Jesus.  Daily prayer, Scripture reading, fasting and worship help us set boundaries where we can spend time with God so that we are able to heed Jesus’s invitation to follow and become disciples.

Sure, this year I am serving in a new place, but I still serve a congregation of God’s people who strive to be disciples of Jesus and witnesses to the power of God’s love.  Collectively, our congregation has embarked on a journey of Lenten discipline focusing on three of the spiritual practices listed above.  Prayer, daily reading of Holy Scripture and worship are the foundation of our pilgrimage to the cross of Good Friday.  Through these three disciplines, we look to experience the complete joy of the empty tomb of Easter.  I also urge all of our brothers and sisters in Christ to focus on the other four disciplines listed here.  As pastor, I invite our members and friends to experience the spiritual benefits of repentance and fasting, along with the joy of doing works of love and giving alms.

The goal of Christian life is to love God with all your heart, mind and strength, and to love your neighbor as Christ loves you.  Striving toward this goal requires a faith made strong through spiritual discipline.  Becoming a fisher of people means one must first become a disciple of our Lord Jesus.  Again, as Nouwen says, “Discipline is the other side of discipleship.”  You can’t have one without the other.

Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19 (NRSV)

As we enter this season of Lent we are reminded of our mortality and our need for God’s grace.  The 40 days of Lent are reminiscent of the 40 years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness before reaching the Promised Land, and also of the 40 days Jesus was alone in the wilderness, fasted and then was tested by the evil one.  Looking back on these two instances in scripture we realize that we are dependent on God for our very lives, and even in the most dire circumstances, it is God who walks with us.

We humans live lives through which we squander the richness of God’s blessing, ignore those who suffer, and continually find ways to distance ourselves from that which God has called us to be.  Still, it is God who comes near, calls us to repent and guides us by the Holy Spirit as we wander through the wilderness of our humanity.  By the power of Christ’s death and resurrection and through the waters of baptism, God enables us to love others and boldly share the good news of Christ with a world so desperately in need of God’s love and mercy.

The light of Epiphany first pointed the Magi in the direction of the Christ child born in Bethlehem.  Again the light shone in blinding splendor on the Mount of Transfiguration, revealing Jesus as God’s Son.  Now, as we begin the Lenten walk toward Easter, the light shines on the cross of Christ through which God reconciled the world through the blood of his Son.  May your Lenten journey be one that is guided by the light of Christ, in silent reflection of God’s life saving grace, of discipleship and love for all people. 

[Jesus said} “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.  But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.  “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.  Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.”  Matthew 6:5-13 (NRSV)

Loving Father; You invite us to come to you in prayer.  You invite us to lay before you our lives fears and joys, sorrows, triumphs, today’s and tomorrows.  Enabled by our Lord Jesus Christ, we come humbly and fearfully before you as he instructed; in the quietness and silence of repentant hearts.  We come petitioning asking for help, seeking guidance, hoping for blessing.  Hear us when we pray.

You invite us to worship you; to proclaim our obedience to you, follow your teachings, obey your commandments, and bend to your will.  So as we gather in your name, we come to the altars of our churches and cathedrals in psalm and praise, singing your hymns, declaring our faith, chanting our beliefs, and giving you our thanks.  Hear us when we pray.

Yet you do not seize our audible praises, disdain ceremonies, ignore anthems, or tune out chants.  You are present in silences, felt in tears, heard in sighs and attendant in laments.  You call us into closets; invite us to find retreat, bid us to embrace quiet.  Help us to risk silence, grasp solitude, and entwine peace.  Hear us when we pray.

In silence, solitude and peace you meet us and you hear us; you love us and forgive us.  In the silence of our hearts, you refresh us and renew us.  In silence, solitude and peace you are there, we are heard, prayers are answered.  In silence, solitude and peace; hear us when we pray.  Amen.

Prayer inspired by The Rev. Stephan Brown, A Place for Prayer

Shrove Tuesday

Many of us have come to know today as Shrove Tuesday, the day before the beginning of Lent. Shove Tuesday has long been a favorite church tradition of mine, mostly because the resulting pancake supper. Mardi-Gras in New Orleans has its Fat Tuesday and King Cake, but I’ll take pancakes, bacon and a good old fashion talent show any day.

Other Shrove Tuesday traditions include:

The Pancake Day Race at Olney in Buckinghamshire: Legend has it that on Shrove Tuesday 1445 while cooking pancakes, a woman heard the Shriving bell which summoned the townsfolk to confession. In her haste to get to the church, she ran through the town still wearing her apron and carrying her skillet of pancakes. Today this is reenacted with a race through the town by women wearing dresses and aprons, carrying skillets with a cooking pancake. Each person must flip her pancake three times before reaching the church. The winner is the one who gets to the church fastest, having three flips of the pancake.

Folklore says that it is bad luck to drop a pancake while flipping it. It is said that Napoleon blamed his failure for victory in Russia because of a pancake he dropped during the French Candlemas.

On this eve of Lent it is also tradition that many Christians take a good long look at their lives and examine just what it is they need to confess. After all, the act of acknowledgement and confession of sins is what it means to “shrive.” On the day before Lent begins, tradition states that Christians hear their friends acknowledge their sins, then assure each other of God’s grace and forgiveness. The resulting act of penance is to “give up something for Lent.”  As Christian people, we give up something that we come to realize is standing in the way of our relationship with God.

So often we hear folks say, “I’m giving up this or that for Lent.”  The most common item I hear people giving up is chocolate.  I ask myself, is chocolate really what is standing between God and his people?  Perhaps on some level, but on Easter just watch those who gave it up tear into the chocolate bunnies.  Aren’t they simply back where they started?  In my estimation, it is better to give up something that following the long Lenten journey, one will have removed the stumbling block and not wish to reintroduce it into his/her life.  If it is chocolate, well so be it.  But perhaps there is an unhealthy habit consuming time keeping you from spending time with God.  During Lent, watch a little less TV and read a little more Scripture.  By Easter, you will have removed the stumbling block and strengthened your relationship with Christ.

Lent begins tomorrow.  There is still time to consider what you might “give up” in order to gain stronger faith.  But for now, it is all about the pancakes…not to mention the maple syrup and a tall glass of ice-cold milk. Happy Shrove Tuesday!

The Hands of Christ

The following is the first sermon in my Lenten series concerning The Body of Christ.

1st Sunday in Lent

John 8:1-11

The Hands of Christ

 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 This morning we begin our Lenten series concerning the Body of Christ, his humanity, his life among God’s people, his suffering and death for our sake.  Today our focus is on the Hands of Christ.

First of all, consider the hand.  Its purpose is to grasp and to hold things.  Its design suits its function very well.  When the hand is first employed it reaches out with an intended purpose.  The hand’s fingers grasp an object and hold it firmly, supporting as much weight as they can bear.  When the weight becomes too great, one hand may reach out in assistance to another.  Given the right set of circumstances, a hand can provide great strength and security.  It can provide a means to do work, or as in many circumstances, a hand can apply a gentle loving touch, a simple caress.  Hands can even speak.  No, they cannot talk, but they can communicate.  Hands can say “I love you.”

What comes to your mind when you think of hands?  Something very emotional, perhaps.  The first thing our own tiny hands grasped as infants was probably a finger of our father or mother.  Our parents’ hands caressed us, changed us, fed us, held us, played with us.  Some might think first of a father’s strong, calloused hands taking your own hand in order to show you how to do something, to teach you, guide you, to protect, or to touch and reassure.  Others might think first of a mother’s gentle hands stroking your forehead as you lay sick; hands that playfully tousled you hair, cooked and served your favorite meal, hands that washed and bandaged cuts and scrapes.  In both cases, we recall hands that loved.

Today, we consider Jesus’ hands.  Jesus’ hands combine that strength, gentleness, love and more.  Jesus’ hands were the strong hands of a carpenter, and yet the gentle loving hands of a healer.  Much has been written about the hands of Christ.  We often read about the wonders that took place by his hands; wonderful and mighty works done by his hands, yet with such a gentle touch.

Early in his ministry when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying sick with a fever; Jesus touched her hand, and the fever left her.  The hands of Jesus were hands filled with love, hands that welcomed and touched everyone.  The hands of Christ touched lepers with love, risking infection from that hideous disease.  They were hands that could be trusted, trusted by the sick, trusted by the lame.  The hands of Jesus could cause the crippled to walk.  The hands of Jesus could cause the deaf to hear, and the hands of Jesus could restore sight to the blind.  They were hands that could even be trusted to bring life back to a child who had died.

These hands of love were hands that could also forgive.  In our Gospel lesson a woman was caught “red-handed” in the very act of adultery.  When she stood accused and brought to Jesus, the beautiful hands of Christ bent to write in the dust.  What do you suppose he wrote?  Did he write the names of all those in the crowd and the sins they themselves had committed?  Did he write the Ten Commandments?  Truth be told, no one knows what it is that Jesus wrote in the dirt with his hands.  But all those eager to kill the woman by stoning her, suddenly and quietly walked away.  No one condemned her.  Christ Jesus, with the hands of love had compassion on the woman and said, “Neither do I condemn you; go and do not sin again.”  The woman’s hands loosened from the bonds of sin so that she might go and serve God with hands of love.

Forgiveness at the hands of Christ.

And what of our hands?  In your hands this morning you have a nail.  Earlier I asked you to consider the hand.  Now consider the nail.  The nail’s purpose is to hold things as well, hold them together.  As with the hand, its design suits its function very well.  When a nail is first employed its tip violently and efficiently pierces the surface of one material meant to be fastened to another.  Driven deeper and deeper, the nail finally penetrates the one, and then begins sinking deep into the other.  Given enough length, the nail will finally penetrate the second object where its shaft may be bent over so that the two in essence become one providing great strength and security.  Because of the nail, two objects are joined, affixed.  Only until one is ripped from the other, or the nail straightened and driven back can the two be separated.  Properly applied, nails employed by human hands do good work.

The work we do with our hands in the name of Christ is the work of love.  Following the example of Christ Jesus, we strive to love our neighbor, serve those who are in need, feed those who are hungry, love those who long to be loved.  Yet all too often, we humans fall short and our hands become instruments of something quite different.  Because of sin, our hands become instruments for consumption rather than service, greed rather than generosity, and hate rather than love.  Because of sin, our age old rebellion, our human hands become something quite different; they become as like nails.

Take a moment and consider the nail, held in your hand.

Finally, consider the cross, where nails and hands meet.  Neither functions toward its desired purpose.  The nail rips through the flesh of the hand, penetrating through to the rough wooden beam.  The hand is wounded, broken, bleeding.  It is unable to grasp, unable to hold.  The nail is misused in a most despicable way, tearing down rather than building up.  It restrains the hand, destroys its ability to do work, to apply a gentle loving touch.  The nail denies the hand its desire to touch; keeps it from applying a gentle caress.  Yet, even as the nail is misused, given the right set of circumstances, the hand still speaks.  Though wounded and bleeding, pierced and dying, the hands of Christ reach out and say “I love you.”

To ensure the same forgiveness granted the woman caught in adultery would be available to us also, the hands of Christ, his strong, skilled, healing, loving, forgiving hands were nailed to a cross.  In order that we may be forgiven and gain the assurance of everlasting life in God’s kingdom, the hands of Christ bore the weight of the world’s sin.  Christ died that we might live.  Christ died in order to save us.  Christ died at the hands of humans; yet he was raised by the hand of God.  Consider the hands of Christ; the hands that forgive, the hands that conquer death, the hands that give life.

As we stretch out our empty needy hands this morning, God fills them by his loving hand.  Why?

So that we might live.  So that we might live; so that we might love, so that we might be as the hands of Christ for others.

No doubt you’ve seen pictures from Japan following the earthquake and tsunami.  It will take more than the hands of humans to repair the damage.  It will take the hands of God.

Consider the hand.  Its purpose is to grasp and to hold things.  Its design suits its function very well.  When the hand is first employed it reaches out with an intended purpose.  As we extend our hands toward others, let us do so as Christ did for us; with complete and unselfish love.

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

The Church and the BCS

For so many people, the month of January sometimes brings what is often called the “post-holiday let down.”  Others may call it the “January swoon.”  In either case, the sentiment is the same.  The hustle and bustle of secular Christmas with its light displays and malls filled with frenzied shoppers is over.  The sometimes wild and festive celebrations ringing in the New Year are quickly becoming but a fading memory.  In fact, some will say that if you are not a college football fan, there isn’t much left to look forward to in January.  At least college football fans can look to the January swoon and shout out, “Thanks God for the BCS!” (Bowl Championship Series).  If it weren’t for the BCS, what else would there be to look forward to?  Thankfully, The Church has something to say about that.

During the time following Christmas, Holy Scripture tells the story of God’s light display come to earth.  The season of Christmas concludes with the reading of St. John’s account of God’s Word becoming flesh and dwelling among his people.  John writes, “What has become into being through him was the light and life of all people.  The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it (John 1: 4-5).”  The Epiphany season begins with the journey of the Magi as they followed a bright new star Bethlehem where they beheld the newborn King.  For this reason, Epiphany is called the Season of Light.

The lessons of Epiphany (revealing) are in their own way, Holy Scripture’s BCS (Because Christ Saves), for they tell the world exactly who Jesus is and why he came to earth.  During January and throughout the season of Epiphany, we won’t notice radio stations playing extended versions of our favorite carols.  There won’t be television specials scheduled in prime time, and we certainly don’t have to worry about purchasing the perfect gift for someone special.  We will, however, be witness to many of the greatest stories in the Bible.  Christmas may have passed and the novelty of a New Year may soon wear off, but certainly the joy of Christ lives on.

Even as we marvel at the excitement of the shepherds at Christmas, how can we help but feel the excitement and anticipation of Andrew when he tells his brother Peter, “We have found the Messiah!”  There might be a new star for us to follow, but certainly we must feel the wonder of those simple fishermen as they dropped everything, accepting Jesus’ invitation to follow him.  And finally, even as Luke told us of the starry skies and angels singing “Peace, goodwill to those whom God favors” we listen in Matthew’s gospel as Jesus proclaims God’s blessings and beatitudes during his Sermon on the Mount.

December, with its Christmas and New Year celebrations may be over, but the Church has no time for a January swoon.  Through the stories provided by the authors of the gospels, the life, ministry and purpose of Jesus Christ is made known to us.  The joy and amazement continues as God’s light and life dwells among his people.  As we begin this new year together, I encourage everyone to avoid the post-holiday let down and feel the excitement, peace and promise of Jesus.  In January and throughout the seasons of the Church, all are welcome to worship God and sing praise to him for the gift of his Son.  Salvation has come to earth!  God has kept and continues to keep his promises made so long ago.  How can we know this?  The answer is clear; BCS!  Because Christ Saves!

The Holy Innocents – The Other Side of Christmas

This time of year there is no shortage of peaceful images.  The sights and sounds of Christmas are embedded in our hearts and minds.  More than any other time of year, the world strives to find certainty and security at Christmas; we hope and pray for peace and joy for all people.  Searching for these we hold fast to traditions, both in our families and in the church.

At Christmas we tell the old familiar stories and we sing those timeless hymns.  And because of all those long held traditions Christmas is a time for predictability.  But just as suddenly as the angels disappeared and the shepherds returned to their fields, the story takes a drastic and ugly turn.

When we start reading the story of Christmas in Matthew, we find anything but predictability.     Matthew’s story is not one that we want to hear.  Within his account of Christmas, Matthew quotes the prophet Jeremiah:

Thus says the LORD: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.  Jeremiah 31:15

While on Friday evening Luke told us of shepherds and angels, Matthew tells us a part of the Christmas story that we would rather soon forget.  At the beginning of his narrative on Christ’s birth, Matthew tells us that in fact, Joseph was about to dismiss Mary, but God came to Joseph in a dream and instructed him to do otherwise.  While Luke tells us that Christ was born in the City of David, Matthew tells us that during this time, Israel was under the control of Caesar, and the ruthless tyrant Herod sat on the throne of power.

This week, as the church sings “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, Matthew reminds us that, in order that he might kill Jesus, Herod ordered the murder of innocent children in and around Bethlehem. 

The hymn says “Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by.” 

But the prophet Jeremiah recalls a different sound, a voice heard in Ramah, at the gates of Bethlehem; a mother’s sobbing; Rachel weeping bitterly and uncontrollably because her children are no more.  That’s not the Bethlehem of our kid’s Christmas pageants, and it’s not the Bethlehem of our hopes and dreams, but it is the Bethlehem of the Bible.

Herod, like so many leaders throughout history, had a keen sense for opposition.  He had been around long enough to know a threat when he saw one.  What the wise men see as a child born to be king, Herod understood as opposition to everything which his kingdom was based upon.  And just as we have seen so many times in the world’s history, Herod took measures to eliminate what he perceived to be a threat to his kingdom and rule.

Even today, we see this taking place in far flung places I the world; places where the people suffer under oppressive leadership.  Greedy and power drunk tyrants impose their will in order to preserve their influence and control.  It also becomes visible in racism; neglect of the poor and homeless, and in the forgotten-ness of those who live on the fringes of society.  The world calls such instances poverty, classism, and bigotry, but Matthew has another name for them, he calls it Bethlehem.

Before the story leaves Bethlehem, those who read the accounts of Jesus’ birth become witnesses of our world at its worst.  We read of corruption and witness senseless brutality, all while we listen to the uncontrollable weeping of mothers who have lost their children.

Yet, as United Methodists Bishop William H. Willimon said in a previous Christmas address at Duke University; “Even though the bloodshed of Bethlehem and the weeping of Rachel are not the Christmas story we want, it is most certainly the Christmas story we need.”  Willimon states that; for all of the world’s brokenness, a god who refuses to come to Bethlehem won’t do any good. Humanity needs a savior who is willing to come to Bethlehem and save us, because we cannot come to God on our own.

Such is the message of Christmas.

Through Jesus, God comes into a world that is anything but peaceful, his cross is already on the horizon; and by age two he was a refugee with a price on his head.  This is the God who dares to come into the world to save it from sin.  This is the God, Emmanuel, who loves the world so much that he takes on human flesh and give his life as the final atonement for our sin. 

Jesus is God; he comes to us as a child destined to die and be raised by the Father, thus defeating death forever.  Jesus is God and comes to us still; he comes to us through the waters of our baptism and claims us as his own.  He comes to us in the bounty of the Lord’s Supper, through the bread that is broken and the wine that is poured out for all people for the forgiveness of sin.

Each year, comments are made by unbelieving people who cannot understand how or why God would allow such a senseless tragedy to happen.  How could a loving God remain idle and watch the innocent babies of Bethlehem die, while his Son Jesus escapes such death?  What these questioning people miss is that, Jesus does not escape.  Jesus is not spared or pardoned.  Jesus also dies, just not during this particular slaughter.

God in Christ Jesus chooses to enter the world as a child, and there is only one suitable outcome stemming from this decision; Jesus must die.  God in Christ Jesus will die, just not in the account we read from Matthew’s gospel telling of the birth of Christ and his first few years.

Why not?  First Jesus must live as God’s people live.  He must grow and experience the same temptations of earthly life as humans do.  Jesus must endure all of the pain of this world, completely, totally, yet perfectly.  Only then will his earthly mission for salvation come to its conclusion.

Finally Jesus, himself, enters death at the hands of yet another powerful tyrant trying to preserve his own regime, his own legacy and his own misguided sense of self fulfillment.  It is this death, Christ’s death on the cross at the hands of Pontius Pilate that makes all of the difference.

While this part of Matthew’s story is not part of the Christmas that we want to hear, it is the part we need to hear.  It is the story of our world, our human struggle, and God’s participation within it.  Through this course of tragedy, we learn that humans have a God who is willing to live as we live; who will weep with us, walk with us, endure pain for us, and even die because of us.  But this Christ who is born unto us conquers death and the grave, so that we may enter his world, and live as he does, experience his joy, live in his peace, and dwell in the glory of God’s kingdom forever and ever.

This is Christmas

 

So this is Christmas, what have you done?

Another year over, a new one just begun. (John Lennon) 

I’ve actually heard that song by John Lennon several times this week.  As I listened to the words, I thought about all the joys of Christmas.  All the anticipation, excitement and wonder that goes with the Christmas as I remember it.

Others react differently to Christmas, however, as depicted by verse two of Lennon’s song.

And so this is Christmas, for weak and for strong;
for rich and the poor ones, the world is so wrong.

Considering this reaction to Christmas, one might wonder is the buildup worth it?  Is Christmas still all that you thought it would be?  With so many people stressing over economic concerns, does Christmas still live up to the hype?  For families with loved ones in the military far away from home; is Christmas really the most wonderful time of the year?

The truth is, most everyone loves Christmas; it really is our favorite time of the year.  Problem is, Christmas comes to the world in early November, takes root in our society around Thanksgiving, and stays around until the morning of December 25^th.  After the frenzy of opening gifts, many are exhausted and breathe a sigh of relief.

And so this is Christmas.

Yet the Church has a different take on it.  The Christian Church began observing Christmas about 1700 years ago, around the year 325 AD and since that time, Christmas celebrations have grown exponentially.  For centuries the church has told the story of Mary and Joseph as they made their trek into Bethlehem.  We’ve grown up with the story from Luke’s gospel of how there were shepherds in the field keeping their flock.  Looking skyward they saw the angels descending from heaven, bringing with them the glad tidings of great joy which is for all people.  The sky was awash in the most dazzling light, there must have been trumpet blasts, angel choirs singing, and thundering voices proclaiming Glory to God in the highest!

The shepherds were absolutely terrified at the sight.  They had no warning, no liturgical calendar to consult and no television ads featuring the latest got-to-have gift.  The long ago promise and prophetic message was centuries old and not exactly on the tips of their tongues.  And in the history of God’s people, it seemed that God had been silent for over four hundred years.

Under foreign rule by the Romans, most of the Jewish people were living in poverty and the last thing the people expected was a celebration bursting forth from heaven.  Yet that is exactly what happened, and the shepherds who first witnessed it were terrified at the sight and sound of it all.  Terrified that is, until they realized what the message of the angels meant.

The Messiah has come.

They had been given a sign from heaven, a baby wrapped in rags and lying in a manger.  At this news their terror is turned to joy and they cannot contain themselves.  The excitement and joy is too much, and they run to Bethlehem to see everything that the angels had told them.  And when they finally arrive, they find not a king, not a prince, but just as the angels had said, a child born into poverty, lying in an animal’s feeding trough.

And they worshipped him.

So this is Christmas. 

Like most of you, I’ve grown up with this story.  We’ve heard it many times over.  It’s a part of us; as Christians it’s in our DNA.  But have we heard it so many times now that all we recognize is a band of shepherds in the field keeping their sheep at night; lovely songs sung by angel choirs, and the quaint picture of a new family in a picturesque stable, smiles on their faces and farm animals nuzzling one another at the sight?

Is this now Christmas?

Does our Christmas celebration even come close to the roller coaster ride of emotions experienced by the shepherds?  Do God’s people still look toward the sky and feel utter excitement and joy, so much so that we praise God all night long?  Do we strain our senses in order to hear angels singing, or is that the sound of consumerism, modern day Christmas ringing in our ears?

Ever since the Exodus, God has promised to deliver his people from evil, oppression and tyranny.  Ever since the prophets, God has promised his grace.  The scriptures declare, “The people living in darkness, have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned”

The shadow of death no longer has power over the light and life of God’s Messiah.  The shepherds are given the sign, they run to Bethlehem, and there in a manger they finally see the hope for the world.

This is Christmas.

But how can a baby born according to such humiliating circumstances, whose parents were forced by government decree to travel to Bethlehem at such a crucial time in the woman’s pregnancy just to be taxed; how can this child make a difference?

Since the beginning, God placed dominion of the world into human hands, and since that time, since the fall into sin, humanity has been trying to prove to Go that we can do just as good, if not a better job at seeing to our own needs, at getting the most out of our resources.  The world has even turned one of the most holy celebrations into a time where our enjoyment, our pleasure, our peace and serenity is only overcome by the anticipation of having it all, the gifts, the gatherings and of course the food.

And so this is Christmas.

What difference can one more baby born in poverty make?  With all of the difficulties facing our world today, with so many people living either beyond their means, or at the other end of the spectrum of need, what can one simple baby do?  Yet, this poor baby lying in the manger is exactly what we need.

He is Christmas.

Because of sin, we humans are foolish and disobedient.  We are deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.  We live in selfishness and envy.

We can’t fix ourselves. We can’t make our day better by trying harder.  Our common future together does not rest in our hands and we cannot keep promises even unto ourselves.  That’s us! We couldn’t change if we wanted to.  Try as hard as we might.

The good news, however, is that the angels still sing over us.  They still proclaim the good news for all people, “A Savior has been born to you, he is Christ the Lord!”  We need rescuing; God provides the rescuer.  We need delivering; God provides the deliverer.  We need redeeming; God provides the redeemer.  In Christ we are forgiven.  In Christ, our sin is washed away.  In Christ we have reconciliation with God.  A Savior has been born to us!  The angels give us the sign.  You will find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.  He is Christ the Lord.  And so this is Christmas; a time to remember all of the good things of God.  It is a time to praise God and give him thanks for the gift of a Savior.

This is Christmas; a time of hope, a time of joy; a time of peace, in the name of Christ Jesus.  Amen.

(Some points of this sermon were gleaned from a post I had seen online somewhere, at sometime.  To the author whose name escapes me, I give you thanks.)

Decorating churches while sharing good news

This week, many congregations took time to decorate their churches for the coming Christmas celebration.  These symbols of Christmas bring us joy and delight as the Church waits in hopefulness, and prepares to receive the good news yet again.  Through the birth of the Christ child, God fulfilled his promise of the long awaited Messiah.  Evergreens, poinsettias, wreaths in the windows and even a tree filled with Christian symbols help us to proclaim this good news.  Their symbolism reminds us of God’s long ago promise, and opens our eyes and our hearts to God’s perfect and unconditional love.  When connected to God’s Word in Holy Scripture, these symbols, in their own way, share the good news of Christ Jesus with us.  Yet, these decorations are not holy things; they are not the object of our focus.  However pleasing it may be, the beauty of our churches during Advent and at Christmas, the music of beloved songs and the joy that tradition brings, are not the good news.  For Christian joy and celebration is not rooted in decoration, rather, it is rooted in the gospel.  The word gospel literally means, “good news.”

In the first chapter of Luke, the evangelist tells us of a young girl receiving good news from the angel Gabriel.  The good news of Christ is first brought to Mary, and upon receiving it, her heart’s desire becomes doing as the Lord commands.  Later in Luke’s gospel, Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth who is also expecting a child and shares this good news with her.  The sharing of good news leads to even greater joy and celebration.  As Mary sings her “Magnificat,” this humble young woman from Nazareth sings praises to God as the promise for salvation begins to unfold.  Mary’s song speaks of how God’s grace and mercy will bring joy and celebration to even the most lowly on earth.

Mary sings, “His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.  He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.  He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.”  Luke 1: 50-53

Mary sings as if God has already done these things, because in her heart, she knows God will keep his promise.  So she celebrates this good and wonderful news.  So too the Church celebrates with joy and thanksgiving.  But is doesn’t stop there.   As the good news is to be shared and celebrated, it is also to be lived out in the mission of the Church.

The good news of Christ comes with blessing and the promise that wrong will be made right and oppression will give way to compassion.  The outcast will be made welcome, and the hungry will be fed.  The joy of Mary and her beautiful Magnificat is a joy meant for all people; the joy of a young unwed mother to be, whose heart’s desire is to do as God wills.

Mary’s journey began in earnest when she embraced the promise of God as brought to her by Gabriel, the promise that says  “…nothing is impossible with God.”  In joyous refrain Mary answers, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Luke 1: 37-38.

Throughout our Advent journey, let our hearts also be drawn to the day God came with blessing unto Mary and shared with her the good news of Christ Jesus.  An angel brought the good news to Mary, who in turn shared it with the Church for all time.  Today this good news comes to us once again; the good news of a young woman suddenly expecting a child, who is Christ the Lord.  As Mary heard the good news from Gabriele, her heart was drawn to God’s message of hope, and she gave of herself according to God’s call.

I pray that during this season of Advent, as our churches are beautifully decorated and we take delight in the long standing traditions of our congregations, we do not lose our focus on what God wills us to do.  May our hearts be drawn to give something of ourselves according to God’s call.  May we continue to serve our neighbors and welcome the strangers among us.  Good news is news to be celebrated with great joy.  Yet it is also to be lived out through the lives of God’s faithful people.  As we welcome others into our churches, I pray that the beauty of these decorations is pleasing in their sight, and that their symbolism of God’s love and grace for all people is proclaimed, so that all may experience the joy and celebration at Christmas.

Emmanuel Shall Come to Thee

       The season of Advent is a wonderful time in terms of church music and hymnody.  The hymns of Advent speak to the expectation and anticipation of God’s long awaited Messiah.  We also get a small taste of Christmas as we begin to hear and even sing some of the sweet refrains of Christmas hymns and anthems.  Soon the celebration of the Nativity will be upon us, but not quite yet, for it is Advent, the time for preparation and faithful waiting.  Just as people of biblical times longed for the Christ to come and restore God’s kingdom, the church awaits our Lord and King Christ Jesus at his second coming.

      One Advent hymn in particular is a favorite of mine and its melody and lyrics run through my head nearly every day of December.  O Come, O Come Emmanuel holds many memories for me as a child.  As I listen and remember, I can still hear choirs and congregations from my youth singing those soothing yet sometimes haunting verses.  I can envision children and adults lighting the candles of the Advent wreath as voices lift up the refrain; “Rejoice!  Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel.”

       The promise of God’s Messiah; salvation for God’s people and the restoration of God’s kingdom are all joined together as we await Emmanuel, that is, God with us.  That is what the name means, God with us.  Indeed God invaded earthly time and space and lived among his people in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.  Through his life of obedience to God’s will, and never ending love for all people, Jesus gave the world a glimpse of the in breaking of God’s kingdom on earth.

       Even as he made his way to Jerusalem, where he was greeted as a king, yet was ultimately handed over and crucified, Jesus showed us the totality of God’s love.  His victory over sin and the grave is realized by his offering up his own body and blood as the final atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world.  This victory is affirmed and proclaimed as those who journeyed to the tomb on Easter morning found it to be empty. Angels gave them the good news that God has raised Jesus from the dead.

       Through the birth of a small child in a stable, who later grew to be a great prophet and teacher, then ultimately gave his life for the sake of the world, Emmanuel has indeed come to the world.  God took upon himself human flesh and became fully human and lived among his people.  And now, the Church awaits the day of his triumphant return as Christ ushers in the kingdom of God in its full glory.

       As we patiently wait for this day, God calls us to be as living reminders of Emmanuel, God with us.  God calls each of us to be as Christ to others, sharing the good news of Christ Jesus, caring for the poor and needy, feeding the hungry, and welcoming the stranger into our midst.  As we do these things, we give powerful witness to the promise fulfilled in the person of Christ Jesus, strengthening our faith and the faith of others as we await the fulfillment of Christ promise to come again.  Rejoice! Rejoice!  Emmanuel shall come to thee.

Seeing Christ the King

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

For just a few seconds, close your eyes and relax.  Go ahead and tilt your head back a few moments, don’t be shy; it isn’t often that a pastor gives you the freedom to daydream during a sermon.  Get comfortable, clear your mind and imagine seeing Jesus.  Imagine actually seeing his face, Imagine being there with him.

Who could see an image of Jesus?  Who saw him as a baby born in Bethlehem?  How about as a shepherd…or blessing little children?  Who saw Jesus as healer?  These are often the images we see of Jesus in our mind.  Such images provide us with all of the best known metaphors associated with Christ.  Jesus our friend, Jesus our brother, Jesus our comforter.  We learn to see Jesus as the one who walks with us and talks with us.

I would imagine that few if any saw Jesus as King.         Kings aren’t normal images for too many folks these days.  The world’s kings aren’t the same as the ones in story books or fairy tales.  Today’s kings mostly wear suits and look like presidents, or wear military uniforms and look like soldiers.  Jesus doesn’t fit this description.

When we think of kings we imagine old men sitting on large thrones.  They have long flowing robes and white beards.  The kings of our imagination wear gold around their necks and rings on their hands.  On their head sits a jewel encrusted crown.  Jesus doesn’t fit this description either.  The image we have of Jesus isn’t one of a man living in a palace.  He doesn’t wear gold around his neck or rings on his fingers.  He doesn’t wear a suit and certainly not army fatigues.

I’m curious, when you imagined seeing Jesus, how many saw a man beaten to within an inch of his life, his outstretched hands nailed to a cross beam and gasping for breath with bystanders mocking and taunting him?

Oh…and as for his crown?  Thorns, sharp and pointed; digging into his forehead.

Sadly, according to our gospel text this morning, this is the description that fits our King Jesus Christ.  Now, perhaps some are thinking that this is a curious subject for today.  Most likely this gospel text wasn’t the text you may have thought you would hear in church on Christ the King Sunday.  But for a year now St. Luke has been telling us a story, a story about our king and today the story comes to its illogical conclusion.

Last year about this time, Luke began the story by telling us about angels and dreams.  He told us about Mary, and then about John the Baptist.  Luke told us about the baby, God’s only Son who was born unto earthly parents in relative obscurity.  This boy who would be king grew up to be a wandering preacher, a rabbi, a miracle worker feeding thousands and healing people from their diseases.  As he grew in stature, he became famous, beloved and seen by many to perhaps be the one whom God sent to deliver the Jews and restore God’s kingdom.

On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem as a king riding on a donkey.  The people shouted “Hosanna” and hailed him as their king.  Yet by week’s end, they convicted him according to trumped up charges and crucified him.  Thus today’s illogical conclusion to Luke’s story about Christ our king.  How could this happen?  Where did things go wrong?  Why did the baby born to be king die in such a humiliating way?

Many people even to this day find the fact that Jesus died on the cross confusing.           Many don’t understand why it had to happen, especially when the church proclaims him to be King of Kings and Lord of all.  But perhaps the confusion is because we humans don’t really understand real kingship.  Perhaps we can’t grasp the essence of what being the true king means.

We understand kings as leaders who issue commands that are to be obeyed to the letter of the law.  Kings command and the people obey.  At least that’s how it’s supposed to work.  Yet, ever since Adam and Eve bit the forbidden fruit, humanity has had a problem with authority.  Kings issue commands, others are supposed to obey no matter how they might feel about it.  But we, in this age, don’t like that.  Humans don’t like the idea of obedience.  We do not like the idea that someone can “command us” to do something.  The question becomes:  “Do I want someone other than myself to be Lord of my life?”  Those who hailed Jesus as King on Palm Sunday and then crucified him on Friday answered this question with a resounding “no.”  Nearly 2000 years later not much has changed.

We like the Palm Sunday Jesus, he only shows love for us.  But the Good Friday Jesus makes us a little uneasy.  We adore the baby born in a manger, but the beaten and bloody Jesus of the cross points out our disobedience to God in a most uncomfortable way.  Seeing this Jesus we would rather turn our heads.  Maybe that’s why being a faithful Christian is such a difficult thing.  We don’t want to face the truth about ourselves, that we are sinful and because of that it is us who deserve to die, not Jesus.

Yet as we look to Jesus on the cross, we begin to see something else; we begin to see what real kingship is.  A King who would lay down his life for the sake of those whom he rules.  Perhaps the conclusion to Luke’s story isn’t so illogical.  Perhaps there is a truth that we often fail to see; it takes a king to truly save us from our sin.

The truth is that God wants so much to be in relationship with his people that he gave his only Son in order to save us.  When asked if he was a king, Jesus told Pilate that his kingdom was not of this world.  It doesn’t function like earthly realms.  The kingdom of Jesus Christ is a kingdom of mercy; a kingdom of forgiveness; a kingdom of grace.  Seeing Christ our King on the cross reminds us that sin and the power of the devil has no power over Jesus Christ our Lord.  We see the ugliness of our sin, but also the beauty of God’s love for all who believe this to be true.

Each week when we receive the body and blood of Christ Jesus, this same love and forgiveness is ours; a gift freely given of Christ himself.  This is true sovereignty.  This is true kingship.  As Luke concludes his story for this year, this is the picture of Christ that we must learn to embrace, the saving power of our Lord and our King in his victory on the cross.

So once again I invite you to close your eyes, picture Jesus in your mind.  What do you see?  Yeah, me too.  I see the babe of Bethlehem, the Good Shepherd and the one who feeds the hungry and cures the sick.  But that’s ok, that’s who Jesus is as well.  And next week Matthew will begin telling us the story in his words; the story of Christ our King.

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