The Eve of Christmas ----- 24 December 2014

(St. John's held two services on Christmas Eve 2014; the first based on the Service of Lessons and Carols and the second taken straight from the service book, Evangelical Lutheran Worship. My sermon was the same for both.) 

GOSPEL: Luke 2:1-20

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them,

and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

• Here we are again... at this great festival at the end of the year on the calendar and at the early part of the year in our church year.
• We hear again the old story of the birth of the Christ child in the manger at Bethlehem... and it fills us with warmth and good feelings. Doesn't it always? We love the lights and the singing, the candles and the gifts. We love the tree and the holly and the ivy and all the traditions, old and new.
• But what if you had never heard this story? What if you were hearing it for the first time? What if you were hearing the whole story of Jesus as you'd never heard it before?
• What if you were there... in Bethlehem... that night? What might you have done?
• There are those who would have walked right by, not noticing the family who had to stay in a garage since no one would take them in.
• There are those who might have noticed, only to be glad it wasn't them.
• Some might have been angry, either because a child had to be born in such an odd place or because this family had to become squatters in someone's barn. Who knows? Maybe one of those people might have done something... like bring a blanket or a thermos of coffee. On the other hand, maybe they'd call the police on these trespassers.
• We might say to ourselves “Well, I'd have brought them into my home, if I had seen Mary and Joseph and the baby there. I'd have cooked them a hot meal and wrapped them in a nice quilt. That's what I'd have done.”
• Y'know, I'm quite inadequate at preaching this festival; others do a much better job and have done much better. Here's a quote from a sermon by someone we've all heard of – one Dr. Martin Luther:
• “The inn was full. There are many of you who think: “If only I had been there! How quick I would have been to help the baby!” Childish and silly thoughts are these! Why don’t you do it now? You have Christ in your neighbor. You ought to serve him, for what you do to your neighbor in need you do to the Lord Christ himself"
• You see, we have the benefit of hind-sight. We've heard the story! We know who these people are! Sad to say, we don't always recognize Jesus Christ when he walks by us on the street.
• This blindness is one of the reasons Christ came among us. Our redemption and salvation are in his hands and have been given to us freely, without cost and without regard to our status in society. In fact, this Saviour-born-in-a-stable came to bring good news to the poor, the broken, and the suffering. For better words, I'm turning now to the Canadian singer, Bruce Cockburn who wrote these lines in his song “Cry of a Tiny Babe”:

There are others who know about this miracle birth
The humblest of people catch a glimpse of their worth
For it isn't to the palace that the Christ child comes
But to shepherds and street people, hookers and bums
And the message is clear if you've got ears to hear
That forgiveness is given for your guilt and your fear
It's a Christmas gift you don't have to buy
There's a future shining in a baby's eyes.

• Christmas again proclaims to us our God's presence and assures us of a future, one we can't see all of but we hope for; a future where we'll all know how much God loves us always.
• We heard the angel's announcement in the Gospel reading tonight and there's an important point that is often missed. I know I sometimes miss it when I read it. The angel says Do not be afraid; but angels say that all the time! The angel goes on: I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
• How many times does this angel say “you” or “to you”? Each time, the angel is saying it to each of us here.

to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent ---- 21 December 2014

Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" 35 The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God." 38 Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

"Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."

• The story of Mary, the mother of Jesus is woven so tightly into the Advent-and-Christmas story that you can't seperate them. Actually she and Joseph are far more active than Jesus is in the stories of the season. Of course, the fact that Jesus is a baby has a lot to do with it.
• Since Jesus came to live among us, there had to be a means to get him into the world. I imagine he could have just appeared like lightening does, with the accompanying thunder and terror. I imagine he could have arrived as a conquering king with angelic armies, blast of trumpet, and the sounding of battle cries. However these and others possible ways were not chosen. When Christ came among us, he arrived as we all did. That “ususal” way requires a mother.
• No one disputes that Jesus' mother was Mary of Nazareth. All four of the Gospels attest to that. Matthew and Luke speak of Jesus' birth and naturally, place Mary there. Mark only mentions Mary twice. Although John does not tell of Jesus birth, he does emphasize Mary in a few places, in particular, at the foot of the cross. In the Acts of the Apostles, Luke has Mary with “the brothers” of Jesus at at least one gathering of the disciples after Jesus' Ascension. These writers appear to have a special place for her.
• Let's lay aside the ideas and the veneration and all the saintly things that have become a crust around this person. Let's try to look at what she was about.
• Luke introduces her his way: In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. There are a number of important points here. Mary is named and is identified at the young woman pledged to marry a man named Joseph. They live in the rural back-water of Nazareth in Galilee. Gabriel, the special messenger of the Most High, comes with a special message. She is to have a special role in the salvation of the world and the plan of God.
• Why Mary? Theologians have argued and theorized and contemplated that question for many, many years. The truth is we don't know; God chose and hasn't told us why. In the same way, we could ask why God chose each of us to be Jesus' disciples. We don't know that either; all we know is that it's true.
• She's told not to fear, that she is chosen, and that God will see to it that all the obstacles will be overcome, the first being the fact that she is a virgin.
• Now think of this for a moment – What if she had said “No.”
• There doesn't appear to be a back-up plan here. There is no understudy for the role, no relief pitcher warming up the bullpen. God seems to have bet it all on one roll of the dice. Some rather poetic writers have said that all heaven held it's breath until Mary spoke again.
• We all know what she said: "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Older translations say something more like “Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to your word.” With that, all that God planned moved on into being. Jesus took on our nature and our lot, became truely human as our Creed says, and salvation began to break into our world.
• Listen again to what Mary said to Gabriel when he gave her the mysterious news: "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." That is the response of a disciple. Despite confusion and incomplete understanding, she says “I will do what you ask.”
• If we lay aside all the theology and the poetry and the icons, we see a woman who was willing to be what God asked her to be, even though she could not concieve of nor fully comprehend all this would require. We might call her the “Mother of Jesus”, the true and less-than-controversial title the Lutheran documents and hymnal prefer, but even that phrase misses the mark for us.
• Mary was mother for Jesus. For us, she is the first Christian. For us, she is the embodyment of a disciple's faith in action. She does what God asks even if it means problems for her. Remember Joseph almost broke the engagement and had resolved to send her away. In many ways, he too is and example of a disciple's faith.
• This Sunday however, we talk about Mary, the young woman of whom God asked a huge thing and who lived her life from then on as a life of faith and fidelity. formed by belief and trust in Jesus whom she knew as her son and whom she knew all along and yet came to know as the Christ.
• Some Christians call Mary Theotokas, “God Bearer.” Her faith in God and God's grace made that a reality. The truth here for us is this: by grace and faith, we too are called to bear God into the world daily.

The Third Sunday of Advent ---- 14 December 2014

John 1:6-8, 19-28

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 
19 This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 20 He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." 21 And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." 22 Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" 23 He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said. 24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" 26 John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, 27 the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." 28 This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.

• I've seen some magazines on the racks in stores that have to do with people and their lives. I must be honest and say that I have read some of them from time to time. Some gush over celebrities; others look for problems in famous people's lives or seem to create problems where none can be found, like in the old baseball saying: “I calls 'em as I sees 'em, and if I don't sees them, I makes 'em up.”
• We've all heard of celebrities drawing a crowd and being considered experts on what-ever simply because they're celebrities. In the New Testament times, John the Baptizer must have been a celebrity of a sort. As we heard in last week's Gospel reading, people from all over were going to the River Jordan to see him, and many were baptized by him.
• This week we hear from John that the Temple authorities had sent officials to question John about what his activites at the river. They want to know who he is and what he is doing. Appearently, they believe that they will decide what is going on and he doesn't fit into their neat categories. Is the the Messiah? No. Is he Elijah? No. Is the the Prophet? No. You can almost hear the confusion and despiration in their voices as they ask "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"
• John gives an answer and it is not a satisfactory answer to the Temple officials. They want to know by what authority does he do what he does, but John won't play their game. He says something that is confusing to the authorities, but the answer is actually for more threatening to them because it is not what is expected. It could be seen as a threat because if the Lord is really coming, things are going to change in a big way.
• Now in John's Gospel in particular, John the Baptizer stands as a witness to Jesus, first and foremost. There may have been “political” reasons for this but his role is that of witness none-the-less. This would take John down a peg and this could have been a result of what some scholars believe to be a competing John the Baptizer cult at the time. In John's Gospel, John the Baptizer is ready to step aside and let Jesus be the center.
• In our world, in our own day and time, many people want to turn Jesus' message of salvation into a message about themselves. As the Temple authorities asked John who he was and what he was about, so we are asked who WE are and what WE are about. This presents us this the everyday temptation to talk more about ourselves than about Jesus. As disciples, we would do well to follow John's example and point to Jesus rather than to ourselves. As we grow in grace, we might even say what John the Baptizer says later in John's Gospel: He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30)
• What we might say about Jesus may or may not have any effect on the people around us. Often what we say (and don't say) says more about us than about we are talking about. Our under-standing might not be complete or it might be coloured by our experience. This is the point at which we realize that what Jesus has to say about us is far more powerful (and safer) than what we might say about him.
• Jesus' testimony about us says more than we might think or understand. He tells the truth about us when he does not deny that we are sinners. He says more than that when he assures us of the love and forgiveness of God.
• His incarnation, his taking on flesh testifies to the goodness of our bodies as a creation of God and to the blessedness of life here on earth.
• His willingness to live among the people to whom he came to proclaim the salvation of God testifies to God faithfulness to his ancient Covenant. In particular, we see this in one of the ancient names referring to Jesus – Emmanuel, “God with us.”
• His death for the life and salvation of others and his taking on this ultimate weakness of our human-ness testifies to how far God will go to make his love known and present to us.
• His resurrection from the dead testifies to the complete plan the Father has for us, since Jesus is the “firstborn of the dead” (Rev. 1:5 & Col. 1:18) and the sign of hope to us of where our lives are ultimately going.
• What am I talking about here? Actually I'm talking about and testifying to nothing less than the freely-given grace of God, that grace to which Jesus' entire life and teaching among us was a proclaimation. It isn't cheap grace or always easy, but it's always there for us and it makes a difference.
• And that's something to point to each and every day.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.

The Second Sunday of Advent --- 7 December 2014

Isaiah 40:1-11

1 Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries out: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." 6 A voice says, "Cry out!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. 9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!" 10 See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

2 Peter 3:8-15a

8 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. 11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? 13 But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. 14 Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.

Mark 1:1-8

1 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,' " 4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

• It occured to me as I was preparing this sermon that John picked a special place to do his baptisms. ...people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Why the river Jordan?
• It's a special place. For the Jewish people, to cross the Jordan means to enter the promised land. The only way to cross the Jordan was to wade in the water and get wet. For John to baptize in that water symbolized a new entry into the promised land, the land God would give his people, their home.
• The people confessed their sins and John preached repentance. We are told that those who heard him repented and were baptized. Why? Did John's words convict them of their sins that much? Or was there more to his preaching?
• First of all, John preached and baptized as a way of preparing for the one who was to follow him, the one John calls “more powerful than I.”
• Second, John calls the people to repentance because the one who comes after him is already on the way. He will not wait until the people have all repented and everything is ready. He will not wait until everyone is properly prepared and everything is fully arranged. It's more of a case of the call to begin the children's game of Hide-and-Seek: “Ready or not, here I come.”
• As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,' " The Lord of Glory, promised by Isaiah and echoed by John was coming, whether or not the people were ready.
• Still John tells the people how to become ready. 'Begin with the baptism of repentance and go on to reform your lives' is what he says. The One who is to come will not wait until you are ready, but you can become ready for his coming.
• Is this a terrifying thing? Is the One who is coming on the way to punish? Isaiah tells us: No! Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. Then he says: See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.
• To me, this sounds like good news... which brings us to the Gospel of Mark. Mark starts off by saying what he is writing: The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark is saying that what he is writing is all good news, good tidings of great joy. (Does that phrase sound familiar? If not, wait a little while.) Mark has invented a brand new type of literature in writing a good news, a Gospel. Although Mark does not use all of the words of Isaiah, what he wrote would remind his readers of the entire passage and its good news of God's tender care.
• For Mark, the message of John the Baptizer means more than the words of a historical personage. His words of preparation have special meaning and power because his community of Christians is again waiting, waiting for the return of the One who promised to come back in power and glory. As they waited, we wait as well. We don't know how long we'll wait or what the return will be like exactly, but we trust in the promise given to us. We might even see the times as the writer of the letter of Peter sees them: The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.
• While we wait, we work and concern ourselves with the Good News. The Lord is coming again. We'll say it once more today in out Creed. Then we'll find ways to live out our waiting faith, our waiting hope, and our waiting love. The waiting will change us since we'll enter the Land of the Promise through a baptism that is more than water, but as John proclaimed about Jesus: I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

the First Sunday of Advent ---- 30 November 2014

(Due to circumstances beyond my control or due to my lack of control, this blog entry was delayed.)

Mark 13:24-3724 "But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see "the Son of Man coming in clouds' with great power and glory. 27 Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28 "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32 "But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35 Therefore, keep awake--for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36 or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake."

But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

• We all share some things. We all have some things in common with the people around us. There is, however, one thing we all – everyone of us – share: We have all been born. Every last one of us has gone through the experience of birth, surely our own. I don't remember my birth and I'd be willing to bet that very, very few of you here remember your's. Those present who have given birth to a child surely can never forget it, but remembering our own birth? Doubtful.
• Look at things from the infant's perspective for a moment. Where you are is a pretty comfortable place. You are warm, well-fed, and, barring accidents, fairly well taken-care-of. Things get a bit close after a while, but you don't want to leave this safe, comfortable environment, especially since it is all you know! Can an infant imagine what is beyond the womb? (assuming that an infant can imagine, of course.)
• When the time come for birth, it surely would be seen as a horrible catastrophe! What's happening to me? This doesn't feel good! Everything is a mess. What am I getting myself into?
• Let's just say that everything that follows is a complete surprise to the baby. No wonder they cry!
• But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
• This sounds horrible and frightening. It appears to be a catastrophe of cosmic proportions. But so does childbirth from the view of the child. This is one way of viewing the meaning of Advent.
• As we enter Advent, we can take up the hints, clues, and suggestions that the Scriptures give us.
• The question of “the day and the hour” always comes up. In this passage from Mark's Gospel, we hear Jesus himself say But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Through the history of the church, we wonder about what we consider delay, especially in the face of troubles and disasters. Many assume that since Jesus delays his coming, he's not coming or if he is coming, it could be years and years and years. It is Mark who takes different tack; Jesus is coming and he could be at the door right now! So be ready! Keep awake! This then is the reminder of Advent.
• There are of course many reminders of what is to come. There are also signs that we wish were not signs of what might be. Health problems can be an example. They can happen without warning and they can also serve as a warning. They remind us that we are not in full charge of all that goes on and they may tell us that things need to change.
• They can tell us that changes can be just around the corner and the corner is simply not that far away. We just don't know and we must keep awake.
• As to what is around the corner, we are promised far more than we could imagine. The season of Advent invites us to wait impatiently for the consummation of hope, longing to know God as fully as we have been known; to see no longer through a dark pane, but face to face; to love as we have been loved; to experience Jesus Christ as he is, and in so doing, to become like him.
• Our own understanding of how we live in the present with hope for the future tells us that Jesus is present now in the Word and in the Sacrament and in the community of believers. These signs of Christ's presence now point to what is yet to come.
• Mark's point remains: Christ is not with us as he once was, and he is not with us as he will be!
• Even if our life this this world is pleasant and blessed, we'd best not be complacent. The promise of God remains: There is more and there is better!
• How can we hold to this promise in the face of both the good and the bad of life? How can we constantly wait for something hoped for that remains unknown?
• Mark's Gospel tells us. Since the timing is unknown, we wait always, eagerly wondering if somehow now is the time.
• Now who actually thinks this way? Who could go through each and every day, morning, noon, and night, waiting for and looking forward to someone's return?
• The answer is incredibly simply: People in love do and that might be the best way to think about what Mark wrote. We wait because we are loved and we wait because we love. We wait for the full presence of the one we love.

Sunday of Christ the King ----- 23 November 2014

Matthew 25:31-46

31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, "Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' 40 And the king will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, "You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' 44 Then they also will answer, "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' 45 Then he will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.

• As the church year ends, we hear these parables or prophecies of doom and I know that they are scary. I've felt that way and some of you have told me that you've felt that way in the past.
• We hear the passage from Matthew that is sometimes called 'Matthew's apocalypse' because it take us into a sort of scriptural type that reveals what is to come.
• The parable reveals a judgement scene. The people of the world are being judged. The strange part for a Christian parable is he fact that nothing is said about faith and fidelity to Jesus or to God. The people – separated into 'sheep' and 'goats' at the king's right and left – are being judged on how they treated those whom the king calls the least of these who are members of my family. Nothing is said about remaining faithful through trial and persecution. The king commends or condemns on the simple basis of how each one treated the hungry, the thirsty, the lost, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned, saying that every time they did or didn't do this they did it or didn't do it for Jesus.
• So then what is this about? Are we not saved by grace through faith rather than by our own works? Where is grace in this parable?
• Actually it is right in the centre. It is grace that changes the perspective of all those who are mentioned in the parable.
• In his preaching, Jesus does not prescribe things for his disciples to do as much as declare things as they are. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus does not say “strive to be poor so you will be blessed” or “strive to make peace so God's blessing will be on you.” No, he says “Blessed are the poor for the Kingdom of Heaven is their's” and “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called Children of God.” He declares these people to be blessed and graced apart from what anyone might say.
• In this parable from Matthew, Jesus tells the “sheep” "Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” for they were the ones who were merciful and compassionate. These people did not know that they were doing it for Jesus; they had no idea that he was present in one of the least of these who are members of my family...
• In fact, no one in the parable, except for Jesus and the angels, knows Jesus was present in the ones in need of mercy.
• Here is the change of perspective that comes with grace and it goes far beyond was is mentioned in the parable. It appears that grace is to be found in just about every aspect of our lives.
• If we can find Christ in the least of those around us, then we can find him anywhere. It just shows us that grace is everywhere. Faith comes into play in that through faith we believe we can find Christ in the people and the situations around us. It is grace that opens our eyes to see what is around us, to know the new reality that is laden with grace.
• Even in situations where God appears to not be present, God is present in you as a disciple and believer. This leads us to want to uncover God present in anything that goes on around us. The Word of God within you cries out to the Word of God beyond you.
• No worries there: Jesus is waiting when ever we make an effort to find him and, in fact, he is present whether we make that effort or not.
• I have come to realize that this parable, this apocalyptic story will always challenge me, and I hope it will always challenge you. It's probably best that way. Hearing this again and again will keep us from becoming complacent. It will keep us looking for Christ in the people we meet, or at the least, remembering that Jesus redeemed them as much as he redeemed us.
• It might be best to end our church year a little itchy for the Good News of Christ entering our lives in his birth in poverty in the stable in Bethlehem. That way, we might be a bit more ready for the news that Christ enters our lives in the people around us, especially the least of these who are members of my family...

The Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost ---- 16 November 2014

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When they say, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! 4 But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; 5 for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.
6 So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; 7 for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him.
11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing. 

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

• The theme of the end of all things continues and will go on for the next week. It's a theme that we don't really wish to hear, but it is one the the Scriptures place in front of us often.
• We all know that the Scriptures are full of comfort for us and we all know that they are full of challenge. We really can't have one without the other. There are times when the challenge can be the avoidance of despair.
• Both the reading from the prophet Zephaniah and the reading from Paul's letter tell of “the day of the Lord.” This is a coming calamity of cosmic proportions. The prophet warns the people that if they think God will ignore them, they are wrong. He warns of war and battle, of darkness and gloom, of terror and distress, of things their money cannot buy their way out of.
• Paul speaks of the day of the Lord coming like a thief in the night and like labour pains coming to a pregnant woman. But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.
• Paul speaks of wakefulness and sobriety as opposed to being senselessly asleep and out of control. These are to be the sign of the Christian in the face of what is to come.
• He goes as far as to compare the Christian to a soldier fully armoured with the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. Paul uses a similar example in his letter to the Ephesians. The armour of a soldier would be something that all his hearers would be familiar with.
• Notice though that he attaches something to each piece of the armour. He identifies them with certain virtues. So we hear again of the three virtues that Paul recommends – faith, hope, and love.
• These are the attitudes that will make a difference for the Christian in the face of what might be considered a disaster. Paul says that the Thessalonians know of the coming day of the Lord and he has no need to tell them more about it. They have had concerns about those who have died before Christ returns. They showed themselves to be well aware of what is to come, of the reality of judgement in a future day. Paul advises them to hold fast to faith, hope, and love as an armour to defend them from what is to come. He assures them of the grace of God: For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. The coming Day of the Lord may be frightening and beyond understanding, but Christ's disciples are given over to salvation rather than destructive wrath. They are to encourage each other with this.
• We are to encourage each as well. We live in a time and a place that does not always support any sort of faith. People who believe are often seen as strange or “unscientific.” Believers in Christ are faced with many voices that challenge our faith.
• When we think of it, it has probably always been that way. Society doesn't like to deal with things out of the ordinary. What this does mean is this: to believe and live out those beliefs takes courage. It also takes support and encouragement. This is why following Christ is never a solo adventure. We need each other. We need to come together for worship, for the Lord's Supper. We need to hear the Good News proclaimed and explained.
• We need to hear – believe it or not – that we are sinners, for fear we become complacent. We need to hear – believe it or not – that our sins are forgiven, for fear that we might despair. We need to hear that we are blessed through no work of our own and that God's love precedes any sort of conversion on our part.
• We need to hear it from each other! Please don't think that since I'm a pastor, I'm somehow different from all of you. I need to hear the Gospel from you!
• So we armour ourselves with faith and love to cover our hearts and the vital parts of our lives... like a breastplate. And we make hope for our ultimate salvation as the guard of our thoughts... like a helmet. Once again, faith, hope, and love are our strength in this day and in all the days to come. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul states: And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
• This is how the Gospel is spread. This is how the Gospel is shared with our fellow disciples and with those who hunger to hear the Good News. This is what flows from the very grace of God to sustain us through troubles, even to the coming day of the Lord.

But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.
So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 

The Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost ---- 9 November 2014

Amos 5:18-24

18 Alas for you who desire the day of the Lord! Why do you want the day of the Lord? It is darkness, not light; 19 as if someone fled from a lion, and was met by a bear; or went into the house and rested a hand against the wall, and was bitten by a snake. 20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?

21 I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. 24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Matthew 25:1-13

1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, "Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise replied, "No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, "Lord, lord, open to us.' 12 But he replied, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. 

Therefore encourage one another with these words.

• What sort of encouragement can we take from the rather harsh words of both the reading from the prophet Amos and today's Gospel passage? Neither one appears to carry a comforting message. In truth, both are quite challenging.
• Amos flatly says that God will not accept the worship of Israel. God will not hear their prayers, will not listen to their hymns, will not accept the offerings in the Temple. At one point, Amos says that God will not “smell” their burnt offerings. The prophet paints a picture of God covering his ears, shutting his eyes, and even holding his nose in response to the Temple worship.
• The prophets have always spoken against idolatrous worship and called the people away from it. Here Amos does not say that; the worship is proper and directed to the God of Israel. The problem is that it is hollow and empty. It is sincere and it is right but it is not connected with the life of the people. They have missed the point. They pray and worship but their prayer and devotion is somehow separate from all the rest of their lives and they do not do justice for those around them. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. This is a strong theme in the preaching of all the prophets.
• Matthew's parable of the bridesmaids is not an easy one to hear as well. Personally, I've often been bothered by what appears to be a lack of sharing on the part of the prepared bridesmaids. On second thought, it appears to be similar to the case of a person who has not studied for an exam and demands - in the name of sharing - that you let them copy your answers in writing the examination.
• Preparation and watchfulness are the key words here. None of the bridesmaids know when the bridegroom is coming. All ten wait. All ten fall asleep and are awakened by the shout that the bridegroom has arrived. As all of them trim their torches, half of them realize that their lamps will not stay lit for long, but the other half – the prepared ones – cannot share their oil and the unprepared ones go off to the all-night store to buy lamp oil, causing them to be excluded form the wedding feast when they find themselves locked out. "Lord, lord, open to us.' But he replied, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you.'
• Be prepared. Be watchful. Be ready even if the one you wait for is delayed. Matthew puts it this way: Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
• Cold comfort or not comfort at all. Isn't this what our religion should be all about?
• Actually, no. The Gospel should make us uncomfortable. The word of the prophets should make us sweat. Only when we're edgy and uneasy and a bit conscious of how we fall short does the Gospel offer comfort... and forgiveness. Only when we reach beyond ourselves to touch our neighbour in compassion and concern will we find that we've reached out to God and reached out with God. Good works do not work righteousness, but righteousness works good works.
• The readings prescribed for the Worship services for this time of year all speak of what is to come. They speak of the necessity of watchfulness and preparedness. They remind us that righteousness come from the only Righteous One and we can act as he did.
• The Church Year comes full circle, beginning with the ancient promise of a Messiah and all the preparation for the birth of Jesus, the Word-made-flesh. The Church year ends with reminders, and often uncomfortable reminders, of the Coming of Christ in glory for the sake of judgement. We might not comprehend the first and we may avoid thinking about the second, but we are placed squarely in middle of the mystery of God's concern and presence in history and in all that is created and all that exists.
• So here we are, at the final act of another church year and another year of the calendar. The yard has been cleaned up (I believe) and we are making preparations for the coming cold. The lessons for our worship are hard ones. They challenge us... and so they should. They remind us that being watchful and being prepared actually means being compassionate and concerned, which we are. It also means hearing the prophets who speak in the scripture and who still speak on the streets and other places.
• Earlier this week, in the state of Florida, a 90-year old man and two pastors were arrested for what their city considers criminal behaviour. They were led away by constables, hand-cuffed, and booked for the criminal act... of serving food to the homeless in their neighbourhood. Maybe they were simply being watchful and prepared.
• So there is good news in our day.

Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Sunday of All Saints --- 2 November 2014

(In our Lutheran tradition - at least in Canada - All Saints Sunday is set aside to remember those who have passed from our sight, particularly those who have died in the past year. At St. John's, the names of those people are read, a candle is lit, and the mourning bell is rung for each.)

1 John 3:1-3
1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. 3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Matthew 5:1-12

1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 

10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed.

• I have to tell you; I like this passage from the first letter of John. The letters of John have an agenda, just like Paul's letters. They weren't written to say hello and report how the fishing was. All of those letters were written to answer questions or to confront problems. Paul had founded a number of churches around the Mediterranean Sea and felt responsible for them and their faith.
• John was different; he was troubled by the direction his own distinctive Christian community was going. Many of that community (and some commentators believe most of the community) were slipping into a heresy known as “Gnosticism”, which taught that salvation came from secret knowledge. The writer we call John was trying to call them back to faith in Jesus Christ.
• When John told his readers that they should realize that they are God's children, he was reminding them of what they had been taught – that God's grace and life were with them now and were given freely without requiring some sort of special knowledge. The love and grace of God were mystery enough for all. No one knows the actual outcome of the dispute, but it appears that it did not end happily for the more orthodox group.
• Still, for us today, there is a message of hope on this All Saints Sunday, even as we remember our beloved dead. It is as simple as this: Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed.
• In the present day, we stand as a people received into God's own life as adopted children. Not as children of an after-thought or as lesser, second-class siblings, but as beloved children. God has already bestowed upon us the thing that is most important for being the people we are called to be. We are children of God. Already. Today. Now. Nothing changes this, not even death. What more can be said of this? We need only to look to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ! Death could not hold him and he is ...the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (Romans 8:29) His disciples are not kept from the Father by death, even though they are gone from our sight.
• There is a second part to the passage from John: what we will be has not yet been revealed. Could this be John's way of saying something like “the best is yet to come.” or as the Pennsylvania Germans say “Save your fork; there's cake yet.” Or is it more like the old vaudeville saying “You ain't seen nothin' yet!”
• That is our hope at least. John tells us that what is to come is beyond our understanding and our comprehension. We cannot come to any concept of it by our own thought or imagination. What we will be will come to us as a revelation.
• There have been many guesses as what is to come, and they all fall short. Whether it is reincarnation, transformation into an angel or some sort of angelic being, or a re-purposing of our lives until we get it right, any of these ideas will not encompass what God has waiting for us. Paul put it this way in his first letter to the church at Corinth: But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him’
• John does however give us a hint: What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. When our Saviour is completely revealed, that revelation will change us to become fully like him. What we look forward to is nothing less than a “resurrected” life.
• Now there is something more to this than waiting to become like Jesus. That grace-filled life begins now. We need only to look at the Beatitudes to see what a Christ-like life would be. Each of the Beatitudes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount declares a group of people to be “Blessed” even though they might not be seen as such by society in general. The Beatitudes take what appears to be loss and makes it gain; what appears to be a curse becomes a blessing. After all, poverty, mourning, and persecution are not seen as good things.
• So why are these people blessed? Because they are like Christ and bear a portion of his life. After all, who was more poor in spirit than Jesus? Who was more gentle or humble? (We'll use those terms instead of saying “meek.”) Who better exemplified mercy and the hunger for righteousness? You can take any of the Beatitudes and apply them to Jesus. You can apply them to his disciples by extension and as his disciples emulate him.
• Lastly in the sermon, Jesus says this: Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. We all know that Christ continues to be reviled and persecuted in his disciples.
• To put it simply, we wait for the resurrection of the dead, as we say whenever we recite the Creed. To remember those who have passed on brings to mind the resurrection they await as well. There is no guess-work here, although there is a mystery. This is our ultimate hope and our faith draws us closer to the Resurrected One and with him, to those who wait for their own resurrection as we do.

What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.

(At the close of the Prayers of the Church, I added this litany of rembrance that I borrowed from an old high school friend's Facebook posting.)

At the rising of the sun and at it’s going down   - We remember you

At the blowing of the wind and the chill of winter   - We remember you

At the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring   - We remember you

At the blueness of the sky and in the warmth of summer   - We remember you

At the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of autumn   - We remember you

At the beginning of the year and when it ends   - We remember you

As long as we live, you too will live; for you are now a part of us   - We remember you

When we are weary and in need of strength   - We remember you

When we are lost and sick at heart   - We remember you

When we have a joy we crave to share   - We remember you

When we have decisions that are difficult to make   - We remember you

When we have achievements that are based on you   - We remember you

As long as we live, you live too; for you are now a part of us in God   - We remember you

Remembered this day:
    Maria Budaker
    Marjorie Dutot
    John Golem
   Mary Frances McGeehin
   Walter Moritz
   Emil Neukamm
   Reini Simones
   Yvette Simones
   Joyce Slorach
   Mary Triebl