Sunday, 29 December 2013

The First Sunday of Christmas ---- 29 December 2013

Matthew 2:13-23

13 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." 14 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son." 16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: 18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more." 19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20 "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead." 21 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23 There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean."

Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod.

  • Theologians tell us that this event in the life of Jesus is done so that Jesus might be seen as a true Israelite, going into Egypt and then returning to the Promised Land.
  • There are differences, of course. Jesus is a baby and it is Joseph who heeds the angel's advice to go to Egypt. Once there, Jesus and his family are not enslaved. The differences are small compared to the larger reason for the flight into Egypt. Jesus would be spared the slaughter of young children ordered by Herod and by going to Egypt and returning, Jesus follows the route of the Hebrew people – from Canaan into Egypt to escape destruction and then back into the land of the promise. The whole history of the Hebrew people is found in Jesus.
  • Another point is found in Jesus being spared from death as Moses was. With this in mind, Jesus is compared to Moses since both were spared from death to save the people.
  • There is still more to this than meets the eye at first glance. It may seem to be a story of escape and of tragedy. It almost seems to be a story of a “just-in-the-nick-of-time” escape from death.
  • Many find great injustice in the story, saying what sort of God would permit such a tragedy in the killing of innocent children. There is no getting away from that question... and there is no answer to it either. There have always been injustices and until the Kingdom comes fully, there probably always will be. We don't have to like it and we as Christians will dedicate ourselves to removing such injustices as we can.
  • Besides the identification of Jesus with the entire Hebrew people and the fulfilment of prophecy noted by the evangelist, the story points out that Jesus and his kingdom will be opposed by those whose interests are only for themselves. Herod did not what to meet the new “King of the Jews” to honour him or to debate with him. He found even the rumour and story of a new-born King to be a threat to his status quo. So he responded as those in power often do – with force and violence. There would be no discussion or power sharing. There would be no gentle acceptance of the transfer of sovereignty. There would be only blood and terror and “Rachel weeping for her children... ...because they are no more."
  • It is a sad tale and it's one every nation has known. It is the way of earthly power, a power that opposes the way of God since the way of God threatens what appears to be their power. So innocence is laid waste and fear of such violence will keep everyone in line.
  • Jesus was opposed all his life by those who were in power or were “insiders.” Jesus spent his life on earth as an “outsider” who was often not accepted by those who saw themselves as righteous, even those who strongly up held the God of Israel or who believed they upheld the God of Israel. Often they upheld their own privilege, saying it was God's will and desire. As it is with so many in history, their own will is interpreted as the will of God and then acted upon.
  • What of us? How is this Good News for us?
  • This story does plant Jesus firmly within the actions that make up the history of the world. The type of horror that Herod decreed in order to save his throne have been repeated many times. The attitude he held – to keep his power no matter what the cost – is often seen in the action of other leaders, great or small. It is something many of us have seen from leaders, large or small. Jesus has endured the exile, the separation from a home, the apprehension about being chased or betrayed that so many of us have.
  • Should we think that Jesus does not understand our situations, our problems, or our predicaments, we need only read about the circumstances of his birth and his youth, especially this story of the flight into Egypt.
  • Here is point so well put by the writer of the letter to the Hebrews. Jesus endured what any of us have endured and he understands.
  • The letter to the Hebrews says this: ...it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.
  • We are saved by one who understands us. We are saved by one like us. We are saved by a God who loves us so much that he would become a part of the fabric of our universe and of our history... even if it meant misunderstanding, exile, and death.
  • Isaiah puts it this way: It was no messenger or angel but his presence that saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
  • Thanks be to God for such grace.

A view of our Christmas

I hope no one minds if I post a photo of my family's Christmas dinner. We were invited to a friend's house and had the honour of being the first dinner guests at his new place. Our friend, Nick, is an Anglican priest, a canon of the cathedral, and is retiring in early 2014. He bought his house in our town.

Since we all do historical reenacting, we all "dressed for dinner." and a wonderful dinner it was!

From left to right - Your humble author, my wife, Beth, our host, Nick, our daughter Katie, and our son, Rob.
Beth made my coat and her gown for the occasion. Rob wore his 1812 US Army uniform with sergeant's regalia.

Nick goes through his check-list.

The table is set for the fish course.

The whole table - set for a legendary dinner.
Happy New Year to you all! May God continue to bless you!

Thursday, 26 December 2013

Sermon for Christmas Eve --- 24 December 2013

St. John's hold two services on Christmas Eve; The early service is primarily for families with young children and it looks it. The later service is the Traditional Liturgy. My sermon for the family service is one shared with the children as we sit in the sanctuary and is like skiing blind in a blizzard - I know where I started and I know where I want to end, but in between is a blur since you never can tell with the children will do!

This sermon is from the second service.

Luke 2:1-14 [15-20]
8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 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: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"

[15 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." 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.]

8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 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: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
[15 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." 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.]

[15 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." 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.]

1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 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. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 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.

"Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."

  • Every Christmas, people come to worship at their church or some church or they stay home and read the account of Jesus' birth in either Luke or Matthew's Gospels. Every year, some people do this without fail. What is it that compels them to do this?
  • The story itself is not all that unusual. Babies are born every day. Babies are born in unusual circumstances each and every day. Babies are born to poor people and people away from home and people without a home every day. This is not news; it is a fact and has been a fact since the human race began to have babies.
  • The gathering of people here is not so unusual either. People gather for sports, for politics, for birthdays and anniversaries, for parties of all kinds. This happens every day, too.
  • Is it a sort of nostalgia that draws us in? A memory of by-gone days and simpler times... when wiser people made decisions for us and we felt taken care of?
  • Are we here because of old friends and long-known relatives? Do we want to enjoy the warmth of closeness?
  • Do we hope to see something new, something we haven't seen or known before? Do we come here this night for some novelty?
  • Have we been forced to be here by some power beyond ourselves? Has guilt driven us here, with the feeling that we're “supposed to be here?”
  • Really it could be any of those things, but all of them fall short. The gathering can become artificial. The nostalgia grows stale and forced. The warmth of old friends and family sometimes becomes a burden. The hope of something new may fall flat. Guilt and main force can put us in the seat but our mind could be far, far away.
  • Still, there is something beyond all this, something that cuts through all the other layers that may motivate us for a time.
  • Plain and simple, we have come here to encounter Jesus Christ, whether we encounter him in the people, in the proclaimed word, in the sacrament, or in the spirit of the evening. Christmas is an encounter – each and every time.
  • Every time we come to this season we hear the same carols, the same greetings, the same Bible passages. They may seem old and trite, but as familiar as they might be, they are an encounter. Surely when we meet an old friend, we don't worry about why they (or we) aren't someone new. They are as we have known them and if something new comes into the conversation, isn't that all the better?
  • It could even be that the familiarity of the readings, the songs, and all that goes on around us can help us hear the message of Christmas, unless we get distracted by the trivia and the peripherals of the season.
  • We come to hear the message of hope and of love unconditional and eternal. We come to share our common desire for a new and better future. We come to partake of the Good News that hope is here and what is to come -even if it seem delayed- is a blessing.
  • What we won't hear from this pulpit is the message that we're fine the way we are and that we either deserve a saviour or somehow don't need a saviour. No, not tonight.
  • Tonight is an encounter with what Christmas is. It is the birth of a hope beyond expecting in the person of Jesus, son of Mary and son of God. It is the story of the arrival in time and space -and in our lives- of the one who brings Good News to the poor and those in need... and, sisters and brothers, aren't we hungry for that Good News? I know I am.
  • Just as our Gospel story tells us that the shepherds, in their poverty and need, and despite their terror and confusion, decided "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." , so we too have come to this Bethlehem to see and hear and encounter what has taken place, for the Lord has made it known to us as well.
  • Tonight is no magic charm to ward off trouble and tragedy. This evening is no immunity to sadness and grief. In itself, it is not a remedy for all illness of the body, mind, or heart.
  • But tonight is a meeting place, where we hear and celebrate once again the birth of a child who grew to be a man who had made such a difference in each of our lives and still give us hope. This night is an encounter with one we all want to know better.
  • The angels sing a lot, and one speaks. The speaking angel said something to the shepherds to calm their fears. He said: "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 Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”
  • Tonight, those words are for us. A saviour has been born, the Messiah, the Lord, “God with us”. Let us look for him everywhere, for his presence is announced and he will be there.
  • "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 Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
  • Merry Christmas, my friends.

Sunday, 22 December 2013

4th Sunday of Advent --- 22 December 2013

Isaiah 7:10-16

Romans 1:1-7
Matthew 1:18-25
All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us."

  • “Emmanuel”... “God is with us.” Is it a name? A title? A shorthand nickname? Or can it be more than we ever thought?
  • Isaiah's prophecy comes at a time of real trouble for the nation of Judah. The nation is facing invasion by a coalition of enemies and its king, Ahaz, is considering an alliance with Assyria, one of the real powers of the ancient world and a very nasty one at that. Isaiah says God is wanting to give the king a sign which could tell the king what God wants done, but the king says no. Whether he says this out of a false humility or he says this out of concern that the sign might contradict what he's already decided to do, we don't know. But he gets a sign anyway, whether he wants it or not! The sign will be a child whom Isaiah says that by the time that this child will be able to choose the good and reject, the coalition of enemies that Ahaz so fears will be humbled in defeat.
  • As with most prophecies, there is more that one level of meaning. Matthew picks this up and sees its application to the situation of Jesus and the concerns of Joseph. Joseph listens to the angel involved in this story and takes Mary as his wife despite the odd situation and his earlier misgivings.
  • The child he accepts and loves and raises is never formally named “Emmanuel.” He is named “Jesus” which is the Latin form of the name we know as “Joshua”, a good solid Hebrew name that means “God is saviour.” Still Emmanuel is one of Jesus' titles for one simple reason: He is and remains “God with us.”
  • “God is with us” is more than a name, it is a promise. “God is with us” means just that – God is with us. Not “Got is with us if...” or “God is with us when...” or “God is with us provided that we...” No, it is a promise without conditions... and promises with conditions aren't really promised, are they? Those would be more like contracts. God doesn't make contracts; God makes covenants. Every covenant made in the Scriptures has been broken, but never by God.
  • Looking at Matthew's use of Isaiah's prophecy, we see that Jesus is the one who will be called Emmanuel. The one called Emmanuel will be with us no matter what. No matter what has happened to us, God is with us. No matter what we have to endure, God is with us. No matter what we have done, God remains with us.
  • God is with us not because we are such great and wonderful persons that we deserve such a presence of God, but because God wishes to do it. Despite our unworthiness, our sin, our wilful separation from God, our alienation from God, from others, and from ourselves, God has not given up on us.
  • Let us understand that this does not mean that God ignores our sins or approves of them. Far from it! Our sins pain our God because we distance ourselves from the One who loves us without condition. God will note our sins, not to condemn or accuse, but like a loving parent or like the best of friends, God notes them to point out where we are wrong and where we need God's grace or have refused it.
  • Jesus as “God with us” is not simply a sentiment or a good idea; it is a reality. Jesus is the Word Made Flesh, like us in all things but sin as the letter to the Hebrews tells us. Jesus was born of a woman in poor circumstances and lived among real people, without privileges and honours. He preached to those who needed it and to those who would not hear. He died a dishonoured death, abandoned by almost everyone. And he rose and remains with us... in his Word, in his sacraments, in his people, and in what his people do.
  • “God is with us” is a promise. “God is with us” is a mystery. “God is with us” is our comfort. “God is with us” as name, title, proclamation, and basic theology is our salvation. “God is with us” is Jesus Christ.

Monday, 16 December 2013

The Fourth Sunday of Advent --- 15 December 2013

Isaiah 35:1-10

James 5:7-10
Matthew 11:2-11

"Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.”

  • You might remember that a few years ago, a rather famous man made this statement: “Christianity is a religion for losers.” There was a lot of publicity and hollering and clucking of tongues at the time and I think he may have amended his statement later. We also know that this attitude is still quite common in certain circles.
  • Nobody wants to be tagged as a loser. Winners get things done. Winners make a difference. To put it simply, winners win and losers lose and that's the way the story ends.
  • Where do we place ourselves? We're not losers, are we? We're successful, good looking, financially comfortable, well liked. We're not losers.
  • Still each of us has our pains, our losses, our troubles, our out-of-control times. We suffer from aches and pains of age, of sickness, of injuries old and new. We've lost loved ones, friends, jobs, livelihoods, interests, homes, and dreams. We all wish, at one time or another, that we were a few kilos lighter, that our nose wasn't so big or so small, that our hair was lighter or darker, or that we'd taken better care of ourselves.
  • Most of us, if not all of us, wouldn't mind a few more dollars in our pockets or a house that fit our lives better. Many of us would like more friends, better friends, or deeper friendships.
  • Let's face it... each and every one of us is broken in some way. Although we may have done well for ourselves, in some way, each of us has fallen short, whether by our own doing or because of circumstances.
  • Another way of saying this whole thing is the use of an word that is very easily found in Scripture. It is also another word we don't like to hear: poverty. Poverty goes further and deeper than money. There are rich people who are quite poor and penniless folk who count themselves rich.
  • Make no mistake; poverty is a tragedy – the starving, the homeless, those who are suffering from illness and wounds that still go untreated – all this is tragic. And we each of us are called to do something about these things if it is in our power.
  • Should we help because we're somehow better? No! We help because we're the same!
  • Now every person I've ever known is poor in some way. Every last one of us needs and is needy in some way or another.
  • This fact leads us back to our reading from Matthew. When John's disciples convey John's question about the Messiah. “the one who is to come”, to Jesus, Jesus responds by saying in effect “See what I'm doing and tell John.” There have been other people who claimed to be “the one who is to come”, but actions speak louder than words.
  • Jesus outlines what he's been doing: "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.”
  • Jesus' answer is actually clear; he is doing what the Messiah will do. The healings and cleansings don't surprise us. The last point ...and the poor have the good news brought to them.” really is good news to those in any trouble. In Jesus' time, the poor were often considered sinful since they did not receive the blessing of God like the rich had. This was the general attitude even with the preaching of the prophets. The poor needed the good news that they were important to God and that the salvation of God was not reserved for the rich and powerful as any number of people had believed... and still believe.
  • Jesus says “the poor have the good news brought to them.” This is not a rumour they've overheard or something they say on a poster in the public places of the city. This is not a crumb brushed from the table of the powerful. This good news is being delivered to them directly. This good news is for them.
  • This is good news for us today. Our brokenness and our sin is not obstacle for God. The word of salvation has come near to us, without our work or even our desire. Those who are broken do not have to work to deserve God's gifts; they are given without regard to deservedness or worthiness.
  • We know that there have been waves of troubles, one after the other, in our lives and at times we feel swamped by them. Yet in the midst of all these troubles and pains, the Good News shines through. Beyond that, if we know ourselves to be people with troubles and ills and pains and all sorts of poverty, we know that this good news is addressed to us
  • ... and it is good for us to hear.

Sunday, 8 December 2013

The Second Sunday of Advent --- 8 December 2013

Isaiah 11:1-10

Romans 15:4-13
Matthew 3:1-12
Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' "
  • With these words, Matthew the Evangelist sums up the preaching and ministry of John the Baptizer. These words from Isaiah tells us what John was all about. John's words are sharp and often prickly, but that might be just the thing to pierce the hide of some of the people of his day, especially the ones who were quite self-satisfied or felt that the Kingdom of God was their private preserve.
  • John stood in the long tradition of prophecy among the people of God. Prophets say more about the present than the future since their mission is to tell God's people about God's action in the present whether that action is judgement or consolation. John's call to repentance actually is one of hope. The admonition to repent means that redemption is possible and John makes it clear that redemption is coming and is not to be taken lightly. Preparation is required, and he tells his listeners “Bear fruit worthy of repentance.”

  • There are prophets in our own day and time. At times, they're pretty hard to bear even if they don't wear camel's hair tunics and survive on grasshoppers and honey. Some have spent time in prison because their message is unacceptable to those in power. The world has lost one such person this week with the death of Nelson Mandela in South Africa. In the midst of a horrifying situation, he remained a voice for change, for sanity, and ultimately for forgiveness. About himself, he said this: “I am not a saint unless you think a saint is a sinner who keeps on trying.”
  • Let's look at things closer to home, leaving aside prophets on the world stage for a bit. Here we are in Advent, a season of preparation on many levels. We are faced with advertising and a lot of outside influence regarding the celebration of Christmas. Stores have had Christmas decorations up since Hallowe'en. Radio stations are playing Christmas music, some of which isn't worth listening to. (What else is new?) This goes against our understanding of Advent, leaving no time for preparation. These influences demand we celebrate Christmas and celebrate it RIGHT NOW!
  • I admit we are legitimately torn. We know it's here and not yet. Yet, isn't the preparation important as well? And fun?
  • Tell me - how do you prepare? Decorate the house and hang stockings or put out your shoes? Address Christmas cards? Bake and cook and plan menus for the festival day? Put up the traditional tree?
  • I'm not here to get after anyone for how they celebrate the season. I think all these things are true preparations for Christmas and the Christmas season. And Advent is about preparation. "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' "
  • "Advent is a winter training camp for those who desire peace . . . Is there a lingering resentment, an unforgiven injury living in our hearts? Do we look down upon others of lesser social standing or educational achievement? Are we generous with the gifts that have been given to us, seeing ourselves as their stewards and not their owners? Are we reverent of others, their ideas and needs, and of creation? These and other questions become Advent lights by which we may search the deep, dark corners of our hearts."
    [Edward Hays (from his book "A Pilgrim's Almanac") ]

  • This is preparation and a way to “Bear fruit worthy of repentance.” Our preparation will not make it happen. Like the season of Christmas, our preparation will not bring on the season; it will happen whether we are prepared or not! In a like manner, the Kingdom of God has come near, whether we know it or not, whether we are prepared or not. John was calling for preparation and letting the people know the Kingdom of God was upon them. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; ...I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me;
  • We hear these words in a different way than those who heard them from John in the wilderness, but the words are addressed to us as well. The Kingdom of God is with us now, and we still need to prepare.
  • This is worth remembering through our decorating, our wrapping, our baking, our singing, and our praying. We can make our entire lives preparation for the entrance of our God into our lives in a new way.
  • We can prepare by remembering that our God is always ready and willing to be with us. Advent reminds us of this fact and allows us once again to recognize the grace of God present all around us. So as we do all our activities to prepare for the holiday and we pray and watch in the spirit of the coming of Christ, one last thing: Prepare to be surprised.

Monday, 2 December 2013

2013 Deutsche Adventsfeier

On Sunday, St. John's held our annual Adventsfeier. I'm given to understand that this is an old German custom of celebrating Advent in song, poetry, coffee, and pastry. I'm also given to understand that this has not be a long-standing custom at St.John's... which surprises me. It's a beautiful custom and the people who attend enjoy it very much. They make allowances for lack of German vocabulary and grammer (and in fact agreed that I need a dictionary) and they tolerate my Irish ways very kindly.

A few photos were shared: 

Elfriede and Colin. Elfriede is a strong force for keeping these customs alive
and she does a fine job.

The Adventsfeier going strong.

"Kaffeetaffel"
Anyone for Kipfle? Pfeffernussen? Stollen? Nussroll?


The First Sunday of Advent --- 1 December 2013

Isaiah 2:1-5
Romans 13:11-14
Matthew 24:36-44
But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
  • If we were to think about this, it is probably for the best, because if we knew the “day and hour”, someone would try to charge admission. But as this passage tells us, we don't know. Beyond that there is more. There is nothing we can do to stop it and nothing we can do to bring it on. It is in God's hands... very much like grace.
  • Most human beings are alike in that we like our schedules. We like to have a calendar or a program so we can know what is coming next. We don't like scheduling conflicts generally. We almost always like to know when the movie starts or when the bus leaves or what time the meal is going to be served. With some exceptions, we like our lives neat and tidy, running on time and without too many surprises.
  • However the Kingdom of God breaks in and takes us out of our routines. This alone might be uncomfortable since our schedules are thrown out the window and our routines are disrupted. However, in such situations, we are on God's schedule rather than our own. That alone can be uncomfortable.
  • There's an old, somewhat cynical saying that goes like this: Humans are made in the image of God and we've been returning the compliment ever since. We like to think that God is like us with the same likes and dislikes, the same values, the same agenda, and in some peoples' minds, even the same skin colour. To discover otherwise can be most uncomfortable.
  • St. Paul writes to the Romans: For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. In this letter, he is presenting his credentials to the believers in Rome, preparing to visit there. He want to show them that he preaches the true Gospel and that he hold the same hope that they do. Paul appears to believe that Jesus was going to return quite soon. Still his teaching holds for us as well. We need not despair of Jesus' return nor should be be so concerned about it that we spend every waking moment in nervous anticipation. Paul continues: Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day... ...put on the Lord Jesus Christ...
  • We do know that God's kingdom is coming and has shown itself to be among us, although not completely.
  • We are caught between the Kingdom present and the Kingdom to come in a time of contrasts and opposites. We are justified and we remain sinners. We are fulfilled and yet we remain hopeful for the fullness of God's grace. We are with God every day of our lives and yet we know God's absence and hope for more.
  • This season of Advent reminds us of the reality of the Kingdom that is both “now” and “not yet.” So our readings tell of Jesus' birth and of his return at a time known only to the Father, because ...about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
  • The prophet Isaiah looks to what is to come. The Apostle Paul looks to what is present for the believers in Rome in light of what is to come. The evangelist Luke tells of what is yet to come in light of what already is for his community.
  • When we hear these words – the words of the prophets, the apostles, and the evangelists – we are reminded that are to Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
  • For Christians of every age, keeping awake means to pray faithfully for ourselves, our sisters and brothers of the faith, and for the world. It means to work faithfully at whatever task is given to our hands, knowing that God is glorified in work done attentively and faithfully. We are to live faithfully, living honourably as in the day... and putting on the Lord Jesus Christ... as our way of living.
  • In simple words, this is how to watch and keep awake and to be prepared. To be involved in the message of grace in both word and deed may just be the best preparation.
  • Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.


Sunday, 24 November 2013

Sunday of Christ the King --- 24 November, 2013

Well, there's 2 feet/60cm of snow in our driveway (or there was - thanks to our wonderful neighbours) and we got stuck on our street coming out of our driveway (and got back in thanks to our neighours), so I didn't get to church to lead the service for Christ the King Sunday. I thank the members of my congregational council who said "Stay home and don't worry about it! This is Canada! It happens!" I thank God for them as well.
For all reading this, take this as your cyber-worship-service. Make a cup of your favourite hot beverage, read the sermon at leisure, and laugh at the snow. God be with you if you have to go out in this today.

Opening prayer for the day:
O God, our true life, to serve you is freedom, and to know you is unending joy. We worship you, we glorify you, we give thank to your for your great glory. Abide with us, reign in us, and make this world into a fit habitation for your divine majesty, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The readings:
Jeremiah 23:1-6

Colossians 1:11-20
Luke 23:33-43
This WAS to be my sermon:
When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
  • This is no place for a king. Yet we are told that this is where Jesus is at his most royal. There is obviously a different sort of kingship here.
  • We expect kings to be apart from the people, above the common. Yet here we see Jesus in the place where criminals were executed. Many Christian thinkers hold that this is where Jesus is most the king and is most powerful in his weakness. A number of theologians teach that Jesus reigns from the cross.
  • This is not at all what we'd expect. In many ways, Jesus did what was expected of him as a member of the chosen people. He worshipped in the synagogue and the Temple, he knew the Scriptures and interpreted them, he prayed and listened to God, often going off by himself to pray all night.
  • On the other hand, it seems that Jesus rarely did what was expected of him as a teacher and as Messiah. Teachers were expected to debate other teachers and teach their disciples and followers according to the conventional wisdom of the times, and that was something Jesus did not do. He taught in a fresh way that the people had never heard even though he stood firmly in the prophetic tradition of Israel. The Messiah was expected to be a figure of earthly political and military power and Jesus was not that.
  • As to being the Son of God, that was not expected at all!
  • Jesus taught and turned ideas of salvation, grace, righteousness, and God's love inside-out and upside-down. Just so, he turns the ideas of kingship inside-out and upside-down.
  • He acts as no king would be expected to act. He is not jealous for his status or desirous of acclamation.
  • He conquers, leads, and rules by the force of love rather than the force of arms.
  • He desires to serve rather than to be served.
  • He will endure hatred and even execution without seeking pay-back.
  • He will find his followers from among those who might not be expected to follow and from among those who were rejected by those who considered themselves righteous. He looked to those who most needed his message
  • He will fulfil the Law by holding to the spirit of the Law rather than the letter. He taught as one who knows the real value of the Law and how best to keep it.
  • He will be one of his people.
  • He will suffer what his people suffer.
  • He will reign from the place where he appears weakest and his greatest action on behalf of his people would be considered absolute failure by many.
  • This is not the style of king our world is used to. In fact, it is quite the opposite of the expected.
  • Since Jesus is not the king or saviour or Messiah that was expected, his kingdom, his message and means of salvation, and his anointing as Messiah would not be as expected.
  • In Luke's Gospel today, we see Jesus at what many might consider his least kingly. Part of us might think that way as well. We might want to see him handle things differently and have him act as we might want a king to act.
  • So let's be truthful with ourselves. There are places and times in every life where we have expectations, some of which are unspoken. Those are the places and times that resist grace and the reality of who Jesus is. Those are the places where we have not learned to surrender to grace yet. And here the important word is “yet.”
  • We are part of God's kingdom and we have been baptized, acknowledging Jesus as our king. Daily we renew our acknowledgement and faith. In this kingdom, we do not rest as subjects but we follow our king in his way – the way of humble service and love for one another and the world.
  • If we want a model of how our discipleship might be, we need go no further than the end of our Gospel reading today. There Luke records Jesus' last conversation with another person as he dies on the cross. His words are those of forgiveness and hope in the most unforgiving and hopeless place anyone could imagine. He responds to the expressed faith of the crucified criminal with a statement that turns all things, even death, upside-down.
  • Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
  • Christ is our King and he calls us to follow where he leads, walking in his path. If we think this is too hard for us, we can remember a line from a movie filmed not too long ago: In a world where carpenters rise from the dead, all things are possible.
I ask you to please remember to pray for the father of a good friend of mine who was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and for his whole family.

"Are we having fun yet?"
Ice and snow, praise the Lord!

Sunday, 17 November 2013

26th Sunday after Pentecost ---- 17 November 2013

Malachi 4:1-2a

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Luke 21:5-19
By your endurance you will gain your souls.
  • This passage used to scare the life out of me. I'd hear this in church on Sunday and wonder what it meant and how I fit in. As you can imagine, I was a rather impressionable kid and readings like this would stick with me for a long time. Talk of wars, earthquakes, famine, plagues, and signs in the sky could be very upsetting to me. Add to that a melancholy personality and a dash of Irish guilt and shame and you have quite a stew into which to stir Jesus' words on the end of the world.
  • Today these words don't scare me quite so much. Maybe I've grown up some; I hope so. Not to say that these are not sharp words and that they are not easy to listen to.
  • Jesus responds to his disciples admiration of the Temple in Jerusalem by saying all will be thrown down. Within 50 years of this discussion, the Temple would be destroyed by the Roman legions that had laid siege to the city during what became known as the Jewish-Roman War. Since Luke is writing after this event, the horror of the siege and the sack of Jerusalem is used to illustrate the coming persecution of the Christian Church and the continuing troubles of the world.
  • Jesus tells his disciples that many will claim to be his return or to know of it. They are not to bother with such tales. Paul's letter to the Thessalonians reminds them that some among them are afraid that they have missed the Lord's return or are looking forward to it in idleness and mischief. Paul uses a term we know as “busybodies”, a term that means “unruly” or “out of ranks”. It is a term borrowed from the armies of the day, and it refers to a soldier who is out of formation and making a mess of the whole group.
  • With this in mind, the words of Jesus have be misinterpreted in such a way that many have quit their jobs, left their families, and run to the hills to await the return of Jesus in the belief that the return was imminent. This happened a few years ago, you'll recall, when a preacher predicted Jesus' return to the point of giving the exact time to the minute. People gave up their fortunes and gave them to the preacher. Radio and TV ads were taken out, trucks were plastered with the message, and when the day came, nothing happened. It seems Jesus words hold quite true in our own day: Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, "I am he!' and, "The time is near!”
  • Beyond this, we know the further truth of what Jesus said. We know persecution exists, a number of us through first hand experience. Our faith is presently an object of ridicule in various books and through a number of television personalities. Scandals continue to trouble the Church throughout the world. And the future is unclear – as it always has been.
  • These fearful words might upset us. We might wonder how they could not upset us. If we were left to our own devices, we would be constantly upset. Indeed, we would be without hope. We're generally simple people without much earthly power and status... the sort of people who get crushed when the world rolls along.
  • Thanks be to God, our hope is not in ourselves! Our hope is in God. As Psalm 121 says “Our help comes from the Lord... who made heaven and earth.” {“Unsere Hilfe stehet im Namen des Herrn, der Himmel und Erde gemacht hat.”}
  • And with this, we recall that being a disciple of Christ does not make us immune to suffering and pain. It does not shield us from all that life might bring. What being a disciple does do is change our definition of the value of suffering and of life. Despite death, despite suffering, and despite fear, our help comes from the Lord.
  • Faith sees us through whatever may come. We all know that almost anything may happen to us in this life. It is faith that assures us that our God stands with us no matter what may come. So we hold fast to God in faith and we hold fast to each other in love.
  • There is a short saying that carries a lot of this meaning. It is distinctly Christian and quite comforting in that, even while admitting insecurity.
  • It is a quote from Martin Luther and it is quite relevant to the issue at hand.                              I know not the way God leads me, but well do I know my Guide.” 
  • A more modern variation of this is:                                                                                                 I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow.”
You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.

Sunday, 10 November 2013

25th Sunday after Pentecost 10 November 2013

Sunday's readings:

Job 19:23-27a

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17
Luke 20:27-38
Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question...
  • As the Church year closes, the readings for worship turn to the end of all things. So we hear of the resurrection of the dead in our readings. The lectionary – the list of assigned readings - is set up that way. We close out the year by thinking about what is to come, until we are face to face once again with the proclamation of the coming of Christ, both in Advent and in the return.
  • All of the readings look to this. Job speaks of the Resurrection and seeing God after all his troubles. Paul writes to the Thessalonians about standing fast in their faith and in the teachings Paul left for them. It appears that others had been telling them they were missing or had missed “the Day of the Lord.” Finally in Luke's Gospel, Jesus deals with the trick question of the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead.
  • The question posed by the Sadducees is a trick and a trap, but as with many questions, it reveals much about the asker. Since the Sadducees do not believe in a resurrection and any immortality for them comes from having children, they ask their question in a way that makes light of any believe in an afterlife. They assume that Jesus does believe in a resurrection and that his belief is such that the life to come is like the life led now.
  • The Sadducees made the mistake of believing that Jesus believed that any resurrected life would be exactly like this life. Relationships would remain as they were; the rich would be rich and the poor remain poor. Marriages would endure. That then was the point where they hoped to catch Jesus. “In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her."
  • Jesus quickly unmasks their trick and turns it around on them, using their own view of scripture to do so. “Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive."
  • The Sadducees held that only the Torah, the first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible were inspired. The rest – the Prophets, the Wisdom literature – were not inspired scripture and since they found no teaching of a resurrection in the Torah, they discounted it.
  • Jesus sees through their scheme and says that things are and will be changed. What follows will not simply a continuation of what has preceded it. The resurrection will not be like the life before the resurrection of the dead.
  • Now we don't exactly know what that entails either. We only have hints of what the resurrected life will be like. However, there are a few things we believe we know.
  • We do not die and become angels. Jesus said they are like angels and the emphasis in on the “like.” There are folks even today that say we will be angels in heaven.
  • We are born human beings and what God has created us to be, we will be. What that will be like is beyond us now.
  • Jesus' own life on earth after the resurrection hold the hints. All we can safely say is that he was Jesus after the resurrection and he was different even as he remained who he was... and is.
  • Beyond that (and even in that), we'd to well to avoid speculation beyond that. It's worthless at best and possibly spiritually dangerous. What is to come is absolutely unexpected. We'd also do well to take Paul's advise in his first Corinthian letter: 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’  (I Cor. 2:9)
  • So what is left? We believe in a resurrection of the dead. So what is there for us now?
  • Even now, our lives are changed by the Gospel. We are not what we were and all of this is unexpected. We are heralds of the Kingdom that is coming and is already here. In the here and now, we proclaim the Kingdom of God in what we say and do, whether the Kingdom comes in fifteen minutes or in a thousand years.
  • Here are the words of a modern theologian in our tradition which I feel ties this up well: “There are people who regard it as frivolous, and some Christians think it impious for anyone to hope and prepare for a better earthly future. They think that the meaning of present events is chaos, disorder, and catastrophe; and in resignation or pious escapism they surrender all responsibility for reconstruction and for future generations. It may well be that the day of judgement will dawn tomorrow; and in that case, though not before, we shall gladly stop working for a better future.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

Monday, 4 November 2013

The Fall Bazaar - worth a look!

St. John's held it's Fall Bazaar this past Saturday, November 2. Items of all sorts were up for sale as well as jams, jellies, cookies, pastries, meat pies (which didn't last long), and cabbage rolls (which disappeared as quickly.) I've discovered that there are differences between the Lithuanian German style cabbage-rolls and the Transylvanian Saxon-style cabbage rolls, but I'd be hard pressed to point out the differences right now. Let's just say both are great!

A few photos were taken by our church's secretary, Johanna and I'll share them now.

The Jewelry table and the guardians there-of.

The cabbage roll assembly line - 84 dozen!

Our roster of great helpers! Thank you all!