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