Beginnings and Forgiveness

Genesis Back to School Blessing August 20, 2023 Year A Prelude Welcome Call to Worship L: This is the day that the Lord has made! P: Let us rejoice and be glad in it! L: This is a day of new beginnings! P: This is a time for growing into new disciples for Jesus. L: Come, let us prepare ourselves for worship P: Let us be prepared for service to God. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters) Song This is a Day of New Beginnings. UMH 383 Children’s Sermon (eraser object lesson) Responsive Prayer Leader: There is always something wonderful about returning to school, O God. Even those of us who no longer go to school remember it fondly at this time of the year. People: Seeing old friends again, meeting new ones, having good teachers, going to ball games, exploring new subjects—it is always exciting and promising because it opens new vistas in our lives. Leader: We thank you for the opportunity of pursuing our education. Learning is one of the great privileges of life. People: We are grateful for chances to grow all of our lives, and to develop constantly into wiser and better persons. Leader: We pray that you will help us to seek renewal of our selves in this new season. People: Let your Holy Spirit challenge us to new goals and achievements in our spiritual lives, so that we may become the persons you have intended us to be. Leader: Teach us the things Jesus knew about love and service and sacrifice. People: And show us how to share our wonderful lives with other people who have been less fortunate than we, so that together we may attain your kingdom, All: And rejoice in your power and your glory, through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. (United Methodist Ministry Matters) Scripture Genesis 45:1-15 Sermon Beginnings and Forgiveness The title of our sermon today is Beginnings and Forgiveness. As we take the time to bless all those who are beginning a new school year, what does that have to do with a scripture on forgiveness. One of the prayers for back to school that I saw this week was a prayer for peace in dealing with all of the mess we have to deal with in the coming year. As long as there are a community of people in school there will be conflict and the need to forgive. Anyplace that there is a community of people – there is the need to forgive. All of us have been in a situation where we feel slighted. How do you deal with that situation? How do you move on? We had a friend who had a good sales position, making almost $50,000 a year. But then the office ran into hard times. Stress mounted and relations between sales representatives and the management broke down. When the office closed down, those who remained refused to give our friend a helpful reference. He was unemployed for two-and-a-half years and never did find a decent job in his profession. He was bitter. He often wished he could bring down those executives who still had cushy jobs but had sent him out without even as much as a good word. I would say that one of the most important lessons of the bible – is that when something happens to us in life, we need to get over it and move on. Whatever it is, deal with it, and get over it and move on. That is hard to do in real life. There are things that we are going through that will take years to get over, and many times we never move on. And yet that is what life is all about. Perhaps that is why Jesus spends so much time teaching us how to forgive, teaching us what forgiveness means and teaching us that God is always in the act of learning how to forgive. Suddenly that world hears a familiar voice: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." Are you listening, Joseph? "If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you." We have to remember, that forgiveness is not about releasing our feelings for the situation. Forgiveness is about releasing ourselves and not carrying around the pain. Chuck Swindoll illustrates this in his book, Seasons of Life. He writes that during his time in the Marine Corps he and his wife rented a studio apartment from a man in south San Francisco named Mr. Slagle. During World War II Mr. Slagle was captured at Wake Island and for years he languished in a prison camp. It was in the prison camp that an enemy soldier struck him with a rifle butt and injured his back, which plagued him the rest of his life. Swindoll tells that every single time he visited his landlord he would relate story after story of how barbarically he had been mis¬treated. Using vile language and intense emotion, he spoke of the tortures he endured at the hands of his Japanese captors and his utter hatred for them. His pain and misery were constant reminders of his hatred. But there was another factor which made his existence even more lamentable. Our landlord became a bitter man. Even though (at that time) he was thirteen years removed from the war ... even though he had been safely released from the concentration camp and was now able to carry on physically ... even though he and his wife owned a lovely dwelling and had a comfortable income, the crippled man was bound by the grip of bitterness. He was still fighting a battle that should have ended years before. In a very real sense, he was still in prison.[2] You cannot conceal bitterness because it raises its ugly head often. The root of bitterness bears the fruit of bitter actions. Bitter¬ness imprisons us as we refuse to forgive a friend, relative, or stranger for a sinful, foolish, or sometimes ignorant act. Inner tor¬ment will ride alongside us every day of our lives until we forgive. When we decide to disclose the problem to Christ, that is the be¬ginning of forgiveness and healing. We all know that bitter person who holds a grudge for something that happen years ago. When the man fired was able to move on, he was able to enter in to a new field of work and was much more fulfilled in life. The landlord on the other hand remained bitter for years, It was as if he was carrying that burden with him forever. When we think of the lessons that Jesus taught us, we often assume that Jesus was correcting the religious values that he grew up with. We have all heard that the old testament is all about justice. That it was an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. If someone did something wrong to you, then justice was making sure that the same thing happened to them. Revenge was a part of justice. But we forget that where there is God’s justice, there is also God’s mercy. The book of Genesis, the very first book of the bible has two very moving stories about forgiveness. We read the first one a few weeks ago, when Essau embraces his brother Jacob after years of disrespect. The story of Joseph is the second story of reconciliation and forgiveness within the family. Joseph was a man of integrity, he showed mercy along with justice. Our lesson in this story is we all should do the same. Joseph was spoiled and entitled growing up as a child. He was a terror to his older brothers, so much so that they felt that they had to get rid of him. They sold him into slavery in Egypt. The circumstances in his life helped to develop his character. Not only was he honest and upright. But as he matured in a strange environment, he chose to remain a God fearer. God was a big part of his life. He paid for his faith, and yet he stuck with it. The bible tells us of the struggles that he went through, but his faith allowed him to overcome. His greatest temptation was how to treat the brothers who has wronged him so long ago. Joseph not only forgives them, he helps them. Before Jesus, Joseph is our example of faith and integrity. Mark Twain once quipped, "Don't expect too much of human beings. We were created at the end of the week when God was tired and looking forward to a day off." Nonetheless Richard J. Leider and David Shapiro have listed common threads of people who possess lifestyles rich in purpose: • They have a purpose larger than their own needs, wants, and desires -- a sense of how their lives and work fit into the larger scheme of things. • They have an internal compass which keeps them "truing" to their purpose in life. • They have clear boundaries around their two most precious currencies -- time and money. • They have a sense of their potential talents, the limits of which have not been fully tested. • They have marked adaptability when faced with obstacles. • They have a strong spiritual core. • Their abundant energy is infectious. • They have a feeling of lightness -- a sense of being unburdened by the burdens they are carrying.2 Do you need to forgive someone? "To forgive is to put down your 50-pound pack after a 10-mile climb up a mountain. To forgive is to fall into a chair after running a marathon. To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that prisoner is you. To forgive is to reach back into your hurting past and recreate it in your memory so that you can begin again."(6) Then that ancient spiritual takes on a wonderful new meaning: "Free at last, Free at last. Thank God Almighty, I'm free at last." Amen! Close your eyes. I want us to use our imagination now. God, sanctify the imagination of each person here. Help each of us to use this remarkable capacity of imagination which you’ve given us to bring healing and power to our lives. Now keep your eyes closed as I guide your imagination. Picture yourself with a trash bag. Get it. A big trash bag, moving through every room of your life; select the stuff you need to leave behind, I’m talking about self-pity and illegitimate responsibility. Put it into the trash bag. What cancelled sin still has power over you, what hidden hatred, what frustrating fear, what devastating doubt, what powerful prejudice. Put it in the trash bag. Do it. Act it out in your imagination. Put it into the trash bag. Is there an unresolved relationship with a husband or wife, a parent or a child, a neighbor? Is there a jealousy you’ve never brought out into the open? Put it into the bag. It could be any number of things. You know what weighs you down, and what stuff you don’t need to take into the New Year. Put it into the bag. Be specific now, in identifying and visualizing all the stuff in your mind to put into that bag. Now stay with me in your imagination. Get in your mind the picture with which be began the sermon – the junk man with his cart filled with cast off clothing, discarded furniture, all sorts of abandoned useless things. Do you see it in your mind? He’s passing by. In your imagination now, throw your trash bag onto the junk wagon and let it be taken away. Have you done it? In your imagination, just cast it onto the junk wagon to be taken away. Be silent now and enjoy the relief and release of getting rid of that burden. Open your eyes now, but keep the image of the trash man in your mind for a moment, taking all your trash away. Now substitute for the image of the junk man, Christ himself. Do you see him? Jesus. Listen. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Leave your stuff behind - all your junk. Leave it. You are forgiven. Your failure and weakness is accepted. Your past is buried in the sea of God’s loving forgetfulness. Go into the New Year with Christ, and go joyfully. Maxie Dunnam, MaxieDunnam.com, by Maxie Dunnam Forgiveness is a lesson for us all. We have to learn to trust God’s presence in the situation. If we let go, then God will take over. God whole point of being involved in human history is to being reconciliation to all of creation, but especially to us as people. Reconciliation happens one relationship at a time. That is why Jesus spends so much time teaching us how to relate to one another. brothers went into business together. Their fights continued and, if anything, the older brother was even more critical and hostile. Yet the younger brother remained diligent in their business and faithful in their relationship. Everyone marveled at this saintly behavior. One day a terrible accident ended both of their lives. Saint Peter was waiting patiently for the younger brother's arrival at the heavenly gates. Finally when he did not appear, Saint Peter ventured down into the fiery place of torment. "You belong in heaven," said Saint Peter. "Come up with all the saints." Up to his neck in slime and stench, the younger brother replied, "No. I choose to remain here." Puzzled, Saint Peter urged him even more fervently. "Please come with me. You have been faithful. A place has been made ready for you. Why won't you take your rightful place in eternity?" By this time the burning slime had nearly covered the chin of the younger brother. Lifting his face to Saint Peter, he shouted, "If I come with you, I will have to stop standing on my brother's head." We have all found ourselves caught up to our chins in hot, bubbling, boiling conflict. We have all felt the gut-wrenching anxiety of discord and dissension. We have all tried in vain to control for ourselves that which seems to be unending chaos. But God is in charge. We are not. God's plan is forgiveness and reconciliation through Jesus Christ. God takes initiative. In the midst of chaos, God brings order to preserve life. In the midst of an apparently hopeless conflict, God invites us to a transforming opportunity for love and forgiveness. Here is a story of what could happen in church It happened to a rural Lake County, South Dakota, Lutheran church in August of 2000. Vandals attacked the fieldstone St. Peter Lutheran Church building with vengeance -- breaking windows, smashing light fixtures, flipping over the baptismal font, slashing a large "Jesus the Good Shepherd" painting, scribbling, and carving obscenities into the sanctuary walls and fixtures. The golden altar cross had been swung like a bat to gouge pews and walls. In the basement, kitchen dishes were broken and objects flung hither and yon. The vandals caused more than $40,000 worth of interior damage to the congregation's building. Services were held outdoors that following Black Sunday. "There were many tears. Everyone was so devastated and shocked that someone could do this to a church," recalls Susan Janssen, congregational vice-president. "No one could believe how terrible it was." Three months after the vandalism took place, police arrested two area teenagers, ages sixteen and nineteen, who confessed to the crime. When the boys, let out of jail on bond, returned to apologize publicly to the congregation before serving their sentences, they were shocked to be received with love and forgiveness. As the nineteen-year-old left the lectern to return to his seat, a member greeted him and hugged him. Others stood to shake his hand and, after the worship, members surrounded the two boys, saying they forgave them. The act of forgiveness shocked the two families so much that they joined the church, and the church in turn has experienced a revival. Worship attendance has tripled in two years and membership in this 117-year-old declining country church is growing. "We had been separated from organized religion since our oldest daughter died of cancer," said the father of one of the boys. "We rejected the whole religion thing. This event has pulled us back into the church." Pastor Terry Knudson likens the dramatic episode at St. Peter to the Old Testament story of Joseph. "The vandalism was one of our darkest moments," he says. "God can find a way to bring good from evil." The book of Genesis is important for the church. It is the story of a family. Throughout the book, we learn about the ups and downs of the family. We hear about the members shortcoming and graces. The story of salvation is the story of how this family survived. What is interesting about this family – is how normal they are. We can all relate to this family. The bible constantly points out that these were not really nice people. They were actually pretty mean people that God had a use for. Joseph is the last story in this book. Joseph is unique in that he had a little growing up to do, but he was not a bad person. He was a model of intrgrity. He became a leader in this family. But we was respected even by others not in the family. Not only did he save the family from starvation, he took them in and gave them a better life in Egypt. When he reconciles with his brothers, he tells them not to feel guilty -that God had a plan. God meant for him to not only save his family, but to save the world with his story. Several bible characters tell us that things always work out for the good of those who follow the Lord. Joseph is not justifying slavery. He not justifying his brother’s behavior. He is not saying that when things happen that the damage is okay in the end. He is saying that the act of being able to move on from a situation when we are wronged, is an act of God. We have to trust God to make things right. This story sticks out to me, because it is not a happy ending. It is actually the beginning of all of their troubles as a people. After Joseph dies, they stay in Eqypt in bondage for 400 years. The story is not a happy ending. It is told as an answer to the question how did we get hear in the first place. Genesis answers all of those questions of why life is the way it is for our family. Well at one time we have an ancestor who was a really nice person, who had really good intentions. He taught us how to forgive and to be free. And then life happened and what had freed us at one time, put us in bondage in another. Genesis is a human story. It is a story that we learn about Joseph’s limited perspective. But in spite of all of its humanness, we learn to forgive one relationship at a time. Forgiveness wont change the course of history, but it does help us to move forward from our present situation. The Bible states, "Forgive as the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13). As we battle forgiving others we should remember that we are forgiven individuals when we yield our lives to Christ. God sets the standard and mentors us in the process of forgiveness. * Forgiveness is a debt of sin cancelled. Everything that we have done against him all of our lives is forgiven when we ask for his forgiveness. * Forgiveness is a journey. The awful gulf of sin that separates us from God has been bridged by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We can continually walk across that bridge as necessary. When the mind or emotion resurfaces those feelings, we can go immediately to God and ask him to help us deal with the feelings. The fact that forgiveness has taken place does not necessarily mean that feelings don't resur¬face. It is a process. * Forgiveness is also a choice. I choose to forgive as part of my willingness to give it up. Forgiveness is not done with¬out our knowledge. It is not a surprise! It is a choice. * Forgiveness allows God's love to flow through me to some¬one else. As a Christian I cannot horde Christ's love, but rather, I must give it away. Even when hurt comes I want to demonstrate God's love. I have to be practical in my response, but I must love. There are few stories in all of literature more important for our lives than this one. Why? Because following his example, we can live successful lives, too. It requires no special talents or gifts. Be a person who can be trusted. Be forever true to your values. Trust in the goodness of God. And no matter what twists or turns your life may take, I can assure you that when the final record is written of your life, yours too will be a life of success. ________________________________________ 1. James H. Billington, "Keeping the Faith in the USSR after a Thousand Years," SMITHSONIAN (April, 1989), pp. 131-142. As a child, I remember reading this story. I was touched at how Joseph was able to regain his brothers, and how as an adult he was able to help them and to move them forward. He gives each brother the gift of land and blesses them. The book of Genesis is about how that is all that they ever wanted was a blessing of love and belonging. I remember, at the end of he story Joseph makes one request of them. When you leave Egypt and go home – make sure that you take my bones with you and bury me at home. Joseph’s bones are buried in the promisedland and the story moves on. In life, we have to be free to move on too. Forgiveness is the first step in that process. Forgiveness is the first step in reconciliation. And God will not stop that process until all of us are free. The story continues on, forgiveness is not an ending or a beginning – forgiveness is an ongoing journey Mahatma Gandhi once said something that deserves our thought. "The weak," he said, "can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." Dynamic Preaching, Collected Sermons, by King Dunc Amen Song God of all Learning (Sung to the tune of Morning Has Broken UMH 145) Insert Pastoral Prayer OUR LIVES ARE MARKED, O God, by the changing of the seasons. We take unusual delight in these times, for they are periods of heightened expectancy and new growth. It has been a long and busy summer. We have exulted in our various activities. And now it is time to prepare for the fall and winter, and many are going back to school, some here at home and others at a distance. We thank you for all the good events of the summer months—for work and play and relaxation, for fun and friendships and frivolity, for trips to the lake or the beach or the mountains, for a chance to unwind and experience more leisure time. Now we thank you for all the good events that lie ahead—for exciting classes and new friends and ball games and plays and concerts and a raft of holidays. We pray for all our students at every level, and ask that this may be a good year for them. Let their learning be rewarding as well as challenging, and let them enjoy the growth that comes from new experiences. Give them spirits of joy and confidence, and help them to live gratefully at all times, aware of the gift of life and its incredible richness. Bless their teachers and coaches and counselors, and all others who are involved in their educational process. And grant that all of us may share the excitement of the season, whether we are in school or not. For you have made our world extraordinarily beautiful and fascinating, and we are happy to praise you for everything through Christ our Lord. Amen. (United Methodist Ministry Matters) Lord’s Prayer Blessing of Backpacks Stewardship Moment Thanksgiving Prayer In faith and love, help me to do your will. I am listening, Lord God. Speak your words into the depth of my soul, that I may hear you clearly. I offer to you this day all the facets of my life, whether it be at home, at work, or at school—to be patient, to be merciful, to be generous, to be holy. Accept this offering as our part to build your kingdom on Earth. Amen. (adapted from prayer from the Catholic Diocese of Springfield,IL) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook May the Lord Bless You . . . Bless you with courage, patience and understanding for the challenges ahead. And Keep You . . . Keep you sane, engaged and safe in all that you do. May the Lord Make His Face to Shine Upon You . . . Shine upon you with love that never ends and never wavers Shine upon you with the truth that you are completely worthy of that love. And Be Gracious to You . . . Grace to everyone as they get through their daily activities May the Lord Turn His Face Toward You . . . And Give You Peace . . . Peace with yourself Peace with teachers. Peace with students Peace for each day. One. Day. At. A. Time. (adapted from John Page) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Live without fear: your Creator has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Go in peace to follow the good road and may God’s blessing be with you always. Amen.
 (source: from Saint Clare, Enriching Our Worship 1) God of All Learning BUNESSAN 5.5.5.4 D ("Morning Has Broken") God of all learning, God of all knowing, We bring these backpacks filled with supplies. Bless all these tools of learning and growing. Use them, we pray, to change many lives. Bless all the students, young ones and old ones — Walking or riding, traveling by bus. May they remember that you go with them, And that they all are precious to us. Some kids are poor and some kids are wealthy; May we give all the tools that they need. May we make sure they're safe, loved and healthy So that they all may thrive and succeed. Bless all who learn and bless those who guide them, Bless those who teach and counsel and care. May they remember you walk beside them. Through all their school days, you, Lord, are there.

Praise God with all of your Life

First Sunday of Christmas December 29, 2014 Year A Let your life be a praise for God Psalm 148 Matthew 2:13-23 Is Jesus Dead in this time after Christmas? On Christmas Eve, I talked about how the people in Japan celebrate Christmas just as much as we do here in America. There are Christmas trees, and decorations, and Santa, and elves. There is one big difference – most people in Japan are Buddhist. They understand the symbols of Christmas, but they don’t know the meaning of Christmas. In many cases, they don’t know who Jesus is, or why Christmas is significant. A reporter stopped a woman on the street in Japan and asked her if she knew why Christmas is important - she hesitated for a moment, and then asked, isn’t that the day Jesus died. The day Jesus died – that is not Christmas day – that is the Sunday after Christmas – right before New Years. Christmas is this magical time of year, where everyone is giving, every one is happy, every one is in a spirit of unity and caring for one another. As soon as Christmas is over, life goes back to normal. They say that even the crime rate goes down, all of the thieves are at home with their families on Christmas – and as soon as that day is over- people go back to normal. Just like Christmas never happened, and Jesus is indeed dead, even though supposedly he was just born. Even for me this year, I spent all month putting up Christmas decorations, and took half of them down the day after Christmas – it was as if I didn’t need them anymore. I refuse to take down the tree, or to turn off the lights – at least until after New Year’s. I think that there is something about holding onto Christmas for a little bit – letting it linger into the New Year for a little bit that is important. You know as far as the stores are concerned – Jesus is dead, and it is now time to move onto Valentine’s Day. But as far as God is concerned – Christmas has just begun. I have shared this poem by Howard Thurman before at the Christmas Eve service, but not everyone has heard it – but I think that it is important to our faith to think about… it is called the work of Christmas. The work of Christmas Dr. Thurman is an African American theologian who writes a lot about the African American experience – He says when the songs of the angels are stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and the princes are home, when the shepherds are back with their flocks, the work of Christmas begins – to find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among brothers, to make music in our heart. Whatever else we may have gotten for Christmas this year – we have all received the presence of Christ. Whatever our circumstance, God is with us. that is the true meaning of Christmas – Emmanuel – God with us. A story of God with us Mrs. Maxwell had had a difficult year. Her husband had just passed away. Her social security was reduced because of his death. She had to work hard just to hold onto the house that she and her husband had shared through so many happy years. And even though she lived in a mild area of the country – it still got to be 30’s outside at night – and the temperature was just the same in her house. She got behind a couple of months on her heating bill and eventually the city turned off her heat. Sitting in the cold, she read the paper one day, she read an article about how their were many companies in the city who had not paid their gas bill. They owed the city thousands of dollars – and yet they still had heat. Upset at her own condition, she called the newspaper to ask why her heat had been turned off. Her letter caused such a stir in the city. One day she heard a knock at the door – it was the mayor of the city – he said that he had a message to deliver – the city would be turning her heat back on and putting her on a payment plan to pay her bill. She was excited at the news, but asked why the mayor had bothered to come to see her – why couldn’t he have sent a city worker or even a letter would have been suffice. The mayor smiled and hugged her – and said that he felt that it was important enough to deliver the message himself and he gave her a hug. God has done the same thing for all of us – God had a message to deliver to all of humanity – and he came in the form of a little baby- who grew up into a man – to tell us personally that in the midst of all that life gives us – he is with us. God loves us on December 24th, on December 25th, on December 26th, and December 29th just the same. He loves us in the good times and the bad, when we are up or done, before Christmas and after Christmas. God’s presence in our lives in all that we go through is our special gift. A Letter to God You know that when children (or adults) write letters to Santa addressed to the North Pole – the local post office holds onto those letters, so that people can do the work of santa, and answer those letters. But there are also quite a bit of letters that are written to God – but where do you send a letter for God. Well, many of them end up at the Jerusalem post office. They get an overwhelming amount of letter to God – and they don’t always know what to do with them. Well one day a postal worker – being a good jew – a servant of God opened one of the letters. It was a man who needed to have an operation, and he needed $1500 to pay for it. The worker went to his fellow workers and said – you know we are the hand and feet of God, it is our job to do the work of God. We have to answer this letter and help this man. People were hesitant to give, but he has able to raise $1000 in order for the man’s operation. He wrote a letter to the man from God and put a check for $1000 in the envelope and mailed it off. He was so honored and proud to do the work of God and to help someone else. That was until a month later when this man sent another letter to God. In the letter he thanked God for answering his prayer. He was able to get his operation and was healing very well. But he asked God next time not to use the post office when sending his gifts. He knew that God had sent $1500, but those crooks at the post office kept $500 for themselves – and only gave him $10 – to find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among brothers, Doing the work of God means giving to people who are sometimes ungrateful, sometimes unkind, who sometimes don’t understand. And yet God calls us to help them. We help them not necessarily in hopes of receiving from them, but in thankfulness for what God has done for us. if we know that God is with us – the least we can do is to be with others.- so that they know that God is with them. God is not dead – God is not a season. God is the presence of Jesus Christ in our lives for all times. So I would encourage you to go out and to do the work of Christmas. – to find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among brothers, The most important part is to make music in our heart. Remember our psalm for today – psalm 148 – praise the Lord. Let them praise the name of the Lord for his name is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven. Ring you bell – praise God with all of your life from this day forward. Let us pray…..

Great Dads; Great Sons

December 19, 2010
Year A
Great Dad’s; Great Sons
Isaiah 7:10-16
Matthew 1:18-25
Fourth Sunday of Advent

The image of Hope of Mother and Child

A mother and her baby is one of the most important images of hope that the world knows. Wherever you go, in whatever culture, you can always find that endearing image of the Virgin Mary and her Holy baby.
One of the most precious images of hope that I have seen this season, was not a picture of a mother and her child. It was a picture of a male colleague. He posted a picture of his dad and him when he was a baby. He wanted to honor the man who taught him everything about becoming a man. Not just a man, but a righteous man.
Matthew does the same thing on behalf of Jesus in today’s scripture. He honors the man who taught Jesus everything. It was Joseph who not only gave Jesus his name, he gave him a mission, and a way of life. Joseph was a carpenter – Jesus was a carpenter. Joseph was a descendant of David, Jesus was the son of David.
Jesus went on to become one of most famous men in history, we really have no idea of what ever happened to Joseph. Did he die early in Jesus life? Did he and Mary have other children? Why was he not present when Jesus was crucified. We have absolutely no record of anything beyond the birth stories.

Comparison of the intention of Matthew and Luke

The early church fathers like Paul, were simply not concerned about Jesus life as a baby or a young child. And they don’t say much about his family.
Mathew and Luke are the only two places in the gospel where we hear about Jesus’ birth. And they don’t talk much about it after chapter 1.
Luke is the story of Jesus’ mother – that is the story that we are most familiar with, and the one that gets repeated year after year. Luke is the story of the underdog and the underserved. Luke was concerned about the poor and those who did not have a voice in society. Since Mary was a woman, a person without a voice in which no one cared about – Luke tells her story.
Matthew is a gospel written to the men, those who had status, who were in power and could make a difference. It is not that Matthew did not care about the poor and underpriviledged – but he cared more that the men of the church – did not take their status for granted. He wanted them to be intentional about becoming true disciples of Christ, and to make a commitment to be righteous in whatever they did. He wanted them to learn to always do the right things no matter what.
Luke traces Jesus’ family through his mother, Mathew traces Jesus family through Joseph. In Luke the salvation of the world is brought to us through the actions of Mary, in Mathew it is through the actions of Joseph.

Joseph as Stepdad

Afterall it was just as dangerous for Joseph to raise Jesus as it was for Mary to tell the world that she was pregnant. Even though they were not married, they were engaged. If Joseph were to admit that he slept with Mary before Marrying her, her brothers would have killed him. If he told the world that it was not his baby – then he was just as guilty as she was. If he told his neighbors that he was raising the son of God – they would have killed him
And yet he agreed to do just that – to become the stepdad for God’s son. In today’s world a man who chooses to raise a child that is not his own is pretty common. There are men who adopt children, men who raise foster children, men who marry or live with women with children who raise them, and even men who know that a child is not theirs biologically, but they make the decision to raise the child anyway. This is all pretty normal today. But back then, and even today in middle eastern countries that could mean death.

Joseph’s Dream

And if it wasn’t for a dream – it would not have happen. An angel of the lord came to Joseph in a dream and told him not be afraid.
The angel uses the reference of Isaiah – a virgin shall give birth to a child and name him Emmanuel – God with us.
Joel asks us how do we know that God is with us – our old men shall have dreams and our young men shall have visions.
Matthew is a call to action to our men – to dream, to vision, to carry the dreams of God forward out into the world in whatever you do.
Advent is the chance for all of us to dream, not of the world as we want it, but to dream of the world as God intended. To look at our life, to look at life in general and to take account of what needs to change, and what we need to do to change it.
Dreaming for dreams sake is useless. Our dreams don’t always make sense by themselves. How do we know if our dreams are messages from God, or something that we made up in our imagination.

Joseph and Ahaz

Afterall, the old testament was about a man and his dreams. Ahaz was the king of isreal, struggling with the right thing to do for his country. And he asked for a sign to know God’s will. He was given a sign, but he chose to ignore it.
The sign was the same as Joseph – young maiden would give birth, and by the time the baby was old enough to go to kindergarten the threat would be over and everything would be okay. All he needed to do was trust in the Lord – that the Lord is always in control and will take care of everything.
What was the difference between Ahaz and Joseph? How do we know if our dreams,our visions our signs are really from God?

A righteous Man

The bible calls Joseph – a tsaddik man – a righteous man. A man who is intentional to be faithful in all of his relationships. A man who never turns his back on those in his life. A man who always prays in order to determine in all things what is the right things to do, and what is the wrong things to do. And always intentionally chooses the right thing – no matter what the personal cost. A man who is willing to follow the will of God, even when it is unpopular and puts us at risk in the minds of other people.
As disciples- we are all called to be tsaddik – righteous. And advent is our time to look at our integrity in our relationships and to always do the right things.

The Gold diggers and the new baby
There was a commotion in Roaring Camp. Cherokee Sal, the only woman in this rough, tough mining settlement, was dead after giving birth to a son whose father was unknown. Around the crude cabin where the newborn child lay helpless and crying, the hundred or so hard-bitten goldrush miners gathered in curiosity and concern. Death was so common here, but birth - this was a whole new experience.



Stumpy, a fugitive from justice on charges of bigamy, had by common consent taken charge of the little one's arrival. Shortly he allowed the miners to view the new baby, suggesting that it would be appropriate to make a contribution for the helpless orphan. So they came filing in, unconsciously taking off their hats in the presence of this miracle of new life, and putting their gifts at his side - a revolver, a diamond ring, a sling shot and a silver spoon. But now what to do?

The next day the inhabitants of Roaring Camp met in serious deliberation, and without the usual slugging and brawling, decided that working together they would all help raise this child. Stumpy was designated the particular guardian with a female mule as his first assistant. Strange to say, the little one thrived under their care, and equally strange was the effect on Roaring Camp. The little infant was named "Tommy Luck." His cabin, a filthy mess before he had been born there, was scrupulously cleaned, whitewashed and fixed up. A cradle was packed in by mule, and that made all the rest of the makeshift furniture so shabby in contrast that by common consensus, the whole place had to be done over.

In turn the local gambling joint and bar, the so-called grocery store, had to be spruced up to be in keeping with the Luck's cabin, and before long, the remainder of the settlement followed suit. This, and Stumpy's remarkable but understandable refusal to let anybody hold the Luck unless he was spotlessly clean, shaven and shorn, produced miracles in the miners' appearances. And equally amazing was the change in their conduct. Shouting within sound of Tommy's cabin was forbidden, lest he be wakened, and shortly the usual profanity was practically given up as not right for their boy to hear. From being Roaring Camp, the ugly drunken frontier settlement became, as one Cockney criminal inhabitant expressed it, "kind of 'eavenly." There was talk of further improvement and even of inviting some decent families to live there to benefit Tommy Luck with their presence. Word got around to the outside world of this miracle of change through the pony express riders who would say, "They've a street up there in Roaring Camp that's better than any street in Red Dog. They've got vines and flowers round their cabins, and they wash themselves twice a day ... and they sure worship an Injun baby."


Advent is our chance to become righteous disciples

Advent is your chance to clean up your house for the coming of the new baby. God really doesn’t care about the condition of your physical house – but the condition of your spiritual house.
Is your heart prepared for the coming of Christ into the world? Are you right in all of your relationships? Or is there something that you need to work on. Is your relationship with God the most important thing in your life? Or is there something that you need to put aside?
Finally in Jesus day, there was no such thing as a DNA test to prove whether you were the father of your wife’s baby. A righteous mans word was always the final determination. If the man came forward and claimed the baby as his own – and he was willing to give the baby a name- then the baby was his a part of his family, irregardless of the circumstances, and whether everyone else knew your business.
His destiny named his Emmanuel, his daddy named him Jesus. He promised to be God with us – even to the end of the age. Let us pray…….