Sheep and Shepherds

April 25, 2010
John 10:22-30
Psalm 23
Sheep and Shepherds
The Fourth Sunday Of Easter
Good Shepherd Sunday
Year C

It was winter-- the festival of Dedication is what we call Hanukkah.

"Hey Jesus! Come on now. We want a straight answer, not just
hearsay, not just 'signs.' We don't want to take therisk that your
actions may be our answer. We don't like ambiguity. We want a
notarized, authorized, sworn and signed statement that you are the
Messiah. Tell it to us straight, Jesus of Nazareth."

"I did tell you. I told you very clearly by changing water into wine,
by healing a blind man, by walking on water, and by saying 'I am' 6 or
8 times in all kinds of different ways. But y'all want it straight?
Okay, here it is. You're not called by me. Yeah, I AM the Messiah,
but obviously, if you don't get it by now, you're not going to. You
don't want my kind of Messiah. Because I'm the shepherd who will
actually feed the sheep, not just feed myself on the sheep. I'm the
real shepherd who is going to expose your hypocrisy and overrule your
injustices. See all these people following me? The ones you ignored,
ridiculed, and mistreated? They're following me, because they can
hear God through me. They are the sheep of shepherd. And just
wait til you see how I treat them. No more trampled down fields for
them to graze in, no more dirty water for them to drink. I know each
and every one of them, and they're listening to what I'm telling them.
And you can't take them away from me, no matter what you try. This
is what God is doing through me, because the Shepherd and the shepherd
do the same thing-- we are the same thing."
This is an important story because it speaks of an endearing question for all of us – who is Jesus Christ for us and exactly what kind of relationship should we have to this man who calls himself the son of God anyway?
This is an important story because it speaks of an endearing answer – Jesus Christ is the messiah – the one who comes to bring health, wholeness and happiness to us all. He is like a shepherd who cares for us and we are like sheep – in need of someone to look over us and to take care of us. He is the head of Christ and we are the body of Christ. He leads, we follow.
And yet that endearing questions remains – why a shepherd, and why are we sheep. The easy answer is that is the culture that the Hebrews would have understood. They were a nomadic people, traveling from place to place with their animals. It was so ingrained into their way of life was that was all that they understood – caring for sheep. That was how they understood any relationship – that was the language that they spook. The language of sheep.
The harder answer perhaps is that we are reminded that in the midst of all of our sophisticated thinking as people- our ability to think for ourselves, our ability to know right from wrong, our ability to take care of ourselves – that God is reminding us that we are still just as helpless and dependent on God as the sheep. That in spite of all of our knowledge and abilty to learn new things – that what we know is nothing compared to what God knows. That we are to remember that life is not about us and what we want, it is about god and what God wills.
The language of shepherd and sheep is the language of faith in God. It is a language that goes beyond our relationship with God and is present all throughout the church. Whenever the bishop is present and presiding- he or she brings in their shepherds crook and puts it in stand to remind us that He or she is the shepherd and we as the community of believers are the shepherd. In an individual congregation – the pastor is the shepherd and the congregation are the sheep. The pastors job is to lead and the congregations job is to trust, listen, and follow.
It is a relationship much like the one in our scripture, where the question is asked – how do we know that you are the one to lead us? When a pastor comes into a congregation how do you know that pastor is the one to lead? How do you know whether that pastor is knows what they are doing? In my interview with my new church – that was the first and most significant question that I was asked of me – how do we know that you are a leader who even believes in Jesus.
In my interview with my new church – that was the first and most significant question that I was asked of me – how do we know that you are a leader who even believes in Jesus.
I wont go into my answer – because in many ways those are questions that cannot be answered in words. Jesus himself says that it is not about knowledge, or data or proof – it is about belief. You have to believe within your spirit that this is the pastor called by God to lead in this particular place. It can be easy for us to get caught up into the humanness of the church, the personal flaws, the judgements and agendas of individuals. And to forget that underneath all of that is god’s saving acts in the world. Why should we follow a certain leader – because that is the person that God sent into the situation, to do a certain task. Whether we are in the role of shepherd or sheep – our role is not to know. Our role is to listen, trust and follow. Follow not man, but to follow god. And yet Jesus in his own words reminds us that God came to us in the flesh of a human being, to guide us, to take care of us and to save us from ourselves. Jesus himself says that his work and God’s work are one in the same for those who believe and follow his voice.
How do we know that we are doing the right thing? How do we know when we are trusting the right person, how do we know if a certain person is of God?
We have to be clear in our own faith, determined in our own spirits to follow God, and commited to following our own path. It is not always our job to judge another’s call or relationship with God – it is our job to know our job and our relationship with God.
Barbara Brown taylor writes – to be where God is - to follow Jesus – means going beyond the limits of our own comfort and safety. It means sharing the life we have been given.
Being a sheep means to be where God is – follow Jesus. To find God in all things. To be faithful in our own lives. To hear the voice of Jesus guiding us, and forsaking all other voices. We find that voice in song, in art, in beauty, and most importantly in other people. The good news is that when we listen for that voice – we hear it in some way.

Blessed are Those who See and Believe

April 11, 2010
Second Sunday of Easter
Acts 5
John 20
Blessed are those who see and believe
Year C


What did Jesus say when he arose from the grave? Tada!
Resurrection was God’s great joke on the devil. A trick that he played- when he wanted to the devil to know that no matter what was tried, he could never win. He would never have the final word. That God has the power to triumph in the midst of even the worst situation. On the cross even though we heard Christ in agony and suffering, he was in on the joke – what else was there for him to say – but tada. It worked in spite of it all.

Easter is not a day – Easter is a season. It takes us awhile to get on board and to let the joke settle in for us. It takes several appearances, several sermons, several life experiences before we finally get the joke and are willing to laugh.
This second Sunday of easter is Holy humor Sunday – the day we get to laugh and sing and dance, and settle into what Easter means for us and for the world.
So in honor of holy humor Sunday, I want to give you a short test of faith. Answer whether you think these things are true or false….
Would you believe that:
Most lipstick contains fish scales. (T)
More real money is printed in the world than Monopoly money each year. (F)
No piece of square paper can be folded more than seven times. (T)
The longest recorded flight of a chicken is 13 seconds. (T)
The Kea bird from New Zealand likes to eat the strips of rubber around car windows. (T)
The weight of all the termites in the world is 10 times heavier than the weight of all the world's humans put together. (T)
The longest bout of hiccups lasted ten years. (F. Charles Osborne had them for 69 years!)
A cockroach can live several weeks without a head - afterwards it will die of starvation. (T)
Toenails grow faster than fingernails. (F) fingernails grow 4 X's as fast as toenails.
The world's oldest piece of chewing gum is over 9000 years old. (T)


The themes for today are doubt, belief and witness. I plan for us to focus on the lessons of acts and John for the year – and those are the themes of the day. Doubt, belief and witness.
The gospel lesson for today is always focuses on the story of Thomas. Some call him doubting Thomas – because he did not believe that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead- until he had proof for himself. The nails in his hands, the hole in his side. All of which Jesus was able to provide for him. But the word for this story that we interpret as doubt actually means more distrust. He didn’t doubt that Jesus had risen from the dead, he just want not able to accept that fact right off, without some further understanding. Sort of like I would need to believe that no square piece of paper can be folded for more than 8 times. That might actually be true – but I will have to try that for myself in order to really believe that is it true.
Jesus days that blessed are those who believe but have not seen. He is not criticizing Thomas for asking for proof. He is saying that there will be times when we will have to answer whether something is true or false- and we wont have time to look at the encyclopedia – we will just have to use what we have to answer the question.
Do you believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead – true or false. Do you believe that was the greatest trick that God could have played ? True of false. How do you know your answer is true or not?
It all comes down to what you believe about Christ. In researching this sermon - I came across this question – what do you think is the greatest joke that God ever played on us. It is a yahoo question, and people recorded their answers. Some people said to make everything that we enjoy a sin. Someone else said making us all different colors, races and believing in different religions. Someone else said George Bush. I think that the greatest joke that God every played on us is Easter. Forcing us to believe in the impossible, forcing us to celebrate a phenonmen that we don’t understand. Asking us to believe something that we will never see. Did Christ really conquer death and come back to life. We will never get the chance to see the nails and the hole. We cant see – we can only believe. We can only trust the witness of Thomas, Mary and Peter.
Easter is not about what happened to Jesus, it is about how those who saw what happened responded. In Each Easter appearance Jesus gives them the holy spirit and they respond. When Thomas receives the spirit he declares that Jesus is his lord and his God
During the seven weeks of Easter – we read from the book of acts – the book of what the holy spirit did. Usually it is stories of how the church grew, but this year it is stories of how individuals were affected when they came in contact with the holy spirit.
After Jesus was crucified, the disciples were told that they were to forget all about this man and what he did (as if that were really possible), yet they needed to be witnesses for the spirit an tell others what they saw. So they were jailed. When questioned their defense was that they were doing what God told them to do and they had to do what God said and not what man said. One lone Jewish leader – Gemeliail defended them, saying that if what they were doing was from God, then who could stop them, if it was not then it would stop itself. An angel freed them and they continued to be witnesses for God. Telling others that jesus was alive. God demands that task of all of us – to be witnesses of the Easter Jesus. To doubt Easter, to believe Easter and to witness Easter- tell the world what we saw when Jesus appeared to us in Easter.
My favorite story of easter and how it affects us is the story of the families of the coal miners in West Virginia. I remember in 2006, watching the tv constantly for word of what was happening to the miners. I was there when they announced that the had been found alive, and I was awake at two in the morning when the story broke tht they had been found dead. The nation went into mourning. This time there was not the same emotional coverage as there was then, but they did keep us up to date on what was going on. All day Friday they told us what they were doing to look for the 4 miners who may be still alive. The told us when they were going on and how they were going to do it. I was not near a tv when they finally announced that they had found the 4 and they they were not alive. I could imagine the roller coaster ride of all of the families, as they had not told who was dead and who was alive. And now hope was gone – they were all gone. The governor’s emotional words – we were hoping for a miracle – and it did not happen. The journey has ended and now the healing must begin.
That is what easter is all about – is being able to find hope in the deepest darkest moment and knowing that God has demanded that life must go on. Even in a tradgedy – the living Christ is there – and is saying tada – death does not get to have the final word. Because the holy spirit has a job to do. To be a witness of what God can do. God can turn darkness into light, despair into joy, a bad moment into a good, hopelessness into hope. Just as God bought jesus back to life, god does all of the work – but someone has to testify and witness that they saw the work done.
What about you – what is your easter story ? as you look for the green grass, the growing flowers, the budding trees – how do you see God at work? At play? Telling jokes, some of them funny – all of them joyful. Remember – some of god’s greatest miracles start out in the form of a question, an occasion for distrust, an opportunity to ask God how are you going to work that one out – a chance not to nessarily doubt god – but to distrust what your senses are showing you. You know jesus is alive in that situation – when you believe – believe that your lord and your savior is speaking to you, and asking for a witness that the holy spirit is at work in your and in the world – bringing about a transformation. A change- a new risen savior. Let us pray….

An Idle Tale

April 4, 2010
Easter Sunday
Psalm 118
Luke 24:1-12
An Unlikely Tale
Year C

Woodrow Wilson’s butler called him one night to tell him that the tax accountant for the government had died. Sir, I was wondering if it s okay with you if I could take his place. Now mind you this is the middle of the night – butler- tax accountant. President Wilson responds – you know it doesn’t matter to me if you want to take his place – but you should probably ask the funeral director if it is okay.
The women in Jesus life have gathered to go to the tomb of Jesus. They want to anoint the body. That’s what you do when you are family – you show love and care to the body by rubbing it in spices. They have been through a hard ordeal, traveling with the teacher, believing and being inspired by his message, watching him beaten and killed for all of the wrong reasons, seeing your family fall apart from the stress, feeling like you have to do something – only to witness the final insult – his body is gone.
Bodies don’t just disappear on their own, they don’t just walk away on their own, - something had to have happened. After all they have done to this man – how could they have deprived Jesus of his final resting place? Seeing two men near the grave – she says – sir if you have taken him, just give him back, so that I can give him that final dignity of resting in peace.
The two men were really angels. And they ask her an important question. A question that certainly should have been asked of Woodrow Wilson – but needs to be asked of us today – why do you continue to look for the living amongst the dead.
If there was a body to speak of everything would be different now. If he had a final resting place- if there was a place we could go to honor his memory – we wouldn’t need to come today or any Sunday.
Even as those who come together to celebrate the resurrection – we still find ways to look for Jesus among the dead. Knowing that we will never find him – but we look anyway.
When we seek comfort instead of righteousness – we are looking for life in the midst of death. When we are in constant pursuit of pleasure and forsake joy – we are looking for life in the midst of death. When we seek security and what is best for us, instead of reaching out to help others – we are looking for life in the midst of death. When we are much more willing to listen to what the world says, and forget what god says – we are looking for life in the midst of death.
Looking for the living amongst the dead. There are times when we have to do that. I think of the recent Haiti disaster. I have a picture here of the cross that survived, when the church was destroyed. (I will pass it around).
There were people in that disaster and many others – who had the task of looking for the living amongst the dead. Who had to go through that rubble of each fallen building – and look for life in the midst of death. Who had to examine every body for signs of life. And at any sign of life, they had to stick with that person until they were taken to safety. No matter how the faint the sign may be- if they are alive then they have to be nurtured back to health. We have that type of obligation to life.
Things would have certainly been different if they had found a body. If we had found a body. Our obligation to death and to life are very different. Death can take care of itself – but it is in life that we have an obligation to carry on. In the midst of our circumstances of life, our troubles, our hardaches, our questions, our destiny. Death can give us easy answers. But when we are still alive, and we don’t know what to do, or what comes next, or how things will work themselves out- that’s when we need a resurrection faith.
Faith in an empty tomb – faith in a promise of new life, faith in divine intervention in a way that makes no sense, faith that death has been conquered, so that we will have to strength to go on in life. Faith that God will succeed and conquer all.
Lenin fashioned himself as a savior of the people. He told them that communism would save them. He told them that there was no need for faith. It didn’t do anything but give false hope. He promised his people a better life, he even took the time to teach people a new way of understanding. And then he died. At his death – the question was asked – what do you do with a God who has failed you? They actually did the same thing that the women at the tomb were planning to do with Jesus. Anoint his body with spices, preserve it, give it a nice home, and put it on display as a monument so that people from generation to generation could come and see death. And yet remember to point he was trying to make. Why do we continue to look for the living amongst the dead.
The empty tomb is a witness to a God who does not fail, but who has won the ultimate victory. The triumph of life over death. There is no body for us to remember and show respect to, there is no principle for us to be reminded of.
There is a life that we are to live. There is a story that we are to tell, there is an event that we are to witness to. There is no body – there are only people. People who choose life over death anyday.
When the women went to tell the disciples what they had witnessed. No one believed them. It couldn’t be- God never intercedes like that, no one has ever been resurrected. No one who had died, has ever come back to life. Peter even went to the grave himself – he saw the empty tomb. He saw the proof for himself that the body was gone – it had indeed just walked away. And yet he didn’t believe. It didn’t make sense. He did not see the life in such a tragic event.
The world is the same – the world sees proof everyday of a god who won – a living faith. And yet they refuse to believe.
It is easier to believe in easter bunnies, and chocolate, and eggs, than it is to believe in life over death. The good news is that Easter is not a day or an event – Easter is life unfolding, and God revealing, each and every day.
Jesus came to each an every one of them – to reveal the truth and to show them proof of the resurrection. With each passing day – they understood a little bit better, and they saw a little more clearer.
The good news is the Easter is still unfolding, God is revealing, Jesus Christ is alive an still appearing to his disciples, and we still get the chance to choose life over death. There is not body – only people. When we celebrate and sing Hallelujah God wins. When we live as if we believe that Easter is a life changing event – God wins. Otherwise this all is just another idle tale- as his own disciples believed long ago.
Let us pray…
Lord,
the resurrection of Your Son
has given us new life and renewed hope.
Help us to live as new people
in pursuit of the Ways of Christ.
Grant us wisdom to know what we must do,
the will to want to do it,
the courage to undertake it,
the perseverance to continue to do it,
and the strength to complete it.
New Saint Joseph People's Prayer Book

Amen.

From Self Confidence to God Confidence

From Self confidence to God Confidence Psalm 126 Philippians 3:4-14 Fifth Sunday of Lent Year C March 22, 2010 Max Lucado is a pastor and has written many many books on the Christian faith and what it means to believe. He tells the story of taking his daughter Jenna to the park when she was a little girl of about two years old. While she was playing with the other children, and there were other parents around – he decides to go across the street to the dairy queen and get her an ice cream cone. He returns to the park to give her the cone, only to discover that not only has she been playing in the sand – she has decided to eat the sand. He can’t very well give her an ice cream cone – when she has sand in her mouth. In telling the story – Lucado asks himself – did I love her any less with dirt in her mouth? Was she any less my daughter because she had dirt in her mouth? No – was I going to let her continue to play with dirt in her mouth(especially while holding an ice cream cone) no. He took her to the water fountain and washed her mouth out. Lucado compaired this to the way God thinks about us sometimes. He catches us all of the time with dirt in our mouths, God loves us, god cares for us, and yet God feels the need to clean out the dirt in our lives – because there is something much better in store for us. Most of the time if left alone to our own devices, we want to play in the sand and eat it- and yet god wants us to see that there is a bigger life, a greater relationship that we can have with ourselves and with God – if we stop depending on our own devices and seek to learn the ways of God. I tell you that story because Paul can relate to it very well. It proves the point that he is trying to make in Philippians when he says that his life is dirt. All of the things that used to matter in the world, no longer matter because his whole perspective in life has changed. Now that is really strange – because Paul was not a bad person. And he did not have a bad life. And there was nothing in his life that he had any real reason to be ashamed of. He came from a good family. When many other jewish families were giving up their faith for new beliefs. Pauls family were true Hebrews among Hebrews. He grew up to be a teacher and defender of the faith. He fervently persecuted Christians who were trying to ruin his faith. He was very well respected. And when others may have been thrown in jail because there were not citizens, even though he was jewish, he was still a roman citizen, he had all of the rights and priveledges that would have been given to the best of people. There were people who were trying to put Paul down and say that he was not a true leader, and yet Paul wanted them to know that there were at least 7 things in his life that he could point to and say that he was indeed a good and respected person. Good and respected if his life were about him. The thing is – he realized that his life was not about him. His life was about jesus Christ. And even though those things mattered in the eyes of humanity – they were nothing in the eyes of God. Whatever gains I had, these have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and regard them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ. Rubbish – how do you come to call everything that you have accomplished in life a rubbish? As I pondered that question I remembered a time in my own life – when I was living with my boyfriend. And on this night our argument was not any more significant than they were on other day. We fought all of the time about any thing. But for some reason, on this night I remember he made a fist, and I remember in the moment between his fist hitting my face and my head hitting the wall – I remember taking everything inside of myself that valued, all of my self esteem, all of my pride, all of the things that I loved about myself – and hiding them onto the white wall. So that when he hit me – he wouldn’t hurt anything. In the days to come, there were many people who asked why I had a black eye – and I always responded the same – I walked into a wall – I am just clumsy that way. It is nothing serious. Until one day – my manager at work asked me how long I intended to lie to myself. And I had to face the fact that I needed to make up a tale, so that I did not have to deal with the seriousness of what was really going on. But it was that tale that kept my life in place- and allowed me to continuing to live in the midst of a bad situation. Dirt in the mouth, while God was trying to show me that there was a better way. Sometimes it is easier for us to hold onto the tales – then it is for us to let the truth in and deal with it. But I don’t want to get caught up in the intensity of the story – that is not my point in telling it. That was a long time ago, and my life has gone on since then, and I have had many experiences in life that supercede that one. That wasn’t the incident that finally got me to leave the relationship, it was the incident that turned my life around to listen more intently to God. But it is an illustration of the intensity of what Paul is saying when he is using the word rubbish in regards to his old life. I few days after that incident I remember saying – I wonder how I am going to get all of that junk off of the wall – all of the things that I admired about myself – now that they were totally worthless. They didn’t mean anything to me anymore – because now I had a new reality, on which none of that stuff applied. The greek word that Paul uses for rubbish is skybala. Skybala means junk, trash – but it also means human waste or excrement. That is a pretty strong word when you are talking about your life’s accomplishments. And yet his new life in Christ – was so much more important than the person that he used to be. He was able to taste the ice cream cone that God was offering. And was glad that he did. Are we able to do the same? Lent is our reminder to put old ways behind and to study more intently to see God’s new ways for us. And there are always new ways. There are always thought patterns and beliefs that no longer serve their purpose, there are resentment and fears that is time to give up, there are ways that we have been coping that need to be put away. There are allegiances to people that are no longer helpful. There is an old understanding of our relationship with god that we are being called to give up – in order to be open to what is happening in our lives today – which is leading us to a new understanding and a new relationship. There is dirt, a lot of dirt that we can stop eating. The good news for us is that junk can be recycled. Even excrement is used are fertilizer. The old ways of thinking make us who we are today- they are the pathway for the new. They inform our lives and give us a chance to truly understand Christ salvation for us. The story of our salvation is always part of the bigger story of salvation of the world. Our story is important because it is a part of God’s story. It shows us that God is always working to make us better people. There is always room for us to grown to mature, to make sense of why things happen to us. And to know that in the end – it always a story of God’s love. When we are able to put aside our own accomplishments and our own self confidence – we are free to take on God confidence. We don’t know what god’s final vision of the world will be – most of the time we have no idea of what God’s final vision for our own lives is. But we can give up the past in order to prepare ourselves for the future. Paul ends his pep talk by saying – beloved I do not consider that I have made it my own. But this one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead- I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. It is time for us all to leave the past behind and press on to the destiny of Christ – let us pray…..

A Less Obvious Way

A Less Obvious Way
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Psalm 32
March 14, 2010
Year C
Fourth Sunday in Lent

Hallelujah appears in the bible 18 times. 14 times in the later psalms – which means that it did not become a saying until late in Hebrew history. And 4 times in the new testament – in the book of revelation – once again late in the history of the development of the church. Jesus was never recorded as saying hallelujah. Even though I am sure that he said praise God in some form or another many times – even if it was just in prayer. With the coming of easter, we are reminded that Jesus is our hallelujah – our reason for praising God. Perhaps that is why we choose not to say it during lent.

The inspiration for our recurring hallelujahs comes from a song – that seems to be gaining popularity again. It was first written in the early seventies by Leonard Cohen. I wanted to play it for you. I choose not to have us sing it because with a name lke Cohen, I would assume that he is jewish – and has a very jewish idea of the word hallelujah - there is nothing wrong with that. But it is not written as a song for worship so it has absolutely no theological value. But as you listen to the song – I think you will agree that hallelujah is just a pretty song all by itself. This song has been recorded by all types of artist over the years – who seem to agree. I choose this version by the Canadian tenors because it seemed the most praiseworthy and dignified.
Definitely a lent hallelujah – and not a easter hallelujah. Reminding us that we still need God in the midst of all situations. And that no matter what – we have a reason to praise God.
That is the point of the psalms – the praises of god in the midst of all types of circumstances. Some happen in ones deepest darkest hour, in the valley of the shadow of death. Some happen in the midst of despair of asking why is this happening to me, some happen on the way to Jerusalem to keep you busy on a long questioning journey. Psalm 32 is one of 7 penitiential psalms. – psalms of a person who knows that they are in need of forgiveness. And after they have turned their life around – they return to god – happy for the chance to go on in life again.
I am happy again, yes I am. I am happy because I told God. I told god about the wrong things I did. And I said to God, I am sorry. For a long time I felt bad. I was always worried and sad. I didn’t tell God about the wrong things I did. I didn’t tell God anything. But now I am happy again. I can sing, I can dance, I can play. I told God about the wrong things I did. And I sad to God I am sorry. I said to God I am sorry, Ill try to live in your way. Ill try to be kind to the person I hurt. I’ll try to frends once again. I am happy again – yes I am I am happy because I told God told God about the wrong things I did and I said I am sorry.
That is what lent is all about – learning how to say I am sorry. Learning that I am not perfect. Being able to acknowledge that no matter how hard I try to be good – there are still ways in which I come up short. In my relationship wth god and in my relationship with others.
There is a calvin and hobbes comic. Calvin, who is always a bad boy tells hobbes – you know I feel bad because I know that I hurt susies feeling. I am really sorry that I did that. Hobbes, the voice of wisdom says well maybe you should go and apologize to her. Calvin sits and thinks for a minute and says was hoping that there was a less obvious solution.
I think the point for us is not that we all have something that we need to say sorry about. But the point is that we as humans are always looking for that less obvious solution. – hoping that there is some other way besides addressing the issue head on. Hoping that there are some other words to say besides I was wrong for what I said and how I treated you.
God’s concern is not so much that you are out of integrity and have not repented, but that you have gotten comfortable living in a world where that is normal. Where everybody forgets to say I am worry. Where everybody has a part in doing wrong – but no one wants to be the person to take the first step. We are all convinced that we are not the problem – that you are. If you would just say I am sorry – then this situation would get better. If you would just do what you are supposed to do, if you would just correct your mistake, If they just saw things differently we wouldn’t be in this mess. If they weren’t so confused, if they just did what they know to be right.
Lent is a reminder that transformation of the world starts with us – not with them. All of the time that I am waiting to hear I am sorry – I could learn to say I am sorry. The first step to expecting something different from them is to expecting something different from myself.
Lent is a reminder that Jesus was willing to take the first step. To say the first I am sorry, to come to the presence of God and ask for forgiveness. If Jesus can do it, them so can we. jesus was innocent – we are sinners. When we say I am sorry to people – you don’t know what you are going to get in return. But when we say I am sorry to god – you always get forgiveness. When we let go of our sins – there is always a sense of relief that that is over with.
Forgiveness is our little easter – our reason to celebrate. Our reason to celebrate – our reason to say hallelujah. That is over with – that burden is released and we are free to pray, to receive protection, to tell others, to rejoice in God’s love. If it feels good to be free of our own sins – imagine what it will feel like when the world is free of theirs. What better reason to shout – hallelujah!
Let us pray…

An open invitation to abundance

An Open Invitation to Abundance Isaiah 55 Psalm 63 The Third Sunday of Lent Year C Rebekah was one of the prophet’s Isaiah’s best friends. She visited him every day. Isaiah was an old man, Rebekah was a child, but they still has lots to talk about to one another. One day Rebekah was on the beach playing with her friends. They were building houses in the sand. And along came Asher, another boy their age. He wanted to show them all the toy that he had just gotten from his dad. But it seemed everyone was too busy building houses. So Asher took his sword and started swinging it near everyone. They asked him to stop, but he just kept going. He knocked down all of the houses, and even started swinging at people. The more you asked him to stop – the more deteremined he was to be aggravating. Rebekah had to put her arm up to protect her face – the sword grazed her arm and left a bad scar. She and her friends got up and left Asher there swinging his sword. The next morning Rebekah went to visit Isaiah, she showed him her scar and talked about the event. Why did Asher do that asked Isaiah? He always does things like that. We don’t like to play with asher – because he is always trying to act big and strong. Why does Asher do that? When he plays with us, his house is neve as nice as our houses, so he is always trying to knock ours down. Why does Asher do that? Asked Isaiah again. Why are you asking me the same question over and over again? Because you cant make things better until you answer the hard questions. Then you should be asking Asher why, not me. No Rebekah, I am asking you – why does he do that? I guess he wants us to pay attention to him. He wants us to be his friend, but he is way too mean to play with. Rebekah in the marketplace where I go every morning – there are lots of people like Asher. That want to be noticed, they want people to pay attention to them. So they buy nice clothes, they buy shiny swords so they can feel important – they buy sweets because they think it will satisfy their hunger. But they find that it just doesn’t work. The clothes, the shiny tools, the food doesn’t make their life any better, it doesn’t make someone like them any better realized Rebekah. People feel good while they acquire these things in the market – but as soon as they are gone – life goes back to normal. It is very sad. Why do they do that? Rebekah smiled as she now had a chance to ask Isaiah the hard question. We all need to be needed. We all need other people, we all need to be accepted by other people, we all need to be loved by other people. We all need God. But hitting people and buying nice clothes doesn’t make anyone love you – it doesn even make others like you. And those things certainly don’t impress God. Rebekah and Isaiah were quiet for awhile. Then in a whisper, Rebekah said – I am going to ask Asher to come and play with us. You know I really like asher when he is not showing off. Maybe if I show him love first – then he wont need to act like that – and he will know that I am his friend. Isaiah thought for a minute – I have a song – I am going to sing the song to the people, so they can see that God really does love them, just as they are, they don’t have to buy nice things to come to God and experience God’s love. The don’t need nice things to feel good – they need God’s love. Are you going to put your song in your book to all generations? Asked rebekah. Isaiah smiled and began to sing his song… Ho you who are thirsty, ho you who are thirsty. Here is some nice cold water. You don’t need any money, here is good, rich food. It is a free gift from God. Don’t spend your money buying things that don’t help. The things you buy wont make your friends love you, the things that you buy wont make God love you. God has promised you that God will love you just as you are. There is nothing that you can buy that will make God love you. You cant buy things that will make your friends care Live God’s way! Be kind and good and fair. Love yourself, just the way God made you, then God and friends will love you too. Love yourself, love your friends, love your God. That is the open invitation that God gives to us all. All of us do something in order to gain attention. All of us do things to make people like us. All of us have a deep yearning inside of ourselves. Our society depends on it. Today you don’t have to go to the marketplace to buy the things that you need. All you have to do is turn on the television – and commercial after commercial appeal to our deep inner needs. Food commercials are constantly reminding us that we get hungry. All day Saturday I watch cooking shows on tv – just thinking about all of the wonderful things that I could cook. We sat and watched a cooking show at family share – Julie and Julia – all about what – food. I don’t know about you – but when I see something really good being fixed on television – I am not happy until I am able to fix it myself. Has any of it made a big difference in my life? No – but it satisfies that craving inside of me. But Isaiah is very right about our cravings – they only satisfy us for a short period of time – and then we are craving something else. And not really acknowledging that we are still hungry. Not paying attention to the fact that God creating us to be hungry, to have cravings, to need to be loved, to ask for attention. We created the minute things to hold our attention and to lose focus on God. Yet God created those things which really truly satisfy our heart. That makes us know that we are loved, and that God is always giving us the greatest of attention. Isaiah comes into our lives, into the streets, the marketplaces, the living rooms, the dens – to give us a message – Ho you who are thirsty – god has invited you to a feast – a feast that you don’t have to pay for the ticket. A feast where you don’t have to dress up – just open you heart, listen, trust and understand. And you will be filled beyond your wildest imagination. How are you letting God come into you soul and fill you to the brim this lent? Let us pray?

The Work of Today, Tomorrow and the Third Day

The Work of Today, Tomorrow and the Third Day
Psalm 27
Luke 13:31-35
Second Sunday of Lent
Year C

I am told that in the ‘60’s there was a television show called Run for your Life. My memory of early childhood is pretty good, but I don’t remember grandma watching that one. It may have been before my time. But anyway – it is the story of a man who is told by his doctor that he has an incurable disease and he only has a few years to live. The opening credits say that he has no family, and that he never took a day off in his life. But this was his decision to make the most of his life. He travels the world – meeting new people, going places that he has never been before, solving the problems of other people. But at the end of each episode – he is reminded that he is about to die- and that there is no way of escaping that reality. The story was intended to remind us all that we are all mortals – one day we will all die and there is nothing that we can do about it. No matter what we do choose to do.
They say that the television show ended in 1968 – I would have been old enough to remember Mannix, and Columbo, and hawai five O, the Mod Squad, Perry Mason. Grandma loved detective shows – but I don’t remember this one.
But the point that I want to make about the show – was that the man found meaning in his life, by running away from his own problems and getting involved in the lives of others. For him that was making the most of the time that he had left. It was a great concept – and something that we can all relate to and even learn from. But then again think about it – Run for Your Life – in times of danger, or fear, or chaos – how many times have we heard that phrase – run for your life. But was this man running for his life – or was he running from his life – or even fleeing his impending death?
What would any of us do in that situation? Do we tend to avoid the overwhelming issues of our own lives – by choosing to get overinvolved in the lives of others – because it is just easier – and it takes our minds off of the things that we really need to be dealing with.
I used that as an introductory story for today’s sermon – because the real question that I have for you today is what would Jesus do in that situation? What would jesus have us to do?
I was able to watch the opening credits of this show – where you hear the voice of his doctor telling him he has only a few years to live. And then you hear his conversation, why he decides to take this journey.
In Luke 13 – Jesus is on the journey of his life also. He knows that he must go to Jerusalem. And he has no bones about what is going to happen when he gets there. He is a prophet – he has a message that the current government does not want to hear. Jerusalem likes to kill its prophets. He seems to realize too that he has less than six months to live and he has to make the best of it.
Interestingly enough it is the Pharisees who give him the message run for your life. If you know that you are going to die – save your life- avoid death – don’t go there.
But Jesus has a different view of death – and of his relationship with bad news. Instead of running from it - he runs to it. He is ready for anything that must happen.
The good news for us today is that the scripture preaches for itself - Go tell that fox that today and tomorow I have been casting out demons, but on the third day my work is finished. I will go into the city that kills prophets and do what I have to do – but in the end – you will know that I am a prophet bringing news to the Lord.
Life, death, bad news, struggles, hardships are not something you walk away from – but it is something that you walk into.
In church we celebrate and sing – take me to the cross – but this lent we have to ask ourselves – do we really want to follow where Christ is leading us? We sing All to Jesus I surrender – but do we really surrender all of our lives to Jesus. On our life journey – are we walking toward our Jerusalems? Or are we walking away from them? Avoiding things that we know that eventually we must face.
In preparing for this sermon I came across this poem from Henri Nouwen
Don't surrender your lonliness, your pain, your fear so quickly.
Let it cut more deep.
Let it ferment and season you,
As few human or even divine ingredients can.
Something missing in my heart tonight
Has made my eyes soft,
My voice, so tender,
My need for God,
Absolutely clear.


Jesus not only refuses to run away from Jerusalem – he embraces it. He longs for it. He explains that he wishes those who were there would come to Gods love like a mother hen, but it will never happen.
Ed Heistand – says that at the Chicago Temple downtown – of you in the large sanctuary is a picture of Jesus looking over Jerusalem – but if you go to the chapel – there is a picture of Jesus – looking over another city – if you look closely you will see that it is a picture of the Chicago skyline. Jesus looks over our city too – praying, hoping, inviting, forgiving and waiting. Many in that city are telling him to go away to leave them alone to run for your life – and yet His prayers remain steadfast.
A little boy was collecting money from his paper route – when he knocked on a door. An elderly man answers the door and abruptly tells him to go away – his wife is really sick and he cant deal with the paper boy right now. But instead of running and avoiding the situation, he goes to his pastor and asks if he will stop by. See if there is anything that he can do.
The pastor not knowing the people feels that it might be a bad idea and there is nothing he can do to make a difference. But he goes anyway. The elderly man is about to slam the door in his face, when his wife asks him to let the pastor in. He comes in and talks to the couple – who know nothing about religion. But after talking with the pastor for afew weeks, wants to join church, knowing that her time is short, she wants to be baptized and receive eternal life.
A dying woman experienced new life, because a young boy refused to run for his life. He met the challenges of a cruel and hostile city with the love of God. What is God asking us to stand up, stay firm and deal with in our lives? In the lives of those in our city?
My favorite line in this passage is when Jesus says – today tomorrow and the third day I do I work. He says it twice. In some ways it is a prediction for his time in Jerusalem, when he is crucified, dead and buried and he rises on the third day.
But I think it also tells us to stand firm – until the third day. We have control over what we do today and tomorrow – but the third day – the day beyond the future is the day when God’s promises of love will come true for us- if we just stand firm that long.
Peace,

We are Glory Bearers

Year C
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
Luke 9:28-43
We are Glory Bearers

Introduction - Earthquake
Did any of you feel the earthquake – on Thursday morning? I felt it and immediately knew what was going on. Well sort of –I was awake enough to know what was happening, but sleep enough not to be sure if it was real or not.
As a matter of fact I was sure that I was dreaming, because there was no way in Illinois that I would be living through an earthquake for the second time in what two / three years.
I remember that moment of thinking that the wind was blowing the house, but the wind was coming from the ground and not the air. It was a rare moment that I never expected to feel again. For me a moment of God moving in my life in special way. A moment that you want to treasure – but which doesn’t last very long.
How do you hold onto those special moments – usually you take a picture, or your write a story – or you find the words to tell someone. You try to do something to hold onto the moment.

How do we Hold onto God Moments? Those special moments?
The gospel story takes place 8 days after Peter has a chance to experience God in his life. He has met a new friend – Jesus , and he realizes that he is not only a special person – he is the son of God. He has been invited to share in a special moment in Jesus life. The time when Jesus is praying with the law and the prophets, and Moses and Elijah come to join him. Like most of us, Peter asks the same question – how do I hold onto the once on a lifetime moment. And like all of us – Peter realizes there is no real way to hold onto God moment. There are no words, no images, no feelings that will adequately hold onto the moment. All you can really do is vow to hold onto that moment in your heart and remember.

Transfiguration Sunday
No moment on life is intended to last forever. The moment for us is transfiguration Sunday. The Sunday when epiphany ends and lent begins. The moment between seeing the light and entering into a time of darkness. I don’t think any of us will voluntary enter into darkness. We don’t chose to be sad, or depressed, or to suffer. We don’t chose to enter into the darkness of lent – we have to be coaxed into it or forced into it.
But it is in the darkness where we get closer to Jesus Christ. What does our relationship with Jesus mean? Who is this Christ for us? What difference does Christ make in our lives? Would our lives really be any different if Christ had not entered into our lives? These are the questions for us to ponder during the time of lent.



The Transfiguration Story
Every year we hear the story of transfiguration – every year we hear a different version of the same story. It is in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The concept of transfiguration is also in John.
In Luke’s version – Jesus brings his newfound friends – Peter, James and John with him on the mountain to pray. It is a mystery to us why Jesus chose to bring them there. Obviously it was a mystery to them also because they fell asleep.
While they are asleep, Jesus prays, and Moses and Elijah appear with him. A voice comes from the clouds and says – this is my son, my chosen, listen to him.
Luke doesn’t say anything about a bright light – or Jesus being transformed by the light. There is no light. The moment is so short and strange – that the disciples decide that they wont say anything to anyone.
But it is the moment for us that Jesus becomes the light of the world. In John Jesus says – I am the light of the world. Transfiguration not only means – change forms – it also means to experience glory – or light of God.
What light was lit your path recently? What illumination has taken place for you to see things more clearly? What shines for you in bright times?
Lent is a dark time, but it is a time for us to glorify God. Paul says that we are free – free to proclaim our love for Christ. It is a time for us to show others that Jesus is the light of our lives.


Story of Three Gold Miners
Three gold miners traveled to Montana territory to find gold. One day one of them found a strange looking stone. He broke it open and was thrilled to find gold. Soon – the miners found gold everywhere. They started to dance, sing and celebrate. They were rich. But soon they became worried – what if others found this place. They would lose their fortune. They had to keep it a secret.
On their next trip into town, they vowed that they could tell no one. They were very quiet in buying supplies, but they soon discovered that as the left, it seems that the whole town of prospectors was following them. Okay - who told – they discovered that no one had betrayed the secret. The prospectors said – you didn’t have to say anything. We saw the truth on your face. We could tell that you had found God. Or Gold – a Freudian slip.

We are Glory Bearers
What do people see when they look at your face? Light or darkness? Good things are sadness? God or the world?

What light do they see? What light has lit your path? What has illumined your dark places? What shines in your bright times?

I cant answer that question for you. I don’t know your dark places in your life? I don’t know your response to darkness. I don’t know the moment in your life when you finally saw the light. I don’t know your response to light. Did you run to it, or choose to keep on fumbling in the dark.
One of the promises of life – no matter how dark things may get – the light always comes. Lent always starts – but it always ends in the joy of Easter. Jesus is the light of the world.
Jesus is the light of my life. Jesus is the lense in which I choose to experience every moment. In Christ, every moment, every experience, no matter how short or how long is a God moment. A chance to see the light. Light is always a challenge to see things more clearly. A chance to see what needs to be done, what needs to be changed, who needs to be loved.
Lent is our chance to sit and wait for the light – and to be still enough to recognize it and respond.
What light do you walk by? What illumines your life? What shines in the midst of your darkness? The glory of God in the presence of jesus Christ.
We are glory bearers – ones who see the glory of God for ourselves. Ones who bear the glory of God in our lives, the ones who know the presence of Christ when we see and feel it. May the glory of God be with you always in all times – let us pray..
Amen.

Are you really the best person for the job?

February 7, 2010
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11
Fifth Sunday After Epiphany
Year C
Are you really the best person for the job?

MEMO TO: Jesus of Nazareth
FROM: The Jerusalem Management Consulting Firm
Dear Sir:
Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for
management positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken a
series of tests, and we have not only run the results through our computer,
but we have also conducted an in-depth interview with each of them by our
staff psychologist and vocational aptitude consultant.
The profiles of all tests are included, and you will want to study each of
them carefully. It is the staff's opinion that most of your nominees are
lacking in background, education, and vocational aptitude for the type of
enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have the team concept and we
would highly recommend that you continue your search for persons with more
experience, higher qualifications, and greater managerial abilities.
Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and is given to fits of temper.
Andrew simply has no qualities of leadership.
The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal
interests above company loyalty and are quite boisterous.
Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine
morale among the ranks.
It is also our duty to inform you that the Better Business Bureau of Greater
Jerusalem has received reports on Matthew regarding questionable business
practices.
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus definitely have radical leanings
and both demonstrate attitude problems which would present difficulty in
their dealings with the public.
However, one of your candidates shows great potential. He is a man of
ability and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind,
and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious,
responsible, and is not afraid to take the initiative. We recommend Judas
Iscariot as the most qualified of all of your prospective candidates.
Sincerely,
The Jerusalem Management Consulting Firm

OF course, this is just a ficticous account of what Jesus was looking for in his disciples. He didn’t need to consult a management firm – he knew in his heart what he was looking for, and what they were capable of doing. Who is to say that he did not even know that Judas was the one to betray him. And yet the world had a need to be saved, and with every need that is a solution – if you are just willing to be open to the possibilities. If you look more at what can be, and not what is. If you realize that life and relationships are what we make of them, not what we see of them.
In many ways – Jesus is still walking the earth looking for disciples and calling us to a deeper journey – a deeper walk. He challenges us all to follow him, to trust him, to live for him, to become his disciples. Ones who honor his teachings, and his apostles – those who are able to tell the whole world that they have seen the messiah for themselves.
And how many of us – if we had to be reviewed by the Jerusalem Management Company – would be found lacking to do the Job. We would be found unworthy, and not really qualified. And yet for some reason, Jesus still calls, Jesus still challenges, Jesus still trust that we will listen, and follow – and we do.
Luke 5 is the real account of how Jesus went about picking his disciples. By getting involved with their lives, their concerns, meeting their needs, and challenging them to think a little farther then what they are used to thinking.
Simon Peter, and Andrew, and James and John are all fishermen. Very successful fishermen. Who are very proud to support their families in this trade that has been in their family for generations.
I don’t know much about fishing, but I am told that the best place to fish is in shallow water. And it is better to fish at night, not in the bright sunlight. And Jesus asks them to do the exact opposite of what they are used to doing. And it works, they are rewarded with lots of fish.
Lucky for me, this is not a story about fish, but about people. Jesus is calling these fishermen to become disciples and to fish for people.
I haven’t always been impressed with Peter. I guess I think of St. Peter, the guy who founded the catholic church – whose bones are buried beneath the Vatican. The guy who rejected Paul – because he had not seen Jesus in person. The person who had the power to determine who was and who was not a part of the church. This isn’t a story about Peter the saint
But about Peter the ordinary guy – who had a life, a commitment, an understanding of life. The guy who gave all of that up – to follow jesus. To give up all that he was familiar with to go to places unknown. Who gave up control and success – for constant questions. All for the sake of being called.
We were talking in our lectionary study group about the meaning of call. Being called by God. Usually when we think of a call from God – it is a challenge, something we have second thoughts about doing, something that will indeed take us away from our familiarity.
A call is something that we are afraid of. That we put off, that we reject and resist. We feel that we will lose something if we really listen to god.
I remember once in college, I was talking to a lady about considering becoming a pastor. But I am not quite sure if I was ready yet. She said that being a pastor is what you do when you have done everything else in life. And even though I knew then what she meant and I still know now – I thought – how do you know when you have done everything in life? At what point in your life do you know it is time to stop living, stop learning and finally become a disciple?
I actually made the decision to go to seminary and become a pastor – what else was I waiting for?



John Sculley was the head of Pepsi. Under his leadership, it had grown into a multi-national, incredibly diversified company, and his reputation meant that many other corporations tried to get him to join them. Among them was Steve Jobs, one of the founders of Apple Computer. Several times Scully turned Jobs down. But Jobs believed in what he was doing, and believed Scully was the man. After getting rejection after rejection, Jobs finally hit Scully with a challenge, a call, if you like, which the executive couldn't ignore. Jobs confronted him with this: "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?"

The chance to change the world – that was the reason Peter was willing to go into the deep waters – even though he knew the fish were in the shallow waters. A chance to change the world – is what everyone in the fish boat was after. They all left their lives and followed Jesus. A chance to change the world – that might have been what I was after in becoming a pastor.

And John Scully – certainly got his chance to change the world in joining the Apple team. Pepsi is still going strong, but Apple is much stronger. Pepsi is still sugar water – or actually corn syrup water – but Apple has indeed changed the world. They bought us computers, then the IPod, the Iphone. Steve Job is a household name all around the world. Apple just announced a new product – the IPad. When was the last time we have had a new kind of Pepsi?
And yet with all of the success that Apple has had as a company – the church is bigger, much more successful, and most importantly has changed the world in many more ways – all one person at a time. Every time someone realizes the power of Jesus promises – the world is changed. And Jesus doesn’t always use business geniuses to become successful – but unqualified, scared, untrained people like you and me. People who are willing to listen to a call, respond, and go out into the deep water – against our better judgement.
A call is not an obligation, or a drudgery. We don’t have to sacrifice ourselves A call is an invitation. An invitation to put aside our fears, our obligations, our preconceived notions, our understandings of how life is, of what wont work, of what we don’t have time for, what we cant do, what we don’t know, what we are not qualified for, what we don’t trust – and listen, follow, fish, and never have another reason to look behind at what was.
Let us pray….

We ask ourselves what is behind it all
and meet the unanswerable a thousand times
and yet continue to be drawn
to the many doors of life.
We hesitate, but want to go on.
We are fearful, but want to learn
We are timid, but want to be courageous
We shrink back, and yet want to grow. We have to take courage and jump
We have to cut the ropes and set ourselves adrift.
We have to leave the solid ground to learn to swim.
We have to sacrifice our security and take risks.
Then we will experience God.

That prayer was written by by Ulrich Schaeffer** Amen.

Faith, Hope, Love

Fourth Sunday of Epiphany
Jeremiah 1:4-10
1 Corinthians 13:1-11
Year C
January 31, 2010
Faith, Hope and Love

The Gift

When he first gave it to me
I wrapped it up
and put it under my mattress,
preferring to pretend I didn’t have it.
I couldn’t give it back –
his gifts are always irrevocable,
non-transferable.

For years it stayed hidden,
disturbing my rest
as I assured myself it wasn’t there.
It brought me dreams,
such that I woke in anger
crying “Why?”
“Why?”
“Why?”

Then one day I took it out
and unwrapped it.
“Why not?” I asked lovingly,
“Why not?”
Perhaps I’ll never use it –
perhaps he gave it to me for others’ sake.

So now I hold it high,
polished and bright –
displayed for all who will to see.

It still disturbs my rest.
“Why?” I ask.
“Why not?”
“Why me?”
“Why not?”
and I am filled with awe.

That is how Ruth Dudley explains her call to become a ministry. The time in her life, when she asks God why me – and God’s response to her was why not you? This was her point of no return – the point when she realized that uninvited – God had stepped into her life and called her into God’s service. Anyone who has ever encountered the holy spirit will come to that moment. Romans 12:6 says that the grace of God comes to all of us – and gives us all a gift. We just have to decide how to use it.
Some of us spend a lifetime running away from what God has called us to do – knowing it, but trying to explain it away. Others know what their passion is from birth, even before that, and just live into it. It is not the call that we struggle with, but the response and the assurance that God has already equipped us to do what needs to be done.
Jeremiah realized his call to speak for God. But not just to his nation – but to the whole world. To tell them about God and what God had in store for us.
Each of us has been given a call, a gift, a story. But it is not what we do as invidduals that matter but who we are as a community.
We have been listening to Pauls words to the Corinthians. That we all have a part of the puzzle – but it is when we put those pieces together that the world starts to truly understand who Jesus is, and what Jesus did for us. We come to understand the power of love.

It is sort of like this hair dryer, and this cd player – wonderful inventions. Useful to us all and make a difference in our lives. But without electricity don’t do much good. We have gifts, we are important tools of God – but unless we are connected to Jesus – we don’t do much good. Our connection is always Love.

Love is patient, kind, rejoicing in truth, bears all things, hopes all things, never ends.

Love is not envious or boastful, arrogant, insisting on own way, rejoicing in wrongdoing. Means that we love our enemies, stop counting what we deserve, it matures us, not self seeking, and we think of others. Gifts are for such a time as this, our love last forever.

During the Christmas season, a couple worried about money to buy gifts for one another. The wife wanted to get a chain for her husband’s watch – a watch that had been passed down in his family. But she was still $5 short. She gave up her most prized possession to get the gift. Her hair was down to her knees – she was very proud of her hair – but she sold it in order to get the gift. Which is why her husband was so surprised, he handed her the package – which turned out to be the hair combs that she has wanted for her hair. He laughed even harder when he opened his gift. A chain for the watch that he had sold to buy the hair combs.
Neither received a gift that they could use that Christmas – but what they did get was love. They realized that they had a love that was willing to sacrifice in order to make the other person happy. A love that expected nothing in return for its sacrifice. A love that would get past that moment.
Because that is what love is – love is always an action and not a feeling. Love is always about the person and not the circumstance. We are to always be patient with one another, but we don’t have to patient about the circumstance – jesus reminds us that the time for change is always now we don’t have to stay stuck in our circumstance. Just as love is about people, so is jealousy and envy. Some people are jealous of the things that we have – the gifts that we have been given. Others are jealous of the fact that we have gifts. One can be overcome – the other is a very dangerous feeling that never goes away. One is directed at the person, and the other is at the circumstance.
Jesus message to us all – love the person, change the circumstance. Be patient with the person in all things. Fix the circumstance.
It is not only how we treat one another that shows love, it how we choose to live together that shows true love to the world. How we forgive, how we copperate, how we work together.
This paraphrase of Pauls word – demonstrates who we are to be as the church.


Paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 13

What if I could stand up here and say the most wonderful things, and sound impressive and answer everyone's questions, but I didn't love anyone - what would be the point?

What if we were the most incredible church where every pew was filled the preaching was always inspirational - we had a choir that always sang perfectly and served the best coffee in town, but no one felt love - what would be the point?

And if as a community we teach our children lots of information and knowledge and they can recite the books of the Bible and know all the right answers but they don't know how to love, we've failed them.

If we focus on some and say 'he/she was a saint' and welcome newcomers, and collect money for the Mission and Service Fund, and we pray every week for the poor of the world and yet we don't feed the hungry and reach out to the poor of our communities around us, and don't care for the sick and the lost in our community, where is the honesty in that?

If we don't love what's the point?

Love is kindness in action, offered simply and humbly. Love is not meant to make me look good, score brownie points with God, or draw attention to ourselves.

Love is co-operative; there are all kinds of ways of doing good and God is happy to use every way there is. Love only cares that what's needed is done. Love has the best interests of the other in mind.

Sometimes we grow weary and give up - we can't think of what else can be done. But God never gives up - God's love continues, and new possibilities are always appearing. What we know now is never the whole picture. What we do now is never the whole story.

In some ways we're like children: we do what we can and what we know to this point. But there's still more for us to learn, to grow into, to accept.

Some day we'll look back on where we are now, and wonder how we could ever have wondered and doubted and refused to accept what was happening.

In some ways, it's like looking in an imperfect mirror. There's a reflection there, but it's not quite right, not totally true. We are the body of Christ, the image of God - but not perfectly, not completely, not totally truly ... not yet. The day will come when we will see. The day will come when we will know. Until then, we live in faith, trusting God's love. Until then, we live in hope, hoping for God's love. Until then, we live in love, showing God's love as best we can. because love is the point of it all.

(adapted from a Loaves and Fishes resource sheet, Wood Lake Books, 1998 by Rev. Brian Donst, United Church, Winona, ONT)


The gifts that we have are great – but there is a more excellent way – and that way is the love of God. We each have a gift – n some way we each have an encounter with the holy – that is wonderful.
But what is better is who we grow as a community, growing is not getting smarter, but becoming more loving, more understanding, more tolerant of one another. As we grow to love one another we also grow to love God.
Faith is the loyalty we have with to God and to God’s cause on earth. Hope is the trust that we have that God’s word for us is true, but love is the glue that hold the faithful and all of their gifts together in order to show love to the world. Faith, hope, love – the greatest of these is?
Let us pray…

The Power of God's Word in our Lives

January 24, 2010
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
Third Sunday after Epiphany
Year C
The Power of God’s Word for your life


Watergate

What comes to mind when I say the word Watergate? For many of us, we think of the Nixon years and the scandal that ensued during his presidency. I was seven years old when all of that happened, and still don’t remember all of the details. But I remember the term Watergate. Even today – what over 30 years later, the term Watergate is synonomous with scandal. Whenever something is scandalous – we use the term gate – remember Irangate. I suppose today we would refer to the Tigergate. I thought it was interesting, that even when I typed in the word Watergate on the word program – it even capitalized the term.

Nehemiah

But today I want to take you back to a simpler day – when a water gate was simply that – a water gate. The scripture in Nehemiah talks of another Watergate event – this one happening at the water gate. Nehemiah was a servant in Babylon. He was the cup bearer for the king. His people had been taken captive by the kings father – and expected to serve. Nehemiah convinced the new king to allow them to go home and even to rebuild the temple so that the people whose loves revolved around worshipping God – could go home and worship their God. Upon returning, he became the governor of Israel. He wanted them to not only return to their home – but also to their worship. He has the priest unroll the scrolls and read them to the people. And they read, and they read and they read – for six hours the people stand by the water gate and listen to the word of God. Had that happened today – everyone would have fallen asleep by then. Today we last about ten minutes – and then we are gone. But the scripture says that everyone who could understand - listened and obeyed the word of God. They turned their lives around and started living as holy people – all because they heard the word of God through the scriptures.
I don’t want to focus on Nehemiah this morning – but the important point for us is that the water gate was an important turning point for the isrealites. It was the moment that they realized who they were, whose they were, and what they should be doing. They were the people of God- and their duty was to live in God and to tell the story of God through their lives.
Jamie Scott
It is sort of like the story of little Jamie Scott – a first grader – who wanted a part in the school play so bad. All he talked about was the play. His mother was afraid of what would happen if he was not chosen, he would be devastated. On the day of tryouts she prayed for him all day. After school, when she went to pick him up – he ran to the car – I made it mom – I have been chosen and given a part – my part is to clap and cheer.
At the water gate – the people of Isreal realized that they too were chosen, and given a part to play in God’s big play – that part was to clap and cheer – to worship and praise God in everything that we do. We can worship and praise God in many ways. We all have a part to play in the play – a different part - a part that fits us perfectly – but it is only one play and one God. No one’s part is more important than another. And it takes us all together to put on God’s play of salvation for the world.

Paul’s metaphor of the body of Christ
Paul uses the metaphor of a body with different parts. United through Christ. It is not possible to be a Christian on a deserted island. Because our faith is not about who we are as individuals – it is about how we related to one another. It is about why we related to one another. We are related through our baptism. We don’t have to agree with one another to be the body of Christ. We just have to agree with Christ. As a matter of fact – Christ doesn’t intend for us to agree, or to get along, or to always see things the same way. We think of conflict as a problem – but in Christianity it is an asset. The church of Corinth was a church with a lot of conflicts – and a lot of questions. Paul was trying to teach them that their faith depended on them learning to work through those conflicts. Learn to work together in spite of their differences, not to let their differences stop them from working. You cant be a Christian on a deserted island – because when you are by yourself – you don’t have anyone to disagree with – and nothing to work through and solve. You have no reason to put aside your own thoughts and to think about the common good and what is best for all.

Tree fungus
They say that when trees are planted near each other – their roots grow and touch one another. A fungus starts to grow. This fungus creates a unique relationship between the trees. Everything that they do is connected – so that if one is in the sunshine and the others are in the shade – all of them get the nutrients from the sun. If one is near a river, and the others are farther away – they all get the nutrients from the water. Even though they are individual trees, in community they all have a part to play. Point being – there is a fungus among us – and that Fungus is Jesus Christ. In Christ, our difference become unity.

Laminin – a cell glue
Since this is a sermon of metaphors – my final metaphor is a laminin. Laminins are cells in the body – they function as glue – they hold everything together. Each cell in our body has a different function – different instructions for what it is supposed to do. The only way they can work together to form one organ – and our organs can become one body is laminin.
It is amazing how God works – How complicated God made us – and how God thought of every minute detail. And how God is able to put a signature on everthing that God does. If you look at a laminin under a microscope – you will find the shape of a cross. It is the cross that makes these connections between the different cells. Once again the presence of Christ is what holds us together. Christ is not Lord over us – Christ is the Lord in us. We learn to work together, not by having one under another – but by intentionally working side side by side. Where all ideas are taken seriously – and all parts are allowed to fulfill their role.

Christ unites us all
For just as the body is one and had many members, and all members of the body, through many are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one spirit we were all baptized into one body and we were all made to drink of the one spirit. And that spirit is….Christ.
When you think of the world Watergate – what comes to mind? The church in all of its conflicts and issues. But we all stand at the Watergate of faith listening for the word of God – the word of God is embodies in the body of Christ – in us.
We are all at the gate where we need to be clear about what we are called to do. Remember the story of Jamie Scott – we have been chosen to clap and cheer – Cheer Christ on as he works hard to give us all a place in God’s kingdom. In the body of Christ. Let us pray…

The First of Many Miracles to Come

January 17, 2010 First of many miracles to come Third Sunday of Epiphany Year C John 2:1-11 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11 Word Jazz – that is a form of poetry much like the spoken word, this is from Britain – someone’s take on the story of Jesus turning water into wine So in our need for hope for survival It’s time to turn the pages of the Bible To the wedding in Cana in the land near Galilee Where Jesus and his mom enjoyed festivity Noshing on the free eats Eating on the free treats Sipping on the red wine Having quite a swell time “Hey, bartender, can you top off my glass What’s that you say? There’s no wine in the flask? Ran out so soon? That’s so low-class!” Midnight rolled around No more wine was found Tuesday the party popped Wednesday the party flopped Jesus said “Let’s go Come on, Mom, let’s blow.” But Mary told him “No! It isn’t time to go The wine has got to flow The people need to know That – we can! “Okay, okay” She heard him say Beneath his breath He was bored to death But he did her will And went to fill The empty jugs That stank of swill That cheap red wine That wasn’t so fine Show them what it means to be an agent Instead of a victim Change the system Instead of waiting for the system to give you spare change. Did I not sing the Magnificat when you were conceived? Is it not in revolution that we’ve always believed?” Most of the guests went home after the wedding and said, “Jesus performed a miracle and turned the jugs of water into jugs of wine. That proves you should believe in him. When things get bad, just pray to him and ask him for another miracle while you wait on the sofa.” But a few of the guests stayed after the party and asked Jesus how he did it. He told them how he did it and told them they could do it, too. He said to them what his mother said to him. “Change the system. Be an agent. Don’t be a victim. Let go of yesterday. Don’t get uptight about tomorrow. Work with what you’ve got. Be birdlike. Be barnless. I am the vine, you are the wine, don’t whine, take your time, and run with what you’ve begun.” These few are the ones that do, and you can, too. It’s true. So let us make the besta for the lasta… From Cana to Costa Mesa…. Amen! This is a very long poem – I only read parts of it for you. But it captures the point that John was trying to make perfectly. That this was the first miracle of Jesus career – but the whole point for us is that the best is yet to come. The miracles of life are not the huge things or the horrible things – it is in what we are willing to look forward to. Unlike the other gospels where Jesus does up to 30 miracles – John only focuses on 8. Eight turning points in Jesus’ life where he showed others that he could make a difference. In the other stories, Jesus is out on the front lines of help – he is healing the sick, enabling the discouraged, coming back to life. But in this story he , his mother and his first five disciples are at a party- drinking wine and celebrating and having a good time. And his mother becomes concerned that the wine is running out. It’s just something that we as Christians would say – what difference does that make for us. Why should we be concerned about the wine. When we are not supposed to get drunk. But for this culture – wine was a sign of prosperity, a sign that things were going well. Wine overflowing was a sign of the presence of God – it was a preparation for the party to come, when God made everything right in our lives. Jesus says that my time has not come, but his mother tells him that the time is now- Time to show the people the God is not just present in our suffering, but in our celebration. God doesn’t just want to hear our bad news, but our good news. Not only is God happy for us – God guarantees to make the celebration even better than you can imagine. So Jesus uses his power for the first time at a wedding. If the wine had run out – people would have been talking about this family for years. They would have expected them to make it up by giving extra gifts for everyone else who ever got married in the neighborhood. And of course you cant have a wedding without gifts. At another party – the guest were expected to bring the wine. Everyone would bring a jug and poor it all into a community pot – so that everyone could celebrate and have a good time. Times were hard for one family – so that decided that they would fill their pot with water – no one would never know – there was no way their jug would matter, if everyone else bought wine. It turns out that everyone felt that way – and the community had to celebrate with water – no one had filled their jug with wine. The point is – that in community – all of our gifts really do matter. And that no one’s contribution is more important that the other. That is the point that Paul is making to us in the 1Corinthians text. Unlike this couple – people were beginning to think that their gifts were more important than anyone elses. If they gave the better gift, then they also have a right to control everyone else. They had a right to judge the contributions of others. And there were willing to give- but only to those in their church. God gives every church a different set of gifts, given the different set of people in the church. Each person has a unique gift. And yet Paul reminds of that even though the gifts are different- the Spirit that brings them is the same. Jesus is still coming to the party – bringing his special gifts with him. And he gives them freely to us – so that everyone can enjoy. What gifts do we have amongst us – and how do we use them? Show them what it means to be an agent Instead of a victim Change the system Instead of waiting for the system to give you spare change. Did I not sing the Magnificat when you were conceived? Is it not in revolution that we’ve always believed?” Mary said to Jesus, “This poetry is nice But sorry son it just will not suffice – No time to rhyme, son, It’s time to run, son, You gotta work with what you’ve got. And you’ve got a heck of a lot! Enough of yesterday and tomorrow Seize today, son, and run with what you’ve begun…. Mary motivated, Jesus activated. The bride and the groom Came out of their room Emerged from their gloom And shared a glass… And told the guests: “This isn’t normal! It isn’t formal! This big faux pas On Mardi Gras Has changed the rules And made us fools… How did this come to pass? Give us another glass! The wine that’s best Was saved for last!” It was the Merlot of mindfulness It was the Syrah of sincerity It was the Cabernet of kindness It was the Chardonnay of social change It was the Zinfandel of fidelity It was the Rose’ of righteousness It was the Pinot of patience It was Jesus’ Juice of Justice…. In other words – this is epiphany – time for us to see things differently. Time for us to put our gifts into our lives. Time for us to realize the spirit is working in us so that the party that has been going on for generations continues. I am not as poetic as Jim Burklo – who wrote the word jazz – but my point is that the spirit flows freely in us – the gifts are the fruit of the spirit. Let us thank God for the abundance we have been given – and let us look forw

Someone is Calling Your Name

January 10, 2010 Someone is calling your name Isaiah 43:1-7 Luke 3:15-22 Year C The Baptism of the Lord – Second Sunday of Epiphany Hearing Voices Harry Potter heard it, Joan of Arc heard it, and some say that even Jesus heard it. It being a voice that comes from beyond with a message for us. I am in the middle of reading the Harry Potter series – and in the second book the chamber of secrets – Harry Potter is able to hear a voice that no one else can hear. A voice that tells him that someone must be killed. He eventually follows the voice into the chamber of secrets to learn why someone must be killed. Joan of Arc said that she heard voices all the time. The voice of God telling her to do certain things, to fight for justice. Once again, she was the only one who heard that voice. And Jesus hears a voice, a voice which claims him and tells him the he is beloved and doing the right thing. But this time, the voice was for everyone to hear. It was the voice of affirmation. It is a voice that we all listen to today – a voice that tells us that we are also beloved. What it means to be baptized That is what it means to be baptized, to be accepted in the family and told that you are never alone. Not only is God with you, but so are all of us. The family of God. The voices of our world In a world where there is the radio, the television, the computer, the MP3 player, and all sorts of other electronic devices. We can hear a lot of voices – voices that give us lots of messages. Some in our best interest and some not. Henri Nouwen – a catholic priest who teaches spirituality says that in our world there are many voices which ask for our attention. There is a voice which says prove that you are a good person, another which says you should be ashamed of yourself, there is a voice which says nobody really cares about you, and one which says be sure to become successful popular, and powerful. But underneath there is a small still voice that calls us forward to come to the water. The story version of the baptism of Jesus People came from all over to see John. They came from all walks of life, a soldier, a civil servant, a maid. Some walked a long way. Some came because they thought it would be interesting to hear the voice of God after all of these years. Some came to be a part of the crowd. Some came because they thought he was a little weird – no one needs to wear animal clothing anymore. Some came because they were genuinely hungry for God. They felt that if they could just feel God in the water they would be okay – they would be fulfilled. No matter the reason that they came, John had a message for them all. They needed to get ready for the one – the one who was coming. He was baptizing with water, but he would baptize with fire. This one has been spoken of, but never named. John was doing this because God has called him by name to prepare the way. Even with all of the people coming out in the desert to see him – he knew that was no enough – there was something more – but he was not qualified to give it. His job was to be faithful until that one appeared. As each person came to be baptized – John prayed. He held them each under the water, and then prayed that God would fulfill them in some way. Whatever it was they were looking for they would find it, and in return they would give their lives to God. Jesus comes and prays He never expected that the one he was praying for would come to him – Jesus. Jesus came looking to be named, to be empowered, the affirmed. To be confirmed. He had been praying of what to do, and now it was time to go forward. But he wanted to be sure that it was really the voice of God that he was hearing and not the voice of his conscience, or worse yet his ego. After John dipped him into the water he stood there a long time praying. Hoping, listening and as he was praying the skies opened up. And a spirit came upon him like a dove. And there was a beautiful voice that said the words he needed to hear – you are my child, I love you and I am well pleased. Steve’s reaction For some reason when Steve heard that story he ran out of the church. He couldn’t take it. He hated that story. Those were the words that he waited his whole life to hear from his dad – and his dad never said them. And now his dad was gone. He couldn’t explain this to his family who were sitting in the pew next to him. But he talked about it with the pastor after church. The pastor told him to pretend that his dad was still here and he could still talk with him – and tell him how he felt. As he poured out his heart – he remembered the early days of his life – he saw his dad pick him up and tell him that everything was going to be alright – and then he hugged him and then said that was his boy. Steve was able to return home – and to take in the message of powerful acceptance that Jesus received. The effect of hearing the voice We all long to hear that voice of acceptance which tells us that we are loved. That we are not alone. That what we experience in life in not in vain, that we have someone who is with us no matter what. We all long to hear that voice in some way. Sometimes we hear it and sometimes we don’t. It all depends on our life circumstance. The message of baptism is that God sent Christ into our lives – so that we could know that all words that have been spoken to Jesus are intended for us to hear, and to take into our hearts. After Jesus heard the voice – he was able to go on. He was able to fulfill his call, and he knew that he was not just hearing voices – but that he was being led. When we are baptized we are called my name – literally we are called by our name. and we are told that we are loved and that we will be cared for. In calling us – God gives us each a job to do – a meaning a purpose. Through the waters of baptism we have been given to the strength to go forward. The words of Isaiah Isaiah says I have called you by name – when you walk through the waters I will be with you –when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned. And the flame shall not consume you. For I am the lord your god, your savior. Looking up instead of looking in When the people were looking to be saved – like many of us do – they looked up in the sky- waiting for miracle to come down. But the missionary told them that if they wanted to get water, that they needed to dig in the ground. Water for the crops comes from God – from the sky – what was this man doing – he knew that water was in the ground. He dug a well and the crops were saved. We are a lot like those people waiting for water to come into our lives – but for us the living water of salvation. We look in the sky waiting for a miracle to fall down – when the real miracle is down here – way down inside of us. Inside of our hearts. The miracle is in our prayers – our conversations with God. That is where we hear the voice of acceptance. In solitude, silence and a strong determination to listen – we hear that voice which tells us we are beloved. All of us are beloved children of god. The words of Isaiah 43:1-2 as a prayer Instead of saying an individual prayer – I want us to say a collective prayer – everyone needs a partner. First I want you to say the words of Isaiah 43:1 and 2. "(From the beginning).I have redeemed you, ______; I have called you by name, ______, you are mine. When you, ______, pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you, ______; when you walk through fire you, ______, shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." Now I want you to insert the name of your partner as you say each phrase. Talk to them, not to me “God says (From the beginning).I have redeemed you, ______; I have called you by name, ______, you are mine. When you, ______, pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you, ______; when you walk through fire you, ______, shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." Amen.

The Stories We Tell

January 3, 2010
The Stories We Tell
Ephesians
Matthew
Year C
Epiphany

Play the Coventry Carol by Sting……

This is a great traditional after Christmas carol. I will read you the words…..

Lullay, Thou little tiny Child,
By, by, lully, lullay.
Lullay, Thou little tiny Child.
By, by, lully, lullay.

O sisters, too, how may we do,
For to preserve this day;
This poor Youngling for whom we sing,
By, by, lully, lullay.

Herod the King, in his raging,
Charged he hath this day;
His men of might, in his own sight,
All children young, to slay.

Then woe is me, poor Child, for Thee,
And ever mourn and say;
For Thy parting, nor say nor sing,
By, by, lully, lullay.

You can probably tell from the words that this is a lullaby to a little baby. This is not a song to the baby Jesus. It is a mother saying goodbye to her baby in the slaughter of the innocents. It is a continuation of the nativity story. Mary and Joseph have travelled to Bethlehem, they baby Jesus as been born in a stable. And now that they have returned home, the wise men come to visit the baby in a stable. The story says that they came bearing gifts for the baby. They saw his star in the East and needed to worship the newborn king. During their travels, they had come to Jerusalem to ask King Herod about the new king. Realizing that Herod meant the new child no good, they did not let him know where the baby was. They went home another way. When Herod realized that he had been deceived, he had all children under two killed. And yet the baby Jesus was raised in Egypt in order to avoid danger. The slaughter of the innocents is a very important part of the nativity story.
The Coventry Carol was written as a part of a play in the 1500’s. We have no written record of the script of the play in which this story was told- yet we still have the words to this carol. Some of the words – they had to make up the last verse- because no one could read what it really says.
Then woe is me, poor Child, for Thee,
And ever mourn and say;
For Thy parting, nor say nor sing,
By, by, lully, lullay.


I thought it was interesting that Sting – does such a beautiful job of singing the song – and he has several Christmas songs on his album – and yet he makes it very clear that he doesn’t believe in Jesus. He doesn’t believe in God at all – yet he felt the story of the baby jesus was an important story to tell.
Christmas is such an important part of our faith. The nativity story is such an important part of our faith as Christians – it is hard to think of anyone telling the story but not believing it.
And yet is the story really important. Actually Christmas is a very recent phenomenon. The early Christians have always celebrated Easter, as the important part of Christ’s story. They really thought nothing of Christ birth.
If you examine the story – you find that it is the shakiest part of our faith. You can pick the story apart bit by bit- and it raises more questions than it answers.
Jesus wasn’t born on December 25th – Christmas hasn’t always been on that day – historically we do know that Miryam did have a son named yshua. He was born in the spring, in March or April. There would have been no logical reason for Joseph to travel to Bethlehem for a census. Isreal was a part of the Roman empire – the only reason to have a census is if you are going to have a war – And yet Isreal had been promised that they would never be used as soldiers. And if you read the Hebrew scriptures – a census was only of men – there was no reason for a pregnant women to travel 70 miles on a camel to be with her husband. There were no special stars recorded at that time, no record of any wise men coming to Israel from the east, no reason for Herod to be so intimidated that he would kill innocent children – he killed all of his own children – but that is another story. This is not even 2010 in the year of our Lord – a scribe miscalculated the date that Jesus was born – it is really 2014 but we don’t really know for sure. That geneology that matthew gives connecting jesus to David – he made it up. Matthew spends a lot of telling us that Jesus’ birth fulfills the scriptures – and yet any jew will tell you that Matthew and all of the other gospel writers were seriously confused about what the scriptures say – Isaiah doesn’t say that a virgin will conceive – it says that any young maiden will get married and have a child. Scriptures says that I will call my son out of Egypt refers to Moses bringing the isrealites out of Egypt, not jesus. I wont mention that they is no proof that the isrealites ever really exited Egypt to worship there own God. Or that someone named king david was a real person. The whole story was made up. Not one of the facts of the story hold up to reality. So why do we tell the story? Why have we held onto this story for 2000 years – why do I stand here every Sunday and tell that story as if it is really true – when there are so many other things that I could do with my Sunday morning. More importantly – why are you listening to the story in the first place.
I think that Ephesians has a good reason that puts it all into perspective. Paul says that God gave me a secret – that I have to tell the world. That secret is that God’s love and salvation is for everyone – not just a certain group of people. The story of God’s salvation is not a story about a little baby born in a manger – the story of salvation is much bigger than that – it is a story that is still going on today. The story of salvation is much more about the present than it is about the past.
The concept of childhood – and young people needing to grow up and discover their destiny is only a recent phenomon. In the old world – you were considered an adult the day you were born. You were expected to find your place in the world and to live in it, as soon as you could walk and talk. So when a man did a great thing – it was assumed that was his destiny. That there were signs and wonders at birth which proclaimed to the world what this man was going to do with his life. It was so much more meaningful to construct a birth narrative about Jesus then to tell the truth. We can understand a little baby in a manger much more than we can that some strange man just walked into Jerusalem out of the middle of nowhere and started teaching stuff that no one had ever said before. We don’t know where this man came from, or where he got his knowledge, or by what authority he was speaking. He just walked into our lives, led us to a cross and died and came back to life, and somewhere in the midst of our life – we got it - we understood what he was trying to do. When actually, if you take out the birth narratives – that is exactly what the bible says about Jesus’ life. He was baptized, he taught for three years, and eventually he was crucified for teaching heresy.
So why did Matthew work so hard to give this man a life- a history, a connection to birth? If Matthew was so unclear about his own history – why would he spend so much time telling trying to connect this man’s life to prophecy.
Because matthew was not concerned about history at all – he was more concerned about the future. The focal point of the story of the birth narrative is not jesus – the focal point of the story is you. Matthew didn’t want you spending your life waiting for something to happen, something that already happen 2000 years ago. His message to us is that the scriptures have already been fulfilled – so you don’t have to wait any longer for salvation. Salvation is amongst us – salvation is within us, salvation has carried us this far, salvation ahead of us. The scriptures had to be fulfilled so that we could realize that the same power that fulfilled the scriptures, is the same power that fulfills our hopes, dreams and yearnings.
Kathryn still get goose bumps when she think about the day that she was explaining the concept of epiphany to her Sunday school class. Johnny blurted out that he had seen God for himself. No one has ever seen God face to face Johnny – so don’t say such a thing. But Johnny insisted to the class that he has seen God face to face. After class was over with she felt guilty about cutting Johnny off like that. Even if she didn’t believe him, she should have listened to him. She felt so guilty that she couldn’t even listen to the sermon. After church she went up to Johnny and his parents and apologized. She asked if it was okay that Johnny could tell his story now – and his parents said it was okay. Johnny explained that it was the time that he was in the hospital. He was very sick, and could see the doctors and nurses and his parents above him in bed. All of a sudden he was lifted up above them and he travelled into the dark tunnel until he reached a bright light. And there he saw God - he felt safer and happier then he had ever been and he wanted to stay there in that moment – but God told him it was not time yet. That his parents would miss him and that there was still things he needed to do with his life. God said that he had a long life and he would never be alone. So God sent him back to the tunnel, and he woke up. His parents remembered the day perfectly, Johnny had been really sick and lost consciousness, the doctors did not know if he would ever wake up and come to. But a few hours he did – everything was okay and Johnny went home and got better. His parents asked shy he never told that story before – Johny said because I was afraid no one would believe me. Miss Kathryn decided that all of the other children had to hear that story – and she called each home to tell them what to expect in class the next Sunday – Johnny would tell his story of his encounter with God.
The nativity – the baby, the stable, the star, the shepherds, the wisemen, the innocents – all have a purpose in our lives and in our story. It reminds us that whatever happened on the day Jesus was born – it was not just a family story- it was not just about a people – it was a story about all of us – the star led the wise men from the east to realize that whatever happened that day – it was a great moment for us all – because it was the moment that we realized that God is here for us all not just some of us. That is the great secret that Paul had to tell the world. God is indeed with us – God is with us in the story of Christ. Christ came into the world so that our story would be complete. Our lives would be fulfilled. God had a plan for us all – and we are never alone. Amen.