This sermon was heard at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on Sunday January 27, 2008, the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Isaiah 9:1-4
Psalm 27:1, 4-9
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Matthew 4:12-23
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
A myth, a legend, Camelot is these things and more. Camelot is the mythical kingdom and court of Arthur, King of the Britons. As an actual kingdom, most modern scholars regard Camelot as being entirely fictional, its vague geography and bold philosophy perfect for romance writers. Its location, if it even existed, is unknown. As a realm Camelot is associated with ideals like justice, bravery and truth; the virtues romantic literature embodies in Arthur and his knights.
The tales of Arthur and Camelot as we know them are generally taken from the stories collectively known as Le Morte d’Arthur. This work from the mid-1400’s is a collection and editing of predominately French stories of Arthur. Among the stories that make up the collection, one of the most familiar is “The Noble Tale of the Sangreal.” From this story, we receive the legend of Arthur and his knights as they seek the Holy Grail.[1]
In a radical retelling of this tale, British filmmaker John Boorman re-envisions the quest for the grail reflecting an ancient Celtic belief about kingship and kingdom. In this version, Merlin speaks the words which show the connection between Arthur and his kingdom:[2]
You will be the land,
And the land will be you.
If you fail, the land will perish;
As you thrive, the land will blossom.[3]
In this retelling, after much trial and tribulation, as death makes its slow and sure way to his body, one of Arthur’s knights, Percival, comes to discern this truth and who it is about in a vision. When he does, he is allowed to take the grail and drink from it escaping death and revitalizing himself. He then takes the grail to Arthur with the secret that Arthur and the land are one; as he fails Camelot perishes, and as he thrives the land blossoms. Arthur drinks from the cup and knowing the truth; Arthur is revitalized and prepares for final battle. Arthur turns from his previous ways of grief, anger and despair and the kingdom is renewed.
Through all of these stories, Camelot is more than just a place, it’s an ideal; an ideal of justice, bravery, and truth. Matthew presents us with an ideal in this scripture reading too, but this kingdom is not the work of romantic fiction; it is the Word of God. Matthew’s presentation of the kingdom of heaven is prefaced by an imperative command. Matthew commands listeners to repent because the kingdom of heaven has come near.
Where Le Morte d’Arthur is a collection of French stories, the inspiration for Matthew’s language of repentance and kingdom comes from where we would expect Matthew to take it. As the apostle whose mission was to Jewish believers in Christ, Matthew takes his theology and his wording from the Old Testament. When he calls the people to repent, the Greek word used literally means change one’s mind, but the Hebrew listener would hear more. So the members of Matthew’s congregation not only hear the command to change their mind, they would also hear the Hebrew equivalent, turn or return. This word, this call, was the standard Jewish means of reconciling with God.
As the stiff necked people of the Exodus strayed from God; the children of Israel were called to turn from graven images and idol worship and return to worshiping the Lord.
As many of Israel’s ancient Judges and Kings did what scripture called detestable things, worshiping other gods like the goat god Baal and making places of worship like Asherah poles; these rulers were constantly called to return to worshiping the one true Lord; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The people were being called to turn from their old ways and return to the ways of God.
From these examples, the word repent, turn, and return do not paint a picture of confession or remorse. The command to repent does not mean that we are to feel bad about our past behavior so that we may feel better now as we move toward the Lord. It doesn’t call us to feel at all. This is an action verb; Matthew tells the people that Jesus wants them to change their behavior, not simply their attitude.
It is a call to change direction. It is a call to stop doing what is being done; and discern, find out what is to be done for the glory of the Lord and the inbreaking of the kingdom of heaven. The passage commands us, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come hear.”
“The single most encompassing image within which Matthew’s theological affirmations take place is that of the kingdom of heaven. It unites the message of John, Jesus, and the disciples, pre- and post-Easter. The message the church continues to preach is the ‘good news of the kingdom.’”[4]
And when Jesus speaks the words of the kingdom of heaven, he speaks of a new way God is working in the world, a way which the kingdom of heaven has come near. This new orientation of the lives of the people of God is the response to the kingdom’s having come near. [5]
Another connection to the Old Testament is Matthew’s affinity for kingdom language. This is because the people Matthew wrote for used kingdom language as a part of their everyday lives.[6] Through Caesar, through their religious lives, and through the history of Israel and Judah kingship and kingdom language predominate their mindset as much as a democratic ideal dominates ours. And in the ancient and not so ancient world it is important for anyone who wishes to make a claim to the throne to establish royal heritage.
Matthew’s first chapter presentation of the genealogy of Jesus is important to establish his kingship. Beginning with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and rising through King David; Matthew establishes Jesus’ royal lineage. Through these words, Matthew acknowledges how important kingdom language is to the nation of Israel. Also in this lineage, Matthew says that Jesus is the Messiah and establishes him as the King of the Jews, a title Pilate will later discern on his own.
So we have learned a little about the Israelite concept of kingdom invoked by Jesus and again by Matthew. We have even noted that Pilate would come to know Jesus as the King of the Jews, so now we ask what does this kingship and kingdom mean to us?
A very important thing we can take from scripture is that the kingdom of heaven does not exist in time and space; it is a happening, an event. In the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Jesus says the kingdom has come near. This is different from other translations. The New International Version says the kingdom is near and the Revised Standard Version says the kingdom is at hand. Both of these translations point toward a kingdom that exists in time and space. The kingdom is near, proximate, close to us. The New Revised Standard Version differs. By saying the kingdom has come near, we are challenged to perceive that the kingdom is coming, not that we are coming to the kingdom.
Where the other versions I mentioned point toward a static thing of a kingdom, the New Revised Standard Version describes the kingdom of heaven as an event, an occurrence, not a physical place. It is an announcement that in the Messiah, in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the kingdom of heaven has come near. In the Messiah, the kingdom has come so close we can touch it. And in his person and work, the kingdom continues to come in the lives of the people. It continues to come as long as the Church, as long as the body of Christ, the church, continues the work of the kingdom.
This Christian message about Jesus connects the church to the message of John the Baptist when he says “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”[7] John’s cry comes to us even before the Baptist sees Jesus at the Jordan. It also connects the church to the mission of the Messiah when Jesus charges his disciples “As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’”[8]
Through this simple sentence, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near,” Jesus calls all who will be his disciples of every time and age to stop, turn from what does not support and further his work; turn to him and follow who he is and what he does. The kingdom of heaven represents the triumph of God over all that resists God’s will and disrupts God’s creation.[9] Through the Body of Christ, we are called to represent God and participate in this triumph.
Arthurian scholar Norris J. Lacy commented that “Camelot, located nowhere in particular, can be anywhere.” [10] Is the kingdom of heaven anything like Camelot? Both of them are founded on the being and work of a great king. Both are bound by justice, bravery, and truth. But where Camelot is located nowhere in particular, the kingdom of heaven rests in its king, our risen Lord Jesus Christ. The kingdom of heaven exists wherever the church of Jesus Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit lives and moves.
Where Merlin says Arthur will be the land, the Christ will never be the land. As Merlin says the land will be Arthur, the land will never be the Christ. The Christ is the creator and Lord over the land. The kingdom of heaven is the triumph of God and through this truth, the Christ cannot fail. The work of Christ begun on earth as a weak child laid in a pile of straw, seemingly ended on the tree by a power hungry Governor, explodes from the tomb to make all things new.
So where Camelot is located nowhere in particular, the kingdom of heaven is located in the person and the work of our Lord Jesus Christ and exists anywhere the Body of Christ continues to hear the word, celebrate the sacraments, and follow Christ in the world.
I would be remiss if I did not note that we Americans have a Camelot of our own, the 1,000 day presidency of John F. Kennedy. During these very few days, there was a great hope and optimism that was sorely lacking after his assassination. Did this optimism come from Kennedy’s work? Did this optimism come from Kennedy’s charisma? Opinions vary. But it is true, as the king was assassinated, so too the promise of the new kingdom faded with him.
In an interview with Life magazine, President Kennedy’s widow Jacqueline was quoted saying that President Kennedy’s favorite song in the score of the Lerner and Loewe musical Camelot was:
Don't let it be forgot,
that once there was a spot,
for one brief shining moment,
that was known as Camelot.
She continued “There'll be great Presidents again,” she added, “but there'll never be another Camelot again … it will never be that way again.”[11]
As true as this is in human terms, Camelot is not the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven has come near and continues to come near in the person of Jesus Christ in the work of His holy Church. Let this be our clarion call, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Let us turn away from our wants and desires and return to the ways of God, for in that way, the kingdom He initiates will continue to come nearer and nearer through his person and the work of his eternal body.
[1] Le Morte d’Arthur, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Morte_d%27Arthur, retrieved January 26, 2008.
[2] Excalibur (film), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur_%28film%29, retrieved January 25, 2008.
[3] Excalibur, Orion Pictures/Warner Brothers,1981
[4] The New Interpreter’s Bible, Leander E. Keck, Convener and Senior New Testament Editor, Volume 8, page 289.
[5] Ibid, page 167.
[6] Ibid, page 289.
[7] Matthew 3:2
[8] Matthew 10:7
[9] The Confession of 1967, Part III, The Fulfillment of Reconciliation.
[10] “Camelot” The Arthurian Encyclopedia. Norris J. Lacy, Editor. New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1986, pp 75-6.
[11] Jacqueline Kennedy, interview with Theodore H. White, Life Magazine, Dec. 6, 1963.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Introductions
This sermon was heard at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on January 20, 2008, the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time.
Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalm 40:1-11
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1:29-42
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
Sir Henry Morton Stanley was an extremely resourceful man.[1] Born in a family that would have been comfortable on The Maury Show, he was initially raised by his grandfather. After he died, Stanley went to live with cousins. Sent from there to a workhouse for the poor, at fifteen he became a pupil-teacher in a Welsh Anglican School. At eighteen he immigrated to New Orleans where he fought on both sides of the American Civil War.
He soon began a career in journalism; visiting mines, reporting on conflicts with Native Americans, and joining an expedition to establish the course of a river. He even organized an expedition to the Ottoman Empire that landed him in a Turkish prison, but somehow talked himself out of jail receiving damages for lost equipment.
Stanley was eventually retained by James Gordon Bennett, founder of the New York Herald, who was impressed by Stanley's exploits and by his direct writing style. He became one of the Herald’s overseas correspondents and in 1869 was instructed by Bennett's son to find the Scottish Presbyterian pioneer, medical missionary, and explorer Dr. David Livingstone, who was known to be in Africa but had not been heard from for some time.
Stanley and his expedition traveled to Zanzibar in March 1871. The expedition through the tropical forest became a nightmare. Imagine plodding across African tropical jungles, crossing over 700 miles, fighting disease and insects, losing porters and supplies daily in this mess. Nine months later, a full three seasons including a tropical African summer, these two men meet. Finally Stanley found Livingstone on November 10, 1871, in Ujiji near Lake Tanganyka in present-day Tanzania, greeting him with the now famous, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”
Now, no one can ever know exactly was what was said. Stanley destroyed his diary pages from these days and Livingstone made no mention of these words in his journals. But in the English language, I can’t think of a more famous introduction. This has become the stuff of legends. To this day most of us know this classically understated introduction, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”
Greetings and introductions are how we present our selves to others. Some times we introduce ourselves by where we live or what we do. Sometimes we introduce ourselves by who our parents are or where we were born. This piece from John’s gospel is loaded with many different introductions.
John begins by introducing Jesus to those who are around him. He says, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” How’s that for an introduction, you’re walking down the levee and suddenly your cousin, the guy in camel hair, introduces you to everyone within shouting distance, using words from Exodus. “Here comes the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Using this image, John invokes the purpose of the Paschal lamb, the lamb slaughtered and eaten at the Passover. The lamb whose blood was placed around the doors of the sons and daughters of Israel so the angel of death would pass over their homes. John’s disciples along with the Sadducees, Pharisees, scribes, lawyers and pretty much everyone else at the river would have known exactly what John meant.
Then John tells the assembly “This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’” This seems mysterious as introductions go, but no more so than the introduction to the gospel itself, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”[2]
Separately, these words are mystifying, together they explain one another. Since Jesus was in the beginning with God, of course he came before John. And born about six months after the Baptist, Jesus has been since before the beginning. Again, in words the assembly would understand, John introduces Jesus to the world.
Then John says something we don’t expect, “I myself did not know him.” This is odd because they’re cousins for crying out loud. Of course they knew each other. But there’s knowing; and there’s knowing. Of course John knew who Jesus was, but when John saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove and remain on him, only then did he truly know.
By these sayings; Jesus ranking ahead of John, Jesus coming before John, and John not knowing Jesus, we come to know who the Baptist is. John introduces himself to us. We know that he is not the Messiah, but rather the one who comes before him. John is not God; rather he comes as a witness to testify to the presence of the Son of God. He can do this because he knows first who he is. Not only does John see, he testifies. Not only does John know, he shares. Not only is John called, he responds.
Often when we talk about sharing the witness of the Lord with someone we think of an intimate very personal setting, but this is not John’s proclamation. As spectacular as these words are, these first introductions are public, not private. These words are a shout to the world. John is like a ringmaster crying out, “Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages.” He is telling whoever will listen. But John’s introductions are heard and followed by individuals responding to the word.
This introduction is heard as a personal invitation by two of John’s own disciples. When they were introduced to Jesus, they leave their Rabbi John and follow the new Rabbi, Jesus. And follow they did. They physically got up and pursued Jesus as he made his way from the Jordan.
Next, Jesus turns around seeing two men following him and asks, “What are you looking for?” That’s a loaded question, isn’t it? Does he ask it like he feels uncomfortable with them following? “What are you looking for?” Or maybe he asks them like he all ready knows? “What are you looking for?”
They ask “Teacher, Rabbi, where are you staying?” Jesus invites them to come and see. No mention is made in John’s gospel about what happened that night. What we can imagine is that on this night, this special night when the first two disciples stay with Jesus, they are introduced to a way of life they will share together until their last supper.
But before the three left together, Andrew went to find his brother Simon. Andrew introduces his brother the to revelation that the Messiah has come.
The next day, Andrew brought Simon to Jesus for a proper introduction, but Jesus takes the initiative and makes the introduction instead. “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas.” Cephas is the Aramaic word for Peter. If you will though, the literal way to translate this name is Rock; maybe even Rocky. In a stunning reversal, Andrew doesn’t introduce Simon to Jesus; Jesus introduces Simon to himself. Jesus knows Peter will be the rock, so the Messiah introduces Simon to Peter, the man he is and the new man in Christ he will become.
John the Baptist introduces himself as the one who testifies about Jesus. John introduces Jesus to the world and to his disciples. John introduces Jesus as the Lamb and who precedes all others. Then Jesus and two of John’s disciples are introduced to each other. The stakes are raised as Jesus introduces them to a taste of what it will be like to be his disciples. But first, Andrew introduces his brother Simon to the fact that the Messiah has come. Finally, marvelously, Jesus introduces himself to Simon and then in an amazing turn Jesus introduces Simon to Peter.
John points the way for everyone to know Jesus. Andrew responds to John’s prompting and tells his brother about the Lamb who will take away the sin of the world. We are fortunate, we have heard these stories. We know the Lamb who is the Christ. We know Simon who became the Rock upon whom the church was built.
Our reading this morning invites us back to a time before we knew, a time when we were like John and Andrew and Simon, not knowing who Jesus really is or what that means for our lives, but aching to know more. We need to be like them, and marvel in the wonder and mystery of the new thing the Messiah does.
We need to be like John, know the prophecy and see Jesus when he appears. We need to be like John, and know who Jesus is when we see the Spirit light upon him and stay. We need to be like John and proclaim the name of Jesus to a weary yet hungry world.
We need to be like Andrew; once he is shown the Son of God he follows like a lamb follows its mother. The ewe leads her lamb and provides what it needs to live. We need to be like Andrew, and once we hear the voice of the one follow and eat the good food of the Lamb of God.
We need to be like Andrew and the unnamed disciple and follow Jesus into a new life of discipleship, even when we have no idea what that may be like. Even in times like in this passage when scripture doesn’t even tell us what their first discipleship experience was like.
We need to be like Andrew, and introduce the Lord to our brothers and sisters. In the light of danger and insecurity, we need to speak the name of the Lord and announce he is the Messiah, the Anointed, the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world, the Son of God.
We need to be like Simon, and become Peter. We need to know who we are and when the Anointed makes us something new, we are to leave the old behind and embrace the new creation in God. And yes, we are bound to be like Peter who never made it easy on himself or his Lord. Yet from his rocky discipleship, he becomes the rock.
We need not only to be available; we need to make ourselves available to those in this world who need to hear the name of the Lord. We need to cry his name from the river and from the rocks. We need to cry the name of the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world to the modern-day Sadducees and Pharisees, the scribes and the experts in the Law. We need to cry his name in our homes with our families. We need to tell the world that may never have heard the name of the Lord who he is and that he makes all things new. Jesus has introduced himself, we need to continue to make the introduction to the world.
The important first step to making the introduction is to listen first as the Lord introduces himself to us in scripture and in prayer. Then when like Simon Peter, as the Son of God introduces us to ourselves, we are to respond to the new life in Jesus Christ.
A couple of weeks ago this part of the Body of Christ ordained and installed new Elders to the Session. In the Presbyterian Church it is usual that in baptism, confirmation, ordination, and installation; the children of God are referred to by their first names alone. The reason for this is wonderful and glorious. The reason for this introduction is that in the church we share the same last name. We are the children of God and by this miracle of grace the family names we carry are an earthly convention. The Lord does not need them to know whose children we are. We are the children of God.
So let us be introduced to Jesus again, sharing in the newness and the wonder of the days following his baptism. Let us listen. Let us follow. And let us share. And in the grace and forgiveness of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us share signs of God’s peace and wondrous love with one another.
The grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
And also with you.[3]
[1] Stanley and Livingstone biographical information taken from Wikipedia articles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Morton_Stanley and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Livingstone both retrieved January 18, 2008.
[2] John 1:1-2, NRSV
[3] These two sentences are a common liturgical formula.
Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalm 40:1-11
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1:29-42
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
Sir Henry Morton Stanley was an extremely resourceful man.[1] Born in a family that would have been comfortable on The Maury Show, he was initially raised by his grandfather. After he died, Stanley went to live with cousins. Sent from there to a workhouse for the poor, at fifteen he became a pupil-teacher in a Welsh Anglican School. At eighteen he immigrated to New Orleans where he fought on both sides of the American Civil War.
He soon began a career in journalism; visiting mines, reporting on conflicts with Native Americans, and joining an expedition to establish the course of a river. He even organized an expedition to the Ottoman Empire that landed him in a Turkish prison, but somehow talked himself out of jail receiving damages for lost equipment.
Stanley was eventually retained by James Gordon Bennett, founder of the New York Herald, who was impressed by Stanley's exploits and by his direct writing style. He became one of the Herald’s overseas correspondents and in 1869 was instructed by Bennett's son to find the Scottish Presbyterian pioneer, medical missionary, and explorer Dr. David Livingstone, who was known to be in Africa but had not been heard from for some time.
Stanley and his expedition traveled to Zanzibar in March 1871. The expedition through the tropical forest became a nightmare. Imagine plodding across African tropical jungles, crossing over 700 miles, fighting disease and insects, losing porters and supplies daily in this mess. Nine months later, a full three seasons including a tropical African summer, these two men meet. Finally Stanley found Livingstone on November 10, 1871, in Ujiji near Lake Tanganyka in present-day Tanzania, greeting him with the now famous, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”
Now, no one can ever know exactly was what was said. Stanley destroyed his diary pages from these days and Livingstone made no mention of these words in his journals. But in the English language, I can’t think of a more famous introduction. This has become the stuff of legends. To this day most of us know this classically understated introduction, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”
Greetings and introductions are how we present our selves to others. Some times we introduce ourselves by where we live or what we do. Sometimes we introduce ourselves by who our parents are or where we were born. This piece from John’s gospel is loaded with many different introductions.
John begins by introducing Jesus to those who are around him. He says, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” How’s that for an introduction, you’re walking down the levee and suddenly your cousin, the guy in camel hair, introduces you to everyone within shouting distance, using words from Exodus. “Here comes the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Using this image, John invokes the purpose of the Paschal lamb, the lamb slaughtered and eaten at the Passover. The lamb whose blood was placed around the doors of the sons and daughters of Israel so the angel of death would pass over their homes. John’s disciples along with the Sadducees, Pharisees, scribes, lawyers and pretty much everyone else at the river would have known exactly what John meant.
Then John tells the assembly “This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’” This seems mysterious as introductions go, but no more so than the introduction to the gospel itself, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”[2]
Separately, these words are mystifying, together they explain one another. Since Jesus was in the beginning with God, of course he came before John. And born about six months after the Baptist, Jesus has been since before the beginning. Again, in words the assembly would understand, John introduces Jesus to the world.
Then John says something we don’t expect, “I myself did not know him.” This is odd because they’re cousins for crying out loud. Of course they knew each other. But there’s knowing; and there’s knowing. Of course John knew who Jesus was, but when John saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove and remain on him, only then did he truly know.
By these sayings; Jesus ranking ahead of John, Jesus coming before John, and John not knowing Jesus, we come to know who the Baptist is. John introduces himself to us. We know that he is not the Messiah, but rather the one who comes before him. John is not God; rather he comes as a witness to testify to the presence of the Son of God. He can do this because he knows first who he is. Not only does John see, he testifies. Not only does John know, he shares. Not only is John called, he responds.
Often when we talk about sharing the witness of the Lord with someone we think of an intimate very personal setting, but this is not John’s proclamation. As spectacular as these words are, these first introductions are public, not private. These words are a shout to the world. John is like a ringmaster crying out, “Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages.” He is telling whoever will listen. But John’s introductions are heard and followed by individuals responding to the word.
This introduction is heard as a personal invitation by two of John’s own disciples. When they were introduced to Jesus, they leave their Rabbi John and follow the new Rabbi, Jesus. And follow they did. They physically got up and pursued Jesus as he made his way from the Jordan.
Next, Jesus turns around seeing two men following him and asks, “What are you looking for?” That’s a loaded question, isn’t it? Does he ask it like he feels uncomfortable with them following? “What are you looking for?” Or maybe he asks them like he all ready knows? “What are you looking for?”
They ask “Teacher, Rabbi, where are you staying?” Jesus invites them to come and see. No mention is made in John’s gospel about what happened that night. What we can imagine is that on this night, this special night when the first two disciples stay with Jesus, they are introduced to a way of life they will share together until their last supper.
But before the three left together, Andrew went to find his brother Simon. Andrew introduces his brother the to revelation that the Messiah has come.
The next day, Andrew brought Simon to Jesus for a proper introduction, but Jesus takes the initiative and makes the introduction instead. “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas.” Cephas is the Aramaic word for Peter. If you will though, the literal way to translate this name is Rock; maybe even Rocky. In a stunning reversal, Andrew doesn’t introduce Simon to Jesus; Jesus introduces Simon to himself. Jesus knows Peter will be the rock, so the Messiah introduces Simon to Peter, the man he is and the new man in Christ he will become.
John the Baptist introduces himself as the one who testifies about Jesus. John introduces Jesus to the world and to his disciples. John introduces Jesus as the Lamb and who precedes all others. Then Jesus and two of John’s disciples are introduced to each other. The stakes are raised as Jesus introduces them to a taste of what it will be like to be his disciples. But first, Andrew introduces his brother Simon to the fact that the Messiah has come. Finally, marvelously, Jesus introduces himself to Simon and then in an amazing turn Jesus introduces Simon to Peter.
John points the way for everyone to know Jesus. Andrew responds to John’s prompting and tells his brother about the Lamb who will take away the sin of the world. We are fortunate, we have heard these stories. We know the Lamb who is the Christ. We know Simon who became the Rock upon whom the church was built.
Our reading this morning invites us back to a time before we knew, a time when we were like John and Andrew and Simon, not knowing who Jesus really is or what that means for our lives, but aching to know more. We need to be like them, and marvel in the wonder and mystery of the new thing the Messiah does.
We need to be like John, know the prophecy and see Jesus when he appears. We need to be like John, and know who Jesus is when we see the Spirit light upon him and stay. We need to be like John and proclaim the name of Jesus to a weary yet hungry world.
We need to be like Andrew; once he is shown the Son of God he follows like a lamb follows its mother. The ewe leads her lamb and provides what it needs to live. We need to be like Andrew, and once we hear the voice of the one follow and eat the good food of the Lamb of God.
We need to be like Andrew and the unnamed disciple and follow Jesus into a new life of discipleship, even when we have no idea what that may be like. Even in times like in this passage when scripture doesn’t even tell us what their first discipleship experience was like.
We need to be like Andrew, and introduce the Lord to our brothers and sisters. In the light of danger and insecurity, we need to speak the name of the Lord and announce he is the Messiah, the Anointed, the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world, the Son of God.
We need to be like Simon, and become Peter. We need to know who we are and when the Anointed makes us something new, we are to leave the old behind and embrace the new creation in God. And yes, we are bound to be like Peter who never made it easy on himself or his Lord. Yet from his rocky discipleship, he becomes the rock.
We need not only to be available; we need to make ourselves available to those in this world who need to hear the name of the Lord. We need to cry his name from the river and from the rocks. We need to cry the name of the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world to the modern-day Sadducees and Pharisees, the scribes and the experts in the Law. We need to cry his name in our homes with our families. We need to tell the world that may never have heard the name of the Lord who he is and that he makes all things new. Jesus has introduced himself, we need to continue to make the introduction to the world.
The important first step to making the introduction is to listen first as the Lord introduces himself to us in scripture and in prayer. Then when like Simon Peter, as the Son of God introduces us to ourselves, we are to respond to the new life in Jesus Christ.
A couple of weeks ago this part of the Body of Christ ordained and installed new Elders to the Session. In the Presbyterian Church it is usual that in baptism, confirmation, ordination, and installation; the children of God are referred to by their first names alone. The reason for this is wonderful and glorious. The reason for this introduction is that in the church we share the same last name. We are the children of God and by this miracle of grace the family names we carry are an earthly convention. The Lord does not need them to know whose children we are. We are the children of God.
So let us be introduced to Jesus again, sharing in the newness and the wonder of the days following his baptism. Let us listen. Let us follow. And let us share. And in the grace and forgiveness of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us share signs of God’s peace and wondrous love with one another.
The grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
And also with you.[3]
[1] Stanley and Livingstone biographical information taken from Wikipedia articles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Morton_Stanley and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Livingstone both retrieved January 18, 2008.
[2] John 1:1-2, NRSV
[3] These two sentences are a common liturgical formula.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
First Words
This sermon was delivered at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on January 13, 2008, the 1st Sunday of Ordinary Time, Baptism of the Lord Sunday.
Isaiah 42:1-9
Psalm 29
Acts 10:34-43
Matthew 3:13-17
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
Between 1984 and 2004, Kelsey Grammar played psychiatrist and radio personality Frasier Crane on the TV shows “Cheers” and “Frasier.” The only person to play a character as long on television was James Arness playing Marshall Matt Dillon on “Gunsmoke.”[1] One episode of “Cheers” showed what happened when Frasier and his wife Lilith had to “[cope] with the fact that their son Frederick needs more care from them.”[2] Among the things that happened was an argument between Frasier and Lilith because Lilith objected to Frasier bringing baby Frederick to the bar with him.
During this argument, the resident barfly Norm came into the bar, and as with every time he came on scene, everyone in the bar erupted with the greeting, “Norm!” And as suddenly as Norm came into the bar, and immediately after the bar erupted with Norm’s customary greeting, Frederick says his first word, Norm.
Generally a baby’s first words are “mama” or “dada” or something else familiar, so if little Freddy had spent much time in the bar, it may not have been so unusual that his first word was “Norm.” First words mean so much to parents, even fictional parents that this utterance caused the fight to end and a celebration to erupt.
Fights and celebrations seem to be the norm for first words today, because the first words that Jesus speaks in Matthew’s gospel also leave us with a small fight and a joyous celebration.
Jesus’ first words weren’t some great proclamation. He did not come announcing to everyone at the Jordan his presence or his reason for being there. In fact, according to Matthew’s gospel, Jesus’ first words were an answer to a question.
John says “I need to be baptized by you,” then he asks Jesus, “do you come to me?” John knows his role. Matthew 3:11 makes this clear as John says to the Pharisees and the Sadducees, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” So John knows well that he is not the one, he is the one who makes his path straight. John knows Jesus doesn’t need his baptism, he needs Jesus’.
But in a word, Jesus let John know he needed John’s baptism and everything was right in creation. John knew Jesus’ first words were the answer to his question, the words that overcome his objection. “It is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” This is when John acquiesced to let the drama unfold this way, the way it had been ordained.
“It is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Righteousness, in a word, in a moment, John knew what this meant, so what does it mean to us?
Our reading from Isaiah reminds us that the Lord has called the prophet in righteousness. The Lord has given him to the people as a light to the nations so that he might open the eyes that are blind, bring out the prisoners from the dungeon and release from prison those who sit in darkness. The Lord gave Isaiah to the world to show us that the former things have come to pass, and the new things the Lord now declares will be shared with the prophet before he shares them with the rest of the world.
The Lord tells Isaiah the former things have come to pass, and Isaiah will be told of the new things now declared before they spring forth. These are not the sort of things that one would tell a causal acquaintance, someone on the street. There was a relationship, [3] a relationship between the Lord and the prophet, an intimacy I can scarcely imagine. But I do imagine that John was experiencing this same intimacy with the Lord Jesus in the waters of the Jordan. John knew that righteousness exists in relationship.
And there is more to this righteousness.
The obvious question that comes from this reading from Matthew is why in the world Jesus would need a baptism for repentance of sin? He is without sin, so of course he didn’t. But in presenting himself for baptism, Jesus emphasizes doing what is right. The action which he fulfills in this moment and will continue to fulfill throughout his life on earth is what he was supposed to do, what he had to do.[4] It is in his actions, emptying himself of all Godly status and privilege; accepting life on earth as a human being; human life to the point of facing its ultimate death, even death upon the cross.
He wasn’t forced to do these things. But being Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man, integrity demanded he could do nothing else.
Jesus could have come to the river to establish righteousness, but that is not what he had come to do, not in this moment in time. When John consented to Jesus’ coming to the river, Jesus was immersed into the waters of the Jordan. When he arose from the waters, Jesus saw the heavens open. He saw the Spirit of God descending on him like a dove and lighting upon him. And then a voice was heard from heaven.
Hear the words of the psalmist who wrote:
The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, is upon the mighty waters.
The voice of the LORD is a powerful voice;
the voice of the LORD is a voice of splendor.[5]
As our gospel reading comes to an end, the voice of the Lord is heard over the waters, a voice of power and full of splendor. The voice which thunders over the mighty waters tells all who are assembled,[6] “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
In due time, Jesus would give the world a new righteousness, a new relationship with the Lord open to all of us, not just the prophets of the Old Testament. But this was not the reason he came to the river. Jesus had come to the river to do the right thing. He came to accept the baptism of John. And in his obedience to righteousness he did what was pleasing to God, receiving the anointing of the Holy Spirit, hearing the glorious voice of the Lord.
First words mean so much to parents. The Sunday Teen Study just finished “The Gospel According to the Simpsons.”[7] One episode of “The Simpsons” is the story of the first words of the Simpson children.[8] Bart’s first words are “aye carumba” because of something he sees. Lisa’s first word is “Bart” because she adores her older brother. And Maggie’s first word, and to date the only word she has spoken in the series, is “daddy.”
Jesus’ first words weren’t some great proclamation. He did not come announcing to everyone at the Jordan his presence or his reason for being there. His proclamation would come soon enough, a proclamation so wonderful that in two millennia people have not tired of telling the same glorious story. But what he does is a glorious proclamation. Today he comes to the river to fulfill all righteousness. In the fulfilling of righteousness, Jesus identifies with us, with our struggles, and with our plight. He shows the world that he has emptied himself of his Godly continence and exchanged it for a human face.
And in this moment of identification, the Spirit which is his to begin with alights upon him. The Spirit comes to show that his Godly continence has never left him. He has been, is, and will always be fully human and fully divine.
Then all of creation hears the words from on high “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” In this way, Matthew’s gospel shows us that righteousness is a gift which God gives to those who ask for it.[9]
From this pulpit I have spoken of remembering our baptism. I have said that as others are baptized, like Asher and Maddie, we are called to remember our baptism. In our reading today, through the Baptism of the Lord, we are again called to remember our own baptism. Our baptism is a bath, a tomb, a womb. Our baptism is a gift which identifies us with the community Jesus calls into existence every day. A community he founded and a community he joined in the waters of his baptism, done through a righteousness which is a gift freely offered which we freely ask.
Ask, seek, and remember. Then taste and see that the Lord is good.
[1] Wikipedia.com, “Frasier Crane” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frasier_Crane, retrieved on January 10, 2008.
[2] TV.com, “Cheers” episode summary, http://www.tv.com/cheers/breaking-in-is-hard-to-do/episode/14273/summary.html, retrieved on January 10, 2008.
[3] Kittel, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, volume II, page 195.
[4] Ibid, page 198.
[5] This version of the Psalm is found in the Presbyterian Church Book of Worship.
[6] Not all scholars agree that the assembly heard the words of the Lord. But because Matthew’s gospel says, “This is my Son” instead of “You are my Son,” I am inclined to side with the scholars that say everyone heard the words. On the other side, I believe only Jesus saw the Spirit come based on the pronouns used in Matthew’s gospel, “…the heavens open to him and he saw the Spirit…”
[7] Pinsky, Mark, “The Gospel According to the Simpsons.” 2nd Edition. Louisville, Westminster—John Knox Press, 2007. Study guide for the first edition is also available.
[8] The Simpsons, Lisa’s First Word, Season 4, Episode 10
[9] Kittel, page 198
Isaiah 42:1-9
Psalm 29
Acts 10:34-43
Matthew 3:13-17
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
Between 1984 and 2004, Kelsey Grammar played psychiatrist and radio personality Frasier Crane on the TV shows “Cheers” and “Frasier.” The only person to play a character as long on television was James Arness playing Marshall Matt Dillon on “Gunsmoke.”[1] One episode of “Cheers” showed what happened when Frasier and his wife Lilith had to “[cope] with the fact that their son Frederick needs more care from them.”[2] Among the things that happened was an argument between Frasier and Lilith because Lilith objected to Frasier bringing baby Frederick to the bar with him.
During this argument, the resident barfly Norm came into the bar, and as with every time he came on scene, everyone in the bar erupted with the greeting, “Norm!” And as suddenly as Norm came into the bar, and immediately after the bar erupted with Norm’s customary greeting, Frederick says his first word, Norm.
Generally a baby’s first words are “mama” or “dada” or something else familiar, so if little Freddy had spent much time in the bar, it may not have been so unusual that his first word was “Norm.” First words mean so much to parents, even fictional parents that this utterance caused the fight to end and a celebration to erupt.
Fights and celebrations seem to be the norm for first words today, because the first words that Jesus speaks in Matthew’s gospel also leave us with a small fight and a joyous celebration.
Jesus’ first words weren’t some great proclamation. He did not come announcing to everyone at the Jordan his presence or his reason for being there. In fact, according to Matthew’s gospel, Jesus’ first words were an answer to a question.
John says “I need to be baptized by you,” then he asks Jesus, “do you come to me?” John knows his role. Matthew 3:11 makes this clear as John says to the Pharisees and the Sadducees, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” So John knows well that he is not the one, he is the one who makes his path straight. John knows Jesus doesn’t need his baptism, he needs Jesus’.
But in a word, Jesus let John know he needed John’s baptism and everything was right in creation. John knew Jesus’ first words were the answer to his question, the words that overcome his objection. “It is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” This is when John acquiesced to let the drama unfold this way, the way it had been ordained.
“It is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Righteousness, in a word, in a moment, John knew what this meant, so what does it mean to us?
Our reading from Isaiah reminds us that the Lord has called the prophet in righteousness. The Lord has given him to the people as a light to the nations so that he might open the eyes that are blind, bring out the prisoners from the dungeon and release from prison those who sit in darkness. The Lord gave Isaiah to the world to show us that the former things have come to pass, and the new things the Lord now declares will be shared with the prophet before he shares them with the rest of the world.
The Lord tells Isaiah the former things have come to pass, and Isaiah will be told of the new things now declared before they spring forth. These are not the sort of things that one would tell a causal acquaintance, someone on the street. There was a relationship, [3] a relationship between the Lord and the prophet, an intimacy I can scarcely imagine. But I do imagine that John was experiencing this same intimacy with the Lord Jesus in the waters of the Jordan. John knew that righteousness exists in relationship.
And there is more to this righteousness.
The obvious question that comes from this reading from Matthew is why in the world Jesus would need a baptism for repentance of sin? He is without sin, so of course he didn’t. But in presenting himself for baptism, Jesus emphasizes doing what is right. The action which he fulfills in this moment and will continue to fulfill throughout his life on earth is what he was supposed to do, what he had to do.[4] It is in his actions, emptying himself of all Godly status and privilege; accepting life on earth as a human being; human life to the point of facing its ultimate death, even death upon the cross.
He wasn’t forced to do these things. But being Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man, integrity demanded he could do nothing else.
Jesus could have come to the river to establish righteousness, but that is not what he had come to do, not in this moment in time. When John consented to Jesus’ coming to the river, Jesus was immersed into the waters of the Jordan. When he arose from the waters, Jesus saw the heavens open. He saw the Spirit of God descending on him like a dove and lighting upon him. And then a voice was heard from heaven.
Hear the words of the psalmist who wrote:
The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, is upon the mighty waters.
The voice of the LORD is a powerful voice;
the voice of the LORD is a voice of splendor.[5]
As our gospel reading comes to an end, the voice of the Lord is heard over the waters, a voice of power and full of splendor. The voice which thunders over the mighty waters tells all who are assembled,[6] “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
In due time, Jesus would give the world a new righteousness, a new relationship with the Lord open to all of us, not just the prophets of the Old Testament. But this was not the reason he came to the river. Jesus had come to the river to do the right thing. He came to accept the baptism of John. And in his obedience to righteousness he did what was pleasing to God, receiving the anointing of the Holy Spirit, hearing the glorious voice of the Lord.
First words mean so much to parents. The Sunday Teen Study just finished “The Gospel According to the Simpsons.”[7] One episode of “The Simpsons” is the story of the first words of the Simpson children.[8] Bart’s first words are “aye carumba” because of something he sees. Lisa’s first word is “Bart” because she adores her older brother. And Maggie’s first word, and to date the only word she has spoken in the series, is “daddy.”
Jesus’ first words weren’t some great proclamation. He did not come announcing to everyone at the Jordan his presence or his reason for being there. His proclamation would come soon enough, a proclamation so wonderful that in two millennia people have not tired of telling the same glorious story. But what he does is a glorious proclamation. Today he comes to the river to fulfill all righteousness. In the fulfilling of righteousness, Jesus identifies with us, with our struggles, and with our plight. He shows the world that he has emptied himself of his Godly continence and exchanged it for a human face.
And in this moment of identification, the Spirit which is his to begin with alights upon him. The Spirit comes to show that his Godly continence has never left him. He has been, is, and will always be fully human and fully divine.
Then all of creation hears the words from on high “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” In this way, Matthew’s gospel shows us that righteousness is a gift which God gives to those who ask for it.[9]
From this pulpit I have spoken of remembering our baptism. I have said that as others are baptized, like Asher and Maddie, we are called to remember our baptism. In our reading today, through the Baptism of the Lord, we are again called to remember our own baptism. Our baptism is a bath, a tomb, a womb. Our baptism is a gift which identifies us with the community Jesus calls into existence every day. A community he founded and a community he joined in the waters of his baptism, done through a righteousness which is a gift freely offered which we freely ask.
Ask, seek, and remember. Then taste and see that the Lord is good.
[1] Wikipedia.com, “Frasier Crane” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frasier_Crane, retrieved on January 10, 2008.
[2] TV.com, “Cheers” episode summary, http://www.tv.com/cheers/breaking-in-is-hard-to-do/episode/14273/summary.html, retrieved on January 10, 2008.
[3] Kittel, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, volume II, page 195.
[4] Ibid, page 198.
[5] This version of the Psalm is found in the Presbyterian Church Book of Worship.
[6] Not all scholars agree that the assembly heard the words of the Lord. But because Matthew’s gospel says, “This is my Son” instead of “You are my Son,” I am inclined to side with the scholars that say everyone heard the words. On the other side, I believe only Jesus saw the Spirit come based on the pronouns used in Matthew’s gospel, “…the heavens open to him and he saw the Spirit…”
[7] Pinsky, Mark, “The Gospel According to the Simpsons.” 2nd Edition. Louisville, Westminster—John Knox Press, 2007. Study guide for the first edition is also available.
[8] The Simpsons, Lisa’s First Word, Season 4, Episode 10
[9] Kittel, page 198
Sunday, January 06, 2008
One Coin-Two Sides
This sermon was delivered at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkanas on Sunday January 6, 2008, Epiphany Sunday. This sermon is shorter than usual because we also celebrated the ordination and installation of new members to the Session.
Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
There’s an old joke, I’ve probably told it here. There are two kinds of people in this world—those who divide everything into two categories and those who don’t. Duality has always intrigued me. So when I was thinking about King Herod in our gospel reading, I got this image of a very dualistic character in my mind.
Herod sits upon his throne, as confident as any king who is a prelate of Rome. This means he could well be expecting an uprising against his tyranny while seeking to keep the Roman overlords happy. Caught in the middle of a powerful and precarious situation that he has put himself into; he’s a dictator and a sycophant at the same time.
He’s a violent, vengeful, treacherous man. Just the kind of King Rome wants ruling Judah. He’s got a temper and just enough paranoia to keep everyone on their toes.
Two sides of the same man, Herod is a tyrant and a toady; he’s powerful and paranoid.
Herod accepts the visitors, the wise men from the East. As the king, this would have been a public event in the court of Herod. There would have been some sort of an elaborate presentation of the Magi. So in the middle of pomp and circumstance, without the least bit of guile, they ask a simple question, “Where is the child who has been born King of the Jews?”
They ask this as if they had popped into the Chamber of Commerce Visitor’s Center asking for directions to Eureka. “How do we get to Basin Spring from here?”
Herod might have tried to be as cool as a cucumber, but he was frightened. If there was a new king in town, even a new born baby King of the Jews, this was a rival to be dealt with, not a toddler to be worshipped. Herod was frightened, and all of Jerusalem was frightened with him.
If you’re wondering “was all of Jerusalem frightened because three wise guys from the East came for a baby shower or was all of Jerusalem frightened because Herod was frightened?” scripture doesn’t say, but I have an idea. To coin a phrase, “If Momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” When Herod is frightened, everybody’s frightened.
But then later in our reading, Herod secretly called the three to ask them to send word when they find the child. King Herod is a very public man, as long as he sits on the throne of Judah, much of his life will be lived in the public. Yet as a guy who thinks the world is out to get him (and rightfully so), he calls the wise men for a secret meeting. Overt and covert, he lives in the public eye and hides his hand like a master poker player. He bluffs the Magi who come without guile or hidden agenda.
Epiphany is the time of year when the church celebrates the revelation to the wise men of the birth of the Christ child, the King of the Jews. Yet most of our reading, certainly the most dramatic part deals with King Herod and how he responds to these arrivals. This reading dealing with Herod and the wise men is actually the preface to our reading from last week which includes what Herod does with this information.
In our gospel we have the joy of Jesus the newborn King of the Jews combined with the terror of Herod the reigning King of Judah. Same story, two responses. One worships, the other fears.
In the Batman comics, one of the most dangerous villains is former District Attorney Harvey Dent.[1] Dent grew up an abused and schizophrenic child of a violent alcoholic father. He eventually learned to deal with his abuse and mental illness through a devotion to law and order.
Multiple personalities being dealt with through yet another dichotomy—law and order.
He was Gotham’s star District Attorney, becoming close allies with the Batman and with Lieutenant Jim Gordon long before Gordon became commissioner. The successes he experienced in his career were able to help him deal with and suppress his mental illness until the unspeakable happened. A vengeful mob boss threw a glass filled with acid into Dent’s face, horrifically scarring his left side. The trauma of the assault permanently unbalanced Dent who became the evil villain Two-Face.
Two-Face’s trademark was a two headed coin he always carried, with one of its faces deeply scarred. When confronted with a decision, he would flip the coin. If the normal face came up, Dent acted honorably. But when the scarred face rises, all evil would break loose.
What made him particularly feared by everyone was that he was once so much like them. If hero DA Harvey Dent can be so deeply scarred what does that mean for the rest of us?
Maybe that’s the message of Epiphany, a single story with different interpretations. The wise men come to worship without guile; the frightened duplicitous tyrant comes in fear and hidden agendas. Their response depends on how they interpret the events of the day. On one side of the coin is worship. On the other is a fear that will lead to much death and suffering.
We are given the free will to come to the Lord in faith through grace or we can choose the path of the scarred face of a coin. We can come in joy, or we can choose evil. We can come to worship or we can sit in fear. We can come in the joy and triumph of the Lord or we can run from the life God has intended for us since before the beginning. It’s a choice we make.
Today, this congregation celebrates Epiphany with two acts. We take and eat of the Lord’s Supper, the good gift of God for the people of God. We will come to the table as joyfully as the wise men came to worship. We will come to be fortified by the gifts he gives us.
Also today, we celebrate the ordination and installation of new Elders to the Session. Two members of this congregation step out in faith of being selected by the Lord, elected by this congregation, and ordained into leadership in this part of the body of Christ. They come faithfully in the name of the Lord to use their gifts for good of the church. And we come in faith and trust that through our acts and our words their ministry will be blessed by the glory that arrived in Bethlehem, was crucified at the place called the Skull, and arose from the tomb.
I said that there are two kinds of people, but what that joke does is create a false division, one that doesn’t exist in the Lord because in the end, regardless of our acts, regardless of our response, whether we come as the three from the East or like the one on the throne, Jesus comes first. Let us come in faithful, joyful response to the one who came to us first.
[1] Origins of Two-Face, http://www.dccomics.com/heroes_and_villains/?hv=origin_stories/two_face, retrieved January 5, 2008.
Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
There’s an old joke, I’ve probably told it here. There are two kinds of people in this world—those who divide everything into two categories and those who don’t. Duality has always intrigued me. So when I was thinking about King Herod in our gospel reading, I got this image of a very dualistic character in my mind.
Herod sits upon his throne, as confident as any king who is a prelate of Rome. This means he could well be expecting an uprising against his tyranny while seeking to keep the Roman overlords happy. Caught in the middle of a powerful and precarious situation that he has put himself into; he’s a dictator and a sycophant at the same time.
He’s a violent, vengeful, treacherous man. Just the kind of King Rome wants ruling Judah. He’s got a temper and just enough paranoia to keep everyone on their toes.
Two sides of the same man, Herod is a tyrant and a toady; he’s powerful and paranoid.
Herod accepts the visitors, the wise men from the East. As the king, this would have been a public event in the court of Herod. There would have been some sort of an elaborate presentation of the Magi. So in the middle of pomp and circumstance, without the least bit of guile, they ask a simple question, “Where is the child who has been born King of the Jews?”
They ask this as if they had popped into the Chamber of Commerce Visitor’s Center asking for directions to Eureka. “How do we get to Basin Spring from here?”
Herod might have tried to be as cool as a cucumber, but he was frightened. If there was a new king in town, even a new born baby King of the Jews, this was a rival to be dealt with, not a toddler to be worshipped. Herod was frightened, and all of Jerusalem was frightened with him.
If you’re wondering “was all of Jerusalem frightened because three wise guys from the East came for a baby shower or was all of Jerusalem frightened because Herod was frightened?” scripture doesn’t say, but I have an idea. To coin a phrase, “If Momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” When Herod is frightened, everybody’s frightened.
But then later in our reading, Herod secretly called the three to ask them to send word when they find the child. King Herod is a very public man, as long as he sits on the throne of Judah, much of his life will be lived in the public. Yet as a guy who thinks the world is out to get him (and rightfully so), he calls the wise men for a secret meeting. Overt and covert, he lives in the public eye and hides his hand like a master poker player. He bluffs the Magi who come without guile or hidden agenda.
Epiphany is the time of year when the church celebrates the revelation to the wise men of the birth of the Christ child, the King of the Jews. Yet most of our reading, certainly the most dramatic part deals with King Herod and how he responds to these arrivals. This reading dealing with Herod and the wise men is actually the preface to our reading from last week which includes what Herod does with this information.
In our gospel we have the joy of Jesus the newborn King of the Jews combined with the terror of Herod the reigning King of Judah. Same story, two responses. One worships, the other fears.
In the Batman comics, one of the most dangerous villains is former District Attorney Harvey Dent.[1] Dent grew up an abused and schizophrenic child of a violent alcoholic father. He eventually learned to deal with his abuse and mental illness through a devotion to law and order.
Multiple personalities being dealt with through yet another dichotomy—law and order.
He was Gotham’s star District Attorney, becoming close allies with the Batman and with Lieutenant Jim Gordon long before Gordon became commissioner. The successes he experienced in his career were able to help him deal with and suppress his mental illness until the unspeakable happened. A vengeful mob boss threw a glass filled with acid into Dent’s face, horrifically scarring his left side. The trauma of the assault permanently unbalanced Dent who became the evil villain Two-Face.
Two-Face’s trademark was a two headed coin he always carried, with one of its faces deeply scarred. When confronted with a decision, he would flip the coin. If the normal face came up, Dent acted honorably. But when the scarred face rises, all evil would break loose.
What made him particularly feared by everyone was that he was once so much like them. If hero DA Harvey Dent can be so deeply scarred what does that mean for the rest of us?
Maybe that’s the message of Epiphany, a single story with different interpretations. The wise men come to worship without guile; the frightened duplicitous tyrant comes in fear and hidden agendas. Their response depends on how they interpret the events of the day. On one side of the coin is worship. On the other is a fear that will lead to much death and suffering.
We are given the free will to come to the Lord in faith through grace or we can choose the path of the scarred face of a coin. We can come in joy, or we can choose evil. We can come to worship or we can sit in fear. We can come in the joy and triumph of the Lord or we can run from the life God has intended for us since before the beginning. It’s a choice we make.
Today, this congregation celebrates Epiphany with two acts. We take and eat of the Lord’s Supper, the good gift of God for the people of God. We will come to the table as joyfully as the wise men came to worship. We will come to be fortified by the gifts he gives us.
Also today, we celebrate the ordination and installation of new Elders to the Session. Two members of this congregation step out in faith of being selected by the Lord, elected by this congregation, and ordained into leadership in this part of the body of Christ. They come faithfully in the name of the Lord to use their gifts for good of the church. And we come in faith and trust that through our acts and our words their ministry will be blessed by the glory that arrived in Bethlehem, was crucified at the place called the Skull, and arose from the tomb.
I said that there are two kinds of people, but what that joke does is create a false division, one that doesn’t exist in the Lord because in the end, regardless of our acts, regardless of our response, whether we come as the three from the East or like the one on the throne, Jesus comes first. Let us come in faithful, joyful response to the one who came to us first.
[1] Origins of Two-Face, http://www.dccomics.com/heroes_and_villains/?hv=origin_stories/two_face, retrieved January 5, 2008.
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