This sermon was heard at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on Sunday December 28, 2008, the First Sunday After Christmas.
Isaiah 61:10-62:3
Psalm 148
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:22-40
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
Rick Reilly is a columnist for ESPN the Magazine. In this week’s edition, he tells the story of what he calls the “oddest game in high school football history.”[1] Faith High School in Grapevine, Texas played the Gainesville State School on Grapevine’s home turf, but after these facts, everything else was the Texas High School Football equivalent of The Twilight Zone.
The team from Gainesville hit the field running a 40-yard spirit line before crashing through a banner that said “Go Tornadoes.” This is nothing unusual. It’s like many other high school football games until you learn that the fans who filled the spirit line and made the banner were from Grapevine.
Yes, visiting team’s fans and banner were courtesy of the home team. More than 200 Faith fans sat in the Gainesville stands cheering on the kids from Gainesville. The visitors were cheered by name and there were even cheerleaders from the home team rooting on the visitors.
This sounds so very odd, especially in Texas where high school football is not only its own religion but has temples in every corner of the state. Still, there is one thing I haven’t told you about Gainesville State; it’s one of the Texas Youth Commission’s twelve secure institutions. The TYC is the Texas juvenile corrections agency and Gainesville State is a maximum security youth facility.
According to their literature, “The [Texas Youth Commission] provides for the care, custody, rehabilitation, and reestablishment in society of Texas’ most chronically delinquent or serious juvenile offenders. Texas judges commit these youth to TYC for felony-level offenses committed when they were at least age 10 and less than age 17.”[2] Yes, the Texas Youth Commission has maximum security facilities and they play football against Texas high schools.
Talking about the game against Grapevine Faith, Gainesville’s QB and middle linebacker, Isaiah recalled, “I never in my life thought I’d hear people cheering for us to hit their kids. I wouldn't expect another parent to tell somebody to hit their kids. But they wanted us to!”[3]
Our Gospel reading begins as Mary and Joseph went to the temple in Jerusalem to present their son as required by the Law. The temple had its regulars and its residents, one named Simeon. Simeon was a righteous and devout man “waiting for the consolation of Israel.” This could be translated that he was “looking forward to the exhortation of Israel,” but the New Living Translation takes a different tack. It says that he “was eagerly waiting for the messiah to come and rescue Israel.”
I often say all translation is interpretation, and this one is a little far out as interpretation of the language goes, but it is spot-on as an interpretation of the situation.
Scripture continues, “Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
Again, the New Living Translation puts this a bit differently. It begins, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised.”
Simeon had seen what God had promised him. He was promised that he would see the Lord’s Messiah, the Christ, and he has. He wasn’t promised that he would see great deeds. He wasn’t promised that he would see the final redemption of Israel. He wasn’t promised that he would see the end of Roman oppression, the end of poverty or freedom in justice.
He was promised that he would see the Lord’s Messiah, he did, and he was overjoyed to see the baby who would fulfill far more than he could ever hope or imagine. It was as if he told the Lord, “Now I’ve seen everything, now let your servant die in peace as you have promised.” Simeon was ready to die once he had seen everything. We have everything too, but the Lord does not want us to die, the Lord wants us to live.
Returning to Reilly’s story:
The thought of providing a cheering section for Gainesville State started when Grapevine Faith’s head coach, Kris Hogan, “wanted to do something kind for the Gainesville team.” I think it’s important to note that Coach Hogan wanted to do something “kind.” He didn’t pity the boys in jail. He didn’t fear them either. He wanted them to receive kindness.
“Faith had never played Gainesville, but Coach Hogan already knew the score. Faith was 7-2 going into the game, Gainesville 0-8 with 2 [touchdowns] all year. Faith has 70 kids, 11 coaches, the latest equipment and involved parents. Gainesville has a lot of kids with convictions for drugs, assault and robbery—many of whose families had disowned them—wearing seven-year-old shoulder pads and ancient helmets.
“So Hogan had this idea. What if half of our fans—for one night only—cheered for the other team? He sent out an email asking the [Faith high school] faithful to do just that. ‘Here's the message I want you to send:’ Hogan wrote. ‘You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth.’
“Some people were naturally confused. One Faith player walked into Hogan's office and asked, ‘Coach, why are we doing this?’
And Hogan said, ‘Imagine if you didn't have a home life. Imagine if everybody had pretty much given up on you. Now imagine what it would mean for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you.’”
There were fourteen kids being shipped by bus from the Red River to a spot just north of DFW to play football. In eight games they were winless and had scored just two touchdowns. They planned on getting beat again by a well coached, well supplied suburban team; and that was the least of their worries.
Imagine what these young men were used to being called from the stands. Imagine what they had to look forward to on the long bus ride back to Gainesville, in cuffs. This is what Coach Hogan did, and he imagined what would happen if this experience would be turned on its ear.
Let me continue using Reilly’s words:
“So for the first time ever, supported by a couple hundred real fans and cheerleaders, maybe it figures that Gainesville played better than it had all season, scoring the game’s last two touchdowns. Sure Hogan put his third-string nose guard at safety and his third-string cornerback at defensive end, but still.”
After the game, both teams gathered in the middle of the field to pray. Everyone was taken aback when Isaiah asked to lead the prayer, but this is what happens when the Holy Spirit gets in the way of our expectations. “Isaiah said this: ‘Lord, I don’t know how this happened, so I don’t know how to say thank You, but I never would’ve known there was so many people in the world that cared about us.’”
Reilly wrote, “And it was a good thing everybody’s heads were bowed because they might’ve seen Hogan wiping away tears.”
“The Gainesville coach saw Hogan, grabbed him hard by the shoulders and said, ‘You'll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You’ll never, ever know.’
“And as the bus pulled away, all the Gainesville players crammed to one side and pressed their hands to the window, staring at these people they’d never met before, watching their waves and smiles disappearing into the night.”
Luke’s gospel and Reilly’s story remind us that we will be shown everything God promises we’ll see, it’s how we respond to what we see that is important. These stories show that we have two choices about what comes after we see everything, we can live or we can die.
Simeon was promised that he would see the Lord’s Messiah before he died. God’s promise fulfilled, it was Simeon’s time to be dismissed because his eyes had seen the salvation that comes from the Lord. This was Simeon’s promise, but it’s not the promise the Lord makes us.
We are given the promise of the Lord’s Messiah as a light of revelation to the Gentiles and for the glory of God’s people Israel. We have been shown this glorious sight. And receiving this vision, we are called to continue taking it into the world. We are called to do more than die happy. We are called to live as the continuing light of God’s revelation.
It is amazing what Coach Hogan and the good people of Grapevine did for a small group of teens that need encouragement. They gave the most valuable gift they could; they gave them the message that they are “just as valuable as any other person on the planet Earth.”
What do we give? Where does the Spirit guide us? Or do we just wait to die happy?
Riley ends his article this way:
“Anyway, with the economy six feet under and Christmas running on about three and a half reindeer, it's nice to know that one of the best presents you can give is still absolutely free.
“Hope.”
I end his article saying Amen.
[1] Reilly, Rick, Life of Reilly, ESPN the Magazine, cited from ESPN.com, http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3789373, retrieved December 24, 2008. Quotes from Reilly’s article are found in quotation marks throughout this sermon. Thanks to Rick Reilly, Glory to God!
[2] Overview of the Juvenile Corrections System in Texas, http://www.tyc.state.tx.us/about/overview.html, retrieved December 27, 2008.
[3] Reilly notes the TYC only releases first names.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Lessons and Carols 2008
This service of Lessons and Carols was celebrated on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2008 at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas.
The Presbyterian Church Book of Common Worship does not have a version of this service. Since there are many different versions , I compared several different services and selected these passages and songs for the service. Because of suggestions from our Worship Leader, I have changed some of the songs from the 2007 service.
Anyone who would like to use this service is welcome, the prayers come from the Presbyterian Church Book of Common Worship or are things I have picked up from other pastors through the years. The homily is a personal composition. While I am happy with this service, I welcome anyone considering using this service to do as I did, find several, compare, and see where the theology of the service takes you, then arrange your own.
The soloist, Mr. Ken Kinser, is the Worship Leader at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas.
Prelude
Welcome
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
Good evening and welcome to this very special worship service of Lessons and Carols. All who come in the name of the Lord are welcome on this special, special evening.
Let us begin with the lighting of the Advent Candles...We light this candle as a sign of the coming light of Christ.
Advent means coming.
We are preparing ourselves for the days
when the nations shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them.
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly,
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The Lord will give you a sign.
Look, the young woman is with child
and shall bear a son,
and shall name him Immanuel (God is with us).
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness,
on them light has shined.
Let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Call to Worship
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Let us pray...Holy Child, born of Mary in a barn, you identify with us in object humanity. You move among us with announcements of Good News when things look bleak; you give us a star on dark, lonely nights. Sing to us once more that, assured of your presence among us, we may forget our fear and embrace your gift of newborn life, to the glory of your holy name we pray. Amen.
Offering
During worship, we usually respond to the word of God through our offerings. Our offering this evening is taken to benefit the ministry of the Loaves and Fishes Food Bank of the Ozarks.
So do good and share what you have for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
The love of God multiplies and blesses all that we have, and all that we give.
Doxology
Prayer of Dedication
Your Word is made flesh and dwells among us, O God, full of grace and truth. For that gift and all you bestow, we say Alleluia and Amen! As we behold your glory, we commit ourselves to Christ's work. Make of us the body of Christ and dwell in us by your Spirit for the sake of the world that you love.
Prayer of Illumination
O Lord our God,
your Word is a lamp to our feet
and a light to our path.
Give us grace to receive your truth in faith and love,
the story of the coming of your son Jesus Christ,
that we may be obedient to your will
and live always for your glory;
by his birth in Bethlehem and his death on Calvary,
We pray in His holy name. Amen.
Homily--The Story--Rev. Paul Andresen
It is customary that when the word of God is read in Christian churches, it is followed by interpretation. Usually this is done through a message from the pastor. Sometimes it is done in drama or in dance.
Tonight, we do something special. Tonight, we interpret the written word of God through song.
The Presbyterian Church (USA) Directory for Worship tells us “Song is a response which engages the whole self in prayer. Song unites the faithful in common prayer wherever they gather for worship whether in church, home, or other special place.”
So tonight, in this holy place, we will hear the story of the birth of our Lord told in Lessons and Carols.
Let us hear the word of God and let us respond in prayer and in song.
Isaiah 9:2, 6-7
Hymn: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Isaiah 11:1-4a, 6-9
Hymn: O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Micah 5:2-5a
Hymn: O Little Town of Bethlehem
Luke 1:26-35, 38
Solo: Mary Did You Know, Ken Kinser Soloist
Luke 2:1-7
Hymn: Away in a Manger
Luke 2:8-20
Hymn: Angels We Have Heard On High
Luke 2:21-33
Solo: Bethlehem, Ken Kinser Soloist
Matthew 2:1-11
Hymn: We Three Kings of Orient Are
John 1:1-14
Hymn: Silent Night, Holy Night
Charge and Benediction
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
As we celebrate His birth,
Let us celebrate new life in Him.
And may the blessing of triune God almighty,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
remain with you always.
Amen.
Hymn: Joy to the World!
The Presbyterian Church Book of Common Worship does not have a version of this service. Since there are many different versions , I compared several different services and selected these passages and songs for the service. Because of suggestions from our Worship Leader, I have changed some of the songs from the 2007 service.
Anyone who would like to use this service is welcome, the prayers come from the Presbyterian Church Book of Common Worship or are things I have picked up from other pastors through the years. The homily is a personal composition. While I am happy with this service, I welcome anyone considering using this service to do as I did, find several, compare, and see where the theology of the service takes you, then arrange your own.
The soloist, Mr. Ken Kinser, is the Worship Leader at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas.
Prelude
Welcome
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
Good evening and welcome to this very special worship service of Lessons and Carols. All who come in the name of the Lord are welcome on this special, special evening.
Let us begin with the lighting of the Advent Candles...We light this candle as a sign of the coming light of Christ.
Advent means coming.
We are preparing ourselves for the days
when the nations shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them.
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly,
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The Lord will give you a sign.
Look, the young woman is with child
and shall bear a son,
and shall name him Immanuel (God is with us).
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness,
on them light has shined.
Let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Call to Worship
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Let us pray...Holy Child, born of Mary in a barn, you identify with us in object humanity. You move among us with announcements of Good News when things look bleak; you give us a star on dark, lonely nights. Sing to us once more that, assured of your presence among us, we may forget our fear and embrace your gift of newborn life, to the glory of your holy name we pray. Amen.
Offering
During worship, we usually respond to the word of God through our offerings. Our offering this evening is taken to benefit the ministry of the Loaves and Fishes Food Bank of the Ozarks.
So do good and share what you have for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
The love of God multiplies and blesses all that we have, and all that we give.
Doxology
Prayer of Dedication
Your Word is made flesh and dwells among us, O God, full of grace and truth. For that gift and all you bestow, we say Alleluia and Amen! As we behold your glory, we commit ourselves to Christ's work. Make of us the body of Christ and dwell in us by your Spirit for the sake of the world that you love.
Prayer of Illumination
O Lord our God,
your Word is a lamp to our feet
and a light to our path.
Give us grace to receive your truth in faith and love,
the story of the coming of your son Jesus Christ,
that we may be obedient to your will
and live always for your glory;
by his birth in Bethlehem and his death on Calvary,
We pray in His holy name. Amen.
Homily--The Story--Rev. Paul Andresen
It is customary that when the word of God is read in Christian churches, it is followed by interpretation. Usually this is done through a message from the pastor. Sometimes it is done in drama or in dance.
Tonight, we do something special. Tonight, we interpret the written word of God through song.
The Presbyterian Church (USA) Directory for Worship tells us “Song is a response which engages the whole self in prayer. Song unites the faithful in common prayer wherever they gather for worship whether in church, home, or other special place.”
So tonight, in this holy place, we will hear the story of the birth of our Lord told in Lessons and Carols.
Let us hear the word of God and let us respond in prayer and in song.
Isaiah 9:2, 6-7
Hymn: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Isaiah 11:1-4a, 6-9
Hymn: O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Micah 5:2-5a
Hymn: O Little Town of Bethlehem
Luke 1:26-35, 38
Solo: Mary Did You Know, Ken Kinser Soloist
Luke 2:1-7
Hymn: Away in a Manger
Luke 2:8-20
Hymn: Angels We Have Heard On High
Luke 2:21-33
Solo: Bethlehem, Ken Kinser Soloist
Matthew 2:1-11
Hymn: We Three Kings of Orient Are
John 1:1-14
Hymn: Silent Night, Holy Night
Charge and Benediction
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
As we celebrate His birth,
Let us celebrate new life in Him.
And may the blessing of triune God almighty,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
remain with you always.
Amen.
Hymn: Joy to the World!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
She Said Yes
This sermon was heard at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on Sunday December 21, 2008, the 4th Sunday in Advent.
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:26-38
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
Brett Leonhardt is the Web Producer for the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals. Born and raised in Canada, Leonhardt is a 6-foot-7-inch former Division III goalie at Oswego State and Neumann College. He would occasionally get on the ice with the Capitals in practice if someone was injured or needed a day off.
Last weekend, the Associated Press reported Leonhardt dressed as the team's backup goalie for their Friday night game against the Ottawa Senators in Washington because of an injury to the Cap’s reserve goalie Jose Theodore.[1]
The Cap’s were bringing up a reserve goalie from the minor leagues to cover for Theodore, but because of flight schedules, there was a chance the new reserve wouldn’t make it in time for the game. Leonhardt found out the team might activate him that morning. During the day he got updates about every two hours until it was confirmed, he would be suiting up. Literally, a team rep came into Leonhardt’s cubicle and tapped him to be the Cap’s temporary back up goalie.
The team knew he could skate, they knew he had played in college, but putting on the sweater under the bright lights of the Verizon Center in DC was not what Leonhardt or the team ever expected. And if something, anything happened to the starter, Leonhardt would be called into the game. At the ten minute mark in the first period, the reserve goalie got in from the airport and onto the bench so Leonhardt was never put into the game; but he was called, and he was willing to do what needed to be done for the team.
Mary is the queen of “There I Was Minding My Own Business…” when the angel of the Lord came to her saying, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Mary got the call. In her way, the coach came in and tapped her to bear God into the world. It is natural to assume that she would know the lingo the angel used. She would be familiar with phrases like “the Son of the Most High,” “the throne of his ancestor David,” “He will reign over the house of Jacob forever,” and “of his kingdom there will be no end.” She knew what the angel was asking, and what it meant.
So she asked “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” Pretty good logistical question, isn’t it? The Greek translates a bit more coyly, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” At face value, this seems to be a very straight forward question. But I am not so sure that this was the case.
Have you ever been asked something; and come up with an excuse that gets put in the form of a question? If you answer that question with, “What makes you think I could ever do something like that?” you have just made my point. Here is the angel of God, telling Mary she has found favor with God and she is throwing up a barrier. It’s not that uncommon, it doesn’t get much more human than that.
We can hardly blame Mary for pointing out what the angel suggests is not possible given current conditions, but there would have been other worries. Bearing a child, she would have been an unwed mother. Further, the father of her son would not be her betrothed. If she were lucky she would be shunned by her family and the community. Certainly her fiancé would not become her husband. If she wasn’t lucky, stoning was an option.
Mary also knew that her son’s life would be difficult because of this status too. He would be shunned. He would have no social standing. It would be difficult for him to make a living; meaning there would be no way he could take care of her in her old age. At the time, in this place, their lives would be harsh.
Knowing what we do know about the life of Jesus of Nazareth, we know that his life and trials were far more difficult than what polite society would have imagined for them. We know that her son would be executed like a common criminal. The governor would mockingly call him “Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudæorum;” in English “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” He would be strung from a tree and left to die in the harsh Judean sun atop a garbage heap. She could imagine how difficult her life would be, but she could have no idea how difficult her son’s life would be.
With these visions of sugar plums dancing in her head; Mary learns from the angel of the great things will happen by the Spirit of the Lord. She also learns of the great things that are all ready happening through the work of the Spirit in the life of her relative Elizabeth. At her advanced age, she will soon bear a child. This is happening for one and only one special reason, “for nothing will be impossible with God.”
Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
We’re a process people, and this is a glorious process. The messenger, the angel comes bringing the good news of God’s favor, God’s grace. Mary is informed of her call, her vocation, to bear God into the world. She puts up some resistance too. Not token resistance either; this is an honest challenge to the word from the angel. The angel of the Lord then lifts her, showing her that God is all ready at work in the world. This is when she voluntarily accepts her vocation; and then the angel leaves.
Mission, reservation, affirmation, acceptance; these are the steps behind what we call “The Annunciation of the Birth of Jesus.”
So, here is either the dumbest question of all time or the question that will open a thousand doors. Did Gabriel know Mary would respond to the angelic message saying, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word”?
This leads to another question, did Gabriel approach any other maidens betrothed to a man from the line of David with this vocation, or was Mary the first? Did someone somewhere say to the messenger of the Lord, “Sorry, I’ve just washed my hair and I can’t do a thing with it” before getting to Mary? What if Mary had said no for that matter?
In a way, we know the answer to those question, we really do. If someone had told the angel “no,” and on that matter scripture is silent, this information, this refusal was not important enough to mention. What if there were a dozen women who said “no,” what if there were hundreds? Any who said “no” were not important enough to make a dent in the history of God’s work in creation. They were not even worthy of mention; and if Mary had said no, we would not have known her either.
“Gabriel’s annunciation would not have been complete without Mary’s trusting, obedient response.”[2] Only when Mary says yes does the annunciation have any power.
These questions may seem cavalier, but there is a point. The point here is “Are we willing to allow the Lord God to shape our lives in ways we never expected, wanted, or imagined?” Are we willing to say to the messenger “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
Are we willing to allow the plans of our lives to be interrupted for the messenger from the Lord? Mary said yes. Only by saying yes does Mary make a difference. Because of this yes, Mary’s song[3] is heard and revered.
What is God asking you to do? What is your call, your vocation? Are you willing to let God upset the apple cart of your life?
Don’t worry about asking questions, even asking God is fine as Mary discovered. Asking questions is not bad, not listening to the answers is.
And the Lord will not put us into places we do not belong. The story of the annunciation shows that the Lord supports those who respond to God’s call with encouragement and power.
It is said that history is made by people who show up. Brett Leonhardt made ten minutes of history on an NHL bench just by saying yes and suiting up. By showing up, by saying yes, Mary not only made history, but by the fruit of her womb she made the future. By willingly, voluntarily participating in the joy of creation, Mary brings into the world the one of power and majesty, the one who sits on David’s throne forever.
Jesus has come. Jesus is here now. Jesus will come again. Will you say yes when he asks if you are coming too?
[1] “Capitals dress Web site producer as backup and win” http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gysKr8DzM3-bgmha-l6ZuCinKd8wD951NOT80 and Turcotte, Sarah, “Ten Minutes of Fame”, http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3770097 retrieved December 15, 2008.
[2] New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. IX. Leander Keck, General Editor. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995 page 52.
[3] Luke 1:46-56
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:26-38
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
Brett Leonhardt is the Web Producer for the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals. Born and raised in Canada, Leonhardt is a 6-foot-7-inch former Division III goalie at Oswego State and Neumann College. He would occasionally get on the ice with the Capitals in practice if someone was injured or needed a day off.
Last weekend, the Associated Press reported Leonhardt dressed as the team's backup goalie for their Friday night game against the Ottawa Senators in Washington because of an injury to the Cap’s reserve goalie Jose Theodore.[1]
The Cap’s were bringing up a reserve goalie from the minor leagues to cover for Theodore, but because of flight schedules, there was a chance the new reserve wouldn’t make it in time for the game. Leonhardt found out the team might activate him that morning. During the day he got updates about every two hours until it was confirmed, he would be suiting up. Literally, a team rep came into Leonhardt’s cubicle and tapped him to be the Cap’s temporary back up goalie.
The team knew he could skate, they knew he had played in college, but putting on the sweater under the bright lights of the Verizon Center in DC was not what Leonhardt or the team ever expected. And if something, anything happened to the starter, Leonhardt would be called into the game. At the ten minute mark in the first period, the reserve goalie got in from the airport and onto the bench so Leonhardt was never put into the game; but he was called, and he was willing to do what needed to be done for the team.
Mary is the queen of “There I Was Minding My Own Business…” when the angel of the Lord came to her saying, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Mary got the call. In her way, the coach came in and tapped her to bear God into the world. It is natural to assume that she would know the lingo the angel used. She would be familiar with phrases like “the Son of the Most High,” “the throne of his ancestor David,” “He will reign over the house of Jacob forever,” and “of his kingdom there will be no end.” She knew what the angel was asking, and what it meant.
So she asked “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” Pretty good logistical question, isn’t it? The Greek translates a bit more coyly, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” At face value, this seems to be a very straight forward question. But I am not so sure that this was the case.
Have you ever been asked something; and come up with an excuse that gets put in the form of a question? If you answer that question with, “What makes you think I could ever do something like that?” you have just made my point. Here is the angel of God, telling Mary she has found favor with God and she is throwing up a barrier. It’s not that uncommon, it doesn’t get much more human than that.
We can hardly blame Mary for pointing out what the angel suggests is not possible given current conditions, but there would have been other worries. Bearing a child, she would have been an unwed mother. Further, the father of her son would not be her betrothed. If she were lucky she would be shunned by her family and the community. Certainly her fiancé would not become her husband. If she wasn’t lucky, stoning was an option.
Mary also knew that her son’s life would be difficult because of this status too. He would be shunned. He would have no social standing. It would be difficult for him to make a living; meaning there would be no way he could take care of her in her old age. At the time, in this place, their lives would be harsh.
Knowing what we do know about the life of Jesus of Nazareth, we know that his life and trials were far more difficult than what polite society would have imagined for them. We know that her son would be executed like a common criminal. The governor would mockingly call him “Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudæorum;” in English “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” He would be strung from a tree and left to die in the harsh Judean sun atop a garbage heap. She could imagine how difficult her life would be, but she could have no idea how difficult her son’s life would be.
With these visions of sugar plums dancing in her head; Mary learns from the angel of the great things will happen by the Spirit of the Lord. She also learns of the great things that are all ready happening through the work of the Spirit in the life of her relative Elizabeth. At her advanced age, she will soon bear a child. This is happening for one and only one special reason, “for nothing will be impossible with God.”
Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
We’re a process people, and this is a glorious process. The messenger, the angel comes bringing the good news of God’s favor, God’s grace. Mary is informed of her call, her vocation, to bear God into the world. She puts up some resistance too. Not token resistance either; this is an honest challenge to the word from the angel. The angel of the Lord then lifts her, showing her that God is all ready at work in the world. This is when she voluntarily accepts her vocation; and then the angel leaves.
Mission, reservation, affirmation, acceptance; these are the steps behind what we call “The Annunciation of the Birth of Jesus.”
So, here is either the dumbest question of all time or the question that will open a thousand doors. Did Gabriel know Mary would respond to the angelic message saying, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word”?
This leads to another question, did Gabriel approach any other maidens betrothed to a man from the line of David with this vocation, or was Mary the first? Did someone somewhere say to the messenger of the Lord, “Sorry, I’ve just washed my hair and I can’t do a thing with it” before getting to Mary? What if Mary had said no for that matter?
In a way, we know the answer to those question, we really do. If someone had told the angel “no,” and on that matter scripture is silent, this information, this refusal was not important enough to mention. What if there were a dozen women who said “no,” what if there were hundreds? Any who said “no” were not important enough to make a dent in the history of God’s work in creation. They were not even worthy of mention; and if Mary had said no, we would not have known her either.
“Gabriel’s annunciation would not have been complete without Mary’s trusting, obedient response.”[2] Only when Mary says yes does the annunciation have any power.
These questions may seem cavalier, but there is a point. The point here is “Are we willing to allow the Lord God to shape our lives in ways we never expected, wanted, or imagined?” Are we willing to say to the messenger “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
Are we willing to allow the plans of our lives to be interrupted for the messenger from the Lord? Mary said yes. Only by saying yes does Mary make a difference. Because of this yes, Mary’s song[3] is heard and revered.
What is God asking you to do? What is your call, your vocation? Are you willing to let God upset the apple cart of your life?
Don’t worry about asking questions, even asking God is fine as Mary discovered. Asking questions is not bad, not listening to the answers is.
And the Lord will not put us into places we do not belong. The story of the annunciation shows that the Lord supports those who respond to God’s call with encouragement and power.
It is said that history is made by people who show up. Brett Leonhardt made ten minutes of history on an NHL bench just by saying yes and suiting up. By showing up, by saying yes, Mary not only made history, but by the fruit of her womb she made the future. By willingly, voluntarily participating in the joy of creation, Mary brings into the world the one of power and majesty, the one who sits on David’s throne forever.
Jesus has come. Jesus is here now. Jesus will come again. Will you say yes when he asks if you are coming too?
[1] “Capitals dress Web site producer as backup and win” http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gysKr8DzM3-bgmha-l6ZuCinKd8wD951NOT80 and Turcotte, Sarah, “Ten Minutes of Fame”, http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3770097 retrieved December 15, 2008.
[2] New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. IX. Leander Keck, General Editor. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995 page 52.
[3] Luke 1:46-56
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Men We Don't Know
This sermon will be heard at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on Sunday December 14, 2008, the 3rd Sunday in Advent.
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126
1Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8, 19-28
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
On Tuesday, “The Dark Knight” was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. This movie introduces the viewer to the Batman’s first encounter with his archenemy, Joker. One of the hallmarks of the Batman series from its beginnings was the secret identities of its main players. In the current cinematic incarnation, the only person who knows that Bruce Wayne is the Batman is his butler, Alfred Pennyworth. As for Joker, we never learn his given name. We only come to know him as a severely twisted, wicked character bent on chaos and destruction.
Two men the residents of Gotham don’t know, but will soon enough. Two men the residents of Gotham will come to know through their deeds. One man a dark yet heroic figure and the other an even darker sociopath.
Our gospel reading is silent about the reasons the priests and Levites were sent to see the man sent from God named John. But by the way we meet him; we can assume that when reports about him made their way to the home office in Jerusalem they were not welcomed.
So the leaders of the temple, the intelligentsia, the leadership corps; the people our reading calls “the Jews” were wondering exactly what in the name of all that’s holy was going on in the Judean countryside. When the priests and Levites come upon John, they knew they had found who they were seeking. Then the priests and Levites asked the obvious question, “Who are you?”
What they got was either the most obvious or the least obvious answer, “Well, I am not the Messiah.” Tell me, who starts there? When people ask me who I am the first thing I say is “Well, I am not the Messiah.” Don’t you?
Separating themselves from what they probably assumed was the obvious, they ask “Who then? Are you Elijah?” “I am not” John answers. All righty then, not Elijah, they ask if he is the prophet cast in the mold of Moses.[1] “Nope” John says.
So you’re not the Messiah (as if), not Elijah, not the prophet; check, check, and check. In the minds of the priests, the Levites, and the Temple leaders who sent them; John is a nobody. He has no temple or synagogue status and acts like, well, like a guy who wants to get in trouble with the big-boys.
“Look guy, there are some very important people who have sent us to find out who you are and what you have to say for yourself, you’re wasting our time so let’s have it.” So John lets them have it:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’”[2]
as the prophet Isaiah said.
Yep, trouble maker.
It is important to point out two things; the first is that this gospel refers to the man at the Jordan as John; just plain John. This gospel doesn’t call him “John the Baptist” or “John the Apostle” or “John the Revelator” either. He’s just John. And in this writing, he doesn’t even share his name with the priests and Levites. The narration lets us know who he is, but the dialogue is silent. He gives no one his name. To the priests and Levites, he is simply that guy they were sent to see and find out what he was doing.
The second thing I want to point out is the way that he told the priests and Levites that he is not the Messiah. Our translations say “I am not the Messiah,” but sometimes huge things get lost in little translations. In this case, what got lost is that John invoked the negative of the Greek version of the Holy Name. Theologically, he said “I am not the I AM.” When asked whether he was Elijah or the prophet, he didn’t say “no” the same way. Answering these questions, he did not use the Holy Name.
You can just imagine the priests and Levites were at a loss. We have not the Messiah, not Elijah, and not the prophet. He evokes the spirit of Isaiah without quoting the prophet directly. This odd fellow tells the world who he isn’t, effectively telling them that he is nobody of any importance.
The priests and Levites had been sent by the Pharisees, so they had to get a straight answer. “Look, if you’re nobody, why then are you baptizing?”
John answers, “I baptize with water.”
“I baptize with water.” Isn’t that what the priests and Levites just said? They had gotten past “what are you doing?” They asked him “Why are you doing it?” John says “I baptize with water.” Imagine the stupefied looks screwing their faces in all sorts of weird directions. Yeah, well thanks, baptism—and at the time there was a Jewish baptism—baptism is done with water, we had that part figured out.
John continues, “Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” Tell me, how does that answer the question “Why are you baptizing?” These guys, emissaries of high temple officials want to know what’s happening in the wilderness and the only answers they get are so far from what they were expecting that they’re left speechless.
That’s when John gives them the meat and potatoes of this reading. I paraphrase, “Look, you don’t know who I am, you ask what I’m doing when you all ready know what I’m doing. So guess what, if you are having trouble with me you ain’t seen nothing yet. And if you just wait a little longer you will.”
So a guy the priests and the Levites don’t know tells them that somewhere in the community of humanity is someone else whom they don’t know. The mischief maker then says that he isn’t worthy to untie the sandal of this other guy they don’t know. And this is the Gospel of the Lord. (Thanks be to God.)
If this is confusing, imagine being in their sandals. The priests and Levites were getting an earful and couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Their questions were pretty straight forward, if not self-incriminating, and John’s answers were bizarre.
If this isn’t confusing, it is because we have all ready filled in the blanks. This gospel only says John baptizes in water. We need Mark’s version to tell us John comes proclaiming a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. When we hear “I baptize in water,” we also hear the echo of Mark’s gospel continue, “but the one who is more powerful than I will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
So whether you are confused by this reading or not, I believe we need to put ourselves in the place of the priests and Levites; we need to hear this again for the first time just like it was heard 2,000 years ago. What John presents is a mystery bigger than all creation.
Listen to John’s cry: “I am not the Messiah, I am not Elijah, I am not the prophet. I have no special status. I am a child of the One True God. I am a child of the one who is coming, the one whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. I am the child who has been called to come to the wilderness and make straight the way of the Lord. That is who I am.”
There is a glory to the mystery that surrounds these statements. They seem so definitive, yet they are so very mysterious. They are concrete, but they come from the man we don’t know about the man we don’t fully know, not yet.
It is to our joy and God’s glory that we know this story; and that we know what comes next. But because of that, we tend to fill in the blanks left in John’s gospel. Today, let’s not fill in the blanks. Let’s listen with the awe and wonder, and yes the confusion, the priests and Levites shared as they heard John’s testimony. John testifies to the true light, and begs us to see the it again in the fresh eyes of one who sees it for the first time.
Advent is the coming of Jesus Christ. We wait and we wait upon others in this season of preparation. In its own peculiar way, John’s gospel reminds us that we don’t really, can’t fully know whom we wait for, whom we wait upon. God is so completely different that on this side of glory we won’t fully know who God is, even God who walked the earth.
This gospel’s description of John delights us with strange answers to straight-forward questions, reminding us that questions we take for granted need answers that aren’t obvious. Still rejoice in what we know for sure, the man we don’t know will have his secret identity revealed. It will be revealed in a manger. It will be revealed on the cross. It will be revealed again coming in glory. Jesus has come. Jesus is here now. Jesus will come again.
[1] “The New Interpreter’s Bible.” Vol. IX. Leander Keck, General Editor. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995, pages 527-528.
[2] This is a paraphrase of Isaiah 40:3, not a direct quote.
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126
1Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8, 19-28
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
On Tuesday, “The Dark Knight” was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. This movie introduces the viewer to the Batman’s first encounter with his archenemy, Joker. One of the hallmarks of the Batman series from its beginnings was the secret identities of its main players. In the current cinematic incarnation, the only person who knows that Bruce Wayne is the Batman is his butler, Alfred Pennyworth. As for Joker, we never learn his given name. We only come to know him as a severely twisted, wicked character bent on chaos and destruction.
Two men the residents of Gotham don’t know, but will soon enough. Two men the residents of Gotham will come to know through their deeds. One man a dark yet heroic figure and the other an even darker sociopath.
Our gospel reading is silent about the reasons the priests and Levites were sent to see the man sent from God named John. But by the way we meet him; we can assume that when reports about him made their way to the home office in Jerusalem they were not welcomed.
So the leaders of the temple, the intelligentsia, the leadership corps; the people our reading calls “the Jews” were wondering exactly what in the name of all that’s holy was going on in the Judean countryside. When the priests and Levites come upon John, they knew they had found who they were seeking. Then the priests and Levites asked the obvious question, “Who are you?”
What they got was either the most obvious or the least obvious answer, “Well, I am not the Messiah.” Tell me, who starts there? When people ask me who I am the first thing I say is “Well, I am not the Messiah.” Don’t you?
Separating themselves from what they probably assumed was the obvious, they ask “Who then? Are you Elijah?” “I am not” John answers. All righty then, not Elijah, they ask if he is the prophet cast in the mold of Moses.[1] “Nope” John says.
So you’re not the Messiah (as if), not Elijah, not the prophet; check, check, and check. In the minds of the priests, the Levites, and the Temple leaders who sent them; John is a nobody. He has no temple or synagogue status and acts like, well, like a guy who wants to get in trouble with the big-boys.
“Look guy, there are some very important people who have sent us to find out who you are and what you have to say for yourself, you’re wasting our time so let’s have it.” So John lets them have it:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’”[2]
as the prophet Isaiah said.
Yep, trouble maker.
It is important to point out two things; the first is that this gospel refers to the man at the Jordan as John; just plain John. This gospel doesn’t call him “John the Baptist” or “John the Apostle” or “John the Revelator” either. He’s just John. And in this writing, he doesn’t even share his name with the priests and Levites. The narration lets us know who he is, but the dialogue is silent. He gives no one his name. To the priests and Levites, he is simply that guy they were sent to see and find out what he was doing.
The second thing I want to point out is the way that he told the priests and Levites that he is not the Messiah. Our translations say “I am not the Messiah,” but sometimes huge things get lost in little translations. In this case, what got lost is that John invoked the negative of the Greek version of the Holy Name. Theologically, he said “I am not the I AM.” When asked whether he was Elijah or the prophet, he didn’t say “no” the same way. Answering these questions, he did not use the Holy Name.
You can just imagine the priests and Levites were at a loss. We have not the Messiah, not Elijah, and not the prophet. He evokes the spirit of Isaiah without quoting the prophet directly. This odd fellow tells the world who he isn’t, effectively telling them that he is nobody of any importance.
The priests and Levites had been sent by the Pharisees, so they had to get a straight answer. “Look, if you’re nobody, why then are you baptizing?”
John answers, “I baptize with water.”
“I baptize with water.” Isn’t that what the priests and Levites just said? They had gotten past “what are you doing?” They asked him “Why are you doing it?” John says “I baptize with water.” Imagine the stupefied looks screwing their faces in all sorts of weird directions. Yeah, well thanks, baptism—and at the time there was a Jewish baptism—baptism is done with water, we had that part figured out.
John continues, “Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” Tell me, how does that answer the question “Why are you baptizing?” These guys, emissaries of high temple officials want to know what’s happening in the wilderness and the only answers they get are so far from what they were expecting that they’re left speechless.
That’s when John gives them the meat and potatoes of this reading. I paraphrase, “Look, you don’t know who I am, you ask what I’m doing when you all ready know what I’m doing. So guess what, if you are having trouble with me you ain’t seen nothing yet. And if you just wait a little longer you will.”
So a guy the priests and the Levites don’t know tells them that somewhere in the community of humanity is someone else whom they don’t know. The mischief maker then says that he isn’t worthy to untie the sandal of this other guy they don’t know. And this is the Gospel of the Lord. (Thanks be to God.)
If this is confusing, imagine being in their sandals. The priests and Levites were getting an earful and couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Their questions were pretty straight forward, if not self-incriminating, and John’s answers were bizarre.
If this isn’t confusing, it is because we have all ready filled in the blanks. This gospel only says John baptizes in water. We need Mark’s version to tell us John comes proclaiming a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. When we hear “I baptize in water,” we also hear the echo of Mark’s gospel continue, “but the one who is more powerful than I will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
So whether you are confused by this reading or not, I believe we need to put ourselves in the place of the priests and Levites; we need to hear this again for the first time just like it was heard 2,000 years ago. What John presents is a mystery bigger than all creation.
Listen to John’s cry: “I am not the Messiah, I am not Elijah, I am not the prophet. I have no special status. I am a child of the One True God. I am a child of the one who is coming, the one whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. I am the child who has been called to come to the wilderness and make straight the way of the Lord. That is who I am.”
There is a glory to the mystery that surrounds these statements. They seem so definitive, yet they are so very mysterious. They are concrete, but they come from the man we don’t know about the man we don’t fully know, not yet.
It is to our joy and God’s glory that we know this story; and that we know what comes next. But because of that, we tend to fill in the blanks left in John’s gospel. Today, let’s not fill in the blanks. Let’s listen with the awe and wonder, and yes the confusion, the priests and Levites shared as they heard John’s testimony. John testifies to the true light, and begs us to see the it again in the fresh eyes of one who sees it for the first time.
Advent is the coming of Jesus Christ. We wait and we wait upon others in this season of preparation. In its own peculiar way, John’s gospel reminds us that we don’t really, can’t fully know whom we wait for, whom we wait upon. God is so completely different that on this side of glory we won’t fully know who God is, even God who walked the earth.
This gospel’s description of John delights us with strange answers to straight-forward questions, reminding us that questions we take for granted need answers that aren’t obvious. Still rejoice in what we know for sure, the man we don’t know will have his secret identity revealed. It will be revealed in a manger. It will be revealed on the cross. It will be revealed again coming in glory. Jesus has come. Jesus is here now. Jesus will come again.
[1] “The New Interpreter’s Bible.” Vol. IX. Leander Keck, General Editor. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995, pages 527-528.
[2] This is a paraphrase of Isaiah 40:3, not a direct quote.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Waiting Expectantly
This sermon was heard at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on Sunday December 7, 2008, the 2nd Sunday in Advent.
Isaiah 40:1-11
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
2Peter 3:8-15a
Mark 1:1-8
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
I have a problem when reading this lesson, and I wonder if you don’t share the same problem. When I read it, I immediately go to verse nine, “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.” I mean I immediately go there. There is precedent for this; the Greek word for “immediately” is found fifty-one times in the New Testament. Mark’s gospel uses it forty-one of those times. In Mark’s gospel, so much happens immediately that it’s hard for us not to do the same thing.
It’s also not so uncommon because we know what comes next. We know that immediately after we meet John, Jesus appears. Of course we jump to what’s next; we do it because we know what comes next. No waiting, just go ahead.
As for me, I know what comes next so I don’t particularly want to wait. Do you? I’ve used the “royal we” a few times and it may just be me and the mouse in my pocket, but I don’t think so. There is evidence to show it’s more than just me.
Waiting is something we don’t do well as a culture. Wal-Mart opened the Christmas Store on November 1st, All Saint’s Day, the moment after Halloween. While kids were smashing pumpkins and tee-peeing houses, the Wally-World Elves were busy hiding the garden center for two months. Sure enough, on Boxing Day, December 26th, the garden stuff will begin to come out again. Say what you will, that’s amazing. Time waits for no man, and neither does Wal-Mart.
Advent is coming, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Still, there is always a big hurry to celebrate Christmas, and Advent is overwhelmed by a wave of Christmas music and Christmas mercantile. Gregg Easterbrook, who writes a column for ESPN.com, has been warning readers about “Christmas Creep” for years. This year, his readers report several examples of Christmas merchandise on shelves in a column dated September 1, 2008.[1] Yes, Christmas stuff was hitting the shelves in Sam’s Club and Hobby Lobby in late August. Advent is coming, but when Christmas starts before Labor Day, it doesn’t stand much of a chance.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Celebrating Advent means being able to wait. Waiting however is an art that our impatient age has forgotten…We must wait for the greatest, most profound, most gentle things in the world; nothing happens in a rush, but only according to divine laws of germination and growth and becoming.”[2]
Last week, the seed was planted. This week, John the Baptist tends the soil with the waters of baptism. This watering will lead to germination, growth, and becoming. No one knows this better than farmers and ranchers. People who live by the soils and the skies know this waiting better than anyone else. So by this, the Christian is called to learn the lesson of the farmer and the rancher, the lesson of Bonhoeffer, and wait. So we wait, we wait expectantly.
Living in Austin, Marie was admitted to the hospital on several occasions. There was nothing worse than waiting. When she was in surgery, I waited for the doctor to come with news of the procedure. The one thing that made the waiting easier was that I knew if my wait was short, it was because something dreadfully wrong had happened. Then if the wait seemed too long, I would fear something dreadfully wrong had happened. So I waited expectantly.
She and I would also wait expectantly for her to be discharged. It was a glorious moment when the doctor would come in and say, “Yes, I will be discharging you today. You can go as soon as the orders are processed.” Now that was waiting expectantly! Any minute I would get to take Marie home. Hooray, any minute now, and hours later it would still be any minute now.
As a hospital chaplain, I get to see the joy in the faces of those who are discharged, and the impatience of those waiting for the orders to come. It usually takes only about twenty minutes for the joy to become impatience; and it usually takes longer than that for the orders to come. So we wait, we wait expectantly.
We are reminded to wait in our reading today from Mark. Jesus doesn’t appear immediately in this gospel. He is the second player. We have to wait for him because John was ordained to be the first, the one who would baptize the man simply referred to as Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee. We even have to wait one more verse for the Spirit to descend upon him like a dove.
So we wait. We wait another eighteen days for Christmas. We wait seventeen days to sing Christmas carols because we wait to sing them until Advent passes and Jesus comes. We wait expectantly because we know what comes next. We wait because Jesus will come, Jesus has come and Jesus will come again. And as the old song goes, “The waiting is the hardest part.”[3]
We want so badly to see the work of God’s hands. We hope and desire it so badly that it makes us hurt in anticipation. We see the injustice in the world against the sick and the poor and those who are pushed to the margins. We want to see the hand of the Lord in action in our lives and in all creation.
We wait expectantly, but that doesn’t mean we are to wait passively. You see, there are at least two ways “to wait.” Waiting can mean staying, lingering, or remaining. This is one way we wait; we are to wait for the coming of the Lord. Still, to wait also means to serve or to work or to care for others. As we stay, we are also to serve. As we await the coming of the Lord, we minister to one another so that God’s work will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
We are called by God to wait, and as we wait we are to wait on others. We are not just called to wait for the hand of the Lord; we are to be the hands of the Lord. How? Drop your ch
ange in the Salvation Army kettle the next time you go shopping at Wal-Mart. The Salvation Army’s slogan this year is “Expect Change.”[4] Isn’t that a great reference to putting change into the kettle? Yet it is also a reminder that only by being the agents of change can we ever expect anything to change.
This year, the Session asks you give toys to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Local donations are being accepted at Dollar General and Wal-Mart in Berryville and Huntsville.[5] The Session has also directed us to collect the PC (USA) Christmas Joy Offering[6] in a couple of weeks. This offering supports retired church workers and the Presbyterian Racial Ethnic Schools and Colleges.
As these are wonderful and glorious ways of giving, we must give from all of the gifts we receive from the Lord, not just treasure, but also time and talent. So thanks to you who serve on the Session. Thanks to you who came and decorated last weekend. Thanks to you who clean the church. Thanks to you who helped at Vacation Bible School last summer. Thanks to you who work at the Food Bank. Thanks to you who lead worship. Thanks to you who worship at the Berryville Alliance of Churches services. Thanks to you who visit those in the hospital and those who are home bound. Thanks to you who call and write notes to those who need a pick-me-up.
And all praise to God who empowers us to wait on others.
We wait because it is how we prepare for the coming of the Lord. We wait in service because it is how the Lord wants us to wait. We wait and we reflect on the season, especially on the days when we read the gospel anticipating the Lord’s arrival. We wait expectantly as we wait for the Lord to come again.
We wait together because that is how the Lord wants us to wait. We wait because Jesus has come. We wait because Jesus is here now. We wait because Jesus will come again.
When we read this part of Gospel, it is oh so tempting to go immediately onto the next verse, but we mustn’t. We mustn’t go past today’s reading without waiting. So we wait—remaining and serving the Lord because there is no other way.
To quote the old song again, “You take it on faith, you take it to the heart/The waiting is the hardest part.”[7] Advent teaches us to wait for the coming of the Lord and to wait on the coming of the Lord. Let us wait together, let us wait expectantly, but let us not wait passively.
[1] Easterbrook, Gregg, “TMQ, 2008 NFC Preview” http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/080826, retrieved December 6, 2008.
[2] Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, “Christmas with Dietrich Bonhoeffer.” Manfred Weber, Editor. Minneapolis: Augsburg Books.
[3] Petty, Tom, “The Waiting.” Found on “Hard Promises” Gone Gator Music, 1981. From LyricWiki, http://lyricwiki.org/Tom_Petty_And_The_Heartbreakers:The_Waiting, retrieved December 6, 2008
[4] Image found at http://salvationarmyusa.org/ retrieved December 4, 2008. You can follow this link to give online to the Salvation Army too.
[5] For more locations, check out http://www.toysfortots.org/, retrieved December 6, 2008.
[6] For more information and a link to give, go to http://www.pcusa.org/cjoffering/, retrieved December 6, 2008.
[7] Ibid, Petty.
Isaiah 40:1-11
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
2Peter 3:8-15a
Mark 1:1-8
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
I have a problem when reading this lesson, and I wonder if you don’t share the same problem. When I read it, I immediately go to verse nine, “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.” I mean I immediately go there. There is precedent for this; the Greek word for “immediately” is found fifty-one times in the New Testament. Mark’s gospel uses it forty-one of those times. In Mark’s gospel, so much happens immediately that it’s hard for us not to do the same thing.
It’s also not so uncommon because we know what comes next. We know that immediately after we meet John, Jesus appears. Of course we jump to what’s next; we do it because we know what comes next. No waiting, just go ahead.
As for me, I know what comes next so I don’t particularly want to wait. Do you? I’ve used the “royal we” a few times and it may just be me and the mouse in my pocket, but I don’t think so. There is evidence to show it’s more than just me.
Waiting is something we don’t do well as a culture. Wal-Mart opened the Christmas Store on November 1st, All Saint’s Day, the moment after Halloween. While kids were smashing pumpkins and tee-peeing houses, the Wally-World Elves were busy hiding the garden center for two months. Sure enough, on Boxing Day, December 26th, the garden stuff will begin to come out again. Say what you will, that’s amazing. Time waits for no man, and neither does Wal-Mart.
Advent is coming, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Still, there is always a big hurry to celebrate Christmas, and Advent is overwhelmed by a wave of Christmas music and Christmas mercantile. Gregg Easterbrook, who writes a column for ESPN.com, has been warning readers about “Christmas Creep” for years. This year, his readers report several examples of Christmas merchandise on shelves in a column dated September 1, 2008.[1] Yes, Christmas stuff was hitting the shelves in Sam’s Club and Hobby Lobby in late August. Advent is coming, but when Christmas starts before Labor Day, it doesn’t stand much of a chance.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Celebrating Advent means being able to wait. Waiting however is an art that our impatient age has forgotten…We must wait for the greatest, most profound, most gentle things in the world; nothing happens in a rush, but only according to divine laws of germination and growth and becoming.”[2]
Last week, the seed was planted. This week, John the Baptist tends the soil with the waters of baptism. This watering will lead to germination, growth, and becoming. No one knows this better than farmers and ranchers. People who live by the soils and the skies know this waiting better than anyone else. So by this, the Christian is called to learn the lesson of the farmer and the rancher, the lesson of Bonhoeffer, and wait. So we wait, we wait expectantly.
Living in Austin, Marie was admitted to the hospital on several occasions. There was nothing worse than waiting. When she was in surgery, I waited for the doctor to come with news of the procedure. The one thing that made the waiting easier was that I knew if my wait was short, it was because something dreadfully wrong had happened. Then if the wait seemed too long, I would fear something dreadfully wrong had happened. So I waited expectantly.
She and I would also wait expectantly for her to be discharged. It was a glorious moment when the doctor would come in and say, “Yes, I will be discharging you today. You can go as soon as the orders are processed.” Now that was waiting expectantly! Any minute I would get to take Marie home. Hooray, any minute now, and hours later it would still be any minute now.
As a hospital chaplain, I get to see the joy in the faces of those who are discharged, and the impatience of those waiting for the orders to come. It usually takes only about twenty minutes for the joy to become impatience; and it usually takes longer than that for the orders to come. So we wait, we wait expectantly.
We are reminded to wait in our reading today from Mark. Jesus doesn’t appear immediately in this gospel. He is the second player. We have to wait for him because John was ordained to be the first, the one who would baptize the man simply referred to as Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee. We even have to wait one more verse for the Spirit to descend upon him like a dove.
So we wait. We wait another eighteen days for Christmas. We wait seventeen days to sing Christmas carols because we wait to sing them until Advent passes and Jesus comes. We wait expectantly because we know what comes next. We wait because Jesus will come, Jesus has come and Jesus will come again. And as the old song goes, “The waiting is the hardest part.”[3]
We want so badly to see the work of God’s hands. We hope and desire it so badly that it makes us hurt in anticipation. We see the injustice in the world against the sick and the poor and those who are pushed to the margins. We want to see the hand of the Lord in action in our lives and in all creation.
We wait expectantly, but that doesn’t mean we are to wait passively. You see, there are at least two ways “to wait.” Waiting can mean staying, lingering, or remaining. This is one way we wait; we are to wait for the coming of the Lord. Still, to wait also means to serve or to work or to care for others. As we stay, we are also to serve. As we await the coming of the Lord, we minister to one another so that God’s work will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
We are called by God to wait, and as we wait we are to wait on others. We are not just called to wait for the hand of the Lord; we are to be the hands of the Lord. How? Drop your ch
ange in the Salvation Army kettle the next time you go shopping at Wal-Mart. The Salvation Army’s slogan this year is “Expect Change.”[4] Isn’t that a great reference to putting change into the kettle? Yet it is also a reminder that only by being the agents of change can we ever expect anything to change.This year, the Session asks you give toys to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Local donations are being accepted at Dollar General and Wal-Mart in Berryville and Huntsville.[5] The Session has also directed us to collect the PC (USA) Christmas Joy Offering[6] in a couple of weeks. This offering supports retired church workers and the Presbyterian Racial Ethnic Schools and Colleges.
As these are wonderful and glorious ways of giving, we must give from all of the gifts we receive from the Lord, not just treasure, but also time and talent. So thanks to you who serve on the Session. Thanks to you who came and decorated last weekend. Thanks to you who clean the church. Thanks to you who helped at Vacation Bible School last summer. Thanks to you who work at the Food Bank. Thanks to you who lead worship. Thanks to you who worship at the Berryville Alliance of Churches services. Thanks to you who visit those in the hospital and those who are home bound. Thanks to you who call and write notes to those who need a pick-me-up.
And all praise to God who empowers us to wait on others.
We wait because it is how we prepare for the coming of the Lord. We wait in service because it is how the Lord wants us to wait. We wait and we reflect on the season, especially on the days when we read the gospel anticipating the Lord’s arrival. We wait expectantly as we wait for the Lord to come again.
We wait together because that is how the Lord wants us to wait. We wait because Jesus has come. We wait because Jesus is here now. We wait because Jesus will come again.
When we read this part of Gospel, it is oh so tempting to go immediately onto the next verse, but we mustn’t. We mustn’t go past today’s reading without waiting. So we wait—remaining and serving the Lord because there is no other way.
To quote the old song again, “You take it on faith, you take it to the heart/The waiting is the hardest part.”[7] Advent teaches us to wait for the coming of the Lord and to wait on the coming of the Lord. Let us wait together, let us wait expectantly, but let us not wait passively.
[1] Easterbrook, Gregg, “TMQ, 2008 NFC Preview” http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/080826, retrieved December 6, 2008.
[2] Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, “Christmas with Dietrich Bonhoeffer.” Manfred Weber, Editor. Minneapolis: Augsburg Books.
[3] Petty, Tom, “The Waiting.” Found on “Hard Promises” Gone Gator Music, 1981. From LyricWiki, http://lyricwiki.org/Tom_Petty_And_The_Heartbreakers:The_Waiting, retrieved December 6, 2008
[4] Image found at http://salvationarmyusa.org/ retrieved December 4, 2008. You can follow this link to give online to the Salvation Army too.
[5] For more locations, check out http://www.toysfortots.org/, retrieved December 6, 2008.
[6] For more information and a link to give, go to http://www.pcusa.org/cjoffering/, retrieved December 6, 2008.
[7] Ibid, Petty.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)