Seermon - Sunday, December 26

1st Sunday after Christmas - Year A
Matthew 2:13-23

Fragile Savior

How quickly the scene changes. The lovely calm of Christmas is swept away, and the activity level picks up. The "they," referred to in the opening line of this morning's gospel reading, are the wise men from the East. They come, bearing gifts for the young child. Their visit increases Mary and Joseph's anxiety for their visit makes Joseph and Mary aware of the star which has given testimony to Jesus' birth; a star which others would have seen, too. In short order, upon the departure of these visitors from the East, Jesus is pulled from his bed and carried off into Egypt. How quickly the scene has changed.

But then, scenes do change quickly. How long will it be before the discarded Christmas trees start to pile up on the street corner? Will tomorrow’s mail bring a flood of cards or merely a stack of “everything you wanted but didn’t get for Christmas is on sale now at Sears” advertisements? No one is saying "Merry Christmas," the socially acceptable greeting has shifted to "Happy New Year." Scenes do change quickly.

We should acknowledge that the "change" in our Christmas story is more than a movement from one chapter to another. Most of the images and stories we associate with the birth of Jesus are found in Luke's gospel. It is in Luke alone that we have the stories of Mary and her encounter with the angel, her visit with Elizabeth, and the story of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem in order to be enrolled. Luke alone mentions the birth in a stable and only he has any mention of angel choirs and shepherds. Matthew's gospel, from which we read this morning, begins with a listing of genealogy. He starts with Abraham works his way through David and finally gets to Joseph. A simple announcement tells us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The first event associated with his birth is this visit of wise men from the East. Only in Matthew do we find their story.

Matthew tells us that they come to Jerusalem and, expecting the child to have been born in lofty places, they go to King Herod, asking him where the infant king is to be found. It is this visit with Herod that causes the trouble.

Herod, you will recall, is mentioned several times in the gospel story. It is Herod whom John the Baptist criticized for having taken his brother's wife as his own. It is Herod who has John beheaded. At the time of Jesus' trial, Herod has an audience with him. He has heard of Jesus' miracles and wants to see just how powerful Jesus really is. He asks that a few miracles be preformed for him. Non-biblical sources have informed us that Herod had three of his own sons murdered. He left instructions that upon his own death, one member of every family was to be slain, so the nation would indeed mourn the day of his passing. Herod was a sick man. He was man unwilling to allow anyone or anything to stand between him and his ambitions.

Upon hearing that a new "king" has been born, he tries to find the child himself. When he is unsuccessful, he orders that all children in Bethlehem two and younger are to be killed.

This is the danger of which the angel warns Joseph. This is the reason that Jesus is not allowed to enjoy a quiet and peace¬ful childhood. The scene has changed and it has become necessary for Jesus to be protected.

The flight of Mary, Joseph and Jesus into Egypt is undertaken because the blind ambition of Herod threatened Jesus' life, threatened God's gift of salvation. Blind ambition, possessed by a man with considerable political clout, made it necessary for Joseph and Mary to take their young son and flee.

Striking, is the reality of that threat. It really was possible that Jesus could have been killed. What would have happened to the rest of the story if Joseph had not obeyed; had not packed his belongings and left behind the city which was his home? What would have become of the Promised Messiah? When he grew to adulthood, no one could touch Jesus. Remember the time the crowds were prepared to throw him over the cliff and could not. He was accused of various blasphemies, but with the Word of God he defended himself and walked through the crowds, unharmed. As an adult, Jesus even seems to have selected the time of his own death. When he knew the time to be right, he sets his face to Jerusalem.

Striking is the reality of the threat which faced the infant Jesus. In this situation, he was unable to protect himself. He is dependent upon another to shield him from harm. What would have happened, had Joseph and Mary failed to obey?

Matthew records that Herod did indeed slay all the children in Bethlehem who were two and younger. It fulfilled another of those ancient prophesies, this one spoken by Jeremiah in which he spoke of the wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children.

Scenes do change quickly. Rather than bringing occasions for singing choirs and shepherd's jubilee, the arrival of this child and his star leads directing to the slaughtering of innocent children.

Why is Matthew so different? Why doesn't he tell the story the way that Luke does. Luke's story is so peaceful and lovely.

Both stories are good. Both stories are helpful. But they do lead us to different understandings of the events which have taken place. Luke gives us a vision of peace and tranquility. It is a much needed vision for a world that is torn and shattered. On Christmas Eve, as this church fills with people who only occasionally come to hear God's word, Luke's story is the only one to tell. It is a story of acceptance and love and hope and promise. On Christmas Eve, we read Luke's story and fall in love once more with the images of God's baby child.

Matthew leads us to a different point. And at least for today that point has to do with the vulnerability of the cute little child. Mary and Joseph, those who realize that a special gift has been given the world, must act in order to protect the arrival of God's salvation. Matthew helps us to understand that unless we act – that Word remains threatened. Matthew makes it clear, unless those to whom the message of salvation has been entrusted do their part – that message won’t make it out of stable.

God can do incredible things. There is nothing which God cannot do. But for some strange reason our God has chosen to be bound to human flesh. In that choice, God becomes one of us and shares our realities. In that choice, God binds God’s future to the actions of those with skin and bones rather than on those with wings and harps.

God willingly entrusts us with the responsibility of protecting that word of salvation.

The story of Christmas is more than a story about a cute little baby. It is God's word that salvation comes to us in a form that will not frighten or overpower us. Christmas is the story of a God who changes the scene and gives to us the opportunity to nurture and sustain the Hope of the world. We are the Mary and Joseph's who realize the miracle that has happened in our midst. We are the believers being visited by the angel. It is up to us to obey, to carry forth the word of God's salvation, so that it is not lost or destroyed.

There are still “Heords” in our world. Their ambitions continue to try and silence the voice of God. It is up to us to ensure that they do not succeed. It is our task to speak the Word of God so that the world will not remain forever torn and shattered.

Amen.

Devotion - Thursday, December 9

I am reading through Isaiah, which is appropriate, given all the Advent and Christmas texts which are taken from this book. But those passages are relatively few, when you consider all of Isaiah's sixty chapters. Between the passages which are so familiar, there are a lot of references to Kingdoms and rulers which are unknown. And yet, as you read of them, you realize that they were well known (and feared) by Isaiah's original readers.

Isaiah 7 speaks of two such rulers, who planned to wage war against Jerusalem. At this, "(David's) heart and the heart of his people shook as trees of the forest shake before the wind."

Isaiah is sent to the House of David, to assure them that these invading Kings are of no real consequence. "Within sixty-five years (they) will be broken to pieces so that it will no longer be a people."

The House of David, on the other hand, has lasted till this very day.

Without intending to whimsically dismiss that which oppresses or threatens us, I would draw a lesson here about that which is lasting and that which is temporary. So often, we are shaken, like trees before the wind, forgetting that we are rooted in that which is everlasting. We are indeed threatened and pressed upon, but we are also assured that we do not face our adversary alone.

Granted, sixty-five years seems like a long time to wait for things to change. Let us hope and pray that our wait would not be as long as that of Jerusalem. But when one considers the whole of Jerusalem's history, sixty-five years is a small portion.

Final exams will end (tomorrow in fact.) The college years will pass. The person you are becoming will be with you for all of your days.

Affiliations with groups (including Lutheran Student Movement) will pass. You will change your address and get a different cell phone number. As a baptized child of God, you will always wear the cross of Christ upon your forehead.

As you pass through the events and occurrences of your life cling to the ones which place you in line with the familiar promises of God's grace and God's goodness. These are the things which will remain with you, as you look back on the months and years of your life.

Devotion - Wednesday, December 8

A song popular among our campus ministry group is taken from today's Old Testament reading from Isaiah 6:1-13. The refrain of the song goes, "Here I am Lord, if you need me. I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart."

Isaiah is called, by God, to speak to the people of Israel. God needs Isaiah to remind them of God's instructions for them.

But, God warns Isaiah that they will not be eager to hear what he has to say. Their hearts have gown fat, their ears heavy, and they have shut their eyes. Isaiah is needed, God wants him to go, in order to open ears and eyes and oversee the in-breaking of God's Word.

I wonder if this is what we think, as we sing our song together. Are we mindful of the need to speak God's Word, to hear God's Word? All too often we shift to a notion of service - to others in the name of Christ. We identify our work in caring for the poor or distressed. We think of our efforts to address injustice. But the call to Isaiah is one to speaking (and hearing) the Word of God. All good works, all acts of service, all reflections of God's presence in our lives grows out of our encounter with the Word.

I love to gather with my brothers and sisters and sing. I also love to read my Bible and listen for the Word of God. My response to God, ("Here I am Lord") begins with being ready to listen to God's voice, when it calls me, as it speaks to me.

Devotion - Tuesday, December 7

In the closing verses of I Thessalonians, Paul writes, "Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophesying, but test everything; hold fast what is good abstain from every evil."

Three words came to me this morning as I prayed on this text: moral, spiritual, religious.

We sometimes hear talk of Christianity as if it's primary purpose is to instill morality. In the verse above, Paul is instructing the Church to "abstain from evil." It is impossible to be a Christian and not strive to be a moral person.

But Christianity is more than a better moral code. It is a relationship with God. It is a spiritual awareness; it is an encounter with that which lies beyond us and our world. "The Spirit" touches our spirit.

In testing these encounters with God, a number of us have found ourselves gravitating in a common direction. We have developed similar ways of speaking about God, and feel supported as we discuss with others how it is that God is active in our lives. Thus, we begin to form religious communities.

Perhaps it all begins with a desire to "hold fast to what is good." From there, we begin to look for the One who is all goodness. Finally, we join our lives with others so that we might strive for the common good and tell a united story to those who are seeking guidance for their lives.

Moral, spiritual, religious - the life of a Christian is living all of these.

Devotion - Monday, December 6

Happy Saint Nicholas Day!!!!

St. Nicholas is the popular and canonical name for Nikolaos of Myra, Bishop of Myra (located in modern day Turkey) lived in fourth century. Among his acts of charity and compassion was his tendency to slip out of the rectory at night, and distribute items to persons in need. When a poor family needed money, or food, or other items, he would use the cover of darkness to place in their home the items they needed. Over time, persons would leave their shoes by the door, so he could drop in coins as he passed by. Saint Nicholas would not allow folks to see his face, but they would sometimes catch a glimpse of his red bishop's cape as he sped away from the house.

Over the years, his name was translated into various languages. Eventually it morphed into Santa Claus.

Gift giving became associated with the observance of this Feast Day. In 1809 the New York Historical Society named Santa Claus the patron saint of New Amsterdam (the historic name of New York). Thus, Santa Claus went on to become one of the most celebrated Saints in the new world.

So many of our Christmas traditions are linked to secular (even pagan) roots. This is one tradition that began religious and has been co-opted by secular images. Remember Saint Nicholas Day, and remind others that the gift giving traditions arise out of a beloved servant of Christ who sought to help the poor and needy.

Sermon - Advent 2 - December 5, 2010

Second Sunday in Advent
Matthew 3:1-12

Confess Now - Hope for Forgiveness


The story of John the Baptist figures very heavily in the story of Jesus= birth. It is almost impossible to get through the Christmas story without mentioning this fiery country preacher. In the four short weeks of Advent (the season in which we prepare for the birth of Jesus) two Sundays are given over to John. This week we hear a short section of his preaching; next week we will learn of his attempts to determine whether or not Jesus is truly the Messiah.

John is very important in the story of Jesus’ birth. He is the messenger who comes before Jesus in order to prepare his way. He is the herald who announces that the Son of Man is coming. He is the first act of the one-two punch which stirs the Judean countryside and causes alarm among the civil authorities.

And yet, there is something very different about the message of John and the message of Jesus. They are interrelated, but they are not the same. Jesus came to remove our sins. John’s role was to make us aware of just how sinful we can be.

I want to be very careful, from the outset, to point out the reason for discussing this difference between John and Jesus. It is important to note the difference so that we can dispel the false notions which would have us believe that we are left to wallow in our sin. Too often, in our good southern churches, we have heard a continuation of the preaching of John the Baptist. What we, as Christians ought to be hearing, is the message of Jesus – a message of forgiveness. That is one reason for pointing out the differences. The other reason is simply that the message of Jesus only makes sense after we have heard and understood what it is that John is trying to say to us.


When John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, the message he proclaimed was a call to repentance. He came in order to help the people of Jerusalem and Judea realize the depth of their sin. The scriptures contain very little of his actual sermons, what we get are a smattering of phrases and comments. But these are enough for us to realize that John's message was not a pleasant one. He came with a word of warning, a word of judgment, a call to account¬ability. John, through his preaching, delivered a message, a notice, that Jerusalem and all of Judea must acknowl¬edge their sin and returned to God.

The word that is used by John is "repent." The baptism he offers is a “baptism of repentance”. To repent is to turn around. It is to go in the opposite direction from the direction our current course would take us. To repent is to take matters into our own hands and do the right thing. To repent is to change our actions and hope that this change in our lives will be sufficiently pleasing to God.

To repent is to do something about our sin. It is a treatment for sin. But it is not a cure. When they come to hear John, he encourages them to believe that if they make this confession - and - if they re-dedicate themselves to God then they may have reason to hope. But he offers no assurances. He tells them to live a better life and then hope - hope that God will be merciful. Repentance is confession. But it is a confession without absolution. It an admission of guilt with no positive assurance that our sin has been forgiven.

This is what John came to do. He came, to preside over a liturgy in which those who were remorseful for their sins would commit themselves to do better. He called them to repentance. Repentance is our action, our reaction to the realization of our sin. Repentance amounts to confessing our sins and then leaving before any word of forgiveness is spoken.

There is only once, on the Christian Liturgical Calendar that we call for repentance without very quickly following that up with an announcement of forgiveness. Only at the Ash Wednesday service do we confess our sins and leave without receiving any assurance of God’s forgiveness.

It was always Ash Wednesday for those who came out to hear John. He asked them to examine their sin. He invited them to confess and promise to do better. He does not – because he cannot - offer a word of absolu¬tion. John did not speak of forgiveness. He only speaks a warning.

This is what has changed, now that the story of John and Jesus is complete. What has changed is that we are made fully aware of God’s desire to bridge the gap created by sin. We have learned what God will do in order that we might have that assurance of forgiveness.

Think, or look, back to The Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness with which we began this morning’s service. You will see that the whole liturgy is predicated on the ending. We begin this "confes¬sion" with an acknowledgment of God's willingness to forgive and cleanse us. We recite the acknowledgment of our sins with the foreknowledge that absolution will soon follow. How willingly would we confess our sins if we were unsure of God's response? If we did not KNOW that forgiveness is freely offered, would we so honestly speak of our fault, our own fault, our own most grievous fault?

Perhaps it is true, that before Jesus could come, John had to prepare the way. Maybe it is essential that before the arrival of the one who forgives us of our sins, heals us of our wounds, and liberates us from our fear of death, before that one can come we must reconsider our life and see the need for a Messiah. If we, like the Pharisees and Sadducees, see no need for God's Anointed One, why should he bother coming?


Our lives are busied, these days, with the buying of gifts and the preparations for celebrations. We shop till we drop so that everyone will be impressed with our skill in selecting just the right gift. We make sure to get the Christmas letter in the mail on time so that others might benefit from our wishes for well-being and happiness. So much of what we do and think during this time of year focuses on our abundance and thus our ability to give to others. We approach Christmas from a position of strength. Seldom in this season do we stop to consider our weakness, our limitations. And yet, unless there is something lacking in our lives what difference does it make if Jesus comes or not?

What has changed, since Jesus came, is that we are assured that the Messiah will satisfy our longings and heal our wounds. What has remained the same is our need for a Savior, for someone who will prevent us from destroying ourselves.

I will not make the mistake of promising you that God is going to come and make everything right for you and your family. There will continue to be hardship and disappointment even among God’s faithful followers. But I do have the witness of scripture which tells me that it is God's intention to be the healer of our every ill. The story makes it clear - God's grace comes to those who act on faith; those who offer them¬selves to God with no pre-determined outcome.

The call of John the Baptist was a call to repentance. During this time of year, we are invited to look carefully and consider the paths we have taken for our¬selves. The true measure of our strength does not lie in our ability to do, but is discovered in our willingness to listen.

Amen.

Devotion - Thursday, December 2

Luke 20:27-40 recounts Jesus' encounter with the Sadducees over the question of Resurrection. The Sadducees did not believe in Resurrection.

In his reply, Jesus quotes scripture's references to God as the God of Abraham and Issac and Jacob. Jesus says, "Now he is God of dead, but of the living. And we, too, shall live."

Jesus debunks the notion of death - it is set aside, it does not exits for those who are his children. Abraham, Issac, Jacob - they had surely "died" in body, but they are fully alive in God. The coroner would have pronounced them dead; the probate judge would have seen that their possessions were passed on to their descendants. The neighbors would have spoken of the "death." But to God, they are alive.

I wonder if we might use his words to question our understanding of living. There is the notion lifted up in TV sitcoms, or Hollywood movies. There is the reference to "living it up" in our weekend trash talk. There is reference to "making a living," which suggests that those earning more money are living more. What does "living" look like in God's eyes?

Eternally grateful for God's understanding of death, I am also eager to embrace God's vision of what it means to live. Wanting to set aside my fear of dying, I will embrace my Lord's notion of what it means to live.

Devotion - Wednesday, December 1

Ours is not one of the traditional "Peace Churches." This designation is reserved for those denominations which oppose war in any instance. Ours is not one which has taken this stance.

We are among those who detest the effects of war, but regrettably acknowledge that in some instances it becomes necessary.

The next series of questions involve which "instances," and how "necessary."

The readings for Advent, those anticipating the arrival of Messiah, speak of the absence of war as a sign that His reign has come among us. This morning's reading from Isaiah 2:1-4 ends with words which ought to be familiar:
"(The Lord) shall judge between nations,
and shall decide for many peoples;
and they 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."

Whether we are among the Peace Churches, or among those who accept the notion of justifiable war, we are challenged by scripture to see war as an indication that Messiah's reign is not established among us. That reign is not established among us. Resulting to war is an indication of both sides lacking the reign of Messiah.