Rev. George Miller
Matthew 1:1-17
“From Blessed Promise to Blessed Savior”
Dec 1, 2013
In 1960 there was a song by Ben E. King that was released called “Spanish Harlem”. It was later rerecorded by the King, Elvis Presley. Personally, I prefer the version done by Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul.
With her hearty vocals the song becomes a celebration of a beautiful woman, a “rose” who was able to flourish amidst the hard concrete. It’s a song about hope even in the most bleak of situations.
Back in October, I came across a bumper sticker which read “Well behaved women seldom make history.” It’s a quote from Laurel Thatcher, a Harvard professor and historian who specializes in what she called “the silent work of ordinary people.”
This week, from the screen to the news to the stage there have been plenty of women who have not been what one would call “well behaved.”
The number #1 movie out right now is “Hunger Games: Catching Fire” about a young woman named Katniss who is strong willed and a killer with a bow and arrow.
She is not only willing to risk it all for the sake of her village and her family; she becomes the figure of hope and the leader of a revolution against a corrupt government.
In the news, while people are busy battling each other over discounted electronics, there is a mother in Jerusalem who is being fined $150 a day for refusing to have her child circumcised. She says she doesn’t want to wish him harm.
On a much lighter note, many of us just saw the touring production of “Menopause-The Musical.” Talk about women behaving any-which-way possible.
Four women meet in a department store and over the course of 90 minutes they discuss and sing about every topic conceivable, and I mean every topic: night sweats, body images, food cravings and lloovvee.
Let me tell you- it wasn’t just the women on stage who were misbehaving: it was the entire audience: laughing in agreement, laughing in shock, laughing in a sense of sisterhood that could scare the weakest of male egos.
Aretha Franklin would say all these women were roses and deserving of r-e-s-p-e-c-t.
Laurel Thatcher would say that indeed well behaved women seldom make history.
In today’s reading, well-behaved women don’t make it at all.
What we just heard is one of the least read scriptures in the history of worship. It’s a list of over 40 names in which the author of Matthew gives his own genealogy of Jesus as traced through Joseph, husband of Mary.
17 verses of who-was-the-father-of-who can seem tedious and people may ask “what’s the point?”
The point is this: Matthew was writing to folk who had experienced a major war between the Romans and the Jews.
Things seem hopeless, even after a decade passes by. Nearly everything and everyone was destroyed. Thousands of people were killed; thousands were spread out around the continent and the Temple has been burned to the ground for good.
Without their homes, their neighbors or a place to worship, the people feel as though they will lose their identity forever.
It’s as if they have been encased in concrete.
To give them hope, Matthew tells them the Good News about Jesus Christ. First, he begins with the genealogy. It’s like going through a photo album. Many of the names are familiar; and since the names are familiar, so are their stories.
Stories that involve over coming great obstacles, stories that involve great journeys, stories that invoke moments of greatness, flourishing and having “enough.”
Stories that lead to Joseph becoming the husband of a certain rose we know as Mary.
Verses 11, 12 and 17 focus on the Exile, a similar event 600 years before when the people had experienced and endured a similar attack on their city.
Writing the genealogy is Matthew’s way of offering hope. It’s his way of saying “We’ve been through this before and survived; therefore we will survive again.”
The genealogy reminds them about the eternal covenant God made with Abraham that his family would bless all the families of the world. Each person listed is a reminder of how through it all God has been working to keep that promise alive.
Each name given is a reminder that through feasts and famines, smooth roads and topes, green pastures and barren wildernesses, God has not forgotten, God is not asleep and roses have been blooming.
Then, in a sly move that bucks the trend of his day, Matthew decides to list not one, not two, but four women in the genealogy. It’s very subtle; very slick.
If you don’t know the stories of the Old Testament, these four women are easy to miss. But if you do, you know these four women were not the best behaved.
They each had scandalous relationships; they each showed initiative in their own destiny. Each of these four mothers led lives that were worthy of their own movie, news clip or musical revue.
First there is the wife of Uriah, known as Bathsheba. She had a dangerous liaison with King David that was at best a relationship of consenting adulterers; at worst she was a victim of political power.
Either way, she bore David a son who died in infancy and another who would become King Solomon, the wisest man on earth.
There is a Ruth, a poor Gentile foreigner who used her beauty and mother’s cunning to find a way into the bed of Boaz and to become the grandmother of King David.
There is Rahab, a prostitute and madam, who protects Jewish spies in her brothel and barters for the safety of her and her family. She becomes the mother of Boaz and great-grandmother of David.
Then there is Tamar. She was wed to a man who dies without having a male heir. So she follows the custom of her day and marries his brother. He dies too.
Wanting to produce a male heir in honor of her first husband, Tamar does the most-unbehaving act: she pretends she is a prostitute, seduces her widowed father-in-law Judah and has a set of twins by him.
It’s as if we took Bathsheba, Ruth and Rahab and rolled them into one thorny rose. And yet it’s her actions which ensure the family tree will continue.
All these stories are there for you to read. They are there so you can laugh, applaud, scratch your head over and wonder about.
And they are there in Matthew’s genealogy to prepare us for the birth of Jesus, the shoot of Jesse. They are there for us as we begin our Advent season and we prepare to once again welcome the Son of God.
But why are these four daring, eclectic misbehaving women here to start the story?
I think part of this genealogy’s purpose is to remind us that we have a God who acts, a God who plays a part in history as it unfolds, no matter how messy things may be.
I believe this genealogy reminds us that from blessed promise to blessed savior, there is hope for a better tomorrow and that God moves through the decisions and actions of humans, whether they are filled with folly or laced with the best laid plans.
This genealogy is a reminder that people may be of different backgrounds, different faiths, and a different set of values but that God has a way of speaking and creating and connecting the dots even if all we see are dashes and detours, even if we see dead ends, destruction or concrete.
None of these women stood idly by the entire time as their story played out. Each of them played their own part; each did what they thought was needed, whether we deem it as wrong or right, that lead to the next chapter being told.
By doing so they each found a role to play in God’s plan for salvation; no one is a passive participant in God’s story.
The Advent season has begun.
This week should not just be about finding new ways to prepare left overs; it’s not just about Grey Thursday, Black Friday, or Cyber Monday.
It’s about hope.
Hope that in the birth of Jesus, God will act again. Hope that God will continue to act.
Hope that things will get better and we will move closer to the reality of peace in the world, plenty for all and the lion lying down with the lamb.
But not hope that wants us to be passive; not the kind of hope that sits around waiting for someone else to step up, speak out or act on our behalf.
But hope that says “I am willing to play my part, I am willing to do what God requires, and I am even willing to do some holy misbehaving for the sake of the kingdom.”
Hope is what was permeates today’s genealogy. Hope is what’s spoken to the shepherds by the angels. Hope is what lights the way for us all this month.
You may feel at times like a caged bird, but hope will allow you to sing.
You may feel left behind by the love of your life, but hope will lead you to proclaim “Oh well, tomorrow is another day.”
You may feel like you are surrounded by a world of concrete, but hope will allow roses to grow and for respect to be claimed.
Because when we hope, we can act; and as we act, we can grow anywhere, under any situation.
Because when we hope, we play our own role in bringing about God’s blessed promises.
Because when we hope, we are hoping with God.
Amen and amen.
***Preacher’s notes: The last sentence quote is a quote from a Holocaust survivor I heard speak in 2001. Sadly, I have forgotten her name.
This work wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for “The Shady Ladies of Matthew’s Genealogy” by John Shelby Spong. For more information on these 4 Biblical roses, check out Genesis 38, Joshua 2 & 6, the Book of Ruth (especially ch. 3) and II Samuel 11.
Also in the news this week was the story of three women in Cairo, named Rasha Azab, Mona Seif and Nazly Hussein who are campaigning for democracy and speaking out against the abuses of police and military power. They were beaten, dragged into a truck and dropped off the middle of a dark, remote highway. For 31-year old Azab this was the second time it happened. The first time she was alone.
Re: Bathsheba. Due to the voices of modern theologians, such as Rev. Dr. Deb Krause, it is almost impossible to view Bathsheba’s relationship with King David as mutual, but an act of political power/possibly rape. It is later in the narratives of 1 Kings 1:11-31 and 2:13-19 in which we hear Bathsheba develop a voice, although concerns still exist.
A UCC Pastor's walk through the spiritual waters of Scripture, pop culture and life.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Sermon for Nov 24, 2013; Luke 1:68-79
Rev. George Miller
Luke 1:68-79
“…of What’s to Come”
November 24, 2013
Fathers and sons usually have an interesting relationship, one that is often based on issues of identity and hopes for the future.
Last week’s episode of the TV show Modern Family dealt with this theme.
The family was going to a local fair. Jay, the patriarch, is with his wife Gloria and his adopted son, Manny. Manny is not like other boys; he is 12 years old but has an old soul. He enjoys wearing fedoras, wooing girls with poetry and his drink of choice is espresso.
Manny is entering the fair’s cake contest and has created a confectionary replication of Los Angeles. Jay is not too happy about this, worried that Manny will be teased by all the other kids and wishes he was more into things like football.
The episode moves along in a usual sitcom pace. The cake judging is about to take place, but Manny’s cake is not there and they have 10 seconds to get it to the table.
“Don’t worry, Mom,” Manny says, as he leads her through the crowd, barreling through the people, knocking down anyone who gets in his path of victory.
The football coach witnesses Manny’s focus, strength and determination and next thing you know, Manny is on the football team as their ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬-fullback and leads them to their first victory.
Jay, his father, is so proud; but truth be told Manny is more excited about winning 1st place in the cake contest!
Fathers and sons usually have interesting relationships, based on issues of identity, hopes for the future, expectations and wanting to pass on a bit of oneself and family history.
Though not a parent, I see this in my interactions with Cornelius (my ‘Lil Brothers through BBBS).
Now, Cornelius is the one who is into sports and football and I, well you know I like my Disney, cakes and show tunes.
We both are learning so much from one another. He has taught me about the rules of football but I have to tell you, Cornelius made my day when he told me, on his own, that he wanted to audition for the theater’s upcoming production of “Wizard of Oz.” That’s an experience we can share together.
But the truth is, Cornelius could tell me he despises theater and dislikes Disney, and I’d be fine with that, because it’s more important that he discovers who he is meant to be and that he grows into that person as healthily and honestly as he can.
Fathers and sons usually have interesting relationships, and in today’s reading we hear the words of a father speaking to and about his son.
Zechariah is a priest. One day, while in the Temple, he is visited by the angel Gabriel who tells Zechariah the good news: he will indeed have a son; the child will be called John and he will be the reason for much joy and gladness.
But the news is tempered with a reality: as amazing as John will be, he is actually just a precursor to what’s to come.
John will bring families back together and he will bring wisdom to the foolish, but alas, John is not going to be the star player.
He is not going to be the quarterback of the team or the one who scores the winning touchdown. He is going to be more like the fullback, making the way for the Lord.
I wonder how Zechariah responded to this news. First of all, he must have been amazed and perplexed: there is an angel talking to him! How often does that happen!
But then, there is the human side. His son will bring joy and gladness, but he will not be the ultimate reason for that joy and gladness.
His son will pave the way; but he will not, never ever, be The Way.
Often times, we are too familiar with the stories in the Bible; often times we place its people on high holy-chairs. We know the stories, how they are ultimately going to play out. We know what Jesus is going to do; we know the lives that he will forever transform.
So we forget to look at the people and characters within the story to get a clear idea into how they must feel, what they go through, what their internal monologues must have sounded like.
As Luke tells us, Zechariah is actually struck mute by the angel. During his wife’s pregnancy, he is not able to speak a single, solitary word.
I imagine that this time of silence must have given Zechariah a lot of time to think about things. So much to ponder: so much time to accept what was and what was not to be.
His son was to be great; but not the greatest.
Would that be good enough for Zechariah; would that do?
Think about it: if this was a Greek tragedy, if this was a Shakespearean play, the story would have unfolded much differently. Zechariah would have railed against the prophecy and found some way, any way to make his son the star; to make his son the King.
He would have visited witches at a cauldron or got his hands on a poisoned potion or kidnapped the Christ child.
And perhaps at some point, Zechariah did entertain those thoughts; but then, somehow, some way, he found the ability to…let them go.
Instead of harboring a grudge or focusing on what would never be for his son, Zechariah instead found a way to faithfully look ahead and embrace the promise…of what’s to come.
After his son is born, after Zechariah agrees that his son is to be called John, Zechariah’s speech is restored. And after giving praise to God, he speaks the words we heard today.
With nine months to get used to the state of things, he speaks eloquently of what God has done and what God will do.
Though Jesus is yet to be born, he acknowledges that it will be the son of Mary and Joseph who will fulfill the words of the prophets, who will lead the people to victory and rescue them from their enemies.
What an amazing, humble thing to say about someone else’s child. What class, what character Zechariah shows.
But I do not sense it means that Zechariah loves his own son any less, it just means that he now fully understands who his son is and what he is meant to be.
His son is the one to go up ahead and to prepare the way; he is the one to plant the seeds of wisdom about salvation and forgiveness.
He may not be the Messiah but he will be called the prophet of the Most High; he may not be “The Son of God” but he will play his own role in bringing light into the life of people covered in darkness.
His feet may not be the ones that bring people over the winning goal line, but he will play his own part in guiding their feet in the way of victory.
And there is nothing wrong about that; and any father, anywhere, should be proud that their son could play such a role…
…Today is Christ is King Sunday. Today we celebrate that Jesus was more than a carpenter. More than a rabbi. More than our friend.
Today we celebrate Christ as King.
Not a king that dominates. Not a king that humiliates or beats people into submission. Not a King that overtakes people’s lands and taxes them into poverty.
But a King who heals. A king who gathers and restores. A king who feeds.
A king whose strength does not come from working out at the gym or the threat of military arms, but from his very essence and nature; from the heavenly Kingdom that he was brought here to establish on earth.
And here is the good news: because Christ is King, we do not have to be.
Because Christ was, is and forever shall be King, we don’t have to overburden ourselves with tasks and roles we were not created for or called to do.
Because Christ is King, we are not; therefore we can focus our attention onto who we are and the best version of ourselves that we can be.
And, I do not believe John is the one and only person called to pave a way for the Lord. I don’t believe John is the only one to give knowledge of salvation to others and share light with others in darkness.
We can too, each in our own, special way. We have all been blessed with our own unique spiritual gifts; we all have our own talents, ways of sharing joy, ways of being bearers of gladness.
With knowledge that Christ is King, and we are not, we have the opportunity to sit back, relax, and be resplendent, doing what we know we can do the best.
Thankful that God has always had a plan in place for the world.
Beginning with Abraham and Sarah, following through to Moses and Miriam, continuing with people like Zechariah and Elizabeth, and their son John, that plan has continued, even when topes have taken place, even when events of darkness have seemed to take hold.
Christ is indeed King and in him God has a heavenly playbook and a heavenly plan.
Some of us are best at baking cakes; others as being fullbacks; some may even be able to do both. But we each get to play our own role; we each get to share our part.
In doing so we each find our own way to be resplendent and to shine a light into the darkness: to share the gift of mercy with the oppressed, forgiveness with the broken down, and joy to those who weep.
Christ is indeed King; we are all blessed to play a part in his heavenly court and in his earthly field.
Amen and amen.
Luke 1:68-79
“…of What’s to Come”
November 24, 2013
Fathers and sons usually have an interesting relationship, one that is often based on issues of identity and hopes for the future.
Last week’s episode of the TV show Modern Family dealt with this theme.
The family was going to a local fair. Jay, the patriarch, is with his wife Gloria and his adopted son, Manny. Manny is not like other boys; he is 12 years old but has an old soul. He enjoys wearing fedoras, wooing girls with poetry and his drink of choice is espresso.
Manny is entering the fair’s cake contest and has created a confectionary replication of Los Angeles. Jay is not too happy about this, worried that Manny will be teased by all the other kids and wishes he was more into things like football.
The episode moves along in a usual sitcom pace. The cake judging is about to take place, but Manny’s cake is not there and they have 10 seconds to get it to the table.
“Don’t worry, Mom,” Manny says, as he leads her through the crowd, barreling through the people, knocking down anyone who gets in his path of victory.
The football coach witnesses Manny’s focus, strength and determination and next thing you know, Manny is on the football team as their ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬-fullback and leads them to their first victory.
Jay, his father, is so proud; but truth be told Manny is more excited about winning 1st place in the cake contest!
Fathers and sons usually have interesting relationships, based on issues of identity, hopes for the future, expectations and wanting to pass on a bit of oneself and family history.
Though not a parent, I see this in my interactions with Cornelius (my ‘Lil Brothers through BBBS).
Now, Cornelius is the one who is into sports and football and I, well you know I like my Disney, cakes and show tunes.
We both are learning so much from one another. He has taught me about the rules of football but I have to tell you, Cornelius made my day when he told me, on his own, that he wanted to audition for the theater’s upcoming production of “Wizard of Oz.” That’s an experience we can share together.
But the truth is, Cornelius could tell me he despises theater and dislikes Disney, and I’d be fine with that, because it’s more important that he discovers who he is meant to be and that he grows into that person as healthily and honestly as he can.
Fathers and sons usually have interesting relationships, and in today’s reading we hear the words of a father speaking to and about his son.
Zechariah is a priest. One day, while in the Temple, he is visited by the angel Gabriel who tells Zechariah the good news: he will indeed have a son; the child will be called John and he will be the reason for much joy and gladness.
But the news is tempered with a reality: as amazing as John will be, he is actually just a precursor to what’s to come.
John will bring families back together and he will bring wisdom to the foolish, but alas, John is not going to be the star player.
He is not going to be the quarterback of the team or the one who scores the winning touchdown. He is going to be more like the fullback, making the way for the Lord.
I wonder how Zechariah responded to this news. First of all, he must have been amazed and perplexed: there is an angel talking to him! How often does that happen!
But then, there is the human side. His son will bring joy and gladness, but he will not be the ultimate reason for that joy and gladness.
His son will pave the way; but he will not, never ever, be The Way.
Often times, we are too familiar with the stories in the Bible; often times we place its people on high holy-chairs. We know the stories, how they are ultimately going to play out. We know what Jesus is going to do; we know the lives that he will forever transform.
So we forget to look at the people and characters within the story to get a clear idea into how they must feel, what they go through, what their internal monologues must have sounded like.
As Luke tells us, Zechariah is actually struck mute by the angel. During his wife’s pregnancy, he is not able to speak a single, solitary word.
I imagine that this time of silence must have given Zechariah a lot of time to think about things. So much to ponder: so much time to accept what was and what was not to be.
His son was to be great; but not the greatest.
Would that be good enough for Zechariah; would that do?
Think about it: if this was a Greek tragedy, if this was a Shakespearean play, the story would have unfolded much differently. Zechariah would have railed against the prophecy and found some way, any way to make his son the star; to make his son the King.
He would have visited witches at a cauldron or got his hands on a poisoned potion or kidnapped the Christ child.
And perhaps at some point, Zechariah did entertain those thoughts; but then, somehow, some way, he found the ability to…let them go.
Instead of harboring a grudge or focusing on what would never be for his son, Zechariah instead found a way to faithfully look ahead and embrace the promise…of what’s to come.
After his son is born, after Zechariah agrees that his son is to be called John, Zechariah’s speech is restored. And after giving praise to God, he speaks the words we heard today.
With nine months to get used to the state of things, he speaks eloquently of what God has done and what God will do.
Though Jesus is yet to be born, he acknowledges that it will be the son of Mary and Joseph who will fulfill the words of the prophets, who will lead the people to victory and rescue them from their enemies.
What an amazing, humble thing to say about someone else’s child. What class, what character Zechariah shows.
But I do not sense it means that Zechariah loves his own son any less, it just means that he now fully understands who his son is and what he is meant to be.
His son is the one to go up ahead and to prepare the way; he is the one to plant the seeds of wisdom about salvation and forgiveness.
He may not be the Messiah but he will be called the prophet of the Most High; he may not be “The Son of God” but he will play his own role in bringing light into the life of people covered in darkness.
His feet may not be the ones that bring people over the winning goal line, but he will play his own part in guiding their feet in the way of victory.
And there is nothing wrong about that; and any father, anywhere, should be proud that their son could play such a role…
…Today is Christ is King Sunday. Today we celebrate that Jesus was more than a carpenter. More than a rabbi. More than our friend.
Today we celebrate Christ as King.
Not a king that dominates. Not a king that humiliates or beats people into submission. Not a King that overtakes people’s lands and taxes them into poverty.
But a King who heals. A king who gathers and restores. A king who feeds.
A king whose strength does not come from working out at the gym or the threat of military arms, but from his very essence and nature; from the heavenly Kingdom that he was brought here to establish on earth.
And here is the good news: because Christ is King, we do not have to be.
Because Christ was, is and forever shall be King, we don’t have to overburden ourselves with tasks and roles we were not created for or called to do.
Because Christ is King, we are not; therefore we can focus our attention onto who we are and the best version of ourselves that we can be.
And, I do not believe John is the one and only person called to pave a way for the Lord. I don’t believe John is the only one to give knowledge of salvation to others and share light with others in darkness.
We can too, each in our own, special way. We have all been blessed with our own unique spiritual gifts; we all have our own talents, ways of sharing joy, ways of being bearers of gladness.
With knowledge that Christ is King, and we are not, we have the opportunity to sit back, relax, and be resplendent, doing what we know we can do the best.
Thankful that God has always had a plan in place for the world.
Beginning with Abraham and Sarah, following through to Moses and Miriam, continuing with people like Zechariah and Elizabeth, and their son John, that plan has continued, even when topes have taken place, even when events of darkness have seemed to take hold.
Christ is indeed King and in him God has a heavenly playbook and a heavenly plan.
Some of us are best at baking cakes; others as being fullbacks; some may even be able to do both. But we each get to play our own role; we each get to share our part.
In doing so we each find our own way to be resplendent and to shine a light into the darkness: to share the gift of mercy with the oppressed, forgiveness with the broken down, and joy to those who weep.
Christ is indeed King; we are all blessed to play a part in his heavenly court and in his earthly field.
Amen and amen.
Sermon for Nov 24, 2013; Luke 1:68-79
Rev. George Miller
Luke 1:68-79
“…of What’s to Come”
November 24, 2013
Fathers and sons usually have an interesting relationship, one that is often based on issues of identity and hopes for the future.
Last week’s episode of the TV show Modern Family dealt with this theme.
The family was going to a local fair. Jay, the patriarch, is with his wife Gloria and his adopted son, Manny. Manny is not like other boys; he is 12 years old but has an old soul. He enjoys wearing fedoras, wooing girls with poetry and his drink of choice is espresso.
Manny is entering the fair’s cake contest and has created a confectionary replication of Los Angeles. Jay is not too happy about this, worried that Manny will be teased by all the other kids and wishes he was more into things like football.
The episode moves along in a usual sitcom pace. The cake judging is about to take place, but Manny’s cake is not there and they have 10 seconds to get it to the table.
“Don’t worry, Mom,” Manny says, as he leads her through the crowd, barreling through the people, knocking down anyone who gets in his path of victory.
The football coach witnesses Manny’s focus, strength and determination and next thing you know, Manny is on the football team as their ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬-fullback and leads them to their first victory.
Jay, his father, is so proud; but truth be told Manny is more excited about winning 1st place in the cake contest!
Fathers and sons usually have interesting relationships, based on issues of identity, hopes for the future, expectations and wanting to pass on a bit of oneself and family history.
Though not a parent, I see this in my interactions with Cornelius (my ‘Lil Brothers through BBBS).
Now, Cornelius is the one who is into sports and football and I, well you know I like my Disney, cakes and show tunes.
We both are learning so much from one another. He has taught me about the rules of football but I have to tell you, Cornelius made my day when he told me, on his own, that he wanted to audition for the theater’s upcoming production of “Wizard of Oz.” That’s an experience we can share together.
But the truth is, Cornelius could tell me he despises theater and dislikes Disney, and I’d be fine with that, because it’s more important that he discovers who he is meant to be and that he grows into that person as healthily and honestly as he can.
Fathers and sons usually have interesting relationships, and in today’s reading we hear the words of a father speaking to and about his son.
Zechariah is a priest. One day, while in the Temple, he is visited by the angel Gabriel who tells Zechariah the good news: he will indeed have a son; the child will be called John and he will be the reason for much joy and gladness.
But the news is tempered with a reality: as amazing as John will be, he is actually just a precursor to what’s to come.
John will bring families back together and he will bring wisdom to the foolish, but alas, John is not going to be the star player.
He is not going to be the quarterback of the team or the one who scores the winning touchdown. He is going to be more like the fullback, making the way for the Lord.
I wonder how Zechariah responded to this news. First of all, he must have been amazed and perplexed: there is an angel talking to him! How often does that happen!
But then, there is the human side. His son will bring joy and gladness, but he will not be the ultimate reason for that joy and gladness.
His son will pave the way; but he will not, never ever, be The Way.
Often times, we are too familiar with the stories in the Bible; often times we place its people on high holy-chairs. We know the stories, how they are ultimately going to play out. We know what Jesus is going to do; we know the lives that he will forever transform.
So we forget to look at the people and characters within the story to get a clear idea into how they must feel, what they go through, what their internal monologues must have sounded like.
As Luke tells us, Zechariah is actually struck mute by the angel. During his wife’s pregnancy, he is not able to speak a single, solitary word.
I imagine that this time of silence must have given Zechariah a lot of time to think about things. So much to ponder: so much time to accept what was and what was not to be.
His son was to be great; but not the greatest.
Would that be good enough for Zechariah; would that do?
Think about it: if this was a Greek tragedy, if this was a Shakespearean play, the story would have unfolded much differently. Zechariah would have railed against the prophecy and found some way, any way to make his son the star; to make his son the King.
He would have visited witches at a cauldron or got his hands on a poisoned potion or kidnapped the Christ child.
And perhaps at some point, Zechariah did entertain those thoughts; but then, somehow, some way, he found the ability to…let them go.
Instead of harboring a grudge or focusing on what would never be for his son, Zechariah instead found a way to faithfully look ahead and embrace the promise…of what’s to come.
After his son is born, after Zechariah agrees that his son is to be called John, Zechariah’s speech is restored. And after giving praise to God, he speaks the words we heard today.
With nine months to get used to the state of things, he speaks eloquently of what God has done and what God will do.
Though Jesus is yet to be born, he acknowledges that it will be the son of Mary and Joseph who will fulfill the words of the prophets, who will lead the people to victory and rescue them from their enemies.
What an amazing, humble thing to say about someone else’s child. What class, what character Zechariah shows.
But I do not sense it means that Zechariah loves his own son any less, it just means that he now fully understands who his son is and what he is meant to be.
His son is the one to go up ahead and to prepare the way; he is the one to plant the seeds of wisdom about salvation and forgiveness.
He may not be the Messiah but he will be called the prophet of the Most High; he may not be “The Son of God” but he will play his own role in bringing light into the life of people covered in darkness.
His feet may not be the ones that bring people over the winning goal line, but he will play his own part in guiding their feet in the way of victory.
And there is nothing wrong about that; and any father, anywhere, should be proud that their son could play such a role…
…Today is Christ is King Sunday. Today we celebrate that Jesus was more than a carpenter. More than a rabbi. More than our friend.
Today we celebrate Christ as King.
Not a king that dominates. Not a king that humiliates or beats people into submission. Not a King that overtakes people’s lands and taxes them into poverty.
But a King who heals. A king who gathers and restores. A king who feeds.
A king whose strength does not come from working out at the gym or the threat of military arms, but from his very essence and nature; from the heavenly Kingdom that he was brought here to establish on earth.
And here is the good news: because Christ is King, we do not have to be.
Because Christ was, is and forever shall be King, we don’t have to overburden ourselves with tasks and roles we were not created for or called to do.
Because Christ is King, we are not; therefore we can focus our attention onto who we are and the best version of ourselves that we can be.
And, I do not believe John is the one and only person called to pave a way for the Lord. I don’t believe John is the only one to give knowledge of salvation to others and share light with others in darkness.
We can too, each in our own, special way. We have all been blessed with our own unique spiritual gifts; we all have our own talents, ways of sharing joy, ways of being bearers of gladness.
With knowledge that Christ is King, and we are not, we have the opportunity to sit back, relax, and be resplendent, doing what we know we can do the best.
Thankful that God has always had a plan in place for the world.
Beginning with Abraham and Sarah, following through to Moses and Miriam, continuing with people like Zechariah and Elizabeth, and their son John, that plan has continued, even when topes have taken place, even when events of darkness have seemed to take hold.
Christ is indeed King and in him God has a heavenly playbook and a heavenly plan.
Some of us are best at baking cakes; others as being fullbacks; some may even be able to do both. But we each get to play our own role; we each get to share our part.
In doing so we each find our own way to be resplendent and to shine a light into the darkness: to share the gift of mercy with the oppressed, forgiveness with the broken down, and joy to those who weep.
Christ is indeed King; we are all blessed to play a part in his heavenly court and in his earthly field.
Amen and amen.
Luke 1:68-79
“…of What’s to Come”
November 24, 2013
Fathers and sons usually have an interesting relationship, one that is often based on issues of identity and hopes for the future.
Last week’s episode of the TV show Modern Family dealt with this theme.
The family was going to a local fair. Jay, the patriarch, is with his wife Gloria and his adopted son, Manny. Manny is not like other boys; he is 12 years old but has an old soul. He enjoys wearing fedoras, wooing girls with poetry and his drink of choice is espresso.
Manny is entering the fair’s cake contest and has created a confectionary replication of Los Angeles. Jay is not too happy about this, worried that Manny will be teased by all the other kids and wishes he was more into things like football.
The episode moves along in a usual sitcom pace. The cake judging is about to take place, but Manny’s cake is not there and they have 10 seconds to get it to the table.
“Don’t worry, Mom,” Manny says, as he leads her through the crowd, barreling through the people, knocking down anyone who gets in his path of victory.
The football coach witnesses Manny’s focus, strength and determination and next thing you know, Manny is on the football team as their ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬-fullback and leads them to their first victory.
Jay, his father, is so proud; but truth be told Manny is more excited about winning 1st place in the cake contest!
Fathers and sons usually have interesting relationships, based on issues of identity, hopes for the future, expectations and wanting to pass on a bit of oneself and family history.
Though not a parent, I see this in my interactions with Cornelius (my ‘Lil Brothers through BBBS).
Now, Cornelius is the one who is into sports and football and I, well you know I like my Disney, cakes and show tunes.
We both are learning so much from one another. He has taught me about the rules of football but I have to tell you, Cornelius made my day when he told me, on his own, that he wanted to audition for the theater’s upcoming production of “Wizard of Oz.” That’s an experience we can share together.
But the truth is, Cornelius could tell me he despises theater and dislikes Disney, and I’d be fine with that, because it’s more important that he discovers who he is meant to be and that he grows into that person as healthily and honestly as he can.
Fathers and sons usually have interesting relationships, and in today’s reading we hear the words of a father speaking to and about his son.
Zechariah is a priest. One day, while in the Temple, he is visited by the angel Gabriel who tells Zechariah the good news: he will indeed have a son; the child will be called John and he will be the reason for much joy and gladness.
But the news is tempered with a reality: as amazing as John will be, he is actually just a precursor to what’s to come.
John will bring families back together and he will bring wisdom to the foolish, but alas, John is not going to be the star player.
He is not going to be the quarterback of the team or the one who scores the winning touchdown. He is going to be more like the fullback, making the way for the Lord.
I wonder how Zechariah responded to this news. First of all, he must have been amazed and perplexed: there is an angel talking to him! How often does that happen!
But then, there is the human side. His son will bring joy and gladness, but he will not be the ultimate reason for that joy and gladness.
His son will pave the way; but he will not, never ever, be The Way.
Often times, we are too familiar with the stories in the Bible; often times we place its people on high holy-chairs. We know the stories, how they are ultimately going to play out. We know what Jesus is going to do; we know the lives that he will forever transform.
So we forget to look at the people and characters within the story to get a clear idea into how they must feel, what they go through, what their internal monologues must have sounded like.
As Luke tells us, Zechariah is actually struck mute by the angel. During his wife’s pregnancy, he is not able to speak a single, solitary word.
I imagine that this time of silence must have given Zechariah a lot of time to think about things. So much to ponder: so much time to accept what was and what was not to be.
His son was to be great; but not the greatest.
Would that be good enough for Zechariah; would that do?
Think about it: if this was a Greek tragedy, if this was a Shakespearean play, the story would have unfolded much differently. Zechariah would have railed against the prophecy and found some way, any way to make his son the star; to make his son the King.
He would have visited witches at a cauldron or got his hands on a poisoned potion or kidnapped the Christ child.
And perhaps at some point, Zechariah did entertain those thoughts; but then, somehow, some way, he found the ability to…let them go.
Instead of harboring a grudge or focusing on what would never be for his son, Zechariah instead found a way to faithfully look ahead and embrace the promise…of what’s to come.
After his son is born, after Zechariah agrees that his son is to be called John, Zechariah’s speech is restored. And after giving praise to God, he speaks the words we heard today.
With nine months to get used to the state of things, he speaks eloquently of what God has done and what God will do.
Though Jesus is yet to be born, he acknowledges that it will be the son of Mary and Joseph who will fulfill the words of the prophets, who will lead the people to victory and rescue them from their enemies.
What an amazing, humble thing to say about someone else’s child. What class, what character Zechariah shows.
But I do not sense it means that Zechariah loves his own son any less, it just means that he now fully understands who his son is and what he is meant to be.
His son is the one to go up ahead and to prepare the way; he is the one to plant the seeds of wisdom about salvation and forgiveness.
He may not be the Messiah but he will be called the prophet of the Most High; he may not be “The Son of God” but he will play his own role in bringing light into the life of people covered in darkness.
His feet may not be the ones that bring people over the winning goal line, but he will play his own part in guiding their feet in the way of victory.
And there is nothing wrong about that; and any father, anywhere, should be proud that their son could play such a role…
…Today is Christ is King Sunday. Today we celebrate that Jesus was more than a carpenter. More than a rabbi. More than our friend.
Today we celebrate Christ as King.
Not a king that dominates. Not a king that humiliates or beats people into submission. Not a King that overtakes people’s lands and taxes them into poverty.
But a King who heals. A king who gathers and restores. A king who feeds.
A king whose strength does not come from working out at the gym or the threat of military arms, but from his very essence and nature; from the heavenly Kingdom that he was brought here to establish on earth.
And here is the good news: because Christ is King, we do not have to be.
Because Christ was, is and forever shall be King, we don’t have to overburden ourselves with tasks and roles we were not created for or called to do.
Because Christ is King, we are not; therefore we can focus our attention onto who we are and the best version of ourselves that we can be.
And, I do not believe John is the one and only person called to pave a way for the Lord. I don’t believe John is the only one to give knowledge of salvation to others and share light with others in darkness.
We can too, each in our own, special way. We have all been blessed with our own unique spiritual gifts; we all have our own talents, ways of sharing joy, ways of being bearers of gladness.
With knowledge that Christ is King, and we are not, we have the opportunity to sit back, relax, and be resplendent, doing what we know we can do the best.
Thankful that God has always had a plan in place for the world.
Beginning with Abraham and Sarah, following through to Moses and Miriam, continuing with people like Zechariah and Elizabeth, and their son John, that plan has continued, even when topes have taken place, even when events of darkness have seemed to take hold.
Christ is indeed King and in him God has a heavenly playbook and a heavenly plan.
Some of us are best at baking cakes; others as being fullbacks; some may even be able to do both. But we each get to play our own role; we each get to share our part.
In doing so we each find our own way to be resplendent and to shine a light into the darkness: to share the gift of mercy with the oppressed, forgiveness with the broken down, and joy to those who weep.
Christ is indeed King; we are all blessed to play a part in his heavenly court and in his earthly field.
Amen and amen.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Sermon for Nov 17, 2013; Isaiah 65:17-25
Rev. George Miller
Isaiah 65:17-25
“Days of a Tree”
Nov 17, 2013
Currently I’m reading Little House On the Prairie which I find to be a shockingly unsentimental look at what life in the west was like long ago.
As the novel starts, the family leaves the safety of the woods in Wisconsin to travel further out west. It’s not an easy journey. They travel in the winter, when the waters are frozen over. It takes courage and conviction. The girls get restless; the long journey takes its toll.
One day Pa points far out to the horizon. “We’re coming to a creek or a river…can you see those trees ahead?”
His daughter stands up; all she can see is a smudge of something in the distance.
“That’s trees,” the father says. “In this country, trees mean water. That’s where we’ll camp tonight.”
It’s not their permanent stop, but it’s a resting place where they can catch their breath and stretch their legs before they continue on their journey.
I like this imagery of trees, that their presence represents so much more then shade and rest, but of water, living water; the source of all life…
I’ve got to tell you: I’m jealous of y’all. Last week you got to be a part of the Harvest Home Fall Festival. I got to attend the FL Conference Fall Gathering.
Y’all got to welcome members of the local community; I got to hear people bemoan the fact that no one wants to go to church.
Y’all got to go from table to table to visit folk, sell things, talk, laugh, and eat delicious homemade soup. I got to sit at a table for 6 hours, hearing folk speak about I-don’t-know-what and eat a sandwich with a piece of roast beef and a slice of cheese.
But there was one cool thing I got to do: hear how our “Still Speaking” campaign came to be.
Ron Buford, our guest presenter, is the man behind our denomination’s use of red and black, our adoption of the comma, and the use of the “God is Still Speaking” slogan.
As he explained, Ron was on vacation in FL when he came across a gift shop that sold bumper stickers. In that shop was a quote from Gracie Allen, George Burns’ wife.
The quote was “Never place a period where God has placed a comma.”
Sounds nice, right? But Ron shared with us the context of the quote.
Gracie Allen had grown ill; she was aware that she was going to die soon, and she knew that her husband would have a difficult time living without her. So she wrote a letter to George to be read at her funeral.
It was in this letter directed to her grieving husband that Gracie wrote “Never place a period where God has put a comma.”
In the truthful darkness of her death, Gracie created these words to give her grieving husband light, and somehow, someway those words have come to us, as a reminder that God is still speaking.
Context is everything.
Words of hope written to people having fun at a festival are one thing; words of hope written to faint-hearted folk at a funeral are another.
Much of the Bible was written during funeral times, to address funeral issues. The children of Israel had faced death so many times: the barrenness of Abraham and Sarah; the Israelites enslavement in Egypt.
Yet, like trees planted by the river, they did not wither completely. Though it was not always easy they found ways to bear fruit and to grow, even when death was present.
Context is everything. To appreciate today’s reading it’s good to know when it was written. Modern scholars believe the book of Isaiah was written by 3 people.
The original author wrote to warn the people that war was in the air and they would experience impending doom if they didn’t change their ways. The prophet was right, Jerusalem was destroyed and the people were taken captive.
Chapters 40-55 were said to be written by a different author after the prophecy had come true. They were words directed to the captive people who had watched their entire city destroyed and all their hopes and dreams stripped away.
God speaks to the people to assure them that eventually this too will pass, and one day…one day their families will have the chance to return home and rebuild their city.
50 years pass before that promise is realized. By that time a generation has been born and died. Those who choose to return home expect life to go back to the way it once was. But instead their beloved city is still in ruins: the streets tore up, their houses gone, their fields full of weeds and their Temple completely burned to the ground.
It’s as if God has lied to them.
They attempt to rebuild their lives. It’s not easy. The local economy is shot, inflation is high, and everyone is so focused on themselves that no one has the time, energy or money to rebuild the Temple.
They have structurally and symbolically put God and the worship of God last, and then they wonder why God is no longer speaking or doing anything.
That’s where the words of today’s reading come in.
Modern scholars believe a third author wrote chapters 56-66. He is writing to people who had come out of a bad situation, thinking things were going to be better, only to discover they were just as bad if not worse.
Though their fields are fallow, God says “I am about to create something new.”
Though their infrastructure is completely destroyed, God says “I am about to build something amazing.”
Though their Temple is no more, and they have no place to praise God, God says “I will rejoice in you and find delight in my people.”
Though they were dragged out of their homes and forced to live as captives in another land, God says “You will benefit from your own handiwork and live in your own homes again.”
And though they had been ripped up by their roots and left to wither in enemy soil, God says “Like a tree planted by the river, you will not be moved and you will flourish.”
What do we make out of this? This would be like speaking such words to the people of the Philippines. This would be like speaking such words to the residents of New York on Sept 12, 2001.
Do we have here a God who lies? A God who is insane? A God who is unrealistic?
…What about a God who hopes? A God who still speaks? A God who is optimistic?
A God who created once before and can create again…and again…and again?
The people, the land, the buildings may all be in rubble, but God still speaks and says “I am about to create something new.”
Now there are different ways to take this passage. You could say the new creation God is speaking about is heaven, the heaven of pop culture; the place we go when we die that doesn’t exist until we take our last breath.
Or (as Tracy so eloquently spoke about last week) God could be speaking about a state of being in which everything and everyone is influenced by the reality of God.
This new heaven and earth that God is creating could be a state of mind and a reality we can actually experience now if we are willing to trust, we are willing to seek, and we are willing to play a part in.
Here, in this 2nd understanding, we are talking about the Kingdom of God, which is being created. A state of being in the presence of the Creator so completely that every act, every word, every deed is done with God as the focus.
I believe this it was the writer of Isaiah 65 is talking about; a way of being in which all people get to experience quality and creation: the sick are given the chance to be healed, hungry are given the chance to be fed and everyone has a place to call home.
I don’t believe God only wants us to focus on a new creation that will only exist when we die, but a new creation that can exist, that does exist as we live and breathe in the here and now.
After all, isn’t that part of what believing in the Resurrection is about?
We are children of the Resurrection. This mysterious event, this act of God that cannot be fully explained, that makes no sense to the rational mind, is the ultimate act of optimism that God is still speaking and ushering a new creation upon the world.
Because when Jesus died that should have been the end; God should have been silenced forever. But that was not the case, for God still was speaking and still had more words to say.
Out of death’s existing rubble, God ushered in the life of new creation…and it has been astounding.
And yes, it’s a new creation that has been at least 2,000 years in the process, but it is the one in which we are called to participate, ever living in the moment, believing in the future as opposed to being stuck in the past.
Through the resurrection God’s hope for the world has made itself blatantly known. And we don’t have to wait to die to see what that hope is; we can witness it now and participate in our own unique way.
That’s what the earliest followers of Christ did: they lived believing the Kingdom had already broken in: they shared resources, they fed the hungry, they reached out to the sick, they shared meals, called one another “sister” and “brother” and found joy in all that God, their Father, had done.
Sometimes we feel like we are on a perilous path. Sometimes we are in a state of destruction. Sometimes we are in the need to rebuild.
But if we recall the stories of our spiritual ancestors, if we recall that God brought life to a childless couple, God brought freedom to lowly slaves, and that God promised a new creation to exiles living amongst rubble, then we too can become like trees beside the river.
Trees with strong roots, trees bearing much fruit, trees enjoying the eternal life that comes from being watered by Christ.
God is still speaking. And if God is still speaking, then God is still acting. And if God is still acting, then there is still hope.
As people of the comma, as people of the resurrection, there is always hope.
Amen and amen.
Isaiah 65:17-25
“Days of a Tree”
Nov 17, 2013
Currently I’m reading Little House On the Prairie which I find to be a shockingly unsentimental look at what life in the west was like long ago.
As the novel starts, the family leaves the safety of the woods in Wisconsin to travel further out west. It’s not an easy journey. They travel in the winter, when the waters are frozen over. It takes courage and conviction. The girls get restless; the long journey takes its toll.
One day Pa points far out to the horizon. “We’re coming to a creek or a river…can you see those trees ahead?”
His daughter stands up; all she can see is a smudge of something in the distance.
“That’s trees,” the father says. “In this country, trees mean water. That’s where we’ll camp tonight.”
It’s not their permanent stop, but it’s a resting place where they can catch their breath and stretch their legs before they continue on their journey.
I like this imagery of trees, that their presence represents so much more then shade and rest, but of water, living water; the source of all life…
I’ve got to tell you: I’m jealous of y’all. Last week you got to be a part of the Harvest Home Fall Festival. I got to attend the FL Conference Fall Gathering.
Y’all got to welcome members of the local community; I got to hear people bemoan the fact that no one wants to go to church.
Y’all got to go from table to table to visit folk, sell things, talk, laugh, and eat delicious homemade soup. I got to sit at a table for 6 hours, hearing folk speak about I-don’t-know-what and eat a sandwich with a piece of roast beef and a slice of cheese.
But there was one cool thing I got to do: hear how our “Still Speaking” campaign came to be.
Ron Buford, our guest presenter, is the man behind our denomination’s use of red and black, our adoption of the comma, and the use of the “God is Still Speaking” slogan.
As he explained, Ron was on vacation in FL when he came across a gift shop that sold bumper stickers. In that shop was a quote from Gracie Allen, George Burns’ wife.
The quote was “Never place a period where God has placed a comma.”
Sounds nice, right? But Ron shared with us the context of the quote.
Gracie Allen had grown ill; she was aware that she was going to die soon, and she knew that her husband would have a difficult time living without her. So she wrote a letter to George to be read at her funeral.
It was in this letter directed to her grieving husband that Gracie wrote “Never place a period where God has put a comma.”
In the truthful darkness of her death, Gracie created these words to give her grieving husband light, and somehow, someway those words have come to us, as a reminder that God is still speaking.
Context is everything.
Words of hope written to people having fun at a festival are one thing; words of hope written to faint-hearted folk at a funeral are another.
Much of the Bible was written during funeral times, to address funeral issues. The children of Israel had faced death so many times: the barrenness of Abraham and Sarah; the Israelites enslavement in Egypt.
Yet, like trees planted by the river, they did not wither completely. Though it was not always easy they found ways to bear fruit and to grow, even when death was present.
Context is everything. To appreciate today’s reading it’s good to know when it was written. Modern scholars believe the book of Isaiah was written by 3 people.
The original author wrote to warn the people that war was in the air and they would experience impending doom if they didn’t change their ways. The prophet was right, Jerusalem was destroyed and the people were taken captive.
Chapters 40-55 were said to be written by a different author after the prophecy had come true. They were words directed to the captive people who had watched their entire city destroyed and all their hopes and dreams stripped away.
God speaks to the people to assure them that eventually this too will pass, and one day…one day their families will have the chance to return home and rebuild their city.
50 years pass before that promise is realized. By that time a generation has been born and died. Those who choose to return home expect life to go back to the way it once was. But instead their beloved city is still in ruins: the streets tore up, their houses gone, their fields full of weeds and their Temple completely burned to the ground.
It’s as if God has lied to them.
They attempt to rebuild their lives. It’s not easy. The local economy is shot, inflation is high, and everyone is so focused on themselves that no one has the time, energy or money to rebuild the Temple.
They have structurally and symbolically put God and the worship of God last, and then they wonder why God is no longer speaking or doing anything.
That’s where the words of today’s reading come in.
Modern scholars believe a third author wrote chapters 56-66. He is writing to people who had come out of a bad situation, thinking things were going to be better, only to discover they were just as bad if not worse.
Though their fields are fallow, God says “I am about to create something new.”
Though their infrastructure is completely destroyed, God says “I am about to build something amazing.”
Though their Temple is no more, and they have no place to praise God, God says “I will rejoice in you and find delight in my people.”
Though they were dragged out of their homes and forced to live as captives in another land, God says “You will benefit from your own handiwork and live in your own homes again.”
And though they had been ripped up by their roots and left to wither in enemy soil, God says “Like a tree planted by the river, you will not be moved and you will flourish.”
What do we make out of this? This would be like speaking such words to the people of the Philippines. This would be like speaking such words to the residents of New York on Sept 12, 2001.
Do we have here a God who lies? A God who is insane? A God who is unrealistic?
…What about a God who hopes? A God who still speaks? A God who is optimistic?
A God who created once before and can create again…and again…and again?
The people, the land, the buildings may all be in rubble, but God still speaks and says “I am about to create something new.”
Now there are different ways to take this passage. You could say the new creation God is speaking about is heaven, the heaven of pop culture; the place we go when we die that doesn’t exist until we take our last breath.
Or (as Tracy so eloquently spoke about last week) God could be speaking about a state of being in which everything and everyone is influenced by the reality of God.
This new heaven and earth that God is creating could be a state of mind and a reality we can actually experience now if we are willing to trust, we are willing to seek, and we are willing to play a part in.
Here, in this 2nd understanding, we are talking about the Kingdom of God, which is being created. A state of being in the presence of the Creator so completely that every act, every word, every deed is done with God as the focus.
I believe this it was the writer of Isaiah 65 is talking about; a way of being in which all people get to experience quality and creation: the sick are given the chance to be healed, hungry are given the chance to be fed and everyone has a place to call home.
I don’t believe God only wants us to focus on a new creation that will only exist when we die, but a new creation that can exist, that does exist as we live and breathe in the here and now.
After all, isn’t that part of what believing in the Resurrection is about?
We are children of the Resurrection. This mysterious event, this act of God that cannot be fully explained, that makes no sense to the rational mind, is the ultimate act of optimism that God is still speaking and ushering a new creation upon the world.
Because when Jesus died that should have been the end; God should have been silenced forever. But that was not the case, for God still was speaking and still had more words to say.
Out of death’s existing rubble, God ushered in the life of new creation…and it has been astounding.
And yes, it’s a new creation that has been at least 2,000 years in the process, but it is the one in which we are called to participate, ever living in the moment, believing in the future as opposed to being stuck in the past.
Through the resurrection God’s hope for the world has made itself blatantly known. And we don’t have to wait to die to see what that hope is; we can witness it now and participate in our own unique way.
That’s what the earliest followers of Christ did: they lived believing the Kingdom had already broken in: they shared resources, they fed the hungry, they reached out to the sick, they shared meals, called one another “sister” and “brother” and found joy in all that God, their Father, had done.
Sometimes we feel like we are on a perilous path. Sometimes we are in a state of destruction. Sometimes we are in the need to rebuild.
But if we recall the stories of our spiritual ancestors, if we recall that God brought life to a childless couple, God brought freedom to lowly slaves, and that God promised a new creation to exiles living amongst rubble, then we too can become like trees beside the river.
Trees with strong roots, trees bearing much fruit, trees enjoying the eternal life that comes from being watered by Christ.
God is still speaking. And if God is still speaking, then God is still acting. And if God is still acting, then there is still hope.
As people of the comma, as people of the resurrection, there is always hope.
Amen and amen.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Sermon for Nov 3, 2013; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
Rev. George Miller
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
“Growing Abundantly”
Nov 3, 2013
In preparing for this message, I noticed the image Ruthie used for today’s bulletin: a large tree in full bloom with branches stretched out.
It reminds me of some trees I’ve seen in Sebring; trees that have brought much needed shade and withstood hurricanes and times of drought; trees that some people love while others despise because their roots have disturbed the earth around it and the worry over what would happen if it was to fall down.
Life is often affected by how we perceive things and how that perception affects the ways in which we act or don’t act.
Example: last week during our Trunk or Treat we ran out of candy to pass out to the children of the neighborhood. Is it because we were under prepared? No- it’s because we had 4 times the amount of people as compared to last year.
Running out of candy was a good thing: it meant that people know who we are and that we are here.
In today’s bulletin you’ll see that the need for pies, baked goods, and cheese balls is great. Is it because we don’t have enough people signed up to make them?
No- it’s because we have that many people from the local community who will be coming here next week for our Harvest Home Festival because everyone has worked so hard over the years to develop the reputation that we have.
It reminds me of a story I recently read. Ronnie McBrayer, a pastor, was recounting how he and his youngest son were sitting in front of the TV watching cartoons.
Ronnie was laughing along with the animated hi-jinks when his son reached up his small hands and rubbed the skin around Ronnie’s eyes and temples, burrowing his fingers in his ever deepening crow’s feet.
“What are those?” his son asked.
Ronnie stopped laughing immediately. Despairingly, he said “Those are wrinkles.”
A few days later, father and son were in the family SUV when out of nowhere the son was rubbing his temples and said “Dad, I don’t have any sprinkles.”
“Why do I have sprinkles?” Ronnie asked, mindful of his aching joints, expanding love handles, graying beard and wrinkled face.
“Because,” replied his son, “You need sprinkles to help you smile.”
Dad saw his wrinkles as a sign that he was getting older. Son saw the very same wrinkles as a sign that Dad was happy.
Sometimes, when we worry about our roots or our wrinkles, we need someone else to say “No, you are strong and you are beautiful.”
In a roundabout way, we see this in today’s scripture. The author is writing to a congregation during a very difficult period.
Not difficult as in “Are we able to meet the budget” or “Who can we find to chair the committee” but difficult as in people are being persecuted, afflicted, arrested and even murdered.
It’s enough to cut one off at the roots and to lead one to say “Let’s close our doors forever.”
But instead of seeing their wrinkles or crow’s feet, the author focuses them on their sprinkles- the fact that they are not only growing, but they are growing abundantly.
Not just the fact that they welcome one another, but they love each other in such a true, honest way that everyone around them can tell and see how much they are growing.
Even in the midst of persecution, even in the midst of afflictions they are enduring, they are doing the work which God has placed before them and the glory of Jesus is radiating out of them.
Because of what they are going through, they can only see the wrinkles; but the author is reaching out and saying “No- not wrinkles, but sprinkles.”
The question to ask is “How? Just how are they doing this?”
The answer, I believe, is that the members of the Thessalonian church were able to keep their focus on Christ. In the midst of naysayers and great suffering, they found a way to place it all before Jesus.
We see that in 1 Thessalonians Paul taught them not to exploit one another. They were taught how to live humbly, quietly, without getting involved in gossip or to sit idly by; to do what they can and to respect the work of others
They were taught to live with hope, hope that came from believing in the resurrection. Hope that said even when all seemed lost, God was still active.
They were also taught to see themselves as they actually were: not children of darkness, but as beloved children of light, children of the day who were destined for salvation.
And because they put Christ first, because they humbly lived, because they humbly served, because they humbly hoped, they were able to experience a sense of peace.
And it wasn’t just them who flourished and benefited from their faith in Jesus- it was those around them. They were able to encourage the faint of heart and help the weak of body, all with great patience, all with grace and happiness.
So even as the world around them was falling apart in affliction and persecution, they found a way to love one another even more; they found a way to grow, and to grow abundantly…
…The world can be a difficult, dangerous place. It can also be a place of wonder and adventure. Sometimes it depends on how we choose to view things.
Do we see wrinkles that mean we are old or do we see sprinkles that mean we laugh?
Do we see a giant tree that fills up an entire lawn, fearful of what may happen if it falls down?
Or do we see large, outstretched branches that bear fruit for the hungry, which create shade for the tired, shelter for the scared, a place of climbing for those who seek fun; a place for all the birds of the air to rest and share their song?
Life is affected by how we see things, and how we see affects our actions. How is God calling us to see and to act so that the Lord Jesus continues to be glorified in us?
How do we continue to increase our love for one another and grow in a way that celebrates not only who we are, but whose we are?
May Christ Jesus continue to light the way, may the fruits of the Holy Spirit continue to bless us and may God continue to surround us with glory that brings about sprinkles to our face.
Amen and amen.
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
“Growing Abundantly”
Nov 3, 2013
In preparing for this message, I noticed the image Ruthie used for today’s bulletin: a large tree in full bloom with branches stretched out.
It reminds me of some trees I’ve seen in Sebring; trees that have brought much needed shade and withstood hurricanes and times of drought; trees that some people love while others despise because their roots have disturbed the earth around it and the worry over what would happen if it was to fall down.
Life is often affected by how we perceive things and how that perception affects the ways in which we act or don’t act.
Example: last week during our Trunk or Treat we ran out of candy to pass out to the children of the neighborhood. Is it because we were under prepared? No- it’s because we had 4 times the amount of people as compared to last year.
Running out of candy was a good thing: it meant that people know who we are and that we are here.
In today’s bulletin you’ll see that the need for pies, baked goods, and cheese balls is great. Is it because we don’t have enough people signed up to make them?
No- it’s because we have that many people from the local community who will be coming here next week for our Harvest Home Festival because everyone has worked so hard over the years to develop the reputation that we have.
It reminds me of a story I recently read. Ronnie McBrayer, a pastor, was recounting how he and his youngest son were sitting in front of the TV watching cartoons.
Ronnie was laughing along with the animated hi-jinks when his son reached up his small hands and rubbed the skin around Ronnie’s eyes and temples, burrowing his fingers in his ever deepening crow’s feet.
“What are those?” his son asked.
Ronnie stopped laughing immediately. Despairingly, he said “Those are wrinkles.”
A few days later, father and son were in the family SUV when out of nowhere the son was rubbing his temples and said “Dad, I don’t have any sprinkles.”
“Why do I have sprinkles?” Ronnie asked, mindful of his aching joints, expanding love handles, graying beard and wrinkled face.
“Because,” replied his son, “You need sprinkles to help you smile.”
Dad saw his wrinkles as a sign that he was getting older. Son saw the very same wrinkles as a sign that Dad was happy.
Sometimes, when we worry about our roots or our wrinkles, we need someone else to say “No, you are strong and you are beautiful.”
In a roundabout way, we see this in today’s scripture. The author is writing to a congregation during a very difficult period.
Not difficult as in “Are we able to meet the budget” or “Who can we find to chair the committee” but difficult as in people are being persecuted, afflicted, arrested and even murdered.
It’s enough to cut one off at the roots and to lead one to say “Let’s close our doors forever.”
But instead of seeing their wrinkles or crow’s feet, the author focuses them on their sprinkles- the fact that they are not only growing, but they are growing abundantly.
Not just the fact that they welcome one another, but they love each other in such a true, honest way that everyone around them can tell and see how much they are growing.
Even in the midst of persecution, even in the midst of afflictions they are enduring, they are doing the work which God has placed before them and the glory of Jesus is radiating out of them.
Because of what they are going through, they can only see the wrinkles; but the author is reaching out and saying “No- not wrinkles, but sprinkles.”
The question to ask is “How? Just how are they doing this?”
The answer, I believe, is that the members of the Thessalonian church were able to keep their focus on Christ. In the midst of naysayers and great suffering, they found a way to place it all before Jesus.
We see that in 1 Thessalonians Paul taught them not to exploit one another. They were taught how to live humbly, quietly, without getting involved in gossip or to sit idly by; to do what they can and to respect the work of others
They were taught to live with hope, hope that came from believing in the resurrection. Hope that said even when all seemed lost, God was still active.
They were also taught to see themselves as they actually were: not children of darkness, but as beloved children of light, children of the day who were destined for salvation.
And because they put Christ first, because they humbly lived, because they humbly served, because they humbly hoped, they were able to experience a sense of peace.
And it wasn’t just them who flourished and benefited from their faith in Jesus- it was those around them. They were able to encourage the faint of heart and help the weak of body, all with great patience, all with grace and happiness.
So even as the world around them was falling apart in affliction and persecution, they found a way to love one another even more; they found a way to grow, and to grow abundantly…
…The world can be a difficult, dangerous place. It can also be a place of wonder and adventure. Sometimes it depends on how we choose to view things.
Do we see wrinkles that mean we are old or do we see sprinkles that mean we laugh?
Do we see a giant tree that fills up an entire lawn, fearful of what may happen if it falls down?
Or do we see large, outstretched branches that bear fruit for the hungry, which create shade for the tired, shelter for the scared, a place of climbing for those who seek fun; a place for all the birds of the air to rest and share their song?
Life is affected by how we see things, and how we see affects our actions. How is God calling us to see and to act so that the Lord Jesus continues to be glorified in us?
How do we continue to increase our love for one another and grow in a way that celebrates not only who we are, but whose we are?
May Christ Jesus continue to light the way, may the fruits of the Holy Spirit continue to bless us and may God continue to surround us with glory that brings about sprinkles to our face.
Amen and amen.
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