Back Home and Beyond!

Epiphany 3c13, Luke 4:14-21 with I Corinthians 12:12-31 in the b.g. and Nehemiah 8 in the b.g. (Jan. 27, 2013)

Have you ever been away from home for quite a while and then attempted to go back for any significant amount of time or event? It's not easy. We as people have a tendency to keep thinking of others in the same way. We remember when they were little or very young and messed up. Then we keep thinking about that particular person in that particular way. IN our minds we don't let them grow up or change. We then don't expect them to have a word or a life that may reveal something filled with wonder, amazing, new. So, it's not easy to go home, when you have been away for awhile – especially if you are going to live and move and have your being there. It's far too easy to be pigeon-holed by others and even allow ourselves to fall into such a trap.

 

Nevertheless,  Jesus goes home anyway, back to Nazareth. Many people knew him there, remembering that he was Mary's boy, the carpenter's son. When a family is known in a smaller place – they are held in a particular way in the collective mind's eye. Once at home Jesus goes to the synagogue where everyone knows him. They remember when he was little – everything about his family – the good, the bad, the ugly. If he ever got into a trouble – if he ever uttured a hurtful word (remember he was human and related to other human beings) – well they wouldn't forget.

 

Now as an adult Jesus comes to his home-town synagogue. As any male would be allowed to, he stands up to read. The scroll of Isaiah is given to him. He selects two brief pieces. This is what they hear. Do we also hear him? "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR, and RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO LET THE OPPRESSED GO FREE, TO PROCLAIM THE YEAR OF THE LORD'S FAVOR." Then he rolls up the scroll and sits down. You better believe – every eye is fixed on him. What will he say? He doesn't hesitate. He speaks to them, 'TODAY THIS SCRIPTURE IS FULFILLED IN YOUR HEARING!"

 

Can you imagine? Everyone in the other Galilean places had been speaking well of him. He taught with authority, insight, knowledge. There was something about him. But now home in his "own" place, apparently he doesn't know his place. Now he is claiming through the words of Isaiah, that he, himself, is the long expected deliverer that those people had been waiting SO LONG for. How could he be the One? They know him. He is from among them, their little, insignificant town. Rumour has it that he is even the scandalous child of a common mother and a man they have known all their lives. How could HIS CLAIM, ever be true?  

 

Then when Jesus goes on throwing their feelings about him in their faces – they begin to lose it. Now they want to hurt him. They want him out of their place – even though everything he proclaims, they and so many others obviously desperately need. Don't the poor need good news both literally and figuratively? Don't those who are blind, including us, need new sight even if that greater vision isn't easy? Still,  can't such vision be wonderful?  And don't the oppressed needed to be freed – even ourselves when we are hung up in hatred, fear, trapped by obsessions and addictions? Don't we all need a year (at least) of the Lord's favor? This latter reality was decreed by God that every 50 years all debts would be forgiven so that no one would end up enslaved to others. How would that look in our society?

 

Jesus declares all of this. He is filled with the power of the Spirit following His baptism and his temptation in the wilderness. Indeed, the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him!

 

But what about us? Is the Spirit of the Lord upon us? We too have been baptized! We too struggle with temptation. Granted, we have not always resisted. Nevertheless God is with us to empower us, to deliver us to new life and new beginnings. What is our mission, as sons and daughters of God, called to bear God's creative and redeeming word to the world?

 

Surely our mission as followers of Jesus can't only be to care for those like us. Surely our mission as followers of Jesus can't only be what will happen to us and others when we die. What about the children who are hungry now: hungry for food, to know they are loved, to experience that someone cares enough to do something with and perhaps even for them? What about our friends and neighbors caught up in broken relationships. They may feel,  "that's life" – the way things are. Nothing can be done about "it".  But we know different don't we? We are people called to forgiveness each day, to new beginnings – to seeing and experiencing both the death and resurrection of Christ as reflections of God's love for us and for the world, here, now and forever. That's what the Spirit of God allows us to see, to trust, to experience and share.

 

To be sure – having a mission, a purpose that is bigger than us – my friends and family, this Church, is not easy. We might be led to places like South Africa, or to the inner circle of friend's families where things at times aren't pretty. Such a mission demands that we will have to be honest with and about ourselves: our brokenness, especially with God, with ourselves and with those we love. Getting involved and caring hurts and is often risky, EVEN DANGEROUS. Becoming involved will cost us money, time, and sacrifice on many levels. But – REMEMBER THIS.   

 

There is one who is leading us. There is One whom we are called to follow. He is Jesus. The Spirit is upon him. Through Him the Spirit is upon us. It's hard to believe – but this Spirit thing is His promise, not mine. He is the One who in calling us to so follow, also equips us. For God knows – sometimes even though we are rich we are incredibly poor – even though we have 20/20 eyesight we are still too often blind to God right in front of us. Even though we claim that we are part of the true north strong and free, we are often anything but. How we also need the freedom and power of God to love rather than hate, to care instead of hiding, to forgive and dream instead of being filled with a desire for vengeance while being caught up in so many ruts.

 

By God's grace hear the Spirit speaking through Jesus in that synagogue long ago. The Spirit of God is upon Him. That same Spirit wishes to drive and direct even us, here and now. The poor, the blind and the oppressed remain.  We all need good news - the good news enfleshed in Jesus and poured into our hearts and minds, through water, wine, bread and words. Let's share His life, and love right where we are, at home, at work and at play. Such living results in ripples of love and compassion that flow and flow and flow.  

 

May it be so among us for Christ's sake, Amen!

Runnin over or runnin out?

John 2:1-12 (Epiphany 2c, January 20, 2013)

 

Do they know what they are getting themselves into? Do couples who are getting married, regardless of their age, have any inkling? They stand there in the church or on a beach making promises to each other. Sometimes the promises are flowery: as long as the wind blows, the skies rain, the sun shines, I will LOVE YOU.  Sometimes the promises are shorter, to the point: with God's help I will listen, speak and care for you. But in all cases there is some hope, some understanding that they will journey this life together until death parts them.

 

As I grow older I truly wonder, do they have any idea what they are promising to do and be? That they will care for the other as their bodies age, as their minds and their spirits grow and change. Birth and death, beginnings and endings can shape us, change us radically. On their wedding day there are usually lots of people smiling, bringing presents, wishing them well. But how many of those people will stick it out with them, care with and for them: 1 year from that day, 5 years, 10, 20, 30, 50 years from that day?

 

I wonder about all this for a number of reasons. I wonder because I am privileged to stand with or beside some of these couples for long periods of time, through their marriage preparation, during the actual ceremony and sometimes for years and years afterwards. I have been there through the faithful keeping. I am humbled and honored to be with a couple who have been married for over 60 years as they walk through death. I realize I am witnessing something sacred, something holy as they hold each other's hands, as the family keeps vigil, waiting, watching, caring. I have watched time and again as part of the living one dies when their spouse dies. I have also been there at other times when couples haven't been able to keep their promises in momentous ways, in life changing ways, when the marriage "dissolves" when people tell me they just don't love one another anymore, when they need to tell their children that they won't be living together anymore.

 

I also wonder whether couples realize what is happening as they make those marriage promises when I listen to John's Gospel. Here the entire image of a wedding banquet is employed as metaphor to direct us to a reality that is even deeper than marriage, than two people loving and caring for each other for as long as they both shall live.

 

Do we hear John's Gospel reading? It's an amazing story. Jesus and his mother along with the disciples are at a wedding celebration. Numerous friends and family are also there. Every day these people's diet was very simple. But at a wedding celebration that often lasted a week nothing was spared. Animals were butchered. There was plenty of meat, copious amounts of wine. The music rings out. The people dance and sing. The couple's closest friends and family also bring wine, so that the wine will not run out. It's important not to run out of wine. If the wine runs out, it's a sign of lack of friends, of lack of hospitality. If the wine runs out at a wedding feast the wedding families would be shamed. Now at this wedding, where Jesus and his mother are, the wine is running out. It's a serious problem.

 

So I ask, "do you ever run out of "wine"?  I don't just mean in your liquor cabinet. I mean this metaphorically, in the different areas of our lives. Do you ever "run out"? Do we ever run out of "joy" in the sense of all that is good, of that which we can celebrate, anticipate? Are there times when the trials and tribulations of life become too much for us? Then with heavy hearts we may even lose the will to live. Our singing voices disappear. Our feet are stuck like in quicksand. Love then may become only a word, not an experience.

 

There are many ways we can run out of "wine". We can work and work and work thinking, even feeling that is what life is about – to provide for others – and that someday the weekend, the holiday, our retirement will come. In so working we can miss out on caring for ourselves, even for significant others. One day, one night we just can't do it anymore. Then our "wine" has run out.

 

But this account of the wedding at Cana in Galilee contains hope for us. God is in the flesh celebrating with the people. When Jesus first learns that the wine has run out he is hesitant. But his mother prods him, acting in trust that he will do what is good and just. Eventually Jesus relents. And then Jesus does something amazing!

 

The servants fill nearby stone jars. These jars are usually used for symbolic washing. People then washed for the forgiveness of their sins so that they could continue to take part in the significant relationships of their lives. Jesus has these "washing" jars freshly filled to the brim, overflowing with water. The servants are instructed to take some of the fluid from these jars to the chief steward of the wedding feast. Now… THAT WATER HAS BECOME WINE, THE BEST WINE.  Now the wedding celebration can continue in earnest.

 

We come to this place immersed in our lives – with varying degrees of joy and pain, of hopes and dreams, of fear and anticipation. We may wonder – where is God in the pain? We may even occasionally thank God for our joy. Our "wine" may still be flowing or close to running out.   

 

Whatever our personal experience, we also need to look beyond ourselves – to see others and to our world. Christ not only fills stone jars with wine. In His death and resurrection, His strong and steadfast love He wills to fill our vessels these days- whether our hearts are broken or rejoicing. If they are broken He can bring healing. If they are rejoicing we can be moved to share.  Shame, despair, apathy or near sightedness must not shape nor control our lives.  

 

You see this suffering, risen Christ is capable of transforming and even filling many containers – including the containers of our lives with such amazing realities of forgiveness, hope and love. Who'd have thunk it – of God being able to work not only with stone jars but even with "simple" folk like us? Who knows even with us, he may be saving the best wine – for what many see as this less than likely time. …

 

But God knows we and our world need such good and new wine. Fill us up Lord! (May it be the third day!) Amen.

 

 

Sharing Ourselves!

Luke 3:15-22 (The Baptism of our Lord!), January 13, 2013

 

Today we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord. Baptism is incredibly important in the Christian Church. This is especially so in our Lutheran Church. For us Baptism is 1 of 2 sacraments. As Lutheran Christians we often baptize infants where at least one parent or grandparent is practicing Christian faith. There are reasons for all of this. We should know them. All of this is important for us as we attempt to live our faith in a culture that is increasingly unaware of religious meaning.

 

This morning we are encountered by Luke's account of Jesus baptism being, seeking to find its way into us.  Now Luke's account is unique. He doesn't seem the least bit concerned about who baptized Jesus, or even the question of infant baptism. Luke has other concerns.

 

So, I share 2 "reflections". If I were to ask who you are, to encourage you to tell someone who doesn't know you at all about who you are in less than a minute how would you do that? (give them time to reflect)

 

Jesus' baptism in Luke's gospel is all about Jesus' identity – corporately and particularly. Hear verse 21. "Now when all the people were baptized and when Jesus also had been baptized"... Many people had come out to be baptized – and Jesus is with them. Jesus identifies himself with all those who are being baptized. People like YOU and ME. People with gifts and strengths, creativity, imagination, hopes and dreams. People with shortcomings, failures. People who may have lost hope in themselves or others or been beaten up in systems they found themselves part of...

 

" When all the people were baptized and Jesus also had been baptized." Jesus does not separate himself from these people. He journeys with them – even in his baptism. This is important to know. We are not alone – especially because of our baptism!

 

A second "reflection". Have you ever noticed that sometimes those who are not even remotely connected to the Church have the most insightful observations about God? One evening a New Testament professor from Princeton Seminary visited a high school youth group. After the professor finished speaking about the meaning of Jesus' baptism as a revelation of God's presence in Jesus, one of the students remarked without looking up, "That ain't what it means." Glad that the student had been listening enough to disagree, the professor asked, "What do you think it means?" The young man responded, "The story says that the heavens were opened, right?" "Right." "The heavens were opened and the Spirit of God came down, right?" "That's right." The young man finally looked up and leaned forward, saying, "It means that God is at loose in the world. And THAT'S DANGEROUS!"

 

I wonder if you have ever thought about your "baptism" that way? That it is dangerous – this being joined to Jesus Christ and his mission in the world!? Sometimes we might think of baptism "Oh, isn't he/she cute – the tiny baby – dressed in white, so innocent, so beautiful". And the baby may be cute – even beautiful. But there's so much more to our baptism! There is, as Luke points out in Jesus' baptism, being joined to others – first and foremost, Jesus. That can be dangerous. For, when we are joined to Jesus, we are given his identity. And Jesus' identity is always for and with others. That is both exciting and dangerous! When we are with and for others, even as Jesus is – and things happen to them, we become involved because we are involved. These others can no longer be "other" to us any more. They are now our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, "children of the same heavenly Father/Mother"- these ones who are being wronged, taken advantage of, even including the ones who are doing the wrong. Such being involved is anything but easy! But it can be GOOD!

 

When I was much younger I wrestled with whether or not to become a Pastor. A little later I wrestled with whether or not to get married. And after that we wrestled with whether or not to try to have children. Nearly 8 years ago I began to wrestle with whether or not to leave Vernon and a people I deeply loved to move here and become your Pastor.  In all of that wrestling some of the same questions kept coming up. If I undertake that particular journey- what might happen to me? It's a frightening question – because we can't know.  Embarking on any new journey in faith, in trust of God and others is frightening because we don't know what's going to happen. We also realize we can't control what's going to happen. We may have a thumb nail sketch of some of the details of the situation that we are  living in now – although I suspect we deeply overestimate our control of the same. But in facing something "new" - a new career, a change in jobs, marital status or even where the focus of our life /lives will be directed we become more aware of the unknown.

 

I am convinced that Jesus was often aware of the unknown. I also suspect that is one of the reasons that he regularly prayed: to be reminded that He wasn't alone, and to avail Himself of God the Father's help. Today we see that Jesus is praying after he has been baptized. It is then that the Holy Spirit comes down upon him in a bodily form as a dove.

 

Shortly after this Jesus is driven out into the wilderness to be tempted by the Evil One. Yes, part of being God's child is dangerous stuff. We too may be "driven" places – some of which in our naivete we may have chosen – others which if it had only been up to us, we would have never ventured. Once we are there we are called  to embody our identity. Our identity is forged again and again through Water, Word and God's Spirit – through all that is thick and thin. We remain  God's own children, deeply loved, NO MATTER WHAT!

 

HOLD ONTO THIS PROMISE, THIS REALITY! Hold onto it by gathering regularly with other followers of Jesus, those whom God keeps claiming often despite us and themselves. Hold onto God's promise when all our other "identities" fall away or are stripped from us. Life has a way of doing that. But along with this promise of God, also know that we have a purpose arising from our identity.  Life's journey is part of this discovery. We are not alone. We are  never abandoned by God – even though at times we may feel abandoned, neglected, even insignificant. When the tests come as they surely do: when our kids say they don't like us or worse; or when that friend or loved one we had so counted on, just can't or won't love us anymore, or when the job we had given ourselves so deeply to ends – there is One who will never leave us. We are joined to Him in the waters of baptism. And nothing, not even fire or death can take from us the life and identity God gives to us. This is our identity to be shared, to live from. We are God's children. So, we are called also to love and forgive others, by God's grace. Let's share ourselves! Amen.

GOD'S GREAT BIG EMBRACE

Matthew 2:1-12 (Epiphany)

 

How big is the embrace of God's love in Jesus Christ? Is it this big (small gesture) or this big (or gesturing wildly this big) or even THIS BIG? This isn't an academic question. This question goes to the heart of the Christian faith – the very heart of our understanding of Jesus of Nazareth – to the heart of the new Testament – "for God so loved the world that he sent his only Son that whosoever believes in him – i.e. trusts him should not perish!".... And Epiphany, this day of the revelation, literally shoves us deeply into the question of the depths of God's embrace:  to really wrestle with it, to feel it, to share the actual embrace of God in Jesus Christ.

 

Yes, to wrestle, to feel, to share the embrace of God in Jesus Christ is the goal of this sermon.  

 

These wise men or magi in Matthew's Gospel are interesting guys. We really don't know how many of them came first to Jerusalem and then moved onto Bethlehem. We often that they were 3 in number because there are 3 gifts listed. But the actual numbers of the magi are never specified. However we do know that the magi were followers of the stars – probably astrologers. Don't you find  that interesting –  the first people really seeking Jesus in Matthew's gospel, (very different from Luke in this regard) are astrologers? Nor are these magi Jewish. They are very likely Persians. In some way following a star they come to Jerusalem. They enquire of the people there where the child who born as king of the Jews might be.

 

During their search for Jesus they encounter various people. One of them is King Herod. At first glance it looks like Herod is interested in their search for purely benevolent reasons. He claims that he too wishes to pay respect to this baby. He knows who to consult as to the exact location of the child's birth: the chief priests and scribes. They know their "Bible". Consulting Micah hey tell him Bethlehem of Judea. He shares the information with the magi – and off they go now following both a star and scripture.  

 

Once they have arrived in Bethlehem, they are led to a particular house where they find both the child and the mother. Now they are filled with joy! Entering the house they kneel down before that baby, displaying their humility while offering worship.  They give this baby their very best gifts!

 

Then they are warned of King Herod's deception through of all things a dream. Interesting that it is via a dream and the arrangement of a star or stars – that the magi are led to worship this baby who is born King of the Jews, the Savior of the World. Interesting also that it is via these means, dream and arrangement of a star or stars that they are led to protect this baby Jesus. Stars and dreams aren't the usual ways that Lutheran Christians look for God's revelation.  But God's ways are not always our ways. God loves the world reaching out with an embrace that seeks to include all people!  

 

Now one might posit that such a big embrace – this love of God in Jesus Christ would be good news for everyone. But is it? It isn't for Herod. Herod liked (even LOVED) his power. The way things were, the status quo played out to Herod's advantage. And so this baby, who is born as the Magi say, "King of the Jews", is a threat to him. To be sure Herod wants to find this baby, but not to offer his respects. Oh my, no! Instead Herod wants to eliminate this baby Jesus.  We see this a few verses later as Herod orders all the male children 2 years and under in and around Bethlehem murdered. How great is the people's cry, their lamentation then! Such lamentation continues right now as children and people are needlessly, mindlessly killed, abandoned to starvation, crime, diseases that could be cured. Where is God's embrace then? Where is God's embrace now?

 

It's a good question – especially if we only or primarily see Jesus as a cute baby in a feeding trough. But know this. Jesus grows up. As such he also grows in his ability to share, to spread, to enflesh God's embrace for the world. But there is serious opposition, within and without. Surely God couldn't love beyond the Jewish race? That's what Saul/Paul thought – the understanding of many of his ancestors. But God showed him otherwise. And Paul dies sharing God's embrace with everyone he meets.

 

Surely God couldn't love in Jesus Christ beyond the Church – or at least the Roman Catholic or Orthodox Church? Well the Reformation shows otherwise. Surely God couldn't love in Jesus Christ beyond the Christian church? Well the magi show us otherwise, as does the work of the Spirit in many ways.

 

Nevertheless the opposition to God's embrace in Christ continues. We need to know that once the risen Lord, this One  born in Bethlehem comes to us, lives among us and begins to dwell in our hearts and minds even through such common ordinary things as words, water, bread and wine – we can't remain the same. Nor can our churches, our governments, our families, nor our marriages. The love of God in Jesus Christ continually expands our borders, our frontiers, our senses, our thinking and relating.  It can no longer be us against them, winner take all. FOR GOD LOVES THE WORLD!  Jesus calls us to love God first and our neighbors as ourselves. God through Jesus and the Spirit call us to care for the world, to be stewards of the earth. How can we continue to take advantage of others, thinking of ourselves first, living as if only the fittest should survive when in reality that usually means the most privileged?

 

Shouldn't the followers of Jesus at least try to emulate Jesus? Jesus gives His life willingly in order that all can see a different way – a different way from what we have been doing since time immemorial – a way of violence, of winners and losers, of many starving, while a few feast, a way of seeking to climb over each other like so many ants. Jesus comes to show us that we can be changed. We can serve with love and integrity. We can live and not just exist. Death and taxes, destruction and fear do not have the final or lasting word for us. That's how big the embrace of God in Jesus Christ is: for you, for me, for the world.

 

Will we see it, feel it, wrestle with it and live from it? 

 

A blessed 2013 to you and our world. And a blessed but not too comfortable epiphany as the light shines into our darkness – and the darkness does not overcome it. Blessed dreams and star gazing too. Amen.