Advent 4: The Promise of Justice
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Well, here are. The 4th Sunday of Advent! Where did these 4 weeks go? Each Advent, I look forward to hearing the voice of Mary.
For the past couple of weeks, we have heard about the promises that the prophets foretold (Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Micah). We’ve heard from the messenger preparing the way—Jesus’s cousin, John the Baptist. We’ve heard about the promises of Truth, Compassion, and Restoration. Today we hear from a different messenger: Mary. And what she has to say points us in the direction and tells of the promise of Justice! Perhaps we can even call her Mary the prophet!
Today is just as good as any day to remind us that women are very much underrepresented in the bible. In the entire Bible, women speak about 14,000 words collectively – that may sound like a lot, but this represents merely 1.1% of all the words in the Bible. (Christian Jennert, “Listen to Mary”, sermon, St. Matthews Lutheran Church).
But women are crucial to the whole story of God and God’s people. We know that. At least I hope we know that!
Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, is the first one to hear what Mary has to say. She, too, is pregnant — about six months further along than Mary, and much, much older. (Remember—2 weeks ago we heard about her and Zechariah’s story.) Elizabeth greets her cousin loudly because she is excited that Mary has come to see her; because her own baby has jumped for joy inside her. Behind the sudden events of this story lie the long years when Israel waited in hope for the promised Messiah. Now there is hope of a new life. And it’s from women.
FYI:
This story, known as “the Visitation,” is the longest account in all the New Testament in which women hold center stage.
Mary’s Magnificat is the longest set of words spoken by a woman in the entire New Testament. “My soul magnifies the Lord,” Mary sings “and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” https://jasonporterfield.com/the-subversive-magnificat/
Mary has a voice, a strong voice, a powerful voice. It may even make us uncomfortable, with all the talk of sending the rich away empty. She has faith in God, who, through the angel Gabriel, announced to her that the child she is carrying would turn the world around.
Mary’s voice is a voice we need to hear still today because there is still so much injustice, so much suffering, in our world today. Her voice has the power to inspire us to speak up and act when we encounter that injustice.
For Mary, the acts of God reveal God’s heart for the weary, oppressed, anxious, exiled, and afraid. God is flipping the world upside-down (or perhaps right-side up) by seeing the overlooked, humbling the proud, lifting the lowly, feeding the hungry, and keeping God’s promises (1:50-55). God’s faithfulness stretches from generation to generation and is better than anything we could have imagined. A Savior is born to an unlikely mother who cannot contain her joy. A joy not only for herself, but for everyone who finds themselves left out or skipped over, for the generations who have waited for this promise to be fulfilled. (Kate Bowler, A Weary World Rejoices)
Let’s just sit with that for a second. It is powerful.
At the end of our Gospel reading, she bursts into song—called the Magnificat: (It is named after the first word of its first line in Latin (“Magnificat anima mea Dominum,” or “My soul magnifies the Lord”). And this is not just any song, but a radical, hope-drenched song that soars with promise for the world's poor, brokenhearted, and oppressed. Dietrich Bonhoeffer describes the Magnificat this way:
"It is at once the most passionate, the wildest, one might even say the most revolutionary Advent hymn ever sung. This is not the gentle, tender, dreamy Mary whom we sometimes see in paintings.... This song has none of the sweet, nostalgic, or even playful tones of some of our Christmas carols. It is instead a hard, strong, inexorable song about the power of God and the powerlessness of humankind."
We can set aside the picture of Mary as “meek and mild.” She is nothing less than the first disciple, a force to be reckoned with. Her world-turning “yes” and “let it be” come from her conviction, her fierce, bold, deep-down-in-her-bones trust that God’s love, even now, is making all things new.
But at the same time, this is a gentle revolution, not some grand show of power. God chooses the margins of society, where God will be born in dire circumstances, to an unwed mother in unsanitary conditions without even a proper roof over her head. To a new dad, forced to take his family and flee the country from a powerful and vengeful king.
This is the world that God chose to enter at Christmas.
Our world.
So God could be the difference we didn’t know it needed.
And may our response to that act of love be, “Thank you, God.” Amen
Advent 3: The Promise of Restoration
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Today is Joy Sunday! Traditionally, the third week of Advent takes “Joy” as its central theme. It’s sometimes called, “Gaudete Sunday” (gaudete means “rejoice” in Latin), and its candle in Advent wreaths is often rose-colored. Ours is not but that’s a story for another time. The overall idea here is that while Advent is a time of waiting for Christ to come, there’s also room for joy in his arrival!
If we were to read all 4 assigned (lectionary) texts for this Sunday we would hear this theme: Joy.
From Zephaniah we hear that it’s time to sing, rejoice, exult! Paul tells us to “rejoice in the Lord always.” Isaiah would have us “draw water with rejoicing from the springs of salvation.” And even in the gospel reading, where John the Baptist speaks) about the unquenchable fire, you can even perhaps detect the joy in his message--- for the downtrodden. So, joy, it is today.
I am guessing the book of Zephaniah is not one that we are super familiar with. Right? Let’s dig into Zephaniah a little bit and explore joy…and the promise of restoration that he shares.
Zephaniah is a prophet called by God to speak to the people of Judah during the reign of King Josiah (640-609 BCE). The first three chapters of the book are filled with judgment oracles and communal memories of suffering (1:2-3:8). These oracles declare that turning away from God only leads to destruction (3:8). But Zephaniah makes a dramatic turn from judgment and destruction to joy and rejoicing with the arrival and presence of God (3:15; 17). The day of the Lord finally does arrive, but it is not what the people expect. They expected the Lord to appear as judge and executioner, but instead, God reveals a savior who rescues, protects, loves, and rejoices (3:17-20). The oracle ends with a focus on restoration (3:19-20). The oppressed will be protected, the exiled will be brought back into belonging, and those who feel shame will now rejoice. It is a day when those who are restored will rejoice that God is such a loving savior, and one in which God will rejoice over those who have been redeemed. Zephaniah (much like Jeremiah) proclaims that “days are coming” when God’s future and God’s promises will be fulfilled. But until that day, God’s people must hold fast to the promises and character of God. (Kate Bowler, A Weary World Rejoices Advent Devotional).
Hold fast to the promises and character of God.
Hold fast to the promise of restoration.
Today. Right this very moment.
We have a God who is about the work of restoration. And yet, so much gets in our way. Perhaps it’s pain or disappointment, grief or shame, woundedness or a feeling of being unworthy. Sometimes our past haunts us or bitterness creeps in that we can’t let go of. We wrestle with addiction or anxiety or despair or unforgiveness that overwhelms everything else. We have a hard time imagining the wholeness that God longs for us all. A wholeness that is rooted in our very creation (Genesis 1:31). (Kate Bowler)
A wholeness promised for us. A wholeness that brings joy, healing, and peace.
But…How? How do we hold the promise of restoration and the joy as we carry ALL THE THINGS we are carrying around? Is it even possible? Really?
For many people I know, joy feels hard to access.
But let’s talk about joy for a second. It’s not about feeling joy ALL the time.
Brene Brown says in The Gifts of Imperfection:
It’s about twinkle lights. You know what I’m talking about when I say twinkle lights?
Twinkle lights are the perfect metaphor for joy. Joy is not a constant. It comes to us in moments. . . . A joyful life is not a floodlight of joy. That would eventually become unbearable. I believe a joyful life is made up of joyful moments gracefully strung together by trust, gratitude, inspiration, and faith.
I can get behind that metaphor for joy. With those twinkle lights in mind, maybe we can allow ourselves to hold the joy alongside the weariness that so many of us are feeling. Because true joy—biblical joy—does not sweep tensions under the rug. It tolerates doubt and sadness; fear and loss. It is a celebration of God’s presence with us, even—especially—in the darkest of days. (Nadia Stefko) PCUSA Lectionary Column
In Advent, we are reminded that the coming of Christ is about the ongoing work of God in the world—a work that seeks to heal, restore, and reconcile all people. God's presence in the world is not static but dynamic. It is actively involved in the struggles of humanity, challenging systems of oppression, bringing liberation, and working to build a just and compassionate world. This season is not just about waiting for Christ’s return but about embodying the hope, joy, and peace that Christ represents. It calls us to be agents of transformation, to work toward the renewal of all things, and to ensure that God's promise of restoration is realized in our own communities. It calls us to be a part of the ongoing restoration of creation, working toward justice for all, especially for the oppressed.
So, on this Third Sunday of Advent, let us hold on to the promise of Zephaniah: a promise that God is always working for our restoration, healing, and peace. Let us be open to God's transformative love and, in turn, work for a world where all people experience the fullness of this promise. May it be so. Amen
Advent 2: The Promise of Compassion
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The Gospel text for today is often called the Song of Zechariah. But, before there is a song, there is usually a story.
Here is the story:
Zechariah is the father of John the Baptist – and just like Mary (mother of Jesus), he is visited by an angel.
At the beginning of the Gospel of Luke we read about Zechariah who is a priest in the Temple. He and his wife Elizabeth are “well along in years,” and they are childless. One day, Zechariah is in the Temple doing his priestly duties –tending to the holy spaces – when an angel appears and says, “Zechariah, fear not, your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth is going to have a son. This son will not only be your joy and delight, but he will bring the people back to God – he will go before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah. He will make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:11-17
Zechariah takes a step back, in the quiet of the place, and he says, “How can this be? We are old.”
And the angel replies, “Oh, Zechariah, it can be, and it will be. I am Gabriel, I stand in God’s presence, and I’ve been sent to tell you this good news. But because you have not believed my words, you will not be able to speak until this comes to pass.” And Zechariah is unable to speak. For 9 months.
Elizabeth does conceive, and then for nine months we hear nothing from Zechariah. At the same time the angel comes to Mary (Elizabeth’s cousin), and announces that Mary will bear the Christ. Mary runs to her cousin Elizabeth’s. Elizabeth’s baby leaps in her womb, and she calls out to Mary: “Mother of my Lord!” And Mary sings the Magnificat – “My soul glorifies God. God is bringing down the powerful, and lifting up the lowly.” (We’ll talk about that song in 2 weeks.)
And then, nine months later, we circle back to Zechariah and Elizabeth. Elizabeth gives birth. A crowd gathers, and they are ready to name the baby after his father. That’s how it’s done. But Elizabeth steps in and says, “His name is John.” And, since she’s a women and this is not the way babies are named -the crowd looks to Zechariah. He looks to Elizabeth. And he motions for a tablet. And he writes out: “His. Name. Is. John.” And in that moment, Zechariah can speak. After 9 months of silence, Zechariah can speak and Zechariah has something to say. And what he says – or sings – is today’s Scripture:
“Blessed be the God of Israel, for God has looked favorably on the people and redeemed them.
God has raised up a mighty savior for us…..
By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
In this song of salvation, Zechariah sings that God is doing this, God is saving us – through God’s tender mercy : Salvation is coming, not in the power of mighty armies, but in the power of God’s tender mercy. It is a tender mercy that will bring down and lift up. It is tender mercy that will save us from everything.
Isn’t that the promise of compassion---God’s compassion revealing itself through Emmanuel, God with us. What an opportunity we have during this season of Advent to sit in wonder and delight at what God has done and is still doing. According to Kate Bowler—in our Advent devotional this season, Jesus is the picture of God’s love on display:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Jesus is God-with-us so he could be God’s compassion for us, in a word and deed. Compassion, in Latin, means to suffer. When Jesus saw someone suffering, he wept with them and came to their aid. He talked with the excluded and marginalized and ate with the outcasts. There was no one whose illness or status rendered them unapproachable or untouchable. This is the kind of radical compassion that says, I am not just helping you, I am with you. (Kate Bowler, A Weary World Rejoices Advent Devotional).
As we experience God’s compassion, we are also called to that work. Zechariah’s song invites us into the saving work of tender mercy - to embody good news to the poor – to bind up the broken-hearted – to work for the release of every captive, for the full freedom of all who are oppressed. What does God require of us? To do justice, love kindness – to love tender mercy, and walk humbly with God and with each other.
I don’t know exactly what you bring with you this day…and I don’t know what you need. But I do know this. This promise of God’s saving love, this promise of tender mercy, this promise of compassion-- it is a promise for you. God has loved you from the beginning. For all time, God has loved God’s people and accompanied them through every minute of every day. And when things were at their worst, God came to us in Jesus Christ, God comes to us in Jesus Christ, and walks with us-gives us life -gives us a song to sing -inviting us and empowering us to live the lives of tender mercy-of compassion. This is our story. This is our song. May it be so. Amen
Benediction:
The song that Zechariah sings – it is a song for you, and for me, and for all people and all time (let us know it and live it):
“God is raising up for us a savior...
By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Advent 1: The Promise of Truth
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Advent is my favorite season of the church year. It has a different feel to it than the other seasons. There is a sense of yearning in Advent. A sense of anticipation. It is a time of watching and waiting. A time to remind ourselves that there are forces at work beyond our control.
Also, Advent is a season for feeling out of kilter.
It is a period of waiting in the darkness. It is a season in which we are caught between joyful expectation and the harsh realities of the present condition while we wait for the promise to be fulfilled. And this season puts the church at odds with contemporary American culture, in which the holiday season consists of bright lights and celebrations and packages tied with neat bows. There is no room for darkness and little patience for prayerful expectation when holiday carols blare from every speaker and the neighborhood is glowing with displays of lights. Yet ironically, this experience of being out of sync with our surroundings may attune us more deeply to the nature of Advent. In Advent, we live in the unsettling tension between what is and what will be. The prophet Jeremiah speaks to a community that is acutely aware of this tension.(Ann Steward, Working Preacher)
And biblical prophets, like Jeremiah-- never shy away from hard truths. They hold a mirror up so people can see the brokenness, the pain, and the suffering that they witness. Jeremiah noticed the ways that the world was not as it would be, not as it should be. He saw the world through tears. Jeremiah has been named “the weeping prophet” because of the nature of his message and the grief he expressed for his people. Jeremiah was a prophet who knew the harsh reality of the human experience. He writes from prison (Jer 32:1-2), living in the aftermath of Babylon’s destruction of Jerusalem around the year 587 (1:10). Jeremiah offers a dose of reality and lament.
Yet he also saw something hopeful shining through.
Long before the birth of Christ, Jeremiah predicted his coming, and he told everyone: “The days are coming…they are coming” when someone will come whose very name means truth and justice and love and compassion and peace and safety and righteousness to make all things right.
Fast forward over 500 years, and enter a baby born to usher in a new creation, a new hope, a new truth—a truth that the world would one day be restored. This is the very promise of God that began in creation and is now being fulfilled in the person of Jesus. And perhaps this is what the season of Advent invites us to bear witness to. Yet that doesn’t mean we can’t tell the whole truth about what we are experiencing in the here and now. –Just like the prophets.
It takes courage to wrap our minds around the truths, the difficult truths, the complicated truths all around us.
God has made us for truth-telling, to have eyes that glimpse through tears at the already-and-not-yet that we live in. And at the same time, these same eyes are trained on Jesus, who embodies the compassion, restoration, and justice we long for.
We need truths that can stand the test of time because we live in the already-but-not-yet. Like Abraham being shown the stars in the sky that will outnumber his offspring or God declaring creation good, or Jesus declaring the mighty reversals of the Kingdom of God we are given a portrait of the work God is doing in the world, but we don’t experience it fully.
As New Testament theologian N.T. Wright says, “Sometimes there is no answer but lament”— Right? There is so much truth in that statement. Jeremiah and N.T. Wright remind us that sometimes, all we can do is to acknowledge how wrong and unfair things seem and weep with one another before we can move our attention toward hope.
This is why Jeremiah reminds God’s people “the days are coming” and to trust the redemptive work of God. For the days are coming when we will see all of God’s promises fulfilled. And until then, we must hold onto hope for the future even while we live in the already-but-not-yet world. (Kate Bowler, A Weary World Rejoices Advent Commentary).
Advent may be a season we feel off kilter. But that is not a bad thing! Perhaps is helps us to see the truth in a different way. Perhaps this advent we are invited to see the world as it really is while still hoping for a future we can only sometimes glimpse. And this Sunday let’s give thanks for the prophets of old and now who about to tell us the truth. Amen
Tossing and Turning: The Anxiety Over Choosing
Jonah 2:1-10 / Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
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What’s the biggest decision you ever had to make? Have you ever bargained with God to help you make a decision? Decision making can feel like hammering the nails into the coffin of opportunities. We agonize over making the wrong decision. But here’s the thing I want us to remember this morning--whatever decision we make, we can never stray so far that we are beyond God’s grace. Never.
In 2001 as a new graduate of St. Lawrence University, I was ready to take on the world in Columbus, OH as I began a 4 year Masters of Divinity program at The Methodist Theological School in OH. It was exciting and scary all at the same time as I had only ever lived 2 hours away from home. My parents helped pack me up and out to OH we went. I got all settled in. Less tears than when they dropped me off for undergrad! I was ready. At least I thought I was ready. Yet, it didn’t take long for self-doubt and doubting God’s call to ordained ministry to set in! About a month in, feeling too young, too inexperienced, too unknowledgeable, too in over my head…that when I flew home to be in a friend’s wedding on Labor Day my plan was to tell my parents I was going to be a seminary drop out. I had changed my mind. I had made a choice that was very difficult. I didn’t want to be a failure. I didn’t want to disappoint all those where got me to that place. Except, I couldn’t actually get the words out. I found myself at the airport to head back to OH. I had a quarter in my pocket to call my parents to come get me but I couldn’t put the quarter in the pay phone. I eventually got on the plane. I couldn’t turn around. That night, mad, angry, scared and very confused regarding the day’s events I cried out to God. With lots of tears and words I cried to God. “Why?” Why am I here? I don’t want to be here.” That is when I had an assurance and the message that God laid on my heart: “Richelle, if you weren’t supposed to be here you wouldn’t be here”. And with that peace- I continued on and it changed my life in so many ways.
In life, we all face moments when we need to make decisions—some small, others life-altering. The weight of these decisions can leave us feeling uncertain, anxious, or paralyzed, wondering if we’re making the right choice. But as believers, we don’t make decisions on our own. God has promised to guide us, direct us, and help us make choices. Today, we are looking at two great examples of decision-making in the Bible: Jonah’s prayer from inside the fish (Jonah 2:1-10) and the disciples’ decision to replace Judas in Acts 1:15-17, 21-26. Both of these passages reveal how God gives us guidance when we seek God in times of uncertainty.
Jonah’s story is a powerful example of how God guides us even in the midst of our failures and disobedience. After running from God’s call to go to Nineveh, Jonah found himself in the belly of a great fish, swallowed by the consequences of his wrong decisions. Yet, in this moment of desperation, Jonah turns to God in prayer. In Jonah 2:1-10, we see how God guides Jonah through prayer and brings him back on course.
Jonah, realizing he was completely helpless, calls out to God in prayer. Even in the depths of his despair, God listens. Prayer is the first and most important tool in receiving guidance from God. When we turn to God in prayer, especially when we’re facing a tough decision or struggling with our own mistakes, God is faithful to listen and answer. Despite Jonah’s initial disobedience, God doesn’t abandon him. After Jonah’s prayer, God commands the fish to spit him out, giving him another chance to obey. God’s guidance comes not only through answers to our prayers but also through second chances. No matter how far we’ve gone, God is always ready to redirect us and help us.
Then, when we turn to Acts, the disciples face a significant decision: choosing a replacement for Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. This is an important decision as they need to maintain the number of twelve apostles. In this passage, we see how the disciples seek God's guidance through prayer and communal discernment.
The disciples’ first step was to pray. They didn’t just choose someone based on their own judgment or preferences. It was not a popularity contest. They asked God to help guide them. This is a crucial step in decision-making: rather than rushing to a conclusion, they paused to seek God’s will through prayer, asking God to guide their choice.
In Methodism we also talk about a process of discernment. We turn to Scripture first. We look at what our Christian tradition can teach us. We use our reason- our best thinking. We use our experience, and the experience of others to help us decide. The fancy name that Methodists call this discernment: The Wesleyan Quadrilateral. It’s pretty amazing!
The disciples also didn’t make this decision alone. They gathered together, prayed together, and made the decision as a community. Sometimes God’s guidance comes not only through personal prayer but through the counsel and wisdom of others in the body of Christ. The early church models for us those decisions should be made in unity, seeking God’s will together. We are not alone.
And here is the ultimate good news. Even if we have done all the discernment, and we still feel stuck, even if we get it wrong, we are never beyond God’s grace. As we seek God’s way, God will direct our paths and bring us to the place where we are supposed to be. Just as Jonah found God’s mercy and direction in the belly of a fish, and as the apostles found God’s guidance in their communal prayer, we can trust that God will lead us in every decision we face.
The bottom line is about trust. We are invited to lean into the truth that God is guiding us, even when we don’t have all the answers. We must be willing to trust that God will lead us even when we can’t see the full picture.
So, don’t be afraid. Talk to wise people in your faith community. Pray and pray together and then decide. God’s got your back- no matter what. Amen
Tossing and Turning: The Future
Matthew 6:25-34 / Isaiah 41:10-13
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What keeps you awake at night? There are nights when I loose valuable sleep time, tossing and turning in bed, trying to work out a solution to an issue--worrying about all kinds of things. Any other worriers out there? I can’t be alone! Eventually, I begin worrying about not getting enough rest to handle the challenges of the next day!
So, what is it that we worry about? Any given day it could be something different: Fear, troubled relationships, finances, our kids, our health, our country, the environment, an uncertain future, whatever it is—we all give in to worry at one point or another.
This week, we continue our “Tossing and Turning” series with a focus on The Future. Why do we worry about the future? Why do we lose sleep over it? Because you have pulse! Your human. We often like to control the future of our live. We stress out and worry about things that we can’t control. Note: we can have dreams for the future (at lease things we might be working on in present to get us to a certain place). We go to school and to college to make a living at something. We date to find that special someone. We save money to do things in the future. Those things are ok. We have to do those things. But when worrying about them keeps you up at night or thinking that you have all the answers or that you’re in control of your future, well that is not good. Anyone who is living knows you can’t control the future.
What does the Bible say about all of this?
We have some excellent messages in scripture this morning from words of Jesus in Matthew 6:25-34 and the promises of God from Isaiah 41:10-13. Together, these passages help us confront our worries about tomorrow and anchor us in God’s promises today.
But first—something a little personal. Being a United Methodist pastor can give one lots of experience on this topic—what does the future hold. While each of us would like to control the future, sometimes God has greater plans.
I graduated seminary in 2005 and was appointed to my first charge (2 churches-Oswego and Martville ¾ and ¼) It was a wonderful few years of growing and learning and seeing how joyful these two churches were to have a young pastor (with all kids of crazy ideas) and going through the ordination process. It didn’t take long for them to trust and love me and feeling was mutual. Everything was honky dory until one March (right before Easter) I was sitting at my desk and received a call from my DS. I was still too new to know what a call from the DS in march meant. Then I heard the news that I would end my appointment in Oswego/Martville and start at Auburn that July. A larger congregation made up of 2 churches that just voted to merge and become 1 new one. Sure, appoint someone who is not even ordained quite yet---with 3 years of pastoral ministry experience. Let’s just say I felt pretty good that they trusted me to have the gifts and graces to walk with this new church but I would be lying if I thought maybe the bishop/cabinet/God may have gotten this a little wrong! If I were in control I would have stayed in Oswego and continued the work God was calling us to.
I very much thought my plans to control the future were the way to go. I had no idea what God had in store for me in Auburn! Opportunities for incredible leadership growth, living in a parsonage for the first time, selling a few church properties, merging 2 churches and meeting Mike, and bringing 2 children into the world. Who knew??? God.
Each of us has this sense that we are born with, this sense that if we knew exactly what would happen every step of the way that things would be so much better. We feel that if we knew the future, there would be safety, security, or that we could change something if we don’t like what the outcome will be. The question is, do we really know what is best?
Let’s turn to scripture to see what God has to say about wrestling with the future. Right away in our text from Isaiah we hear a profound promise from God: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.”
We aren’t alone in facing down the future, whatever it might hold. God is not only with us, but God will provide for us with strength, presence and help. This text powerfully assures us of God’s strength and care. Set during Israel’s exile in Babylon—a time of deep despair—God speaks through Isaiah to comfort the Hebrew people, reminding them of the protection they have through their God.
When the future is unclear or in times of transition, we may feel anxious and worried about what lies ahead. Yet, trusting in God and that God is at work on our behalf can provide a deep sense of security, even when the path is unclear. Instead of dwelling on the unknowns, we can rest in the truth that God is already working everything out for good, even if it unfolds differently than what we expected.
As we turn to our text from Matthew, we see that God meets the needs of everything, including birds and flowers. Jesus reminds us that if God is willing to take care of birds and flowers, God will take care of us. We aren’t called to worry; we are called to follow the heart of Christ.
“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink... Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap… yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” Jesus calls us to trust God’s provision rather than striving for control. Just as God provides for the birds and flowers, God will meet our needs, even in ways we might not expect.
Let us remember that Jesus is telling us to live a life with our head in the sand and one that is detached from reality or all emotion because there's a difference between being concerned and being worried. In many ways, worry is our attempt to control an outcome that has yet to occur. We end up doing all of this worrying. We put all of this emotion into something that hasn't happened.
As we consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 6, maybe the challenge for us today (and every day) is to leave our worries about the future in Jesus' hands today. Let’s focus on what God is calling us to do right now, trusting that God is already in the future, guiding, providing, and working for our good. There’s plenty that God is calling us to in this very moment (remember Esther’s story---perhaps you are born for just a time as this)? Let’s focus here. Right now. And continue to do the next right thing-trusting in God’s presence now and in the future—whatever it might be. Though we may toss and turn over the unknown, we can rest in God’s unchanging faithfulness. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Tossing and Turning: Fear
Deuteronomy 31:1-8 / Philippians 4:4-9
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I have really, really struggled with what to say today. Not because I don’t have things to say. Because—believe me—I always have things to say. But as the pastor of a church, the things I say and the things I don’t say matter. I am human and I won’t always get it right. But I try. But what I want you all to know before we dive into our text for today is that I love you and I will do my best to love all of you even if we don’t think/believe the same way. Yes, there are many among us who are upset, scared and fearful for the future after the election on Tuesday. I understand why. Yet, I also know that there are those, yes, maybe in our church and in our families who see a bright future ahead and are happy and hopeful. Can we all exist together and be the church together? Yes. Christ and Christ’s mission is what unites us. What I do know is that Christ calls us to build bridges, not walls. Christ calls us to minister to the least, the last, the lost, and the marginalized in this world—even when it is uncomfortable to do so. Christ calls us to break down unjust systems of oppression—no matter who is in office remains the same—to work for justice. To find common ground. To preach resurrection in a world that is filled with death and despair. Our job has not changed and will not change until Christ comes again. We will live our baptismal vows to accept the freedom and power God gives us to resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.
So, together, let’s work on that. There is plenty to keep us busy and doing God’s work. Amen? Amen.
Now, for our regularly scheduled sermon!
Today we begin a new sermon series exploring the things that keep us up at night, tossing and turning. As you can probably guess, I’ve been doing some tossing and turning myself lately with what to say/preach today! What are the things that keep you up at night? Worry? Fear? The Finances? Health? What does the future hold for me? Does the Bible even talk about that? Is God too big to worry about my everyday life concerns?
Over the next few weeks we will be exploring a few of the many reasons we've been up all night plagued by constant worry that runs through our minds. We will be naming some of the common things that keep us up at night that stress us out through the day the things that worry us to our core. And most importantly we're going to talk about our God who accompanies us through those nights.
First up...fear! I'm willing to guess that most of us have had an experience with fear at some point or another in our lives.
In one sense, of course, fear is a natural emotion for us to feel. Its’ like we have a built in panic button. It’s quite useful; it helps prepare the body for action, whether the action is fight or flight. The body needs to fight against an aggressor, or it needs to run away as fast as it can. Fear gives it that little extra burst of energy that helps it respond more quickly and decisively. And in that sense, we don’t want to discourage fear. People who have no fear often do foolish things.
But what we don’t want is to be paralyzed by fear. And most of all, we don’t want fear to stop us trusting in the love of God for us, and we don’t want it to stop us from loving one another and being there for one another.
One of my favorite psalms is Psalm 46. I’ve actually come back to the psalm over and over again this week and we used it in the Post-Election Prayer meeting. Psalm 46 was written in a time of fear. We’re not sure exactly when it was written, but Jerusalem was in danger of being overwhelmed by an enemy. We get the sense that the world was being shaken up; that strong kingdoms and powerful countries were tottering and falling. The psalmist’s world was being shaken to the foundations, which is what makes the psalmist’s faith in God so remarkable.
‘God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.’ (Psalm 46.1-7)
‘Therefore we will not fear.’ That’s an astounding thing to say! Of course, we all know that the Bible often tells us not to be afraid; it’s one of the most common statements in the Bible. But here’s the thing—how many of you find that to actually be helpful? I know that when I’m told to not be afraid I can’t help but immediately think: how do you stop yourself from being afraid? How? How? How?
But first… I like the fact that what so many translations of Psalm 46 actually say is not ‘we will not be afraid,’ but ‘we will not fear.’ To me, being afraid is something that happens to me. I don’t have a choice about it. It’s an emotion that hits me and gets my heart beating faster and the blood pumping around my body, so I’m ready to fight or run away, as need be. But ‘we will not fear’ sounds like a decision, not an emotion. It has to be a decision about what we do with the feeling. Do we let the afraid feeling take over? Or do we say what the psalmist said: “Right, the earth is shaking to its foundations, and the city is in real danger, but I’m going to roll up my sleeves, trust in God, and remember that God’s my refuge and strength. ‘The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge’ (v.7). ‘God is with us.’ Really.
But are we always aware that God is with us? Do we have a sense of God’s presence with us? Do we know how to rest in God’s love for us?
If we are unsure about this important promise then we can be really lost when times of trouble come, because no one else is up to God’s job. No human being, no matter how great they are, can give us what God can give us. So this is one thing we can do to lower our stress levels and stop fear from paralyzing us. We can intentionally take time to be aware of God’s presence with us. It is like a built in calm down button.
Example:
Maybe we can light a candle to remind us of the light of God’s presence with us. Intentionally taking time to be still with God is one way we can counteract our fear.
The other way is to love one another.
God is calling us to faith, love and trust. We are called to rest and be still in God’s presence. And God’s calling us to reach out to one another in love. In this way, even though we’ll be afraid, ‘we will not fear.’ No: we’ll trust God, and we’ll love each other “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
As we face the challenges of this week-whatever those challenges may be, every time fear grips you, imagine that God is with you, walking with you.
Together as the Body of Christ we can face our fears—whatever they may be—knowing God is with us and we have one other as we journey this road together. Fear will not paralyze us. We will trust. We will love. And we will not lose hope. May it be so. Amen
All Saints’ Day: At Home With God
Revelation 21:1-6a / John 11:32-44
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Today is All Saints’ Day when we remember the Saints, those in our lives who’ve died and have joined the church triumphant. This is a day we celebrate their lives, remember their lives and give thanks to God for the ways they helped us make us who we are as individuals and as a church.
Friends, death is not easy. It is personal. It is real. It is hard.
The names we will read later in the service, represent serious and real voids for those who have lost a loved one during the year. I wanted to name this reality for us and know that this is a safe place to be.
This morning we’ve heard from two—pretty familiar texts from the Gospel of John and the book of Revelation. We hear of a new heaven and a new earth. Mary crying, (Martha) stating the facts, Jesus weeping and then bringing a dead man back to life.
These are our images, our companions, for All Saints. They situate us in the tension between now and what is to come, and they ground us in the glorious truth that God has made, is making, and will make God’s home among us. God is in the business of moving into the neighborhood of humanity. In the joys and the sorrows, in the peaceful times and in the crisis moments, God sticks it out right alongside us. Thanks be to God!
First, let’s dig into our Gospel reading from John. In it we have the shortest passage in the bible: Jesus wept. Jesus wept. 2 simple words. Words that have a way to connect our humanity with Jesus’ humanity. In Jesus—we have God incarnate—the Word made flesh. Divine. And yet human—with emotions. Emotions that each of us have.
Perhaps, today, on All Saints’ Day, in Jesus’ tears we find the freedom, the permission, to weep for our own losses. We need to give space for that as we worship today. Tears and sadness as we remember those saints in our lives- are not to be seen as lack of faith or hope. No, we can hold both things together, grief and hope. Joy and sadness often sit side by side in our hearts and in our communities. The heart of Christianity is the trust that even in the deepest sorrow and thickest darkness, there is light and love and hope. And it comes from the witness of scripture, beginning to end: the history of God’s people down through many centuries, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the history of the church.
The heart of Christianity is also the trust that God is with us through it all. There is light, love and hope through Jesus. Jesus, who knows what it is like to be angry, frustrated, and grief stricken. Jesus, who weeps for his friends. And Jesus who performs this incredible miracle so that they might believe—that they may have hope. What an incredible text for us today!
And then we have our text from the book of Revelation. Many people prefer to ignore the book of Revelation. It makes us nervous with its bizarre and frightening imagery. One way to try and make sense of the text is to know the context—when and why the book of Revelation was written. We do know that it was written by a man named John decades, maybe more, after the life and death of Jesus, a man who was exiled, in a prison cell, a cave actually on the Greek Island of Patmos. We know that the book is actually a letter he wrote to several small Christian communities. We know that they were undergoing fierce persecution by Rome at the moment. That is who John was writing to, communities that had very real fears. And because of that danger he uses the wildest, most bizarre and creative symbols he can think of. His readers know who he means when he describes the great beast. It is Rome. They know what he means by a New Jerusalem, a beautiful city of peace and security and wholeness descending from heaven: the old Jerusalem is a pile of rubble, having been destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.
John tells them that there is light in the midst of their current darkness, that the absolute power in the universe is not Rome, it is God, a God of mercy and peace and compassion and love. And ever since, his words of comfort and hope have inspired people in trouble, people oppressed and to people facing the reality of death. Such words of comfort! And I could end my sermon right here. But…
But there is also a call and a vision for us…as John shares his vision with the churches in Asia Minor—his message is true for us as well. Perhaps if we are to be the New Jerusalem where God is at home among us, we must put an end to the violence in our homes, cities, countries, and world. In the New Jerusalem we embody the unity God dreams for us.
You might be thinking that this is impossible. Maybe it is impossible to change the whole world all at once. However, it is not impossible to change ourselves and the way we embody Christ. There is no room for fear, hatred, and violence. We live in such a divided world and a divided country. This presidential election has shown us just how much. It is heartbreaking on so many levels. We don’t know what will happen on Tuesday or Wednesday and the days that follow. No matter what the results reveal we must remember that Jesus hated no one and sought to bring healing and hope to all he encountered. How will we do the same?
We must love. We must love-through it all. Perhaps then we will be close to the Kingdom, the New Jerusalem, and God will truly be at home among us.
May it be so. Amen
Walking with Jesus: Let Me See
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Have you ever walked through your neighborhood with someone who has never been there before? If not, try it sometime. It’s eye opening as to what a new person will notice about your street that you just don’t pay attention to anymore.
Perhaps that’s a bit like how the crowd felt when Jesus stopped and responded to Bartimaeus in today’s text (Mark 10:46-52). Had the crowd gotten so used to Bartimaeus’ shouting that they’d neglected to actually pay attention to what he was saying? How many times had he called out for mercy, only to be ignored? Now, maybe that’s not fair because there are times people choose to not pay attention because they feel helpless and noticing would require them to do something.
How much like the crowd are we? How much like Bartimaeus are we? And perhaps we are a combination of the two? Some of us might be struggling to see and feel seen, hear and be heard, know and feel known. This text can talk to each of us wherever we find ourselves today.
The story of Blind Bartimaeus acts as a bookend in Mark’s gospel. It closes out a long section that began back in chapter eight, when Jesus healed another blind man. And here we are in Chapter 10 where we’ve been walking with Jesus this month. The itinerary Jesus and his disciples have been following, as they travel from Galilee to Jerusalem, has been quite eventful.
They start off on this 85-mile hike, stopping outside Capernaum long enough for Jesus to teach about divorce and welcome the children who come to him. But they are soon on the road again, when they run into the rich young ruler, and Jesus tells them how difficult it will be for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of heaven.
As if that weren’t upsetting enough to his disciples, Jesus goes on to explain – for the third time since that first blind man was healed – how he will be arrested, beaten, and killed, once they get to Jerusalem. But on toward Jerusalem they go, and along the way, James and John ask a special favor of Jesus – which doesn’t make them very popular with the other disciples – and Jesus takes the opportunity to teach them how those who would be great must become servants of all.
In the span of forty-five verses, we’ve travelled from Capernaum to Jericho, just 15 miles from Jerusalem. This is where we finally meet the blind son of Timaeus, begging beside the road.
This healing story can be found in in all 4 gospels. Matthew, Luke, and John mention this healing just like Mark does. However, there is one big difference: the man remains anonymous in Matthew, Luke and John. In Mark, he has a name: Bartimaeus. Here are a few other important facts:
This is the last healing Jesus performs on his way to Jerusalem and the cross.
Bartimaeus address Jesus as ‘Son of David’ and not think much about it. However, ‘Son of David’ is a messianic title. The blind man ironically is the one who sees Jesus for who he is, and he is the only one to profess it publicly. (Peter confessed before, but that was private)
Jesus asks Bartimaeus the same question he has just asked (remember last week?) to James and John: “What do you want me to do for you?” Can you imagine?! Can you imagine Jesus standing in front of you asking what you want him to do for you?
“Let me see again.” Not, solve all my problems, or make bad things go away. Let me see again. Then from there, I’ll follow you. From there, I’ll let your will become my will as I daily search out the path that you would have me walk. Let me see again, so that I can be about the business of opening eyes to who you are and what you have to offer this world that clings to its blindness. Let me see again, so that I can find you whenever I need to. “Let me see again.”
Whether we have 20/20 vision, or need glasses, don’t we all have problems seeing when it comes to matters of faith?
How many of us, I wonder, are just sitting beside the road? Silenced by fear or embarrassment or shame? How would you respond to Jesus’ question? What is it that Jesus needs to heal in you so you can follow along the way? What do you need to hear from God to open yourself to the truth of God’s love? It’s not always easy to give voice to our deepest need. It can be frightening to speak the truth aloud. And even when we do, there are often those ready to shush us and tell us to be quiet.
Yet like Bartimaeus, we are invited to open our eyes to see our neighbors, to see ourselves, to see God’s glory! When we truly open our eyes, we might be surprised by what we see. If we, like Bartimaeus, allow Jesus to open our eyes we may see a path laid out before us that we never considered. We may find ourselves following Jesus all the way to the cross.
Jesus asks all of us, “What do you want me to do for you?” Be careful with your response. It’s a dangerous question. It could just change your life.
We could learn from one who was blind but now sees. He said: Let me see…and nothing was ever the same. Amen
Walking with Jesus: Not to Be Served
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When you listen to scripture being read, or when you read it yourself, does anyone else try to see which character you identify with the most? If so, you might not want to do that practice with today’s text. At least that is how I feel! We probably don’t want to think the idea that we might share some similarities with James and John. They are far from great examples this week.
A few verses before our text, we hear about how Jesus was telling the disciples about his impending death. It just feels icky that after Jesus talks about being killed, that James and John go up to him and say, “Give us the best seats in the house!” They did privately, you notice. Mark says, “When the ten heard this,” they freaked out. So, James and John basically snuck around and asked Jesus this when the others weren’t listening. Who knows, maybe the others wandered off after Jesus talked about going to Jerusalem to die, and James and John seized the moment and cornered Jesus.
They started with, “We want you to do whatever we ask.” Are you kidding? Can you imagine asking someone this question (out loud!)?
This is just an ugly moment for two members of the inner circle of disciples. Right? I mean none of us wants to admit that we, too, might be seeking popularity and power but perhaps we do. Maybe we are more similar to the disciples in this moment than we wish we were.
Here at church there are some of us searching for our place with determination and enthusiasm that may (or may not!) be a little misguided or misplaced. Some of us are waiting on the sidelines, longing for someone to invite them to step into their role and find their place in the community. There might even be some conflict simmering under the surface as people misunderstand and misinterpret one another. This is what happens sometimes when we humans get together.
What does Jesus do? How does Jesus respond to James and John in this moment? I want to focus on how Jesus responds to this less-than-stellar moment for the two disciples. With incredible patience, he explains to them what’s involved here. “You don’t know what you’re asking,” he says to them. Weren’t you listening? Well, apparently, they were, they nod their heads with enthusiasm and say, ”Yep, we can do it!” “Are you able,” he asks. “Yes, we are able,” Here’s the amazing bit. Jesus agrees with them. Whether he means the inevitability of persecution that will fall on them all, or he sees something of significance in the two of them who will be part of a movement that changes the world, it is hard to say in this moment. But Jesus treats them with more kindness than most of us would have in this moment.
And then when the incident blows up into the rest of the group, Jesus calms everyone down with a teachable moment on what it means to lead. He says we can look around and see all kinds of authority, many ways of using power. But that’s not how we function. That’s not the model we follow. Instead, I’m showing you what it means to exercise ultimate power. We do it by setting ourselves aside. We do it by serving. It is not a means of getting to the top, of achieving a personal goal. Instead, it is a way of being. Service is a way of living.
Today, we have 8 new people joining the church as and we heard earlier in the service they are promising (and we remember our promises) to support the church with our Prayers, Presence, Gifts, SERVICE, and Witness. Did you hear it? SERVE. And we recommitted ourselves that those very same things as members of this church.
Friends, along this walk with Jesus we are all searching for a place to belong. So, where do start? How do we do this?
Jesus, as usual, gives us a good place to start. We serve. We realign ourselves toward service with one another, our community, and our world—Service in partnership with one another and God, service that values one another and the gifts we bring, service that is sustainable through the ebbs and flows of our lives because we do it together.
I am continually amazed at the opportunities God has given us to serve our community and world!
Whether it is through our Sunday Dinner Ministry—serving up over 80 meals to those in need on our given week.
Or whether it is serving with the Beyond These Walls team as minister neighbors at Sanctuary House or Francis Center.
Or whether you serve at Learning Links helping to tutor kids or spend a Saturday working on a Habitat House.
Or whether you serve alongside another Church/ministry such as Asbury Outreach Center give your time to a local school.
Or whether you’re singing with a choir to bring to the love of God to those in nursing homes—like our Joyful Noise Choir did this week.
Or maybe it will be working with/helping refugees in our area. The opportunities are endless.
Fairport UMC, Jesus’ words are meant to be life-giving to us. We each have so much to share. We bring incredible gifts to the world. It’s not about who is best—who does it better—who does it more. It is about using what we have and sharing it with the world-TOGETHER.
On this leg of the journey with Jesus, let’s take time to pray and celebrate the ways God is already at work and will continue to work among us! Today I thank God for James and John who help Jesus make his point. Perhaps we shouldn’t be too hard on them. We need a few good bad examples, some might say. Or maybe our example should be the one who didn’t come to serve but who gave his life so that we might have life. Amen