Jesus the Light

John 1.1-4, 14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Word was made flesh. A mystery – something beyond human understanding. Something so wonderful, we celebrate this mysterious reality every year, every day

The stories of old written in the Bible and repeated each year that we listen to and sing have led us to this moment. Oh and we’re not done yet. The story never ends. The songs never end. New ways to tell the story keep coming; new songs keep being written.

Why, because in each generation our stories remain the same. They are about people who lived and died. People who made a home for themselves, worked, laughed and cried. People who lived the best they could with what they had. People who so often have never really understood the God who says, I love you: I am your God; you are my people

So through the prophets, God had been sending love letters. Some of warm words, some sharp.             Some to encourage and some to correct. Because the author of those letters, the Word himself, Jesus, before he was born, knew that we can love only because he first loves us. That’s what love does: true love transforms.

The trouble with all these love letters is that the people needed to see the author. They needed to see the eyes and hear the voice. They needed to believe that God actually understood what it meant to live in the world we know.

So Jesus made his dwelling among us – the word is the same as the old testament word tabernacle – the meeting place for worship. To show us that he cares; he entered our reality so that we may enter his. The reality where community, love, holiness belonging are real.         To show us that he knows. He knows what it’s like to be misunderstood. To not get along with his siblings. To be judged unfairly. To be accused of having the wrong friends. To get sick, to die young. To show us that whatever we may face, he has too.

All this so that we can trust him more fully and take him at his word.  ^{John 16.33} “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

That’s why we celebrate Christmas every year and Easter every Sunday.              Jesus dwells among us still

Take him at his word, will you? He is our God and we are his people, In the name of the Father, Son and Spirit, Amen!

Tidings Of Great Joy?

Christmas is upon us – again! As if we’d miss it or get bored by it. Although, this year our church community has approached Christmas in a way like never before. We’ve had a number of difficult events in the congregation over the past few weeks, including two sudden and unexpected deaths here in Ponoka and one in the Netherlands.

It’s certainly made it harder to prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Every year we’re challenged by keeping spending and excess under control, aren’t we? Not to mention the non-stop slappy-happy commercialism complete with annoying commercials on TV. Conflicting with the fact that many parents can’t afford what their children apparently must have. Families are often pushed to provide a simple gift and a good meal. Food banks are run ragged right about now. But for our community the point of Christmas has been harder to keep in focus.

In services we always talk about peace, love, hope and joy; often I wonder what those simple words mean. It’s easy to confuse joy with happiness and hope with getting what I want. Love with warm feelings and peace with the relief that comes after the holiday with its extra services is over. Not this year, this year we’re remembering that all these gifts come from outside into willing hearts. What I mean is that we can’t just manufacture them. They must be received so that hearts can become willing to accept joy as a deeper experience that often appears without happiness, or hope that gives strength to keep walking even when death strikes close to home. Or love that comes by way of a text or email, like: I’m praying for you. Or peace appearing when there seems to be nothing but chaos all around; it’s like being in the eye of the hurricane.

This year we’re coming to realize in a profoundly new way that God is good when times are good and when times are hard. The Bible often refers to times of suffering and disaster and the like as darkness. And the Bible also offers an important word to help us keep things in perspective: “In Jesus is life, and that life is the light of men and women. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1.4-5) Or as St Francis said: “all the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”

Approaching Christmas this year has been learning to hold on even tighter to that candle, the single candle who is the babe of Bethlehem, King, Lord and victor over death and the grave.

I don’t know which of Christ’s gifts you need this year. Whichever: Hope, joy, love or peace are available. Find a Christmas service, hear the whole story and be encouraged. No matter what this truly is the season for tidings of comfort and joy!

Spirituality Promised?

Today is our last Sunday before Christmas.

Over the past weeks we’ve been working through the way Jesus’ coming changed the world.

 In Jesus the ways of the world are just a bad option. He exposed he Roman Empire – politics and the economy – for what it is: a hollow pursuit that brings no peace.

In Jesus the light of God’s glory shines on Creation exposing what cannot live in the light – pornography, cruelty and spoiled nature – exposing it for what it is: a hollow pursuit of pleasure that brings no joy.

In Jesus the ways of excluding people based on race, status, good behaviour or gender are overturned, exposing those for what they are: hollow attempts at enforcing injustice that brings no love.

Today will be more of the same. We want to find out how Jesus brings truth and purity to our spirits. Many in the world today are looking for spiritual truth. Spirituality is the new trend. Talk show hosts talk about it, new religions and philosophies are promoted. Most say that all we need is love, but they don’t define it. Instead they offer a spirituality of self-love and self-improvement that cannot work simply because it depends on the weak to somehow become strong through will power and effort. This too is hollow and offers no real hope. Failures just keep on piling up under the debris of good intentions and dark secrets.

 Let’s read a story of how real hope is birthed, how true spirituality is born.

Luke 1.26-38

²⁶In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. ³¹You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

A simple story. Again imagine it with me. A 13 or 14 year old woman has a vision, a conversation with an angelic being. He calls her favoured, the Lord is with you. Those are not traditional greetings; kings don’t get them, let alone someone without social status. Then Gabriel tells Mary that she will experience what Moses did. The cloud of God’s presence will descend and cover her like thick fog. And somehow Divine power would cause her to conceive – the regular God given laws of nature would be suspended. Just as through Moses God birthed the nation of Israel, through Mary God will send his Son. That’s been his promise and God’s word never fails.

Have you ever, like I have wondered how she got pregnant? Many today in and outside of the church say that what we just read is a nice story invented to cover up the scandal of Joseph being a bit eager and Mary a bit easy. If that was true then why does the bible bluntly tell us of all the sexual misconduct of God’s people from Abraham to David and only cover up this one instance? Others think that maybe God appeared, just like he did with Abraham and in human form impregnated Mary. If that was true then the Bible lies – God is Spirit, says John, not flesh. This option is just a way of turning the Almighty into Zeus or some other false god of the Greeks or Romans. And of course there is the scientific opinion; after all we know that for a woman to get pregnant, the seed must be deposited.

The debates continue, but they miss the point entirely.

Mary’s encounter with God’s presence is a mystery. Commonly we think of mystery as a solvable problem and that’s too often - from Genesis to Revelation – the way so many people try to approach the Bible. A method that will fail, by the way. True there are things in Creation that we can explore and examine. Science is God’s gift, but there are also things by God’s will that remain hidden. This is what I mean by mystery unknowable events; Jesus’ conception cannot be examines and solved because it is the deepest spiritual happening that has ever has been. God overshadowing humanity to become humanity.

In this encounter with Gabriel God speaks to Mary and in the exchange we hear her decision. We hear what kind of spirituality she has chosen. Mary responds to her Lord with submission and devotion. Sure she asks how it could happen – biologically speaking, but she asks in faith and accepts the word of God in faith.

In that moment more than a baby is conceived in her, birthed in her. In that moment she meets her Lord face to face. In that moment her life is changed forever. The self-righteous judgment of her community will not defeat her; the confusion of raising such a son will not overwhelm her; the pain of standing at the foot of the cross watching him die will not overwhelm her.

God has birthed more in her than His Son. He has birthed in her a life of devotion, faith and trust. God births hope in willing hearts. Hope powerful enough to see her through whatever life may bring.

What is being birthed in you?

God’s promise in baptism is to call, invite and birth spiritual life.  Profession of faith is acceptance of that call. Embracing the giver of hope to say, ³⁸“I am the Lord’s servant.” “May it be to me according to your word.”

Mary, it seems had a choice. Interestingly her name can mean either Bitterness in rebellion; or celebrated. By grace she accepted and lived into the second one: celebrated, favoured. How many painfully embrace bitterness in rebellion?

Advent is a time to look inside and see if there is a hollow space longing to be filled. Much of Jesus’ ministry is to call those who are hollow inside, those who do their best to present a good image to become honest and open to receive the hope they need.

Have you received that hope, do you want it? What is being birthed in you?

No matter who you are or what you’ve done, God’s spirit overshadows the willing. God’s spirit births a new woman, a new man, who will know hope as well as joy, peace and love.

What have you been hungry for this Advent? What encouragement will help you accept the mystery of Christ and live into it?

From Loneliness to Love?

Good morning as we continue in the season of Advent, we’ll read two passages. The first is Isaiah 35. The promise of God to restore and redeem discouraged people. Jerusalem has been destroyed and the exiles are in mourning. They aren’t particularly hopeful at the moment. In fact they are feeling alone, rejected and confused. Where is God, why did he let this happen to us?  Isaiah 35 answers those questions and more.

And we’ll also read three verses from Luke 2 – our text. Here we find the ultimate answer to loneliness.

Old Testament Scripture : Isaiah 35

The desert and the parched land will be glad;

the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.

Like the crocus, ² it will burst into bloom;

it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.

The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,

the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;

they will see the glory of the Lord,

the splendor of our God.

³     Strengthen the feeble hands,

steady the knees that give way;

⁴     say to those with fearful hearts,

“Be strong, do not fear;

your God will come,

he will come with vengeance;

with divine retribution

he will come to save you.”

⁵     Then will the eyes of the blind be opened

and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

⁶     Then will the lame leap like a deer,

and the mute tongue shout for joy.

Water will gush forth in the wilderness

and streams in the desert.

⁷     The burning sand will become a pool,

the thirsty ground bubbling springs.

In the haunts where jackals once lay,

grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

⁸     And a highway will be there;

it will be called the Way of Holiness.

The unclean will not journey on it;

it will be for those who walk in that Way;

wicked fools will not go about on it.

⁹     No lion will be there,

nor will any ferocious beast get up on it;

they will not be found there.

But only the redeemed will walk there,

¹⁰       and the ransomed of the Lord will return.

They will enter Zion with singing;

everlasting joy will crown their heads.

Gladness and joy will overtake them,

and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Text : Luke 2:8-11

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

One of the issues that Israel had to deal with in their history was learning to trust God. Another was learning to understand God’s promises. I dare say not much has changed. The Lord established his people back in Exodus. They took that as privilege and to some degree they were right. But as with most things privilege comes with a price. The price was and still is to be God’s ambassadors in the world; to be a unique group visibly dedicated to God and living in the way of holiness. This of course takes trust and God’s people failed by trusting political power and wealth - other gods. They also misunderstood God’s promise when it came to social relationships. God’s laws all pointed toward a national family where everyone had a place at the table. A community where wealth, intelligence and status didn’t define one person as better than or as worse than someone else. Just like in our congregations, the offices of Elder, Deacon and Pastor are the same in importance, they differ only in role. Elders are not better than Deacons, and so on.

Anyway, for these reasons Israel has trouble and loses their nation. But God’s promise in Isaiah 35 hold firm and the exiles return about 70 years later; they restart the kingdom and by the time we read the happenings of Luke two. Little has changed. God’s people are still divided into the nice, the good, the powerful and the lower classes. God’s people still hasn’t grasped their role as God representatives on earth. The insiders are in control and the outsiders are not. There are places at the table for only a few.

So, God sends the Christmas angels to shepherds, of all people. As we said last week, this was a group of second class citizens, for sure. In spite of being sons of Abraham, they had few rights, were considered untrustworthy and could not be witnesses in court. All violations of the very laws that Moses gave and the Pharisees enforced. They along with “the Jews” a term often used to describe the lower class or at least the regular people, represent the vast majority of humanity that works and lives on the edges of society. The very young and the very old, the homeless and welfare recipients, the mentally ill and mentally challenged, the addicts and prostitutes, anyone who doesn’t fit in nice society, anyone who doesn’t have wealth, power or the right connections.

They also represent the lonely part of ourselves, the part of us that yearns to belong. The part that wonders if we’re good enough or smart enough or have hidden our faults well enough. The part of ourselves that wonders if people will accept or at least forgive us especially when our sins have become public.

Can you relate; does that part live in you?

Loneliness and insecurity are still a problem. What’s been learned, embraced since Jesus came? Sadly, those who should know community best are so often the ones who refuse doing what’s necessary for community to happen. Why do churches struggle with unity? Why do so many people move from congregation to congregation – looking for what? Why are there so many believers in the world who have given up on the church or membership in the church? Why do our neighbours so often reject the church as a place to find belonging?

So instead of announcing the best news of all –Christ’s birth – to the rich and powerful, God’s announcement comes to the outsider, the lonely, the misfit. And that’s a beautiful thing. In wisdom, God knows that his message cannot be easily received by the proud, by those who think they have their lives all together. The message of new life in Christ so often finds fertile soil in the hearts of the humble, by those who know their lives are a mess, by the young who trust easily and with a purity that brings tears to my eyes. Tears because pride is an easy place to hide, isn’t it? So when a child says they love Jesus, or explains how they understand some spiritual truth. I realize that more education is not the answer. Sitting at the master’s feet is.

The story of Mary and Martha teach us this wonderfully. Martha has to get things organized and keep busy. Mary just wants to listen to Jesus, hear his words, but more than that, absorb them; have them become her inner motivation. And that, possibly more than anything else is the way of holiness that Isaiah describes and the angels announce.

I grant the way of Holiness can be many things, but the core of it is to walk with Christ in the Spirit to the Father’s glory. Using terms like father and son tell us immediately that in God’s reality close relationships between believers is not only possible, but normal. The Spirit who also communes with the father and son is the power, the breath, the life of communion that brings and keeps people together. We are one Body of Christ – every believer that has ever or will ever live. The Apostle Paul says that, “After all, people have never hated their own bodies, but they feed and care for them, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body (Eph 5:29–30).

And yet within that Body, name calling and self-righteousness often looks like one hand cutting off a finger on the other, while the rest of the body looks on. As if people who are different in perspective or maturity are necessarily wrong; as if those who sin are unworthy of forgiveness and not welcome or needed anymore. How could that be since God has welcomed and accepted all who confess their need of him?

The way of holiness is often understood as a way of perfection: doctrinal purity, moral purity and behavioral purity are good goals, but how we decide what perfection looks like is often misguided and how believers deliver judgments is so often painful and just plain wrong.

It’s amazing that believers judge outside appearances so easily and confidently. It’s amazing how easily the worst is believed of another child of God without a direct conversation. It’s amazing how easily gossip and misunderstandings are so often left uncomforted.

After a year here, it seems clear to me that there is relational brokenness in our church. Not everyone here likes or respects everyone else. Some of you have questions about other’s commitments to the way of Jesus – to holiness. Isn’t the underlying theme self-righteous uninformed judgment.

Don’t be shocked or alarmed; this is a normal church. There is no perfect church and if you come across one that looks perfect, then you’ve just found a really talented group of actors living in denial.

There is an alternative to all of that. What if we engaged the way of holiness like the shepherds did, like Mary did? What if each of us committed to sitting at Jesus’ feet to hear his voice of love for ourselves? What is we dealt with our insecurities and loneliness and doubts together; learned to trust each other and developed deep bonds of fellowship that would be a magnet to anyone who is searching for an answer to life’s deep issues?

What if we decided to spend time with those we know and those we don’t? What if we approached those we have uncertainty about and asked in humble love to hear the cries of their heart? What is we treated others as better, holier than ourselves and found out what their motives and concerns are? What if we prayed for those who we have issues with?

What if we made it a point to suspend judgment and listen?

Is it just possible that loneliness would diminish and community grow? Genuine community, the kind of community Jesus came and died to give?

Isn’t it just possible that just as the shepherds found their place in God’s heart and were restored into God’s people, so too would many, many more?

Comfort?

Last Sunday we held a gathering to acknowledge that for many people times like Christmas can be difficult. Loved ones have moved or have left us. By New Year’s Eve, we’ve all had a birthday goals, dreams or plans for change can seem further away than ever. The days are dark and for some of us, a weariness takes hold.

So, in some ways Advent is exactly what we need. The light has come, joy is possible – it’s just that at a time like this, some wonder if it’s true. At some level, I wonder if most people feel this way at times. We live in tension.

For the past year I’ve been battling conflicting emotions. This year is our first away from BC during Christmas. It’s been a year since our home is in Ponoka and that meant leaving much behind. I’ve hesitated to speak this honestly about it until now for a couple of reasons. One is probably a bit of denial.

God wanted us here and made that plain. We’ve been warmly received and have a new beginning.  The denial is in leaving BC, our family, and not grieving the separation honestly. The second reason is connected to the first. It has to do with fear. The fear of giving the wrong impression – that we’re itching to return to BC. The fear that if we don’t invest in Sonrise, then the people of Sonrise won’t invest in us.

So, I’ll say it plainly, moving here has brought joy. But moving here has also involved loss. And I know that I am not the only one who has experienced loss this year. For some it was the passing of a father, a friend, a husband, sister, aunt or brother. For some it’s been the loss of a close friendship. For others the loss of a dream, opportunity or job. For some it’s been the loss of health.

Loss it seems is quite common. And in strange ways overshadows the joys we also experience. Because many of us having experienced a loss also experienced the joy of new life, births, relationships, healing and goals achieved.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel guilty about that conflict.

I believe that joy and grief both teach us        something and we need to explore both. We are called to live in the tension.

God knows this and gave words to a prophet long ago. Isaiah lived during periods of great joy and grief. He served four kings – three were good and one evil. He saw spiritual renewal and the destruction of Jerusalem because of sin. He knew joy and grief. He knew the overwhelming sorrow of painful loss.

So he spoke a word by the power of the Spirit: Comfort, comfort my people, says your God (Isaiah 40.1). I wonder how those people felt. Did God’s promise sound like wishful thinking? Were they wondering why, why did you let this happen, why did you do this to us? I suspect so and I suspect those who grieve       losses routinely think the same things.

Why not? God is king and nothing happens without his direct action or permission. And while God does explain why disaster came upon the whole nation, God remains silent as to why individuals have to suffered so.

Instead of answering God speaks the word we need to hear. Comfort, comfort, my people, says your God. With a deeply emotional groan of compassion and concern, God repeats the word comfort to emphasize his commitment to those he loves.

Comfort, comfort, says your God. The same word as in Psalm 23: Your rod and your staff comfort me. A profession of faith; your strength, wisdom and love bring me through the dark places.

I understand death as a natural conclusion to life – particularly when the man or woman        is in their eighties or nineties. I also understand people’s inability to love each other and accept each other easily; I have the same problem.

What I’m at a loss to explain is the death of the young, cruelty and inhumanity that causes so much pain and loneliness. I struggle with the reality of mental illness that imprisons young and old alike.

Don’t you?

Yet God’s response to these and every grief is the same –Comfort: let me comfort you, says the Lord. For the Father says: I know all about it: I too lost a son. I feel it too when you hurt and feel alone, discouraged and depressed. Never forget, I am with you;    I will never leave you. Be mad at me if that helps. Yell, cry, get it out, but please then, let us in quiet be quiet together.

God says we never walk alone.

I believe that because I believe God has done what he’s promised. The voice has called out from the wilderness The glory of the Lord was revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

On a Bethlehem night, God’s glory shone offering joy. On a Jerusalem morning   God’s glory was snuffed out, only to re-emerge filling the world. Each year the Advent message is the same: come, see the glory for yourself.

Come and dare to believe that the comforter is here.

What About Art And Angels?

Today’s message will be supported by visual art. For some of us, that will be a stretch and for others a welcome change. Our tradition struggles with the use of visual arts in worship. In the break with the Roman Church, one of the issues was that artistic images became objects of worship; instead of pointing worshippers to God, the picture or sculpture became God. A limited, controllable miniature replacement for God and that we will avoid.

Because art and artistic representations of Creation are a great gift. God has given two books of revelation. Scripture and Creation both teach us who God is and point to His glory and power.

So today, I invite you to see the world as it is and as it was and will be. Long ago the world along with Humanity fell into sin and spiritual darkness covered the land. Creation became a thing to use and abuse. And that included everything from slavery and prostitution to dog fighting and trophy hunting. The Gospel says that Jesus’ arrival was as light coming into the world. Light that exposes evil deeds done in shadow. Light that helps people see the beauty of Creation clearly. It should come to no surprise then that Jesus is born at night to the most extravagant fireworks display ever seen by so few.

As we read the familiar words of Luke 2 imagine the scene:

2              In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to his own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴             “Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

A dry land, dusty roads, the brightest coloured clothing Imperial red scarves around the throats of Centurions. Everyone else dressed in greys and browns walking about brick or mud buildings – even the Temple subdued.

A dim stable where the king spent the night. Yellow straw, old wood, stone cast in shadow – And it’s night, even with the stars, dark; colours drained away to black and white. A quiet fire? The sound of animals and conversation? We don’t know. What we do know is suddenly an angel appears.

What did that look like?

Glory shone.

Angles appeared – a great many of them.

And what was that like?

Artists have tried to express such beauty for centuries.

Do angles look like this . . . . .

The truth is that we just don’t know. We do know that angels can take human form. The stories of Abraham, Daniel and Mary confirm it. We know that angels are warriors, servants and messengers. We know that angels shine glory – Gods glory all around. And that glory, brightness, clarity, purity is attractive. The truth is in plain sight and accepted; the world is revealed for what it is. And the glory within the human heart that we call being made in God’s image responds.

Human beings long for glory, the glory of God; we long for beauty.

Why else do we paint and carve and build and cultivate? Why else to we have museums and art galleries artists clubs and car shows? In Exodus a third of the book is devoted to fine art and craftsmanship commissioned by God for the building of the Tabernacle. Why? Could it be that it is in beauty that God is most at home and invites us to meet him there?

I wonder why it is that so many of us decorate for Christmas. As a child, we had little money, so my parents were wise to save for times of need and important events. As a young boy I remember getting the tree and decorating it with lights and fragile glass balls and ornaments. They sparkled and reflected the light. We would put that silver thread called icicles on and the whole thing would shimmer. I’d squint and see nothing but lights. Christmas Eve would come and food I’d see but once a year appeared in abundance. Croquette, smoked eel, chocolate, gouda cheese, mandarin oranges and Christmas cookies. Set on a festive table. It was beautiful. The plain became grand; the ordinary became amazing.

And at the centre was a family tradition that my oldest sister organized with courage: the family Christmas concert. There were 8 of us and we’re all musical in some fashion. So we sang and played and prayed. I believe God met us there in the beauty., just as he met us throughout the year in the ordinary.

The point I’m making is that in those moments of beauty we received a gift, a boost to carry us through the ordinary times and the dark times.

I believe the longing for beauty lives in all people, but of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For some beauty is in creating and constructing, for others it’s in nature and tending the garden. And when we meet God in beauty, all is as it should be; people find wholeness there, worth and purpose. They find joy.

True, many don’t understand this and their search for beauty gets confused. Body image and bust size, building, buying, accumulating and achieving the gifts and goals get twisted. We live in a time and culture that has too much to appreciate much of it for any period of time. Many Canadians are drowning in abundance. There is so much, but as Christmas shopping is telling us, there is a drive for more. More of what?

People can be surrounded by wonder and fail to see it. I teach at Ponoka Elementary on Thursdays. This week I was teaching on the dysfunction of Isaac and Rebecca’s family. I was telling the children how Jacob and Rebecca trick Isaac and then asked what that could do to them. A boy right in front of me shot his hand up and said, they’d get a divorce. I was stunned. And then three more hands slowly rose as each child in turn told me that their parents were divorced and what it was like for them. One little girl talked about how hard it was to see her mom because she lived in BC now. I didn’t know what to say. My heart was broken for these children.

Too young for such pain and yet so common. The wonder of God’s design smashed, but not beyond repair. In so many stories like these and the ones we read in scripture and the ones we are living today. There is much suffering, brokenness and disappointment. Is anyone here willing to say they’ve never suffered? And yet isn’t that often what fuels our search for beauty and wholeness?

I wonder what those shepherds so long ago were searching for. They say that shepherds were an outcast group in ancient Israel. Funny because so many heroes of Israel were shepherds: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David to name a few. Maybe this was another thing twisted. Maybe it came from the city folk who just didn’t like the smells and sounds. It doesn’t matter why, but it does illustrate an important theme in the story. God sends angels to tell regular working folk that the Promise has come. God sends his Glory to show that there is beauty and wonder and wholeness in the regular things of life. A baby being born, a humble home, honest work, family life all display the vibrant colours of God because of Jesus. Can we see it?

I watched a talk show the other day and a family received a trip to Disneyland. Because they deserved it. Deserved it? If we need Disneyland to see beauty and to know joy, then it’s an idol.

Jesus not Disney meets the quest for beauty in everyday things. In Jesus, how people see the world change. In Jesus, the senses we are born with explode with truer meaning and purpose. The world as we know it becomes rich and beauty emerges as God’s great gift that it is.

                Colours come alive

                Food has more flavour

                Sounds are richer

                Smells are deeper

                Textures have more texture, soft or hard, smooth or rough

Work has new meaning. Life has more joy because the dreariness and dullness are redeemed. The regular duties of the day become opportunities to celebrate. How else is it that so often those with so little know such joy when those with so much are often still so unhappy?

In the world as we know it, those who are in Christ get it. They see the lure and reject it for true beauty because they can see where the pockets of darkness yet remain. Places to avoid and places to confront. Places to share the good news; places to tell grade four students that their pain is real and won’t be forgotten.

Maybe the message for us today is that God’s beauty could be celebrated more often. Maybe it would be good for us to sit in front of a painting or to look out the window over the land for the sheer joy of its beauty. Or to listen to a song, a CD, a symphony – to just sit and listen, picking out each sound, instrument or word.  Just to be reminded of beauty and the God who blesses it.

For a sample there is a song posted on U-Tube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfODZKGxufE

 The theme is light coming into darkness; God keeping his promise. The picture all connect in some way to the story of God’s people. The artist is Michael Card, The Promise. Take some time to reflect in an artistic way the wonder of Jesus who brings light and beauty.

JUSTICE, THE POLITICAL ECONOMY, AND CAESAR

Today I'm starting a series of messages looking toward Christmas. And the theme of those services is “A Universe of Promise.” God made promises to his people all through history. Promises to be their God and to walk faithfully with them through whatever circumstances they were in. Those promises are still being kept.

As a part of these services we’ve invited different members of our church to share stories of how God is at work in our world. The first conversation we’ll share is with Izak VanderWesthuizen.  As a town councilor he has a particular challenge to discern God’s call in the Town Council and how to resist the ways of worldly politics while living as a disciple of Jesus.

• Question: As a believer, what difficulties have you experienced in your role of Councillor?
• Answer: Politicians often make promises they cannot keep and this is always a challenge.

• Question: Have you seen God at work or thwarted in the workings of the Council?
• Answer: In the new strategic plan for the Town, we are committed to transparency, I want my family to see me living with integrity and honesty.
• 
  
• Question: What can the church community do to assist you in your calling?
• Answer: In order to maintain balance in life and to do a good job I request the prayers of my church community.

Prayer

Let’s take those thoughts and hold them close as we read today’s scripture.

Luke 2.1-2

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to his own town to register.

Isaiah 61.1-4

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,

because the Lord has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners,

²  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,

³  and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

⁴ They will rebuild the ancient ruins

and restore the places long devastated;

they will renew the ruined cities

that have been devastated for generations.

We are celebrating Advent again. When did this official season take shape and the rituals of candle lighting begin? A lot longer back in history than many may realise. Long before Christ came. Long before. In fact the longing for Messiah – that’s the Hebrew word for Christ – started in the Garden. The promise that Eve’s son would crush Satan, a promise held onto tightly by God’s people ever since. A promise Isaiah wrote about – he and many others wrote about Messiah’s coming. They wrote about what the world would look like after he came.

And what a world it was that Jesus came into.

Rome was in power. A long struggle within and without forged an Empire. Arguably the longest running and most politically stable of all time.

At Jesus birth most of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa enjoyed the Peace of Rome. The administration system was ordered and incredibly efficient. Communication systems via road and sea brought news incredibly fast throughout the empire. Rome’s armies were the best trained, equipped and disciplined. Rome ruled the world either by direct control or through political influence. Slowly on the military became so powerful that politicians feared and obeyed them.

The economy was based on a gold standard and the decisions that affected life for the many were controlled by the few. The military elite and politicians lived off of favours and tax exemption. The middle class worked hard, but couldn’t get ahead, the poor generally became poorer. Small family farms were squeezed out by large operations run by the wealthy. Others lost their employment as the empire expanded and jobs were relocated to new lands where people worked as slaves. So the government accepted them into the cities, gave them welfare in the form of bread and put on games to keep them occupied; to distract them from the misery they had no escape from. Homelessness was common.

And the justice system. It was established on the basis of equality and justice for all, but the truth was that the powerful could evade justice and the poor could not. Might was right; it was a culture that dealt out harsh penalties but unevenly. Only the rich could afford the best justice; certainly the middle class and poor were victimized more often than helped in the courts.

And it was a culture that tried its best to promote the family through religion. It featured domineering male leadership, limited rights for women, no rights for children or slaves. All based on the unpredictable and violent  gods of Rome.

The Roman Peace - Pax Romana - became the model for human achievement. Values like stability, order, social peace; and a harmonious multicultural society have dominated the western world since then.

Doesn’t most of Europe and North America have the same goals and use the same methods? Haven’t we seen repeated social rebellions like the Occupy movement over and over throughout history? Dare we ask why are the economies of the world shaken? Why is military activity on the rise? Why do mega corporations control so much at the expense of the family farm and business? Why are people rebelling against broken justice systems? Why, because empires will fall including the one we have here in North America. It is only a matter of time.

The ultimate symbol of peace in Rome was the Peace Altar. It still exists. Peace at human cost; altars are for making sacrifices after all; peace defined by the winner. Is that the kind of peace Jesus came to bring?

The Legacy of Rome is alive and well today. Jesus walked into that situation and so do we. So how did he deal with it?

The bible tells us that Jesus appears with a counter-cultural message.

For the most part he ignored the Empire. Once questioned he said, give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s. In that way Jesus is saying, sure the Empire exists; we need government in one form or another. So pay your taxes and follow the law up until it conflicts with God’s law. Nothing more, nothing less.

On another occasion he healed a Centurion’s daughter. For the super religious Jew that would be a betrayal to all Israel. But he did it to show a picture of the Kingdom of God appearing. In Christ there is no Jew and Gentile, all are one.

And on yet another occasion he met with a young man who wanted to justify his religious life-style. And Jesus tells him to sell all he has and give to the poor. The man went away sad because he was very wealthy. His money was his idol – first priority. He become a reflection of it and discovered that his self-worth was bound up in status, wealth and accomplishments. And he didn’t want to change.

In all of these encounters Jesus remains committed to his message. There is new life in me. Take note everyone, those devoted to empire will do what the empire does; those who are in Christ do not have to do them as well.

Jesus knows that all people will struggle with the movement toward empire in at least three ways.

1.       To try and get ahead, or to grow the business or to achieve power, but in the process lose their soul. To lose what matters more. Do we ask often enough, what’s it all for?

2.       Or to become hardened toward those who have less, or who are different by gender, race or intelligence and to thereby miss the reality that grace is for all people regardless of whether they come to Christ or not.

3.       Jesus knows we struggle with his simple message. Give to God what is God’s - true obedience; living by faith and not by the goals of empire.

Soon after his death a historian wrote:

Josephus antiquities 18.63-64

63) Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works—a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure.The tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.

If it be lawful to call him a man. Interesting comment; from day one Jesus is recognized as being more than a man. The tribe of Christians is alive today because he is God. And the tribe must take Jesus seriously.

Jesus the Messiah is the one anointed and empowered to bring justice and righteousness on earth. It is his message that remains; humanity is invited into a new reality where the broken hearted are healed, where those who mourn their own sin and the state of the Church will hear comfort; they will be comforted! Where those who accept messiah receive the eternally fruitful righteousness of God. And such lives can do nothing but demonstrate the beauty of God.

Such lives continue to subvert the Empire and show it to be the foolishness it is. Such lives bring true peace. Such lives need to be nurtured and fed. Nurtured by God’s word as we reflect on scripture and the ways of God’s kingdom; nurtured in our children by the example of our lives. Fed by the Spirit through prayer, worship and celebration at the Table.

Do you wish to be nurtured and fed to live in empire but not overwhelmed by it? Then come, all is prepared for you.

So what is baptism for?

Over the past few months, I’ve been challenged to come up with a good reason to baptize infants. In the Reformed /Presbyterian/Lutheran/Anglican/Catholic traditions we do this regularly and many wonder why. Because as many other believers tell us, it seems odd if not downright wrong. What about personal faith and repentance? What about it indeed?

So along with a mixed group of members from my church we shifted through what the various texts about baptism reveal. Stating with two from the New Testament we discovered that God had ideas about this in the Old Testament period. 1 Peter 4 points to the Flood as a type of baptism just as  1 Corinthians 10 point to the exodus across the Red Sea.

And it seems pretty clear in these two stories that God causes people to be baptized without their prior decision or faith. I find that interesting. I also find it interesting that in the Old Testament, God includes children as a part of his people. The cut of circumcision for boys marks them as God’s own who must respond with faithful living. The girls are included simply because they are daughters, wives and mothers. That may seem chauvinistic, but the upside is that this is a pain –free inclusion without incision.

So on we went into the New Testament. Jesus’ baptism, we discovered, has little to do with anyone else’s. Jesus identifies with humanity, but he never had a faith or sin problem. Everyone else we read about gets baptized because, of course, as first generation converts to Christ they would have to be.  And what about their children? The Bible is not silent. As a continuation of God’s way of dealing with people, it seems infants and children are still included by rite. Families are baptized and children declared holy. Jesus blesses little children and after all isn’t that what we remember in their baptism? I find it highly unlikely that the first parents baptized in Jesus’ name would leave their children behind, so to speak. With over a thousand years of life with God and no clear command to leave all that behind, the first generation of Christians would not have shed their Jewish roots; what is new in Christ is the end to the sacrificial system as a means of atonement. That’s it.  God fulfills covenants, he never renders them void. Jesus mentioned the same thing at one point.

In every story we read in both testaments it’s God who acts first. God calls – implants the idea to search him out – and then enables an answer that leads to faith. That’s how it’s always been; God initiates and people respond one way or the other, but in either case they are declared his own until they opt out, if you will, by rejecting God’s love. So on I go and baptize infants; in fact I’d baptize an entire family on the basis of one member coming to faith. Why, because with that one person’s active faith we can declare that God has already called the rest into his people and will not stop inviting a response.

At the end of our discussions there were a couple of conclusions beyond what I’ve already stated. The water does nothing of course; it’s not magical. It points to what God is doing. And, by being baptized, the person has been marked by God to live the life of faith with the help of the Christian community.

That led to a great conversation about how so many believers don’t follow through on the promises they make in their baptism and profession of faith. We are to help each other raise our children and disciple each other in the training and instruction of the Lord. In my experience, we don’t do that nearly as well as we could. And this has led to many misunderstandings about God, baptism, faith and life.

The historic argument against infant baptism has usually sounded much like this. Infants can’t repent; infant shouldn’t be raised think that they are already saved. Faith demands a response and so on. And while I agree that faith demands a response, I disagree that an infant is incapable. God can touch the heart of old and young alike and whether we can see or hear the response in a way that satisfies us reveals a serious problem.

In fact I’ll just say it. The historic argument, it seems to me, rests on the notion that well-meaning believers actually think that faith can be perceived in another clearly and confidently. As if we are the gatekeepers knowing who is or isn’t loved, accepted and born again by God. As if we know where the Spirit works and how. Yes a tree is known by its fruit, but evangelical behavioral standards often get confused with the kind of godliness our Lord is looking for. The problem it seems to me is that too often we think we are in control; we aren’t.

Romans 11.33-36

³³   Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable his judgments,

and his paths beyond tracing out!

³⁴    “Who has known the mind of the Lord?

Or who has been his counselor?”

³⁵    “Who has ever given to God,

that God should repay him?”

³⁶    For from him and through him and to him are all things.

To him be the glory forever! Amen.

What About The Family?

Over the past two weeks we have been working through some challenging material. Sex, marriage and today’s topic, the family, topics that affect all of us in some way whether young or old, single, married or single again. The web of family relationships cannot be escaped. For better or worse we are sexual beings organized into groups and it’s in those groups that we figure out how to become adults, marriage partners, or not and where we get our first introduction to parenting.

And so we begin. I had an interesting experience as I worked through today’s text. I began doing word searches and defining certain words and then I got a random thought.  So I typed into Google two simple words: angry children. And guess what? Out popped the number of hits, that is references, to those two simple words: angry children. Guess how many I got? 288,000,000, that’s right, over a quarter of a billion references.

And as I looked deeper I discovered what many of you know to be true. There are many angry children and youth in the world today, the problem is in fact getting worse and parents are struggling with what to do about it.

Many well-meaning parents just don’t have the tools to parent well. And even if they do have the tools many parents are doing it on their own either because their partners are absent due to work, divorce or death. The truth: parenting is hard work.

So I’ve been wondering about all of that and thought it timely to hear God’s word on family life.

So let’s read a familiar text out of Ephesians 6. We’ll read verses 1-4, which is based in the traditional two parent home. I mention that to assure single parents that there is a message of hope for you as well. This part of the letter is concerned about family relationships based on faith in Christ. In him there is strength to live well.

Ephesians 6.1-4: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”  Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

There are two points to the text. First, children are called to accept their parent’s training and instruction as a sign of respect and obedience.

And second, parents are responsible to create the kind of environment for that to happen.

So let’s first explore the responsibilities of the children. The Spirit is urging that children obey their parents. The text is simple clear and exact. Obey, means to respond to, accept, it comes from the idea of answering the door. And honour:  also means just what it says: give worth to someone, respect. And children, both young and old are told to do so for three reasons, it’s the right thing to do, it is a part of their own devotion and belief in Christ and by doing it children are promised a full and blessed life. And as we look around in the world, children who grow up doing the right thing and honouring those in authority tend to have just such lives.

The truth is that all children are engaged in a battle of wills with their parents from day one. True, some will express it more strongly than others, but all will battle. There is no getting around it; which is why disrespectful children need to be corrected. It may seem cute when a toddler throws food or makes a scene in a public place, but by age 5 it will no longer seem so.

At that point, you may be wondering what ever happened to my little bundle of joy. There is a new diagnosis being made now. It’s called Oppositional Defiance Disorder. And it shows up at about age 5 when after living their early years without boundaries that communicate safety and love, children are angry, rebellious and act out.

We all might as well accept the fact right now; all children, all of us have Oppositional Defiance Disorder. If I demand you all do something right now, some will do it out of respect, some out of fear. Some will refuse quietly and others will tell me to get lost. Isn’t that about how children and youth act when parents try the same thing?

So respect and obedience are expected from children, but there are important limits to this, built right into the text.

Limit 1 – children are asked to obey, but they do not have to obey ungodly demands. Believing children have a unique challenge here to follow Christ first and then the will of their parents.

Limit 2 - The age of the child will change the expression of honour and obey.  The Old Testament taught that to honour went hand in hand with to obey. Honouring or respecting your parents – both mother and father - is the most important way to express obedience. For children living at home, honouring both father and mother is obeying, living by the house rules. While for adult children who have left home honor and obey means to have a respectful attitude toward both father and mother. It does not mean to obey them in everything.

Let’s shift direction to see this from the other side. Parents, when our children leave the home, we have to let them go. They remain our children but out of our control. If all has been well, a bond of respect should allow us to speak into our children’s lives. If this is true they will ask our advice, but make their own decisions. That is as it should be, the result of creating an environment of trust where the words of our text come true.

We’re now into point two: the parent’s responsibility.

Good parenting involves discipline, but it also involves building and maintaining healthy relationships. Fathers set the tone in the home. Fathers are charged to lead the effort with the cooperative support and help of his wife. Together creating a godly, stable and safe environment for the whole family to be nurtured and matured in.

In a perfect world, headship and being a father does not mean being the absolute ruler and supreme commander. Those are terms for the military. Being the head of the home, is more about conversation and partnership whereby the man invites the wife into discussions on how best to follow God’s design for parenting and children. It means getting on and staying on the same page about discipline, instruction and nurture.

Men can and should learn from their wives. We are created differently, with different insights and primary emotions. Husband and wives do well to work it out together as part of their marriage vows – the two becoming one flesh.

And this approach is essential to being a good parent.

The text says: fathers must not exasperate their children. To exasperate is to provoke anger. And this can be done in many ways: by making unreasonable demands, insults, petty rules, showing favoritism being over-critical; having overly ambitious goals for their children, being overindulgent and being overprotective.

And such actions cause children to become discouraged and angry people.

Here are some comments from teens:

·         "I get angry when there are other priorities, no time for me and I feel like I don’t matter."

·         "I get angry when my parents are unfair and there’s no point in talking to them."

·         "I get angry because I love my parents and they act like they hate each other. How am I supposed to respect them when they act like that."

·         "I treat my parents the same way they treat me."

The thing to remember is that anger is always a secondary emotion. Something makes us angry. For example, a teen makes a mistake – drops a bag of groceries. They feel bad about it and then a parent tells them to be more careful or reminds them of the cost, it could be anything like that. Suddenly that teen now feels shame, hurt and anger. They lash out and storm off. What other words could be said by the parent?

The terrible reality is that provoked children become settled in their anger. It becomes their way of life.

So, how can this change?  It seems in at least two ways. First, fathers and mothers ask yourself and your spouse if you exasperate your children. If you’re single you’ll need a friend to help with this. Talk about it and find new ways to correct with encouragement.  Second, observe your children. It’s usually easy to see if a line has been crossed and when it has been talk with them about it. Confess and ask forgiveness; we’re all called to learn from our mistakes.

Today, some families operate as they did in Paul’s time. Children were taught through beating and intimidation. Obedience came through fear. Instead, Paul wants Christian fathers to be gentle, patient educators of their children.

Paul’s concern and ours should be that our children are nurtured and raised to know God and have respect for others. Nurtured means to provide for physical and spiritual needs; in the training of the Lord, means teaching children right from wrong by sharing scripture and personal faith stories; Instruction of the Lord means the act of providing guidance for responsible living in the world.

Ultimately, the concern of parents is not simply that their sons and daughters will be obedient to their authority, but that through this godly training and instruction their children will come to know and obey the Lord himself as responsible citizens in society.

And again a limit: no matter how heartfelt and sincerely godly a parent or parents may be, Ultimately, disobedient children will bear the consequences of their actions, even as wise parents will never stop trying to show the way and receive the wayward child back home.

The message for families today, no matter how you think you’re doing is to accept and believe that “in the Lord” healthy, functioning family relationships are not just possible but likely. Refuse to accept that the battle of the generations is just how it is. Satan really is trying to set father against son and mother against daughter. As the Spirit reminds us:

Eph. 6.12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

We should all realize that in order to be a healthy family together, families need time together. Children and teens need parents who are available both physically and emotionally. The need is growing. The world takes normal teen urges to explore, test boundaries and question everything from the Bible to the point of going to school; the world twists those urges into things and choices that are truly risky, life threatening and altering.

Teens need a safe place to talk about such things as sex, tattoos, drugs, alcohol and their dreams, goals and understanding of the world. Parents, if we refuse to talk about such things, our teens will find someone else to talk with. Someone who may not have the wisdom to help guide the faith journey properly.

We are all broken; we are all tempted to speak before listening, to deal with surface issues rather than listen to the heart. But in the Lord, all of that can change. Single parent or two parent, three parent families or four. All can find healing and unity around the table. It may be the most profoundly simple thing to do, but in my experience precious. Eat meals together and talk. Do it daily, if at all possible. And don’t worry if talk becomes an argument; that is still communication, just keep at it. Learn from it, deepen love and trust because of it.

Remember, just as Christ brings us together around his table, something equally powerful happens when we share meals with those we have differences with in our own families. Embrace that, embrace Christ who makes us one.