December 30 sermon - OK. So What?

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. John testifies concerning Him. He cries out, saying, “This was He of Whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, Who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known. (John 1:14-18)

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     For the last few days I’ve been dealing with a bit of a personal tragedy as I prepared this message. In spite of my best efforts, I’ve been unable to find my copy of my favourite Charles Dickens work: “A Christmas Carol.” I know I have it. I know it’s somewhere. But can I figure out where it is? Not right now anyway. It’s somewhere in my house. That much I’m convinced of. I really wanted to find it because I wanted to check something out - perhaps largely inconsequential, but I like precision, so this actually bothers me. It’s a quote. I remember it coming from the lips of the Ghost of Christmas Present in the great 1951 movie version of “A Christmas Carol,” but I really wanted to find out if Dickens wrote it, or if it came from Noel Langley, who adapted the story for that movie. Alas, I’ve not been able to confirm it. So, it comes either from Dickens of Langley, but whichever one of them wrote it, it’s an important statement: “the child born in Bethlehem does not live just one day of the year, but all 365 days of the year!” And so he does!

     For some reason, though, that seems very easy to forget, and it's the simple, really unimportant things that you notice. A friend of mine on Facebook posted this on Boxing Day: “Kind of sad really ... We prepare for days in anticipation of Christmas Day, and now it seems like it never happened. By that, I mean that we have the same hustle and bustle as we had before Christmas. It is supposed to be a time to pause and reflect on our blessings, but people aren't standing still long enough to take notice.” He was probably right about that. The night after Christmas Day, for example, one thing that stood out for me was how few people had bothered to put their Christmas lights on. It was as if Christmas was over and we couldn't be bothered anymore. It seems that the “spirit of Christmas” is now about the lead-up to the big day, with the shopping and the parties leading up to a virtual glut of gift-opening on December 25, probably a nice dinner, and then? Well, and then it seems to be over. The 12 days of Christmas? Remember them? Today is Day 6 - 6 geese a laying as the song says. But what's the point. On most people's calendar, Christmas is over. A new year beckons; it's back to work soon. And the Christmas spirit departs - much lamented, perhaps, but why lament that the spirit of Christmas doesn't last very long after December 25? Instead of lamenting the absence of the Christmas spirit, why don't we just commit ourselves to living by the Christmas spirit of peace and giving and generosity all year long? Wouldn't that keep the Christmas spirit alive? And, really, when we lament the quick passing of the Christmas spirit we're really doing little more than falling into judgment over what we perceive to be the failings of others rather than accepting the responsibility of making a difference ourselves. And maybe we should ask why everybody loves the Christmas spirit, but no one seems to want to live by it all year round. So Christmas has come and - the twelve days of Christmas notwithstanding - for most people Christmas has gone. So what? Why does it matter anytime other than December 25?

     I want to suggest that one of our problems is that we’ve come to associate December 25 too closely with the birth of Jesus. Well, what else should it be associated with, people might ask. I’m going to suggest that December 25 (Christmas) is not about the birth of Jesus as much as it’s about the human  incarnation of God. When we think of it too much as being just about Jesus’ birth, we essentially turn it into little more than a birthday party. Birthdays are great and fun - but they last for a day and then they’re gone. If Christmas is all about the birth of Jesus, then it is, indeed, just about a single day, after which we can move on. But Christmas is about incarnation and not birth, and all that incarnation implies.

     Understanding the incarnation of God in human flesh, or (as John puts it in his gospel) the fact that “the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us is far more important than simply celebrating the birth of a baby - even the birth of Jesus. A birth simply tells us that Jesus was here. Incarnation tells us so much more - and it’s the so much more that really matters, not the lights or the gifts or the Christmas spirit.

     Incarnation tells us that God loved what He created so much that He chose to become a part of what He had created. It’s a reminder to us of the original story of creation, where that which is created is very good. Incarnation tells us that, even it may be by human sin and arrogance, creation is still good enough for God. Incarnation tells us that it is through the weak and powerless and humble of our society that God works most powerfully, just as the incarnation shone brightest to a young girl and to lowly shepherds. There is no one who goes untouched by incarnation. Incarnation, by which God lives a human life, is a reminder to us that nothing in our lives is off limits to God, nor is anything in our lives unknown to God. Our story is now God’s story. Frederick Schmidt is an Episcopal priest and teaches Christian Spirituality at the Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas. In his words, “the incarnation [tells us that] God is different enough to be capable of saving us - [but] enough like us to understand our needs.” Incarnation brings us back to the word of the Ghost of Christmas Present: “the child born at Bethlehem doesn’t live just one day of the year, but all 365 days of the year.” And so He does!

     The so-called Christmas spirit might vanish pretty quickly once December 25 is over, and the world (having had a gigantic birthday party for Jesus) might well go back to its normal ways for another year - ways that can be joyful and exciting but also frustrating, irritating and at times even horrifying. But if at any point over the next year you find yourself being frustrated, irritated or horrified and you think back to Christmas and you wonder “So what? What difference did it make?”- remember that a birth makes very little difference, but the incarnation of God makes all the difference you can imagine.

December 24 (11 pm) sermon - The Everlasting Light

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:1-5)

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     In the great Alice Walker novel "The Color Purple," the main character is Celie. Celie is a young woman with a tragic life, but in the midst of it all she develops some great wisdom about God and religion. One of my favourite quotes from Celie is this: "...have you ever found God in church? I never did. I just found a bunch of folks hoping for him to show. Any God I ever felt in church I brought in with me. And I think all the other folks did too. They come to church to share God, not find God.” Having reflected just a few hours ago on the importance of light entering the world and overcoming darkness and driving away the fear that darkness represents, I thought about those words from Celie. To me, they seem to capture what these opening verses from John’s Gospel are talking about.

     Jesus was light; and His birth was God’s way of overcoming the darkness that had overtaken the world. And that light shines. Those who follow Christ are those who live in that light, and so, in a way, Celie’s words are very wise, and they capture better than any sermon possibly can the meaning of Christmas and the meaning of worship. Our goal when we come into this place - whether for an 11:00 Communion service or for a 10 am regular service - isn’t to find God. Mainly, that’s because God isn’t lost. God is already here among us; God is already here within us. That’s what the light of Christ is all about. God is here. We’re not here now looking for God; we’re not going to find God. We’re here to be a family, united by our common faith in Jesus, our lives already enlightened by the gospel He shared. No. Our goal isn’t to find God. Our goal on this holy night is to share with one another what we know about God and what we’ve learned about God. It’s that light shining from within us that is our life, and it’s that light shining from within us that offers new life in Christ’s name to all whom we encounter.

     We gather around the table as people whose lives have been transformed and as people who are guided constantly by that light that entered the world so long ago in Jesus. We share the gifts of God with each other; indeed, by our faith, we share God with each other; we see God reflected in one another’s faces. Jesus was that everlasting light spoken of in the carol “O Little Town Of Bethlehem.” But Jesus also called us to be lights. When we leave this place tonight, may we shine for all the world to see as a testimony to the love of God shown by Jesus and shown through us.

December 24 (7 pm) sermon - In The Darkness

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows - light! sunbursts of light! You repopulated the nation, you expanded its joy. Oh, they’re so glad in your presence! Festival joy! The joy of a great celebration, sharing rich gifts and warm greetings. The abuse of oppressors and cruelty of tyrants - all their whips and cudgels and curses - is gone, done away with, a deliverance as surprising and sudden as Gideon’s old victory over Midian. The boots of all those invading troops, along with their shirts soaked with innocent blood, Will be piled in a heap and burned, a fire that will burn for days! For a child has been born - for us! The gift of a son - for us! He’ll take over the running of the world. His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness. His ruling authority will grow, and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings. He’ll rule from the historic David throne over that promised kingdom. He’ll put that kingdom on a firm footing    and keep it going with fair dealing and right living, beginning now and lasting always. The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies will do all this. (Isaiah 9:2-7)

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     A few nights ago, Lynn and I were on our way home well after dark from - a wedding reception! We were driving down Highway 406, and I glanced to my left at the eastern sky and did a bit of a double take. Then I said to Lynn, “look over there. The sky has a glow in it. That’s weird. I wonder what that is?” And we puzzled for a few moments and it suddenly hit me. And I said - “That has to be Niagara Falls. There’s enough light there that it makes the sky bright even when it’s night.” I had forgotten apparently. You see, I grew up in Toronto. There are both advantages and disadvantages to growing up in a big city. I don’t know which this is - but one thing about growing up in Toronto is that it’s never really dark there, and so you don’t get a concept of what dark is. Not really. In 1994, when I was ordained, we were sent to the United Church in Roberts Arm, Newfoundland - a little fishing outport, with about 900 people. It’s dark there at night. Really dark. But at least there are a few street lights. When it gets really dark is when you’re driving to Roberts Arm late at night. To get to Roberts Arm you have to drive down Highway 380 from South Brook. It’s a half hour drive through - to be honest - nothing. And at night it’s dark. Really dark. When we moved there we were given a warning. “If it’s dark and you see a moose” - because Newfoundland’s highways are filled with moose - “stop the car and turn your headlights off, because a bull moose will sometimes charge a car with headlights on.” One night a couple of months later we were driving home after dark - and we saw a big moose in the distance ahead. Lynn yelled “That’s a moose! Remember what they told us. Stop the car and turn the headlights off.” So I did. And we sat there in the dark. And we sat. For five minutes. Then ten. We couldn’t see a thing, of course, because it was pitch black outside. And finally Lynn said, “Since it’s so dark, how are we going to know if the moose is still there?” And I said in reply, “I don’t know.” So we turned on the headlights, and - sure enough - the moose had disappeared, probably long before then, having wandered off into the woods probably wondering - if a moose can wonder - what in the world those two city slickers were doing in his neighbourhood.

     That’s the reality of living in darkness, isn’t it. In the dark, there are all sorts of potential dangers; all sorts of things to be afraid of; all sorts of things that might  hurt you. It’s probably why all sorts of children and even a few adults I know of are afraid of the dark, even when we know we’re safe in our own homes. There’s nothing to be afraid of. There’s nothing there that isn’t there when it’s not dark. We know that. But there’s just something primal about it. We wait anxiously for the light to appear and take the scariness of the darkness away. 

     Maybe that’s why Jesus is called a “light.” The “great light” Isaiah spoke about is the Messiah. I want to share this passage from Luke 2:

There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.” At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

     God’s glory “blazed.” It was a light like no other light that any of the shepherds had ever seen before. And the message the shepherds heard was “don’t be afraid.” That’s the message of Christmas today. “Don’t be afraid.” Why not? Sometimes the world seems to be a scary place! But, “don’t be afraid.” Why not? Because Jesus has come. The light of God, the light of the world, God’s glory blazing. Jesus takes away all fear, and replaces it with love and hope and peace. Those are the things of Christmas, for a people who once walked in darkness, but have now seen a great light.

A Thought For The Week Of December 24

"... the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.'" (Luke 2:10) They may be the most widely used words in the Gospels - sometimes coming from Jesus, in this case, as part of the Christmas story, coming from angels: "Do not be afraid." I wonder why they're used so often? And why are they a part of the Christmas story? What's to be feared about a baby being born? That's a wonderful, exciting and joyous event, isn't it. Well, usually. But when you think about it in the context of the Christmas story - maybe there's something different going on with the birth of THIS baby. Perhaps the message is that, as comforting as it should be, the coming near of God actually makes us nervous. What's God going to do? Does it mean trouble? Have we been good enough? The approach of God in whatever form perhaps causes an immediate reaction of apprehension. And then come the words "do not be afraid." We have no reason to fear the approach of God - because God has come for us, and for our sakes, and for our well-being. God has come to give us life. The approach of God is good news of great joy - for all people. The approach of God is the approach of love in its purest and most noble form. This week of Christmas, this divine love that came to us and lived among us in Jesus is what we celebrate. Indeed, we are not afraid - because God is with us! Have a blessed Christmas, and a blessed week!

Where Was God?

I've avoided saying much of anything about the Newtown, Connecticut shooting for a while, because - frankly - I think the whole thing was too raw and too emotional, and it was hard to really get a grip on my own feelings and know exactly what could be offered in the face of such brutal insanity. When 27 people are murdered (20 of them 6 & 7 year olds) what in the world are you supposed to say? But I think people of faith have to say something. Eventually. Once the rawness is over and all we're left with is still head-shaking bewilderment and grief. From a faith perspective, the question being asked is - "where was God?" It's a valid question for people who have questions about God in the first place, and it's a valid question even for those of very deep faith, because even those of very deep faith have somehow been conditioned by the feel-good religion that we like to promote to believe that God should simply take all the bad things away, and, if that's true, then children shouldn't be murdered. No one should be murdered, of course - but especially not innocent children who go to school in the morning to learn and to play and to see their friends, with dreams of Christmas probably in most of their heads at this time of year. So, yes, "where was God?" Valid question.

Because we're right around Christmas my mind first goes to what you might call the extended Christmas story in the Bible, and it reminds me that the occurrence of such horrible things shouldn't surprise us. That extended Christmas story includes what we call "The Massacre Of The Innocents." It's the story of King Herod, determined to kill this child whose birth has been foretold by the magi, ordering the massacre of all the boys 3 and under in Bethlehem, apparently concluding that it was better for many innocent children to die than that he feel threatened. That is a horrible story. I've preached on it a couple of times over the years, but it never feels right. Especially because it's part of the Christmas story. There's a Christmas carol that speaks of it. "Unto Us A Boy Is Born" includes the line: "Herod then with fear was filled: 'A prince,' he said, 'in Jewry.' All the little boys he killed at Bethlehem in his fury." But I don't use that carol very much. That's just an ugly line. But I wonder if that Christmas carol and that story from Matthew's Gospel isn't making an important point. Let's let go of the unrealistic notion that God's just going to make everything OK and nothing bad will ever happen. It's never been that way for people of faith; it never will be that way for people of faith.

I can rationalize the existence of evil and the fact that bad things happen to good people. That's not hard. Free will. God calls us to a life of love, but lets us choose whether or not to live that life of love. In fact, it's the granting of that choice that is the sign of divine love. God invites us to relationship. Relationship can't be forced; it has to be chosen. Because a relationship that is forced isn't a relationship. And if I have the right to refuse the relationship God offers then I will sometimes not live in love, and my choices will impact others. And before anyone says "but believers do evil things as often as anyone" - I wouldn't argue that, because believers make choices too, and sometimes we choose not to live in love. Tragic, but true. Bad things happen to good (or innocent) people because sometimes both believers and non-believers choose to do bad things, and our actions have consequences on those around us. I don't know how to deny that. Could God prevent any of that? I believe in a sentient and all-powerful God, so I believe that, yes, God could prevent that. But God won't - and I believe it's because of love. None of us can protect our children from everything - and we shouldn't. Otherwise they'd never grow up. They'd never become the people God is calling them to be. Jesus said that he wanted us to live life to the full. "Abundant life." Living life to the full presumably includes all the experiences of life - good and bad and everything in between. Should the children of Newtown have experienced more abundance of life? Yes. They should have. But they didn't. And that's evil. It's not of God, and it's not even a sign that God was absent. It's just a reminder - if we ever needed one - that evil is very real.

So, where was God? I believe God was there. I believe God was present in the love and courage shown, for example, by teachers who tried to protect and comfort the children in their care. Some would say, "why give credit to God? Give credit to the teachers." Well, I do. They have as much right to choose as anyone else. They could have chosen not to act with love and courage. But they chose to act with love and courage. I don't know whether or not all or any of the teachers (and others) who acted with such love and courage were believers. But I do believe that those are God-given qualities; qualities that let the light of God shine even in the midst of horrible, horrible darkness. When we see them, we see God, even if those displaying them don't realize that they're displaying God by their actions. So, God was there. As always, God is shown through the noble and loving and courageous actions of those whom God has created. Some choose not to show those divine qualities - that "image of God" built into each one of us. That choice is the reason for evil. Sometimes that choice doesn't have a lot of impact; sometimes it has a tragic impact. But it doesn't blind me to the reality of God's presence in the world. "God is love," Scripture tells me. Where I see love and loving qualities, I see God. I could see those qualities in Newtown. So I know God was there, as well. That doesn't mitigate the tragic insanity of what happened, but it helps me to make sense of it anyway.

A Thought For The Week Of December 17

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had." (Acts 4:32) This is one of the most intriguing verses in the entire Bible, and there's so much that we could do with it. But I want to focus on the idea of unity. In that very early church, the believers were one and shared everything. Some might use this as a justification for socialist ideology, but that really doesn't work. Socialism depends on the mandated redistribution of resources by the government. What amazes me is that, for these early Christians, it doesn't appear that sharing was "required." There's nothing saying that you had to share everything to be part of the community. It was, in fact, the reverse. The community meant so much and was so united "in heart and mind" that the people were moved to share everything with each other rather than being compelled to. What a community! And one that reflects the nature of God and, really, the meaning of Christmas. What is Christmas, really, except the choice by God to share with the world - and to share everything, not because God had to share, but because God wanted to share. And this verse seems to say that if, as a community, the church truly lives with hearts and minds that are fully open to the Gospel, then the church can can be "one in heart and mind." Our centre of unity - that which binds us together - is Jesus Christ, God's gift to the world. With Jesus at the centre (not theologies or ideologies or doctrines or interpretations or works or spiritual gifts or anything else except Jesus) how can we not be "one in heart and mind"? How can we not set aside the things that divide us and just rejoice in the love and grace of God given in Jesus? Have a great week!

December 16, 2012 sermon - Watching And Waiting

Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer’s just around the corner. And so it is with you. When you see all these things, you know he is at the door. Don’t take this lightly. I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for this one, too—these things will happen. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out. But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father. So keep a sharp lookout, for you don’t know the timetable. It’s like a man who takes a trip, leaving home and putting his servants in charge, each assigned a task, and commanding the gatekeeper to stand watch. So, stay at your post, watching. You have no idea when the homeowner is returning, whether evening, midnight, cockcrow, or morning. You don’t want him showing up unannounced, with you asleep on the job. I say it to you, and I’m saying it to all: Stay at your post. Keep watch. (Mark 13:28-37)

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     Well, what can I say to begin this morning. I have in mind the words of an old ditty: “So long, it’s been good to know you.” Now, before those words get any rumours started and either tears or cheers break out (which you choose would depend on your perspective) I’m not announcing my imminent departure for another church. I’m simply taking note of the pending end of the world. Don’t forget - this Friday is December 21. That’s the day the Mayan calendar ends, so we know that there can’t be anything coming up after that. Some people don’t believe the Mayans were right, of course, and some people think that those who believe the world is coming to an end have simply misunderstood them. But I’m working on the principle of “better safe than sorry.” So, just in case I don’t see any of you ever again - once more, “So long, it’s been good to know you!”

     I’m making light of this, of course, but there really are people who are worried, and I expect stories about “the end” are going to multiply as this week goes on. I scoured the internet on your behalf earlier this week and came across some fascinating stuff. Astrologer Patrick Geryl says that somewhere in the world there’s going to be an 8+ earthquake either tomorrow or Tuesday, and planetary alignments are going to cause a 10+ earthquake on December 21. Some doomsday cults have said that a planet is on a collision course with earth and will hit on December 21, with the only place in the world surviving being a small town in the south of France called Bugarach (pop. 176). After the collision, a group of aliens are going to emerge with their spaceship (which is hidden in a mountain just outside town) and pluck all the believers off to safety on their home planet. I’m not making this up! French authorities have now banned access to the mountain. On the assumption that many people will want to come to Bugarach before December 21 to escape the coming apocalypse, one gentleman is offering a room in his home for a little over $1500 Canadian. And, of course, there’s a theory that on Friday for some reason the earth is going to be swallowed by the massive black hole that exists in the centre of our galaxy. The only problem with that theory is that the black hole is 26000 light years away from us and so far it hasn’t really affected my life too much.

    So why do I bring this up now? Why today? It isn’t really Christmas-y. That’s true, but then again - this isn’t really Christmas! This is still Advent, and Advent has traditionally been a time for reflecting upon the end. I’m not talking in a doomsday sort of way. By “the end” I’m talking about the great Christian hope for the culmination of history: the coming of God’s Kingdom in its full glory; the establishment of Christ’s reign on earth; the final defeat of sin and evil. Today’s reading from Mark’s Gospel is one of the traditional Advent Gospel readings because it deals with that end, but it also reminds us of how absolutely foolish are those who fixate on the end, and who do so to the point at which they’ll be able to pinpoint when it’s going to happen. Jesus in this passage essentially says that by all means we should always be watchful for the signs of God’s coming (because whenever the “end” might come - and even science tells us that there will be an “end” at some point) we never actually know when God might appear. In fact, God’s appearance doesn’t necessarily even mean the end. God appears on a regular basis to those who have eyes to see. God might be appearing to you even now in some way. And Jesus says - watch, and wait. And Jesus says - wait, and watch. Why do that? Simple! Because Jesus says, “... the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father. So keep a sharp lookout, for you don’t know the timetable.” We can’t know when God’s going to appear. Divine appearances might be happening all the time, and they probably happen when we least expect them. I mean, who would have expected God to appear in a stable as an infant? Divine appearances certainly don’t happen the way we expect them to happen and they don’t happen according to our timetables, and it’s my personal opinion that they don’t even happen according to the Mayan timetable - although as I heard recently, most modern day descendants of the Mayans think this whole doomsday thing is just - and I quote - “an invention of the gringos” anyway.

     So why talk about all this now? Not really because of the Mayan calendar doomsday predictions, but because the birth of Jesus was one of those unexpected ways in which God made His presence felt, and which reminds us to always be alert and watchful for the signs of God’s appearance. Now I confess that seeing God’s presence is much easier said than done. When we contemplate events in the world just over the last couple of days we’re probably tempted to wonder if the doomsday prophets aren’t right and the world isn’t crashing in around us, because how can God be present in the midst of such insanity? But God is. It would seem to me that wherever we see real love, we see God. It would seem to me that wherever we see real courage, we see God. It would seem to me that wherever we see real compassion, we see God. It would seem to me that, in a way, we see God when we see a man whose six year old daughter has just been murdered express care and compassion for the family of the murderer. As it was reported in the news, the father of 6 year old Emilie Parker, who died in the Connecticut school shooting on Friday, “expressed no animosity, said he was not mad and offered sympathy for family of the man who killed 26 people and himself.” I don’t know if I could do that. But somewhere in there I believe there’s a sign of the presence of God, and if God can somehow be seen in the midst of that tragedy, then that just reminds us of how true  the words of Jesus are: “Stay at your post. Keep watch.”

     “Keep watch” - because the truth really is that you never know when God is going to make an appearance. Not in doomsday prophecies and ridiculous end times scenarios, but in daily life and in the triumphs and in the tragedies that happen in the world around us. I trust that one day God will appear in power, and all things will be as God wants them to be. But since I don’t know when that will be, for now, I watch, I wait - and I hope and trust that I’ll be able to see even the small signs of God’s presence in the world now.

United Against Boycott: Positive Action For Peace In Israel-Palestine

In a blog post on August 17 and briefly in my sermon of September 9 I discussed my reaction to the decision of the United Church General Council to endorse economic action against Israel as a response to the conflict in Palestine. You can read what I said in those posts for a fuller understanding of my personal position. Earlier today I discovered that a group of United Church clergy opposed to the resolution had developed a statement in opposition to it with an invitation for any who agreed with the statement to endorse it. I've done so earlier today. The statement isn't 100% in accord with my reasons for not supporting the General Council resolution, but there's also nothing in the statement that I disagree with. So any differences would be more along the lines of things I would add to the statement rather than anything I would take away from it. So I added my name. Here's the statement, printed in italics:

Peace to you.     Shalom.     Salaam.

We are members and adherents of The United Church of Canada of various theological and political worldviews. We are deeply concerned with the longstanding and ongoing injustice and violence that plagues the people of Palestine and Israel. We pray and work as we can for a just, safe peace that brings life to these nations. We believe that to get to this place of life, it is vital that we continue to build relationships with everyone who is working for peace in the region.

Recently, The General Council of The United Church of Canada made decisions regarding its stance on the conflict between the people of Israel and Palestine.

Although there are many nuances to this action, the decision and recommendations clearly place the weight of responsibility on Israel for the continuation of the conflict and for the impoverished living conditions of the people of Palestine. The General Council named the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands “as a major contributor to the injustice that underlies the violence of the region,” and the particular role Israeli settlements play in continuing and deepening the occupation.

However, there was little recognition of the roles other important parties, including some in the Palestinian community, are playing in perpetuating violence and injustice, thereby standing in the way of a peaceful resolution to this unjust situation. The General Council called on the government of Israel to take many actions, but it made no similar entreaties to the Palestinian leadership. For there to be a true partnership toward peace, all parties must be encouraged to do their part in building that partnership. To achieve peace, an open and fair dialogue must be present. With its decision the United Church of Canada has removed itself from dialogue.

The General Council has called on United Church members to support the end of the occupation by engaging in a boycott against some products of the Israeli settlements.

We believe that this decision of the General Council has damaged relationships that are vital to growing a just peace.

We commit ourselves to challenging the decision of the General Council, through the processes of The United Church of Canada.

We will work against the boycott campaign and the other policies including divestment and sanctions against Israel.

We will support positive peace-building efforts.

We commit ourselves to offering care to the people of Israel and the people of Palestine, not by economic sanction, but by economic support.

We commit ourselves to working with people here in Canada, in Israel and in Palestine, for a secure, just peace, that lifts up abundance and hope for all.

Salaam.     Shalom.     Peace.

Anyone can sign; clergy or lay - as long as you're a member or adherent of the United Church. More information about this is available at:

http://www.unitedagainstboycott.ca/

A Thought For The Week Of December 10

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” This, according to Luke's Gospel, was Mary's response to the angel who told her that she would become pregnant with Jesus even though she was a virgin. The virgin birth, of course, is a big part of this time of year. We remember it at Christmas, we sing about it, we read about it, perhaps some of us even preach about it. It's also one of the more questioned parts of the gospel account of Jesus' birth. Was she really a virgin? How could she have been? That's impossible. Those are the objections we hear - and there are more, of course. Well, I'm going to come clean - I believe in the virgin birth. I believe in it because no one has given me a good reason as to why it couldn't have happened! Are we really to reduce God's ability to do miracles of any sort? Is God really to be reduced to nothing more than a cosmic version of - well - me? With all of my limitations? Not able to do anything that I can't do? I hope not. I choose not to make God in my image and I choose not to make God subject to my limitations. I choose to believe in a God who is far greater than I am and who can do the most amazing and - yes - even miraculous things; things I could never even dream of doing. Part of the wonder of the story of the virgin birth at Christmas (or any other time) is that it reminds me of just that - I can't reduce God to less than what God is. My only hope is that God will raise me to more than I ever imagined I could be. So, yes, I believe in the virgin birth. For me, it's part of the vision of hope that's contained in the Gospel. Have a great week!

The Life Of A Minister: Planning December - Fun And Frustration

As I'm becoming a little bit overwhelmed with Advent/Christmas planning, I thought maybe blogging about some of my challenges might be good therapy. Christmas Eve is very much on my mind today. I love Christmas Eve. I love Christmas Eve services. And at the same time, as a minister, I never look forward to Christmas Eve services.

Well, the services themselves I look forward to. It's the planning of the services that I don't like. I mean, really, once you've done it 7 times (as I've done at my current church) or 18 times (as I've done in my ministry career) what do you do? I've scoured my brain; I've scoured the internet. Nothing much is leaping to mind. I could scour old services from previous charges that I've served I guess. Still, whatever I do, the choices for the occasion are so limited. There are basically - unless you want to get really radical - two Scripture stories that can be told - the Christmas story of Matthew or the Christmas story of Luke. Joseph's perspective or Mary's perspective. So, which is it this year? And carols. You want to sing the old familiar carols. I mean, choosing something that's not familiar causes enough grief when you have just the regulars in church. Choosing something unfamiliar in a church in which more than half the congregation perhaps aren't usually there is more challenging. So, do I open with O Come All Ye Faithful or Silent Night? Somehow, they both have to be there. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing works, but I often like to use that as a closing hymn on Christmas Eve. I might get away with Still, Still, Still. The church folk know it - most of them; some of them, anyway. I'll think about that. I could throw a curve ball and open with an Advent song! O Come, O Come, Emmanuel! That might work, and it would be a little different, but I think I'm using it on a Sunday in Advent, and I usually try not to repeat. Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus? Maybe. And I have to remember that if I use Hark! The Herald Angels Sing to open I have to find something else (familiar) to close with. Hmmm. Strange but true - there aren't really a lot of good Christmas carols that work as a good closing hymn. My opinion, anyway. Somewhere along the way (if I want something fresh) I could go the You Tube route. That's an idea. How about Mary, Did You Know? There's a nice You Tube version of it. That's a nice one, kind of meditative, and it suits the occasion. And somewhere in the middle of this I have to find a place for O Little Town Of Bethlehem. What would Christmas Eve be without O Little Town Of Bethlehem?

And then, setting all that aside, there's the 11:00 Communion service. It's a bit easier. I give myself more flexibility in Scripture readings for that service. Maybe I'll frame that late service with the angel hymns. You know: Angels From The Realms Of Glory, and Angels We Have Heard On High. One to start and one to finish, with something more meditative in the middle to go with Communion. Maybe here's the spot for Still, Still, Still!

I have made a change to my Advent preaching. One thing I both like and don't like about the way we do things here is that I only preach twice during Advent - one service (this Sunday) is the Children's Pageant, and one service (the Sunday before Christmas) is the Choir Cantata. I like it because it cuts down on prep work; I don't like it because it prevents the development of any sort of flow to the Advent season. But it is what it is. Originally, for December 16 I was going to do a critique of society of sorts, reflecting on those things in the world that prevent us from truly celebrating Christmas. But that wasn't sitting well. And then I realized - that's the Sunday before the end of the world! I jest, of course. But December 21 is the doomsday scenario for some people (Mayan calendar and all) and I've decided to bring that into the service and make it a kind of Advent theme of watching and waiting, using some of Jesus apocalyptic sayings. I've decided on Mark's version for that - 13:28-37. Jesus apocalyptics are, after all, traditional Advent readings that suit the origin of Advent as a look ahead not to Jesus' birth, but to the ultimate fulfilment: Jesus' return in glory. (Which makes it kind of odd that, liturgically, the church makes Advent the start of the year.) So, anyway, I'm gonna call that one "Watching And Waiting." The emphasis will be on the waiting. In other words, don't panic - the Mayan calendar is wrong. The world isn't ending on December 21. We need to simply be watchful for the signs of Christ's appearance (among us now, and as a future hope.) And if I'm wrong and the Mayans were right and the world does come to an end on December 21? Well, then December 16 is the last church service I'll ever conduct and so no one will have the chance to call me on it!

I have selected an opening hymn for December 30. It's an oldie, and it's not even in the hymn book, and for some reason I really like it. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen. (I know the title and first line is a bit sexist, but political correctness is not really something I'm obsessed with.) I've even got a sermon title. "OK. So What?" Exploring why Christmas is still important to the Christian faith.

Some of the planning is already over, of course. The big challenge to start out is always finding a fresh sort of candle liturgy that's family friendly because we like having children involved. I like what I'm using this year. It doesn't follow the joy, peace, love, hope routine. Instead, it's prophets, shepherds, Mary, Joseph. Kind of different. I like it.

Has this helped my brain get a handle on the next three and a half weeks in church? Maybe. I don't know. I'll find out tomorrow. I think I'm giving it a rest for now!

A Thought For The Week Of December 3

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10 - English Standard version) Why did Jesus come? As we reflect on the first week of Advent our thoughts are naturally turning to the "why?" question. That's the question faith is uniquely positioned to answer. We're not science, dealing  with "How?" questions - which are process questions; we're faith, and we deal specifically with "Why?" questions - the far more important purpose questions. So - what's our purpose? What was Jesus' purpose? The two are surely linked. Jesus didn't come so we could have pretty trees and lights and carols and manger scenes. Don't get me wrong. Those things are wonderful. I love them as much as anyone. But that's not why Jesus came. As he himself as he neared the end of his ministry, he said that he came "to seek and to save the lost." Jesus has a lot of work to do. There are a lot of lost souls out there. People who've never built a relationship with God; some who don't have much of a relationship with anyone; some whose whole existence seems to have little purpose. Jesus had a purpose: he came to save them. We have a purpose: we're here to find them for him, and to share with them Jesus' good news of salvation, peace, love, grace and eternal life. That's the answer to at least two questions: "why did Jesus come? and "why are we here?" Look around. You'll find the lost anywhere. That's not being judgmental - it's just that there are, unfortunately, a lot of people who have no sense of purpose or direction. You have something to offer them. You have the gospel of Jesus Christ and the love of God. Have a great week!

December 2, 2012 sermon - A Celebration Of Preparation

A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5)

and

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send My messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

    make his paths straight,’” John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:1-4)

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     Congregation & Choir Sing: “Prepare The Way” (10, Voices United)

Prepare the way of the Lord! Prepare the way of the Lord! 

Make a straight path for him,make a straight path;

Prepare the way of the Lord!

Prepare the way of the Lord! Prepare the way of the Lord! 

Make a straight path for him,make a straight path;

Prepare the way of the Lord!

     So, as with the children, so also with the adults - are you prepared? Are you ready? We know (and we’ve heard some of this from the children already) what the question “are you ready?” means at this time of year. Do you have your tree up? Do you have your lights up? Do you have your shopping done? Do you have your travel plans made? Do you have your parties planned? Do you have your list of people getting a Christmas card written out? We often miss the power of Advent because these December weeks are full of all these secular preparations for Christmas. I have no objection to the secular version of Christmas. In fact, I love it. And I really couldn’t care less if the greeter at Wal-Mart or the cashier at Dollarama says “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas!” I mean, who really cares? All of these desperate preparations are a part of this blessed time of year - and yet, for the most part (and peace on earth notwithstanding) people often find themselves getting pretty stressed out about some of them, because if everything isn’t ready - and ready pretty early - then you start to feel just a little bit left out of all the seasonal festivities don’t you? And then you start to think frantically about having to play catch-up, and that takes a lot of the festiveness out of the seasonal festivities. December can, in some ways, be the toughest month of the year, just because of all the expectations that go along with it. And from our perspective as a church the problem is that, each year, the busyness of this secular Christmas season serves to distract us from having a meaningful Advent season that truly prepares us for what we’re supposed to be celebrating.

     Expectations have always been tough - and expectations are always tough to live up to. The expectations for this time of year are especially hard to live up to. And I’m not even talking about Christmas in the way the secular world thinks about Christmas. I’m talking about here in the church. As people who follow Jesus, we are called to live in a state that could be best described as “expectant anticipation.” But anticipation of what? I think we’ve so allowed the secular Christmas to take over that we’ve forgotten as Christians what it is that we’re anticipating! Advent is not about the birth of Jesus. Oh, we’ll talk about the birth of Jesus, and we’ll sing about it - but Advent isn’t about Jesus’ birth. If you notice none of our three hymns today even mention the birth of Jesus - including “Joy To The World” which - although it’s classed as a Christmas carol in the hymn book, was actually written by Isaac Watts as an Advent song - which is why it doesn’t mention Jesus’ birth. So, what are we anticipating, and why is this season that isn’t about the birth of Jesus tied so closely to the birth of Jesus?

     Essentially, the birth of Jesus is a sign; it’s a harbinger of things to come. The coming of God in flesh to dwell among us for a short period of time is a reminder to us that God promises to dwell with us forever in eternity. The life of Jesus is a testimony to the goodness of God, and Advent reminds us that the goodness of God - which is present but not always obvious around us - will one day be our one and only reality. In other words, the season of Advent doesn’t point us backward to the birth of a baby a couple of thousand years ago. The season of Advent points us ahead to the time when God’s Kingdom will be established in all its fullness and all evil will be destroyed. The season of Advent reminds us that when we pray “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” our prayer isn’t an empty plea; it’s an expression of a certain hope. I believe the world is filled with far more goodness than anything else, but so often we can become consumed by the bad things we see. The season of Advent reminds us that all the bad things we see happening around us and sometimes all the bad things that happen to us don’t have a victory; that one day the goodness of God will simply overcome everything and the only reality left will be the love of God that holds us close for all eternity. The birth of Jesus - and the life he led - is a sign of that goodness, but it’s only a sign. The best is yet to come!

     The preparations for Christmas are ongoing. They’re fun and they’re stressful. But as Christians, we can celebrate our need to prepare - because we’re preparing the way of the Lord, and seeking to prepare others by showing them in our own lives the goodness and love of God as best we can; the goodness and love of God outpoured for the world in Jesus!

A Thought For The Week Of November 26

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13) In this context, God - through the prophet Jeremiah - is speaking to his people who had been held captive in Babylon for seventy long years. One of the benefits of exile and captivity was that the faith of God's people had been rejuvenated and refreshed. When Israel and Judah had been great and powerful nations, it had been so easy for them to turn from God, blinded by self-made idols and distracted by the things of the world to the point where God had become an afterthought or an add-on, but hardly central. The exile had changed that. Suddenly, with everything else stripped away, the people turned to God because they had nowhere else to turn. And as the hearts of the people were turned increasingly to God they discovered a source of hope and strength who saw them through even the hardest times until they were able to return to their homeland. Today, it seems that even in the church our hearts are often distracted, pulled in different directions by the various idols and lures around us. We talk about God, we pray to God, we search for God, but sometimes it seems so half-hearted, as if we want God, but we want God along with lots of other "stuff;" a divine toy to go along with the other toys we desperately try to accumulate because we don't want to put anything else (even God) in the place of our desire for self-gratification. That won't work. God has to be more than that. God has to be the centre - not because God needs to be the centre, but because, having experienced and been overwhelmed by divine power and divine love, we have no other place to put God but in the centre. And I've found that works. If you seek God with all your heart, realizing that God is more important than anything else and desperate to build a relationship with God, then you will find God. And that will be a discovery that changes all our lives! Have a great week!

Be Christ For Christmas

About a year ago I published this for the In Port News. Since I'm starting to see the "Keep Christ In Christmas" silliness starting again, I thought it was worth repeating:



Another year has gone by and once again we’re just a few weeks away from Christmas. The signs are all around us. Christmas music and decorations in the malls, and we actually put our Christmas tree up much earlier than usual because our daughter wanted to. That was a good enough reason. There’s one other sign of the season that I’ve come to expect – once again we’re hearing the plea to “Keep Christ in Christmas.” Maybe it’s time to let that go.

Of course I understand the sentiment. Christ is central to my life and to my faith. Without Christ, my faith would be nothing and Christmas would be nothing, but I still think we need to move on. The reality of our world is that there are two separate and distinct Christmas celebrations. There’s the Christian Christmas which celebrates as it should the birth of Jesus, who came to us as God in the Flesh, who throughout his life revealed God’s ways and God’s will to us, and who ultimately lived and died and was resurrected for the world – part of the ministry of reconciliation he undertook, as throughout his life (from the manger to the cross to the empty tomb) “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself.” As Christians, we celebrate this amazing display of divine love for us all, and we proclaim the love of God revealed by Christ, and we invite others to share in our celebration of it. That’s what Christmas is all about from a Christian perspective. That’s what we Christians celebrate; that’s what we should never forget.

But whether we like it or not, there’s another Christmas. There’s the secular Christmas. The secular Christmas doesn’t revolve around Christ. It revolves around the image of Santa Claus and is marked by an orgy of consumer-spending and gift-giving. And – in all honesty – it’s fun. If sometimes the world gets a bit silly with “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas,” I don’t really care. I’ll happily say “Merry Christmas” and leave it to others to decide what sort of greeting they want to offer. I’m not sure I get the angst felt by so many Christians about whether Wal-Mart greeters say “Merry Christmas” or whether a school has a “Winter celebration” rather than a Christmas pageant. It really isn’t the job of the world to keep Christ in Christmas, you know. That’s the church’s job. That’s our job as Christians. The whole “Keep Christ in Christmas” movement seems to me to be based largely on nostalgia for bygone days when Christian faith was the centre of everything. Those days are over. The church and the faith are increasingly on the periphery of society. Rather than lamenting the loss of past glory, as Christians we need to seize the present – even with all its challenges – and figure out how to move forward. The wistful lament “Keep Christ in Christmas” really doesn’t do that.

So – I have a challenge for Christians. To give credit where credit is due I actually saw this on one of those wall photos that are become so popular on Facebook! It was good advice. It suggested that rather than worry about keeping Christ in Christmas, we actually seek to be Christ this Christmas. That is our faith, after all – as Christians, we are “little Christs,” given both the privilege and responsibility of representing Christ to the world. Lamenting whether there’s enough emphasis on Jesus at Christmas doesn’t strike me as a particularly effective way of doing that. To be honest, I doubt that Jesus is particularly concerned with how or even whether we mark his birth. I think he’s much more interested in how we live and in how we love.

So – don’t worry about keeping Christ in Christmas. Strive to be Christ for Christmas. Find a place in the community to volunteer, find a neighbor who has a need you can meet, find a charity you can offer some support to. Spend time with someone who’s lonely. Care for and support the poor and the outcast and the oppressed. This was the life of Jesus, after all, who told us that the greatest commandments were to love God and to love our neighbours. At the very least, go to church – not just on Christmas Eve, but regularly, to be inspired to live this life of love God calls us to.

Be Christ this Christmas – and have a merry one! God bless!

A Thought For The Week Of November 19

"... as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct ... (1 Peter 1:15) Holiness is a tough thing to grasp, isn't it. And the idea of being holy? In all our conduct? That's a very tall order, it seems. And yet, let's remember that no one ever said that being a disciple of Jesus would be easy! Well, the truth is that being holy in our conduct might not be as difficult as it sounds. In what way is God holy? To say that God is holy basically means that God is separate from sin; that sin has neither power nor authority over God. Let's remember that God is spirit and not flesh (except for that brief moment in time called the "incarnation," but that's not what we're talking about right now.) For us, the call to be holy as God is holy presumably doesn't mean that we'll be without sin - because the Bible is clear in telling us that no one is without sin - but it does mean that our spirits will be freed from sin's power and authority, just as sin has neither power nor authority over God. Another way of saying that we are to be holy in all our conduct might be to say that we are to live righteous lives - not self-righteous, puffed up, prideful lives, but lives characterized by our "right" relationship with God and with others. The best example of how to do that was Jesus. When we look to him and pattern our lives after him, we've taken a huge step to being holy in all our conduct, and a huge step toward setting a great example for the world. Have a great week!

November 18, 2012 sermon - Faith Is Not Futile!

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:12-22)

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     No one wants to waste their time. I think that’s a given. We all want to feel useful, and to feel as if what we’ve devoted our life to is useful and helpful and meaningful - not just to ourselves, but also to others. I mean, if we don’t make a difference by what we believe and by how we live, then what’s the point of it all? I think back into the Old Testament and into the Book of Ecclesiastes - a book that we really don’t generally pay much attention to. It’s a very fatalistic book (with a sort of “que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be” kind of attitude) and in some ways it can come across as a rather cynical book with a not very positive view of the world around us and a not very meaningful view of life. “Meaningless, meaningless, everything is meaningless,” laments “the Teacher” - who some believe to have been King Solomon himself. Truthfully, maybe we should pay more attention to Ecclesiastes - if only because the author (whoever he or she actually was) seems to me to be connecting on some level with our own society. People today are making a lot of similar statements and asking a lot of similar questions: Is there a point? What’s the purpose? Where’s the hope? Can things get better or will they only get worse? These are questions not unlike what we read in Ecclesiastes, but they’re questions that get asked regularly in contemporary society. So, Ecclesiastes may speak to us.

     My message today isn’t based on Ecclesiastes, of course, except in the sense that I hope it’s a bit of a response to the attitudes we see depicted in Ecclesiastes, just as in the same way I suspect that at least a part of what we heard from Paul today was a response to an Ecclesiastes. He would have been familiar with Ecclesiastes, and what he saw happening in Corinth perhaps made him reflect a little bit on those words. It was as if that kind of attitude had already infected the Corinthian church even in those very early years of the Christian faith, long before cynicism should have had the opportunity to take root! Why would it have happened? Why did the church in Corinth start to drift? From our perspective - I wonder why the church today often seems to drift? I wonder if it isn’t because we’ve lost the anchor that keeps us from drifting; the foundation that holds us in place?

     We’ve largely come to the end of our journey through 1 Corinthians. There’s another chapter, but except for one thing - that I’ll mention in closing - that’s mostly personal material from Paul. The letter was written to address the disturbing reports Paul had received of infighting within the church. The issues were diverse, and the reason they had caused such trouble was because the Corinthian Christians had lost sight of what was really important and of what gave their faith meaning. Something had drawn the eyes of the Corinthians off of God. The principalities and powers that Paul sometimes writes about had done their work in Corinth. They had distracted the Corinthians, convincing them to fight over various side issues even while they ignored the most important thing their faith should have given them - the hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is what it all led up to: Christ died, but Christ lives! It’s not just a message for Easter, because that would suggest that the resurrection of Jesus only matters for a few weeks every spring and after that we can get on with other “stuff.” But that’s not true. Whatever other “stuff” there may be, if we don’t engage that “stuff” in the light of the resurrection of Jesus then we inevitably either pull ourselves down or we tear ourselves apart. Corinth is an example of that. By allowing itself to be distracted from the truth of the resurrection the Corinthian church was destroying itself. The resurrection is a simple, complex, mysterious and faith-filled proposition that the church cannot be the church without. Christ is alive! This is what matters. This is why we live. This is what has enabled the church to survive - sometimes against the odds - for 2000 years. We don’t exist just to do good works. We do good works because we exist and because we are called and because we are the body of Christ in the world today and because we are empowered to do them as a way of bearing witness to the love of Christ that has touched us and that God calls us to share - and Christ cannot touch us with love and ask us to touch others with love unless Christ is alive. 

     How can any of that be futile? Far from futile, this is the most important message of all. We can’t solve all the problems we see around us; we can’t meet all the needs we see around us. That’s not possible. We can solve some problems - and we should solve what problems we can. We can meet some needs - and we should meet what needs we can. But what we do have to offer to those in any circumstance are the things of the Spirit. We can offer joy - the joy of knowing that whatever else may be our lot in life we belong to God. We can offer love - the love that God has given to us and called us to share. We can offer hope - the hope that even if we can’t fix all the problems of the present the future still holds glorious things. We do those things when we proclaim the resurrection first and foremost and with passionate belief and trust. David Ford writes that 

“the truth of the resurrection is not a truth about which we can appropriately say ‘how interesting!’ and then go on to some other investigation. It has the urgency of the most relevant news - like someone shouting ‘Fire!’ or whispering ‘Will you marry me?’”

     This is truly the most important message of all, because it puts an end to navel-gazing and infighting over things that by comparison don’t really matter. Paul spends the whole 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians talking about the importance of the resurrection and then goes on immediately to tell them to take a collection for the poor in Jerusalem. The resurrection pushes us outward to action and compassion and service for others. When we lose sight of the resurrection we turn inward; when the resurrection is the centrepiece of our faith we’re pushed outward. That’s why the resurrection needs to be the focus of everything we are and everything we do. It’s the beating heart of our faith; it’s the beating heart of our unity; it’s the beating heart of the body of Christ that we’re called to be.

A Thought For The Week Of November 12

Thought for the week: "The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:31) The lead-in to these words of Jesus, of course, was that we are to love the Lord God. Absolute biblical literalists should take note - Jesus interpreted the Scriptures; he didn't take them absolutely literally. He took the entire law and prophets and boiled them down to a couple of sentences, pointing out that the spirit of the law and prophets was far more important than the letter! But I digress. How do we love God and neighbour? In another verse of Scripture, Jesus says that whatever we do for the least important among us we do for him. It's a radical re-organizing of society he calls for, and when we offer our love to the least lovable (or to those whom the world declares unworthy of love) among us, only then are we truly loving God by loving Jesus, who is reflected in the faces of the neediest and most desperate among us. Some people try to say that to "love the Lord your God" means absolute obedience under threat of punishment to every jot and tittle of the law (or at least to the jots and tittles we like and have no problem with.) But that doesn't seem consistent with the gospel and the message of Jesus. We love God by loving one another; we love God the most when we love those who are most difficult to love. Think of what the world would be like if we could actually live by those two commandments! If only. Well, we can't control the world, but we can control ourselves. Let's love God by loving our neighbours - all of them. Have a great week!

November 11, 2012 sermon - About Sacrifice

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them - yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed. (1 Corinthians 15:1-11)

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     The Battle of Groningen took place during the final month of the Second World War, from April 13 to 16, 1945, in the city of Groningen, fought between a mixture of about 7000 German soldiers, Dutch and Belgian SS troops against the entire 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. It was one of the largest urban battles fought by Canadian soldiers during the War. When the battle was over 43 Canadian soldiers had been killed and almost 200 had been either wounded or captured. In terms of the numbers, it wasn’t the costliest battle Canadian troops fought, but it was memorable because it was one of the last battles fought in the campaign to liberate the Netherlands. We all know the poem “In Flanders Fields” written by Col. John McCrae during World War I. The Battle of Groningen led to the writing of another, lesser known poem. It was composed by a man named John Piest, who was a boy in Groningen during the battle. In 2005 Piest wrote a poem commemorating the Canadian sacrifices made in the Battle of Groningen. He entitled it “The Men Of Maple Leaf.”

Bold they were, the combatants we knew

How deep our sympathy for them grew

South they came and fought their way

Memory engraved is that glorious day

Lives squandered, precious blood shed

Our want for freedom was finally met

There was scarcely time to fraternize

The battle went on, at high a price

In the actions brave ones would fall

Facing their losses the men stood tall

It took three days to clear the town

Dislodging the enemy beyond our bounds

Stricken by panic some fled to the shore

Deserted or were scattered to the four

Many fighting wearied, surrendered fast

Our war torn hometown was freed at last

Smouldering ruins were marking the place

Where battering damaged her ancient face

Peace returned, the yoke of war was gone

Thanks to the Canadians, a tough task done

To commemorate them we dedicate a forest yet

Maple leaves fell for us, lest we forget.

    One of the reasons that Canadian casualties were as high as they were is because the Canadian commanders decided to make a deliberate sacrifice. Knowing that it would extend the battle and lead to even more dead and wounded troops, they ordered the Second Infantry not to use artillery support - because using artillery in an urban setting would have perhaps saved Canadian lives, but it would have led to significant civilian casualties. When I read that story, I immediately thought of the sacrifice of Jesus that Paul spoke of in this morning’s reading from 1 Corinthians: “... Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.”

     Different people understand the sacrifice of the cross in different ways, of course. Some see it as a blood sacrifice - the end of the system of animal sacrifices of the Old Testament; others (myself included) see it more as a sacrifice of Jesus’ divine privilege and an act of divine solidarity with human beings, as God (in Jesus) chooses to experience a gruesome death. I hesitated to draw too much of a linkage between the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and the sacrifices of soldiers on a battlefield, because Jesus was, after all, the one who told His followers not to take up their swords to defend Him. And yet, this is Remembrance Day, and it seems to me that what the two have in common is important. Basically, they both have in mind the welfare of others over and above the welfare of one’s self. Whether it’s Jesus dying on a cross to demonstrate God’s love for the world, or whether you’re Canadian troops dying on a battlefield in part because of a decision to protect civilians, this is what counts. This is what faith is about. This is what a nation is about. This is what church is about. It’s about our willingness to give of ourselves for the sake of one another and even for the sake of those beyond our walls. It’s about our willingness to give of ourselves for the world.

     A few days ago, in the lead up to the US presidential election, I came across this advice from an American New Testament scholar who was dealing with the question of how Christians should make a decision on who to vote for: “... we vote like a Christian when we vote for the sake of our neighbors and those the world and politicians are most likely to neglect. In doing so, we love God most deeply.” But it goes beyond voting. I would rephrase that to say this: “we [live] like a Christian when we [live] for the sake of our neighbors and those the world ... are most likely to neglect. In doing so, we love God most deeply."

     Whether voters in a voting booth, or soldiers on a battlefield, or Jesus on the cross - that’s surely what it’s about. Let’s give thanks for all who have sacrificed for our sakes, and let’s be willing to sacrifice for the sake of our neighbours.

Lessons On Faith From The U.S. Election

I've been giving some thought today to the faith ramifications of the U.S. presidential election yesterday. One of the suggestions that I've seen is that Mitt Romney's loss means that the influence of the "Christian Right" in U.S. politics is on the wane. One would hope so. I don't say that for ideological reasons. I'm equally appalled by the existence of something called the "Christian Left." These phrases represent, in fact, ideological positions and not faithful expressions of the gospel. If the gospel is to be reduced to mere ideology, then what need do we have of Christ? Whatever country we live in, let's just try to shove our view of how things should be done down each other's throats. You see, that's the problem with ideological expressions of the gospel. Ideology is about power. Yes, it's about a vision of how to order society; it's about basic beliefs about what's right and what's wrong. Ultimately, though, ideology is about power. It's about the quest for, the acquisition of and the exercise of power - because without power, ideology is largely pointless.

The gospel, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. Isn't the gospel about the voluntary sacrifice of power and influence and authority? Isn't the basic message of the gospel summed up in these words: 

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:5-8)

Why, then, insist on cheapening the gospel by mixing it with ideology? Ideology divides; and by mixing the gospel with ideology all we do is divide the body of Christ, and turn Christian against Christian. We do that in other ways, too, of course. We pit evangelical Christians against liberal Christians. We pit orthodox Christians against heretical Christians. We pit charismatic Christians against mainline Christians. We pit Catholics against Protestants. Jesus must weep. In choosing those divisions, all we're doing is weakening the body of Christ. When Christian faith becomes reduced to adherence to a certain set of either social policies or doctrines, then Christian faith is weakened, because the body of Christ is divided along those lines.

This should even be the case on the "hot button" issues that seem to get people so exorcised these days - same sex marriage and abortion. It is not for Christians to enforce an ethical code on others. We are not the arbiter of other people's morals. We are love. We are love, because God is love, and because Christ is God, and because we are the body of Christ. It's really that simple. We may agree or disagree with the choices other people make - but our calling is to love them and to assure them that God loves them. Whatever change that may bring about is up to the Holy Spirit and not to us. But to divide ourselves up (as we so often do) into the "good" Christians and the "bad" Christians based on your opinion on fundamentally deeply personal, moral issues is wrong, because - again - its sets us against one another; it works against love.

I'm not arguing that there's an easy solution to this problem. We're humans. We have strong opinions. We like to divide ourselves up on the basis of those opinions. We like to fight against each other, preferably peacefully and through the ballot box, but sometimes violently and through the barrel of a gun. But a part of the solution might be to remember the two verses that preceded what I shared above:

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-4)

As Christians, our fundamental concern should be for "the interests of others." If we could focus on that, we might be able to let go of ourselves and our own interests and beliefs and prejudices and simply live in love for those whom God already loves.

If the "Christian Right" is on the wane - and I desperately hope that it is (just as I hope that we'll give up the idea of a "Christian Left") then perhaps we can actually get back to the call Christ has given us: the sharing of the gospel - not a message of judgment, but rather a message of reconciliation and love, in which all are committed to doing the best they can for others - both God and their neighbours.

We'll always have politics. As Christians, we have to decide how to engage in politics. Do we enter the fray as ideologues, fiercely and passionately committed to our own understanding, believing that those who believe otherwise need to be defeated, and even crushed; going to virtually any means to win (honest or dishonest, ethical or unethical, Christ-like or un-Christ-like) bitter when we lose? Is that the way of Christ? Is that the way of the gospel? I hope not. And it doesn't have to be our way, if we can live into the words of Paul in Philippians.

Recently, in leading up to the election, I came across these words from Eric D. Barretto, a professor of New Testament studies at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minesota:

"How then do we vote like Christians? We vote with forgiveness, love, and grace in our hearts towards our neighbors but especially those with which we disagree on political questions. We vote without commitment to political ideologies or personalities. We vote without expecting mere mortals to do the work of God. Yet we vote with hope that God will meet us in the messiness of our political lives. We vote with expectation that the reign of God is indeed at hand. In short, we vote like a Christian when we vote for the sake of our neighbors and those the world and politicians are most likely to neglect. In doing so, we love God most deeply."

I think those are good words. They remind us that the greatest power we may possess as a people of faith isn't by latching on to an ideology or a doctrine and fighting tooth and nail to impose it on others. Our greatest power is in giving up any illusion that we have power; voluntarily sacrificing whatever authority we may have in order to further the best interests of our neighbours. That would be Christ-like. That's what we're called to.

A Thought For The Week Of November 5

Yesterday was a busy day, and I just didn't get around to it, but here's my thought for the week: "In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes." (Judges 17:6) It struck me as appropriate to think about this verse on a day when the United States is electing its president. Without a king, Israel descended into chaos and lawlessness. There was no sense of community; no sense of shared responsibility or mutual accountability. It was anarchy. Belief in God and trusting God to lead simply wasn't enough. That's why I reject the idea of both Christian anarchism (which essentially argues that the state is bad and we should simply have allegiance to God) and theocracy (which basically says that we have to follow whatever rules are imposed by the "believers" who are in charge of the state and who declare their beliefs to be God's will. Both are possible; both are dangerous. There's a role for the state, and the New Testament is pretty clear about that. Jesus paid his taxes after all, and Paul notes that the state serves as God's agent. Government isn't perfect, and we always need to be on our guard against those who would abuse the levers of power in order to abuse those who are subject to those levers. As Christians we celebrate the freedom God has given us, and - if we're fortunate enough to live in one of the world's democracies - we should be celebrating that freedom as well. Let's never take either God or freedom for granted. Have a great week!

November 4 2012 sermon - Our Very Own Perfect Storm

What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two - or at the most three - should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God. Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. (1 Corinthians 14:26-33a)

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     I guess we all feel pretty familiar now with the idea of a “perfect storm.” The phrase, I suspect, first entered the popular lingo several years ago with the release of the George Clooney movie of that name about a fishing vessel lost at sea during a severe North Atlantic storm. In the last couple of weeks the phrase has re-emerged in discussions about Sandy. Sandy is now a little bit like Cher - one name is enough, and folks know what you’re talking about. We came through fine here in Niagara, thankfully, aside from some wind and rain, but it was nowhere near as bad here as some had been predicting. But we’ve seen the news. We’ve seen the devastation Sandy wrought on the Carribean - especially Haiti and Cuba - and, of course, in the last few days we’ve seen the scenes out of New York City and New Jersey, and we pray for the well-being of all those affected. A perfect storm is caused when there’s a collision; a collision of two or more otherwise normal storm systems that join together and become greater than the sum of their parts. In the case of Sandy, a strong but not unusual Atlantic hurricane joined with a strong but not unusual Arctic cold front to produce an unusually powerful “superstorm” as some of the media were calling it. It was unusual enough that Lynn and I chose to make some preparations. So, we did something we’ve talked about for years but never acted upon - we bought a generator, so that we could keep our sump pump going and have a little bit of heat in the event of a power outage; we made sure we had 20 litres of clean water set aside in the house; we bought brand new flashlights and made sure we had brand new batteries so that we could have some light. I was never a Boy Scout, but I chose to live by the motto “be prepared.” Our preparations were unnecessary as it turned out, for which we’re grateful, but - better safe than sorry. And, as it all came to an end earlier this week, I turned my attention to what God wanted me to share with you today.

     We continue our journey through 1 Corinthians this morning; continuing to look at the qualities Paul identifies that help to create a stronger and more unified church; a church that overcomes the divisions and differences that can sometimes threaten to tear us apart. When we gather on Sunday morning, in a way we’re a “perfect storm.” We come with all of our spiritual gifts and with all of our spiritual baggage and we blend them together and we create something that is hopefully greater than the sum of its parts, and hopefully something that’s positive and bears witness to Christ. When Paul writes that “When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church,” he’s acknowledging the presence of all of these things that are present in the lives of the believers. He doesn’t mention here the negative spiritual baggage that we can bring (probably because at this point in 1 Corinthians his goal is to encourage the Corinthians by pointing out their strengths and not to discourage them by pointing out their weaknesses) but while he doesn’t mention negative spiritual baggage, he’s well aware of that as well, even in his own life. In the course of his letters, Paul speaks about his struggles with sin, and the distance he sometimes feels from God. There are times when he acknowledges that he’s not sure whether his words are only his or whether he’s being guided by the Holy Spirit. So Paul understands that any Christian community is a gathering together of many different things; a Christian community is, indeed, a perfect spiritual storm of sorts - and storms can be both good and bad. They’re a part of nature; they play a part in the renewal of the earth. They can also be tremendously destructive. What side our own perfect storm falls on depends on what we do with our differences and how well we blend them together to make something positive or whether we use them to set up barriers and to highlight differences, and what often happens is that those who seem to have it altogether become the bright shining examples of Christian faith, and those who don’t feel as if they’re missing something; as if they just don’t quite measure up.

     All of Christian life is a spiritual struggle of sorts. One biblical story that I’ve always cherished as a metaphor for a life of faith is the Genesis story of Jacob wrestling with God as he desperately seeks God’s blessing and apparently tries to force the issue! Even more interesting is that in a way God cheats in the wrestling match by wrenching Jacob’s hip out of its socket. But eventually, Jacob gets his blessing. The point seems to be that even those who are struggling spiritually and who bring their spiritual struggles with them are working their way through a spiritual process that will eventually lead to a divine blessing. And we all struggle spiritually. I’ve been in a massive spiritual struggle recently revolving around preaching. For several weeks now I’ve spent a lot of time staring at a computer screen, typing a few words and then deleting them. For several weeks sermon writing has been seeming like a chore rather than a joy; a job rather than a vocation; sometimes a curse rather than a blessing. That’s tough on a preacher. It’s felt at times like I’ve been involved in a wrestling match with God, and sometimes I’m not sure that God hasn’t cheated a little bit just as He did with Jacob. I can well remember last Sunday still being up and at the computer at about 1:00 in the morning, still not sure exactly what I was going to be saying a few hours later! This week seems to have gone a little better for me in that respect - perhaps because I’ve decided that I should openly acknowledge my spiritual struggle of the last few weeks. A lot of people like to put the minister on a pedestal as a spiritual giant and example of the faith. I’m not convinced that the best way for the minister to be an example of the faith isn’t to let go of the idea that a minister has to be a spiritual giant who has it altogether spiritually and just admit that sometimes faith is tough and God seems distant and the call Christ gives us can start to seem like a burden. Because - truth be told - that’s the case for all of us. It’s part of being a Christian - and I’m not convinced that it isn’t the spiritual struggles that are brought together on a Sunday morning when we gather that aren’t more important in creating Christian community than all the “hymns, words of instruction, revelations, tongues or interpretations” that might also be present.

     One of the problems with contemporary society (and even with contemporary Christianity) is that we’ve internalized our spirituality far too much. Spirituality becomes at most about us and our relationship with God and sometimes it gets reduced to being just about us and whatever makes us feel good about ourselves. But Christian spirituality can surely never be reduced to merely a personal matter to the exclusion of everything and everyone else. A healthy Christian spirituality has to be about the bonds we have with God and with one another and even with all of creation. A healthy Christian spirituality has to be about relationship; about connectedness; about oneness. Whether we bring our spiritual highs or our spiritual lows together on a Sunday morning; whether we bring our spiritual triumphs or our spiritual struggles together on a Sunday morning, we blend them together as a community into what you might call a “perfect storm” of Christian spirituality. Storms can be destructive - and Christian spirituality (when it’s used to divide us into the “haves” and “have-nots” as it so often tragically is) can be destructive. But storms don’t have to be destructive. They’re a part of what God has created; they’re a part of the normal course of things; they’re natural; ultimately they play a part in cleansing and renewing and giving life. This “perfect storm” of spirituality we’ve created here this morning - as we come from all of our varied experiences with our joys and our sorrows, our triumphs and our defeats; our assurance and our questions; our faith and our doubts - can also cleanse and renew us, because, as Paul writes, it all comes together “for the strengthening of the church.”

     Ultimately, isn’t that what it’s all about? “The strengthening of the church”? The secular world might call it strength in numbers; we might call it the communion of saints. But whatever you call it, it reminds us that we all, with all of our experiences, are a vital and necessary part of the body of Christ. It’s about all of us, merging together our gifts and our talents, bringing together our own beliefs and our own questions, our own sorrows and joys, our own victories and defeats, our own tragic heartbreaks and our own amazing blessings, our own experiences of the Holy Spirit and our own experiences of feeling distant from the Holy Spirit. And, somehow, that all comes together as something akin to a spiritual perfect storm “for the strengthening of the church.”

If you're interested in watching the video of the actual sermon preached:

https://vimeo.com/52807807