Wednesday 28 December 2016

A Thought For The Week Of December 26, 2016

"... always be ready to make a reply to anyone who asks you to explain the hope that is in you." (1 Peter 3:15) I get the sense that at least in Peter's eyes, hopefulness is not the default position of the human heart. And I think if you follow the news and look at what goes on in the world you can probably understand that. In a lot of ways people do seem to have lost hope - and I see that this week as people begin to look ahead to the new year. It's as if the move forward in time is being made very tentatively. It's not that the year that's almost passed away is being lamented as a great year. Famous and inspiring people from Leonard Cohen to Carrie Fisher to Richard Adams have died seemingly one after another; various elections haven't turned out the way they were expected to, and those on the losing end of them are apprehensive about what the results will bring. And the feeling seems to be that 2017 will be worse. It all seems rather bleak. I feel a sense of unease rather than celebration as people look ahead to a new year. People have lost hope in institutions, including the church. People have lost hope in politicians and governments. We're conditioning ourselves to believe that things will not be as good for our children as they've been for us. The Arctic is 30 degrees celsius warmer than it should be. Terrorism and violence are in the news it seems every day. Where will it end? To be hopeful seems foolish. That, of course, represents an opportunity for people of faith - who should, of all people, be the most hopeful! Hopeful people stand out at this moment in history - and, really, who should be more hopeful than followers of Jesus, who died and yet rose again to life! Surely that's why Peter tells us that we should be prepared to offer a reason for our hope, because simply by being hopeful we will be noticed! There are a lot of things we should be able to do as hopeful people: we have to look for the good rather than expect the bad; we have to speak truth rather than surrender to falsehood; we have to work to make things better rather than lament how bad things are. Then, we have to be ready to explain why we do those things. And, really, it's simple. It's because we believe in Jesus - that he is alive and with us. And if you have a real belief in a Lord who died and rose again and is still alive then we of all people should be the most hopeful. I don't have all the answers to the world's problems. But I'm convinced of this - that if God truly loved the world so much that he gave his only Son (that he gave, literally, of himself) and if God's Son continues to be with us, then God has not given up on us. The world will go on. I am a person of hope. Happy new year!

Sunday 25 December 2016

December 25, 2016 sermon: God Gave

If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.
(John 3:12-20)

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

     Gather around, friends, because I want to tell you a Christmas story. Now, I confess that I'm no Charles Dickens – so there won't be a miserly old curmudgeon suddenly transformed – and I'm no Chevy Chase -  so you're not going to be rolling on the floor laughing. I'm not even Macauley Culkin – so there will be no accounts of children left to fend for themselves. My Christmas story is just a little bit different than any of those, and it revolves around these words: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” They're familiar words – probably among the most familiar words in the Bible. They're at the heart of this extended passage that we read, which looks at the past, moves on to the future and even discusses judgement. They're at the heart of the entire Gospel message. In fact, John 3:16 has sometimes been referred to as “the little gospel” - the point being that everything you ever really needed to know about the gospel you find in that one verse. We usually associate the verse with Good Griday, so that “God gave” is associated with sacrifice, but I often think of the words “God gave” as being about Christmas. “God gave his only Son” reminds us that Christmas ultimately isn't about the gifts we found under the Christmas tree today, and it's not about Santa or shopping or turkey or lights, or any of those things. They're all wonderful. I'm not one of those Christian grumps who complain about the secular Christmas. But, for me, “God gave his only Son” reminds me about what this day is all about – God gave us Jesus. In a sense, Jesus himself was the first Christmas gift – given by God. I want to focus on John 3:16 for just a few moments as a part of our Christmas celebration.

     “God so loved the world ...” God loved. The birth of Jesus was an act of divine love. It wasn't love defined as an emotion that you might feel toward some and not others, or that might come and go depending on a whole lot of variables. This is love – the perfect love – the love that will not die – the love that will not end. This is love not just as an emotion, but love as an action. This is love not just as an uncontrollable feeling, but love as a deliberate choice. This is a love that doesn't look with mere affection on its object, but love that offers complete devotion to its object. This is love that doesn't look with pity on its object, but love that stands in solidarity with its object. This is not selfish love that seeks to be loved in return, but selfless love that simply loves for the sake of loving. This is love with no ulterior motive and no secret agenda. This is simply love. As John would later write in 1 John, “In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son ...”

     “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son ...” God gave. And the point is that God gave of himself. God didn't give a trinket bought at WalMart, neither did God go into debt believing that love has a price or can be bought. God gave of himself – of that which was nearest and dearest and closest to God. God gave. God did not give a gift that would be of fleeting value – appreciated but someday probably forgotten; heart-warming but not life-changing; fading away with the passage of time and ultimately replaced in our hearts by something bigger or shinier or more interesting. God gave “his only Son” - a Son who would promise to be with us forever. Matthew's Gospel is interesting, because it begins and ends on the same note: in Matthew 1, Jesus is called “Emmanuel” - “God With Us” and in Matthew 28, Jesus' last words to his disciples are “I will be with you always ...” God gave – a gift of lasting value and importance. God gave us Jesus, who stands with us and never abandons us.

     “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him ...” That word “everyone” is key. God doesn't give as we give. As Jesus himself said, “I do not give to you as the world gives.” How does the world give? The world tends to give sparingly – only to those we think of as deserving. We're cautious about our giving. We pick and choose the recipients of our love carefully, as if love is a limited commodity that we can't choose to give away in abundance. We tend to get a bit cynical if those we give to don't seem to appreciate what we've given as much as we think they should. Not so with God. God gives extravagantly. God is love and so God loves without limit. God doesn't stop to consider who is or isn't worthy of receiving gifts. The gift God gives is there for the taking. It's not reserved for anyone in particular, it's not restricted to only certain groups of people, the supply of what God gives never runs out. It is, quite literally, a gift for “everyone.”

     And, finally, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” It is, literally, the perfect gift. Once we receive it, we never perish. I think the point here is beyond simply saying that we won't die. That's important – but it goes beyond even that. I think the point is that we aren't insignificant. Most people fear insignificance. They're worried that they won't make a difference; that they won't leave anything of lasting value. Saying that we won't perish but will have eternal life I think is meant literally – our death will not be the end – but it's also meant figuratively: it tells us that we are of great significance. We matter to God; we are important to God. What matters is more than just this flesh and blood existence that we lead. What matters and gives us significance is the love that God has for us. We will not perish because God will not forget us or leave us or abandon us. We will not perish because Jesus – the great gift that God has given – is with us always.

     “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” This is the real Christmas story – beyond anything that any author has imagined or any movie maker has produced. This is the real Christmas story – even beyond the manger and angels and shepherds and magi. God loved – God gave – for everyone – forever.

     I'm glad we've gathered here today, on Christmas Day. Henry Van Dyke said that “It is a good thing to observe Christmas Day. ... But there is a better thing than the observance of Christmas Day, and that is, keeping Christmas.” We truly keep Christmas by remembering the great gift that God has given us and by letting it touch us and guide us every day of the year. God gave – and may God's giving be our example.

Monday 19 December 2016

A Thought For The Week Of December 19, 2016

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:7) I came across an article in the news today about Patapsco United Methodist Church in Dundalk, Maryland. It seems that over the years the church grounds had become a place where homeless people slept. The congregation is small (about 50 people on a Sunday) and as a result somewhat limited as to what they can do to help the poor and homeless, but decided that allowing their property to be used in such a way was in keeping with Christian love and charity. Not long ago, the pastor of the church found a notice on the door from the local municipal authorities telling them to evict the homeless people and refuse to allow them to sleep on the property (it was a residential neighbourhood, and the neighbours objected) or be fined $12000. There's no word on what the church plans to do, although they note that a $12000 fine would be difficult for them to pay. It's ironic that this story made the news just as Christmas is fast approaching. Mary and Joseph had no place to stay. The innkeeper found them a place in a stable. Not luxury accommodation - but the best he could do. In spite of the fact that he's often looked down upon, the innkeeper is actually an example of sorts. He did what he could. This church in Dundalk is doing what they can. The church everywhere is called to do what it can. The world has a tendency to look down upon the poor and homeless. We'd much rather sweep them out of the way and pretend that they're not there. And we certainly don't want them in "our" neighbourhoods. But perhaps we need to reflect just a bit about the Christmas story - and about Jesus' teaching that "whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me." If the church can help, the church should help. If there's a price to be paid - well, Jesus never told us that living out our faith in him would be easy or that there would be no price attached. "Take up your cross and follow me" suggests that being a disciple of Jesus has a huge price tag attached. The world is full of such desperate need. Find a way to show love to those who desperately need love. If those who think they aren't worthy of that love object - well, just wish them a merry Christmas and go about your work of sharing the love of Jesus with all.

Sunday 18 December 2016

December 18, 2016 sermon: The Chosen Mother(s)

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
(Luke 1:46-56)

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

     It’s called “cutting off your nose to spite your face,” or perhaps “throwing out the baby with the bath water.” Those are ways of referring to over-reactions. There’s some problem that we’ve identified; something that isn’t quite right - but instead of just fixing the problem we end up doing so much to compensate for it that we cause more damage than the original problem had created. Protestants should be able to understand that. The Reformation might have been necessary corrections to some aspects of the theology of the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th and 17th centuries, but in some ways it really did throw the baby out with the bath water. If you want a classic example of that, well - I give you Mary: Mother of Jesus and - yes - Mother of God. The great reformers of the church believed that Mary had been elevated as a figure of veneration (and almost worship) that nothing in the Bible entitles her to, but in response they went too far, and Mary virtually disappeared from the Protestant horizon; trotted out as part of a nativity scene every December, or played by a young girl in a Sunday School play at Christmas, but she’s rarely given a voice, and she’s not thought of in Protestant churches as much more than a sideshow to the main event. I think she deserves more; I think she deserves better. I think Protestants need to reclaim Mary.

     Aside from the fact that she was Jesus’ mother, the words we read today might be the most well known thing about Mary. They’re called “The Magnificat” - or, “The Song of Mary.” They’re recorded as the response that Mary gave to the angel when she was told that she would become the mother of the Son of God. They’re some of the most beautiful words that we find in Scripture: they are comforting, they are faith-filled, they are passionate, they are humble and they are revolutionary. They are all those things at the same time. There are few other expressions of faith in the Bible that come even close to capturing what we find in those 11 verses.

     That might make it sound strange when you hear me say that at first glance I was a little put off by Mary’s words in this passage. I don’t know how many times I’ve read the Song of Mary over the years, but for some reason it suddenly struck me that Mary seemed to say that her reason for glorifying the Lord and rejoicing in God was simply because of what God had done for her - because all generations would call her blessed and God had done great things for her. That sounded on the surface just a little bit selfish. Should we really be glorifying the Lord and rejoicing in God just because of what God does for us? I started to think that Mary was getting into some dangerous territory: so God can be glorified and we can rejoice when we’re blessed - but otherwise? Does that give us license to not glorify and rejoice in God if we don’t seem to get the blessings? But then, of course, I remembered the most important thing to remember about any passage in the Bible: context.

     To really appreciate what Mary is saying and why this is such a powerful statement of faith, we have to dig into the question of what it is that God has actually done for Mary. First - this puts her at risk. She’s unmarried, and she’s going to have a baby. Under the Law, that’s an offence worthy of stoning! But Mary looks beyond the immediate risk and realizes that she has been blessed. She has been chosen to be the mother of Jesus. So she’s glorifying the Lord and rejoicing in God not because God has set her aside for great material blessings, but because God has chosen her to be a servant - and a servant whose servanthood would carry a huge price. Maybe that’s what we’re supposed to be holding up as an example here. It’s not just that it’s a beautiful passage - but it tells us that we are to glorify the Lord and rejoice in God because God calls us to be servants. Now - that has bite! That’s counter-cultural! We don’t want to be servants. We want to be in charge. We don’t want to be at the bottom of the barrel - we want to work our way to the top of the heap! Not everyone can make it, but that’s the goal. But Mary (and later Jesus) was content being a servant. More than just content, Mary saw being called to be a servant as a great blessing. That tells us something hugely important about our faith and gives us something to ponder about what our faith does for us: we glorify the Lord and rejoice in God not because we are called to greatness, but because we are called to service. That is radically counter-cultural. That goes against everything our culture tells us we should aim for. These 11 verses highlight for us the difference that faith in God makes in our lives. It gives us a radically different perspective on what greatness really is. I wonder if those who translated the Bible even really know what to make of it.

     I don’t talk a lot about translation issues, but this one is interesting. In v.49 most translations of the Bible have Mary saying that the Lord has done great things “for” her. But there are a few translations that have Mary saying that the Lord has done something “to” her - and that actually seems to be more accurate. Maybe it’s just a semantic issue but this seems to make a difference - which translation you choose gives a different feel to the whole story. “To her” sounds as if God has done something unpleasant; “for her” sounds as if God has done something wonderful. Knowing, of course, how the story ultimately ends, I think I could easily understand Mary saying that God had done something “to her.”

     And what does this say to us? It seems to me that Mary - even more than Jesus in some ways - becomes our example. Mary is our example of how to live a humble life and still glorify God through it. Mary is our example of how to live a life of service that is also a life of blessing. Mary - yes, the Mother of God - reminds us that we - each and every one of us - are called to incarnate the divine each and every day. In the 13th century, Meister Eckhart - a German Dominican theologian - wrote that “we are all meant to be mothers of God … for God is always needing to be born.”  We do that by living as an example of how God wants all of his children to live: humbly, with courage and without pretension, with a steadfast faith and a steely resolve to follow whatever path God has laid out for us, even if at times it’s unpleasant and hard. And as we contemplate this divine call upon our lives, perhaps we can also say with Mary, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”

Monday 12 December 2016

A Thought For The Week Of December 12, 2016

"Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word." (Luke 2:29) Simeon could die in peace. He had known that the Messiah was coming, and having seen Jesus, he was basically able to say that to God. "You can take me now or whenever you want. I'm at peace because I've seen him." There seem to be two things going on here. The first is the idea that Simeon's life had been fulfilled by the appearance of Jesus. Everything he had been waiting for - all his hopes and dreams and expectations - had come in Jesus. He needed nothing else. That's a point for Christians to remember today. In Jesus, we find our deepest yearnings fulfilled. Once we encounter Jesus, we find that everything else pales in comparison. Which then leads me to the second point that comes from Simeon's encounter with Jesus. With his life now totally fulfilled, Simeon could be at peace - Simeon could live in peace; Simeon could even die in peace. He had no more needs, no more struggles and no more fears. It was all good - because of the appearance of Jesus. So it should be with Christians today. We should be at peace - able to face the future and whatever it holds (up to and including death) without any fear. Jesus brings complete peace, and knowing that he is a part of our lives should be enough to satisfy us totally. Country singer Tim McGraw sang a song in which he said to "live like you were dying." I think Jesus would understand that, because it's basically what Jesus did. It's not a sombre thought. It's a challenge to those who listen to the song to not hold back - to live each day as if it's our last, and to make sure that we live meaningfully in a way that tries to make a positive difference - because even if it is our last day, we have nothing to fear and we have everything we could possibly need in Jesus. As Simeon said, "my eyes have seen your salvation." All who follow Jesus have seen the salvation of God. All who follow Jesus can be at peace.

Sunday 11 December 2016

December 11, 2016 sermon: The Gifts We Can Give To The World

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
(Matthew 11:2-11)

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

     Gifts. They’re wonderful - and yet I suspect for many people gifts are also the hardest part of the Christmas season. There was a survey done in the United Kingdom that suggested that the only life experiences that are more stressful than Christmas are the death of loved ones, buying a new house, losing or starting a new job, getting divorced and becoming a parent. Christmas is right up there with those life changing and sometimes life shattering events - and a big part of the stress around Christmas has to do with gifts. That survey says that 86% of people say they find buying presents difficult and 65% find Christmas shopping a stressful experience. 30% of people get stressed just at the mere thought of starting Christmas shopping, and 61% say they have no idea what they should buy and they worry that people won't like what they've bought them. 60% of people have at some time had the horrible experience of buying a gift for someone and seeing disappointment on their faces when they opened it. It was a British survey, but I doubt that the results would be that much different in Canada. Buying gifts is tough - not to mention that it can be expensive. You don’t want to look cheap by spending too little, but you also don’t want to go into too much debt by spending too much. So what do you buy? That’s why shopping malls are often full on Christmas Eve - because many people like to put Christmas shopping off until literally the last possible moment. They just don’t want to face it. And they honestly don’t know what to buy. When I was about 7 years old, I bought my mother deodorant for Christmas. DON’T JUDGE ME! I WAS 7!!!!! I didn’t know what to buy her. I remember buying it, but I don’t remember her response. I’m sure it was gracious and thankful. I mean - it was a useful gift! And then - as the survey said - there’s the problem of receiving gifts. 60% of people have given a gift and known from the look on the face of the person they gave it to that they don’t like it. And how do I respond if I don’t like something that someone gives me? Do I manage to successfully mask my disappointment and look enthusiastic? I hope so. Remember - it’s not the gift that counts, it’s that someone thought enough about you to give you the gift! That’s what matters.

     I thought about John the Baptist and his disciples. A couple of weeks ago I was speaking of how important the question they asked Jesus in today’s reading was: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” If Jesus was a gift - and I would say that Jesus was in fact God’s gift to the world - then how did John and his disciples receive that gift. Not well apparently. They had questions and doubts and uncertainties. Jesus, as it turned out, wasn’t exactly the gift from God that they had been expecting. Who knows exactly what they were expecting - but John himself was a pretty fiery guy who wasn’t shy about telling people exactly what he thought, so one might assume that a Messiah who came saying “blessed are the meek” was a bit unexpected. And they seem to have been among those who were disappointed by the gift they gift. “Really? Are you really the one?” It’s as if what they’re really saying is, “Please tell us there’s someone else!” And Jesus said, “No. I’m it.” And he cited the various “gifts” (if you will) that he had to offer: “the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.” The gifts of God for the people of God, you might say.

     Today, I think, the church wonders what we have to give; what we have to offer to those around us; what gifts we can bestow upon the people we encounter. I suspect that a lot of Christians have trouble answering that question. In congregations I’ve served in the past I’ve sometimes asked people “what would people in the community miss about this church if we weren’t here anymore?” And, distressingly, I find that most people can’t answer the question. They can say what THEY would miss about the church. They know what the church does for them, but - others? What do we offer to others? The British survey about Christmas stress said that when people are asked the kind of gift they’d like to receive almost everyone wants something primarily for themselves. Only 3.7% of those who took the survey said that they wanted something they could share with others. Isn’t that interesting. Only 3.7%!! Maybe that’s part of the problem in the church. We’ve forgotten how to share, and in many cases I suspect we’ve forgotten that we have something to share. Evangelism has become the word that dare not be spoken. We think primarily of what our faith or our church does for us - but what would the person who lives across the street or down the road from us miss about Pickering Village United Church if we weren’t here? That’s something to think about. It’s a question I hope the Visioning Committee that’s been meeting will take some time to ponder.

     But at least in general terms, I think Jesus does give us the answer. Rev. Mary Hinkle Shore wrote that “I get how John got Jesus wrong … But how are we getting Jesus wrong? It’s tough to understand because it’s not that complicated. Jesus explained what he gave: “the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.” The key to understanding both the gift we’ve been given and the gift we have to give is probably found in those last few words: “the poor have good news brought to them.” Who are the poor? Does Jesus just mean those who don’t have very much money, or is it wider and broader than that? I suspect that the poor are those who have need; those who don’t have enough - whether that be enough money, enough food, enough health, or maybe the poor are those with no power, no respect, no status, maybe it’s even those with no faith.

     And what “gift” do we have for them? So many today think that the church has little to offer. Maybe we’re not sure ourselves what we have to offer to those who have little. But that isn’t true. We can’t solve everyone’s problems and we can’t provide for everyone’s needs - but what we can do is be a place where those who have little or where those who are tossed aside and ignored and even hated are welcomed - without question and without judgement, but always with love and grace. That should be what we do best, because we’ve seen it and experienced it in action - because it’s what God has given us in Jesus: unconditional love and acceptance without question and without judgement. Gift giving doesn’t have to be hard or stressful. And when you’re the church, it should be easy. Just give the grace of God. Just give Jesus.

Monday 5 December 2016

A Thought For The Week Of December 5, 2016

"Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts ..." (Exodus 7:11) I thought I would continue on to another part of the exodus story this week. Moses and Aaron are now in front of Pharaoh. According to the story, in a first attempt to convince Pharaoh of the power of God, Aaron threw his staff on the ground, and it turned into a snake. Well, there are a lot of false prophets. They're in the world today - and they were in Egypt long ago. And, as we all know - because we've see it happen - they have the ability to lead many people astray; to draw them away from God. And the reason (or at least one reason) that they can lead so many people astray is because - quite honestly - false prophets can sometimes seem to do amazing things, even as false as they are. We see an example of that in Exodus 7:8-13. The magicians of Egypt were able to make their staffs turn into snakes, just as Aaron's staff had done. There are, indeed, a lot of deceptive false prophets out there. A lot of miracles; a lot of signs and wonders. And I don't dismiss that there are miracles and signs and wonders in the world around us. Some of them are from God? Others? Well ... some would argue I guess that if it looks good and impresses people then it must be of God. I'm not so sure. Pharaoh was impressed by his magicians. So impressed that he wouldn't even consider the possibility of letting the Hebrews go. Why should he - when his magicians were every bit as impressive as Aaron and his God. Even the elect can be deceived, the New Testament tells us. How much easier to deceive Pharaoh? In the end the power of Aaron's God was shown by the fact that his "snake" ate up the other "snakes." Still, Pharaoh wouldn't be budged. So taken was he by his magicians - his false prophets - that even the one God couldn't get his attention. This story is a call to discernment. Amazing things in and of themselves don't point to the presence of God. The results of those amazing things are what matters. Pharaoh's magicians did tricks; Ultimately, Aaron's God would set the people free. Does anything productive come from the signs and wonders that false prophets today love to point to? People can be easily led astray - as even Jesus acknowledged. Sometimes the results are tragic. So we have to be cautious and act always with discernment. God's way is the way of truth, freedom and love which all are invited to share. Anything else is a word from a false prophet.

Sunday 4 December 2016

December 4 2016 sermon: A Call To Be Humble

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favour is better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor have this in common: the Lord is the maker of them all. The clever see danger and hide; but the simple go on, and suffer for it. The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honour and life.
(Proverbs 22:1-4)

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

     Ego. Pride. Arrogance. Narcissism. Self-Centredness. And I'm not even talking about the President-elect of the United States! I'm talking about the human condition – the sinful nature, as Paul would have described it. The tendency of human beings to become so focused on ourselves and our own needs and our own wants that we become oblivious to everyone and everything around us; oblivious to how our actions impact those around us; oblivious even to God. Now, all of us have a little bit of natural ego and pride. I've studied a wee bit of Freud over the years. I understand the concept of the id. We all have one. And, to continue with Freud for a moment, we hopefully all have a super-ego as well, helping to keep that darn little id under control before it wreaks havoc. But sometimes we do wreak havoc. It's in our lives, in the lives of others – including those we love, in the world. “Cure your children's warring madness” wrote Harry Emerson Fosdick in the hymn “God Of Grace And God Of Glory.” It's the id that causes war – ego and pride and arrogance, etc. It's the id that causes a lack of peace – whether in the world or in our own lives. It's the id that sometimes causes us to go to war with God, reflecting our desire to be our own god – to do what we want when we want and to face no consequences for it. It does us no credit. It gains us no honour. It creates nothing but chaos. And we see its effects all around us. The reverse would be to live in peace – peace in the world; peace in our lives; peace with those around us. And that requires that we do battle with and ultimately take control of those things – ego, pride, arrogance, narcissism, self-centredness. Today is the Second Sunday of Advent – Peace Sunday. A life freed from the control of such qualities would be a life of peace – a humble life of contentedness with what we have rather than desperate grabbing after what we want.  Proverbs says that “the reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honour and life.” I admit that I'm not sure about riches and honour – material rewards seem somehow out of place, although the reference could be to spiritual riches and honour before God - but to live humbly and with a proper awe for God is true life, at peace with the world.  Surely that's the goal of God for his creation. Surely that would “cure [God's] children's warring madness.” Surely that's a part of the vision of Advent.

     I find myself struck by the relationship between humility and “the fear of the Lord,” and especially relating it to the season of Advent; to the appearance of Christ. Fear was a part of that event as well – once Herod discovered that the Christ child had been born, it's said that he was filled with fear or dread – and all Jerusalem with him. I've never thought of a connection between fear and humility before, but as I reflect upon it I see that it makes more and more sense. Herod and Jerusalem were filled with fear because their predictable and comfortable lives were suddenly threatened. Jesus always upsets and threatens the powerful. The powerful think of themselves as above all else; as gods unto themselves – accountable to no one, or at least as unaccountable as possible. Then Jesus appears, and demands that we make the choice to live for ourselves or for God; demands that we live in awe of God; demands that we give up the privileges of our existence and join him in that crude and bare manger, where life is often a struggle, but where God shines most brightly and we find ourselves awestruck by the divine presence. And we cannot be in awe of the Lord if we aren't humble. If we're not humble then our tendency is to become more and more self-centred. It all comes down to us. That's arrogance, and eventually it impacts our view of God. We no longer encounter God as God chooses to be encountered, and instead we restrict God to only those areas of our lives where we want God. A lack of humility is what creates the problem of creating God in our own image. If we're not humble then our assumption is that God must be basically like us; our assumption is that we know everything there is to know about God. A lot of people are like that.

     I wonder sometimes what it actually looks like to be humble? Sometimes – just given the nature of our society – some of these qualities that are held up as ideals for Christians are looked down upon by society as weaknesses; as qualities not to be desired or developed. But humility – to me – means to have the ability to be in real and productive relationships with others. It means to recognize that we’re no better than those around us. In reference to God it means to learn to accept the fact that God is not like us. That’s always been a problem for people of faith. We constantly want to create God in our own image. I suppose that makes God comfortable to us, but it’s not humble. To be humble is to accept that God is not like us; that God cannot be judged by human standards; that God is not subject to human limitations. It is to accept that there are things about God that I do not know and that I will never know. Once I acknowledge that, only then am I able to truly “fear the Lord” in the way the phrase is meant in the Bible – to be in awe (awestruck) by God. You can't really be in awe of a God who is just like you after all. It's being humble enough to admit that God is far greater than I am and that I will always have a lot more to learn about God that causes me to be in awe of God. Jesus sets the example for us.

     Think about what we’re doing at this time of year; think about who we’re worshiping. The omnipotent God becoming the helpless child. Mary's Saviour becomes dependent on Mary for survival. What does this tell us about God? It tells us that God does not abuse divine power. It tells us that God does not seek to coerce those he has created. It tells us that God chooses the way of humility; that God chooses not to come in power and majesty to overwhelm the creation, but rather than God comes in weakness rather than power; in the ordinary form of a baby rather than in the majesty of a king – not to overwhelm us but to be one of us. This is God. This is Jesus. This is the example that’s been set for us to try to live up to. Even in life, this was the example of Jesus. Jesus – who “being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” This is our example of how to live a life of faithfulness; a life of true witness to Jesus.

     It’s the only way to peace – whether we’re talking peace on a grand scale at the level of nations, or whether we’re talking peace in our relationships with those around us, or whether we’re simply talking about inner peace. To be humble is to be content. It is to let go of the grasping and selfish nature that so many people are conquered by and it is to be content with the provisions God has made for us, and it is to use those blessings to reach out ourselves to those who have need. Because this is what Christ did.

     The table tells us. The table witnesses to us. The bread and wine cry aloud to us. This is a memorial feast to honour Jesus and all he did and continues to do for us. This is a reminder to us of the very nature of God, who through Jesus sought nothing and gave everything.