Sermon for 9-5-10 "God's Overflowing Hospitality" (Favorite Things Summer Series)

Sermon for 9/5/10

Favorite Things Summer Series

Psalm 23; Matthew 25:31-46

"God's Overflowing Hospitality"

This morning our "A Few of Our Favorite Things" summer sermon series comes to a close with two passages you all chose that are likely familiar in some way or another to many of us.  Matthew's parable of judgment and Psalm 23's images of the shepherd are ones that come up in our lectionary readings from time to time.  Psalm 23 is one of the most familiar passages in all of Scripture, and we often hear it's comforting words in the midst of our grief or journeys through the valley of the shadow death.   As I have examined these two passages and reflected on this summer, perhaps there is another message there to add to a layer of understanding to these passages.

[Communion "Hospitality" Table from May 2nd]

If you remember back with me to May 2nd--for those of you who were here that first Sunday of Craig's Sabbatical--I started our Favorite Things Summer Worship Series with my favorite passage from Scripture--Luke 24's telling of the disciples on the road to Emmaus on the evening of the Resurrection. We were invited to consider the hospitality that Christ offers to the disciples who are journeying along life's road, and at the same time the hospitality the disciples offer to the stranger by welcoming him to their table for a meal. The stranger turns out to be Christ.  As we reexamined Luke's text in light of our upcoming Sabbatical Summer, we were invited to be open to where we might see Christ in our midst?  Where might we share Christ's love and Christ's welcome with those whom we encounter this summer--whether it was in worship here together or in our daily journeys beyond these doors? 

[In Luke 24, Christ was revealed in the breaking of the bread.]

The text nudged us to think about Hospitality--both God's gracious hospitality to us and our hospitality to each other and those we encounter.  As I look back at the summer from today's 20/20 hindsight, I can affirm that hospitality was truly a theme for us this summer. 

Today we find ourselves at the end of this Sabbatical Summer.  And like May 2nd, our texts today invite us to examine Hospitality.  As I look at the passages that we heard this morning, I hear hospitality ring out in them in ways I had not heard before.  The passage from Matthew was chosen for today before the Sabbatical began.  Coincidence--I think not.  Whether you have been around Raleigh Moravian this summer or not, there is an invitation for us in these texts, so let's take a look at these passages.

Psalm 23 is certainly heard in memorial services, and we often focus on our journeys through the valleys of darkness.  It is comforting and reassuring when times are tough!  But think with me for a minute about another setting where this Psalm is also appropriate--a setting at least that I hadn't thought about before, but I really resonate with now.  It is possible that this Psalm was a type of prayer used around the thanksgiving table in worship for all God has provided. [1] Its a Psalm that celebrates God's hospitality toward God's people... people who have survived the journey through the desert, escaped their enemies, and found that God truly does provide all of their basic needs.  The book of Exodus recounts how manna and quail appeared when they were hungry, water overflowed when they were thirsty, and how a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day lead them to the land that was promised.  This Psalm expresses their thanksgiving for God's provisions and food they received--God's hospitality led them through the dark places and welcomed them safely to the promised land. "⁵You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  ⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long." (Psalm 23:5-6)

For the author, to dwell in the house of the Lord means they are part of the community of faith.  It takes this psalm from the purely personal to the greater community--a holy community.  God is a gracious host, and we have much to give thanks for!  As we pray this Psalm together, we claim the same hospitality from God--the hospitality of food and drink, shelter and security.  And God follows us each day of our lives--or pursues us, as the text can be translated, with goodness and loving kindness that only God can give. [2] 

The Psalm proclaims our cup overflows.  We have more than enough to go around.  Not only does God provide, but we are given more than we expect or need.  It reminds me of the saying about our outlook on life--is the cup half full or half empty?  Psalm 23 reminds us that not only is our cup half-full... it's full to overflowing.  When we see our lives as full to overflowing with God's love, we are able to share more freely.  We are more likely to offer the hospitality that has been modeled for us by God, because we recognize we have more than we could possibly need.

Taking a look at Matthew 25, it is easy to see the story of judgment on the surface.  But if we look a bit deeper, we see other things going on here too.  The passage is instruction on ways to inherit the kingdom of God.  These verses are instructions on ways to live today that are life-giving and show God's love and care--God's hospitality--to the people we encounter throughout our lives.  The part I find remarkable, as I think about this passage, is the acts of hospitality that are mentioned.  They are small things.  I think sometimes we get bogged down in how to share our faith or live as God calls us to with our neighbors around us.  We think it takes BIG gestures.  BIG events.  BIG whatever--or it doesn't count or isn't important.  Our culture teaches us that it's "GO BIG, or GO HOME".  Matthew's passage reminds us that God is interested in the details-- small things that matter a lot.  In sharing the small things with those around us, we are sharing God's hospitable love.  We are living out God's kingdom in the details of our lives.  We experience God's Kingdom in the details--the small things--as well.

In preparing for today's final sermon of the summer, and in beginning to catch up with Craig about this summer, I've had the opportunity to reflect back on many of the events that have gone on since May 2nd.  It's also provided me the chance to begin looking for where Christ has shown up in often-unexpected places, or where we've both experienced God's hospitality and shown God's hospitality to others.  I truly hope we will continue together to reflect on our Sabbatical summer experiences together, as I am sure there are many examples that I am unaware of where you have seen Christ present or God's kingdom at work.  I look forward to hearing all about it!  There are truly too many to list here, but here are a few. 

Many of these involved us gathering together, sharing in food and fellowship, living into the small things of our lives that together show us at least a glimpse of God's hospitality.  We supported the Komen Race for the Cure; won Best Team Spirit for our efforts in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life; and hosted a Bodacious BBQ that quite possibly was our best ever!  We engaged in worship while learning about our liturgies and prayers; told stories about the life of this community of faith; and served in mission with communities Tennessee and our mountains.  We had over 30 people gather for dinner to celebrate our friendships with our sister church in Costa Rica and greet our friends before they had to unexpectedly fly home early.  Our table literally overflowed that evening as we ate, laughed, and formed memories that will remind us of God's kingdom for years to come. 

As I thought about hospitality this summer, there was one other event that occurred that was much smaller and much less planned.  Some are probably not aware it even happened at all.  And yet, for me, it serves as a gigantic example of God's kingdom of hospitality at work in our midst.  One Sunday in June, Joan Burri and I was here getting ready for worship.  A few minutes after Joan arrived, I heard the main door open and the sound of a baby stroller and footsteps in the hall.  Then a family of 4 appeared in my office.  Father, mother, a 3 year-old son, and a less-than-month-old daughter--they looked as though they had spent the night in the ER, and as it was, they had.  They had wandered into our church from Rex Hospital, and were hoping to find somewhere cool to rest and something to eat as well.  Their food and shelter situation was in limbo, and they weren't quite sure what that Sunday held for them. 

I talked with the family for a few minutes, as they shared with me about their current predicament. Then I talked with Joan about what to do. Joan and I shared what was for both of us a moment of grace as we decided that our only option was to show them God's hospitality.  Minutes later others began arriving for worship, and we were able to invite others into the conversation.  While some folks were preparing coffee and finding whatever food we had around, someone else made sure they had enough formula for the baby.  I watched as one by one people began welcoming them to the table, so to speak.  They then joined us for worship.  As more people entered the conversation, it was decided that we would be sure they had lunch afterward.  A group often gathers at the Subway Restaurant after worship, so we pulled up extra tables and shared subs and chips together in a sacramental moment.  As people learned about what was going on, I had a few people stick cash into my hand that morning.  After lunch a group of us helped them get back to the place where they had been staying.  As we were standing at the motel waiting to get them situated, I realized that the cash that people had pushed into my hand was exactly the amount we needed to cover their room--to the penny.  And at some point during that morning, I remember pausing for a breath and wondering, "OK, God--what are you up to here?  Are You the one who is present here, just like you were in the stranger on the road to Emmaus?  I believe I'm in the presence of Christ right now."  After we dropped them off at the motel and made sure they were situated for the night, the group who had gathered to help scattered on to their normal Sunday afternoon routines.  This was such a small thing.  And yet, I believe it is exactly what Matthew is talking about.  We all witnessed God's hospitality overflowing that Sunday morning! 

God's hospitality runs as a theme throughout Scripture. But it doesn't stop there.  We all have the call from God to extend the same fit-another-chair-around-the-table, grab-another-plate and cup, sure---there-is-plenty-to-go-around, overflowing hospitality.  God calls us to recognize the hospitality we receive, and then to pay it forward to those around us.  In sharing it, not only is the table in front of us prepared and our cups overflow, but we have the opportunity to welcome more people to join us in experiencing God's overflowing hospitality.  Who do we have the chance to welcome to the table that might not be there?  Who welcomes us and prepares a place for us to gather?  Where can we offer the small things that can make such a difference? God's generous, overflowing hospitality invites us all.  May we reach out in small ways to share this gift from God with everyone we meet!  Amen.

[1] J. Clinton McCann, Jr.  Psalms.  New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. IV (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996) 769.

[2] J. Clinton McCann, Jr.  Psalms.  New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. IV (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996) 768, 770.

"Soul Care and The Roots of Clergy Burnout" article and reflection

I came across this article today, and found it interesting...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anne-dilenschneider/soul-care-and-the-roots-o_b_680925.html

How do you define a pastor's job description or role?  What do you think a pastor does all day or all week?  As I've gotten into the ministry myself, I have much more respect for my pastor role models from years ago.  So often people think a pastor only works one hour on Sunday... and I hear this often from folks, either joking or seriously (and sometimes it's hard to tell which).  I am finding that sometimes (most of the time) being a pastor includes 2 job descriptions: the one you were officially given, and the one everyone creates for you as they go...

Having been a pastor now for 2 years (I celebrated my 2 year ordination anniversary on August 10th), and being in my first call (though I consider this the 5th church I've served--given Seminary student pastorates and extensive volunteer work), I am still amazed and baffled at times by all the things a "Pastor" does.  I also continue to "add courses" (at least in my mental list) that I somehow missed or skipped in seminary (and I note--admittedly--I only skipped 2 class in 4 years, and one was a class I was auditing; I missed a few others for travel or illness in my 4 years, though).  Some of these classes that would have been helpful I've mentioned on the blog before: Basic Church Maintenance, HVAC/Plumbing/Electrical repair, Mission Trip Construction, Accounting, Statistics, Child Development, Conflict Resolution, Communications, etc.  [I note, though, I feel I got a really good education, and there was NO ROOM for any more classes in the schedule... it was FULL!]

Getting back to the article... I attended one of the handful of Seminaries that required a "Spiritual Formation" class, and really enjoyed the whole experience.  But I am still not sure how we can get back to the pre-1920s "care of souls" job of the pastor.  So much of what a pastor does, I am finding, is being "pastoral director", as the article calls it.  There are certainly parts of that job that I enjoy and find I have some gifts for.  There are other parts of the job that hopefully come with more experience, as I know I have lots to learn.  But as far as care of souls... do clergy redefine that role, or congregations, or both?  Where does it start and how do we take the first steps?  Thee are days when I do a lot of it, but it often feels like such a small part of my job.  

When I first started Seminary, a passage that really spoke to me about ministry was Mark 2.  It's the story of the friends that lowered the paralytic through the roof to place him in front of Jesus.  I felt it described the role of pastor--to help place people in front of Jesus, no matter what it took.  As I continue to be transformed through the work of the Spirit, I have grown to resonate with the story of Luke 24 on the road to Emmaus (hence the blog name).  I want to live daily on the road, looking for Christ along the journey, walking with Jesus, and engaging Scripture and God's work in the world, and seeing where and how and why those interact... I want to see how I am part of the greater Story of Faith, and how God uses that to direct and call me as I help others do the same.  So how do all of these things work together? 

On this August 13th, as I remember the work of the Spirit in the Moravian Church on August 13th, 1727 for the "Moravian Pentecost" how do I reclaim this calling and follow the movement of the Spirit?  Where is God at work, transforming, renewing, and empowering us for mission and ministry?  And what is my role in that?  How can I care for souls, mine included, that will allow us all to be more open to the movement of the Spirit?  How can we collectively place others in front of Christ and walk the journey together to see ourselves as part of God's greater story of faith?  I'm open to the answers... I just don't have them all right now.  But I guess... that's just part of the journey.  I hope you'll join me!

Sermon for 7-25-10 "Not Quite What Was Planned" Christmas In July, Favorite Things Summer Worship Series

Sermon for 7/25/10 "Christmas in July"

Favorite Things Worship Series

Luke 2:1-20; Isaiah 9:2-7

"Not Quite What Was Planned"

Some weeks just don't go as planned.  Have you ever had one of those?  On Thursday afternoon your TO DO List from Monday is not even half finished, and you can't find the things you have done on the TO DO List anywhere. Well, this was one of those weeks.  As I was driving out of the Raleigh-Durham International Airport Parking lot on Thursday afternoon, the Ticket Reader said, "Have A Nice Day" and I paused for a moment, unsure whether to laugh or cry.  It was not quite what was planned.  Now, I love being in ministry, and I am glad that I can be open to the working of the Spirit.  I say some of this to answer the camper’s question from Mission Camp who asked, “So what does a pastor do all week?”  Let me back up and start at the beginning.

We have been working for months to bring guests from our Sister Church in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, here for a visit.  Roman Brady and I have planned. We've been in contact with Alma and her sister Ninfa from Fuenta Da Vida Moravian Church.  They waited on the US Embassy for Visas.  We purchased Plane Tickets thanks to last Christmas Eve's offering to help foster relationships with Fuenta Da Vida.  We were FINALLY able to have Alma, her son Jordy, and Ninfa's son Fernando come for a visit.  They arrived in Winston-Salem Thursday a week ago.  They journeyed to Laurel Ridge for Senior High Camp this week, and then were to join us here in Raleigh for this weekend to visit. That is until my phone rang Monday morning at 8:50am. 

Roman called from Laurel Ridge to say they had just learned that Alma's brother had died unexpectedly Sunday night and they all needed to return home for the funeral.  So--I spent Monday and Tuesday on the phone with Delta Airlines and Roman trying to rearrange their flights to get them back in time for the Funeral.  (As a side note--Delta Airlines has been phenomenally helpful and kind throughout this whole process--Thank you Delta!!)

As I was talking to the reservationists for Delta, one was asking about Alma and her family.  I couldn't answer most of her questions and finally almost broke down in tears.  I said to her, "I don't know them yet.  I was supposed to spend the weekend with them and get to know them, but now we won't get to.  I am just so disappointed."  It was at that point that I believe the Holy Spirit invited us to have a gathering to honor our guests and take the opportunity, however brief, to get to know them.  The email blast went out, the Facebook invitation was sent, and the party was a GO.

So-we had 30 people at our house this Wednesday evening for an impromptu cookout to meet our friends.  It was a wonderful time!  I took a moment to look around and enjoy the opportunity to watch everyone talking, laughing, playing games, and sharing a meal together.  Everyone showed up with something in hand to contribute to the meal, and we had a feast!  There was so much food eaten, and so much food leftover.  I recall hearing someone say it was like loaves and fishes being multiplied before our very eyes.  Food, friends, and fellowship make a festive, holy combination. 

Thursday morning I brought Alma, Jordy, and Fernando by the church to show them Raleigh Moravian.  Fernando found pictures of his dad and grandmother on our bulletin board, and they named many of the people in the pictures from back home.  Then we hit Interstate 40 and headed to the RDU Airport.  It had been less than 24 hours since I met them when I stood and watched them head through security.  It was a bittersweet moment.  I felt incredibly glad to have met them and had the time that we shared together, and so sad they had to leave and not be here for worship this morning to get to see all of you!

I headed to my car and pulled up to the gate to leave the parking deck. "Have a nice day."  It flashed the message at me, and I paused.  I thought to myself, "Have a nice day?"  My new friends are mourning the loss of a family member.  It's not really a nice day for them.  My week hadn't gone like I planned at all.  It was not really a nice day for me either.  And Sunday isn't going to be a celebration with our friends from our sister church, but instead a time to remember them in prayer during their time of loss. 

 [Suzanne, Steve, Pennsy, Alma, Fernando and Jordy after the party]

Funerals have such a way of changing our plans.  The visit was holy in so many ways, and so wonderful, but it was NOT QUITE WHAT WE PLANNED!  That's when it hit me.  Maybe, just maybe God was helping us to celebrate Christmas throughout this entire week instead of just on Sunday morning. 

Could it be?  I suddenly found myself feeling like Mary in some strange way.  I doubt giving birth in a manger with the animals and overflow crowd gathered around was quite what she had planned.  Births and deaths have a way of changing our plans.  They make us reexamine our priorities and adjust our schedule to reflect the new circumstances.  Our realities are different.  Life is different now, and it wasn't what we had planned.

The more I have thought about Jesus' whole life, the more this week feels interwoven with Scripture.  So many different stories from the Bible include tales of plans changed, journeys re-routed, and lives forever altered.  Just looking at the beginning of Luke--we see the old couple, Elizabeth and Zechariah, told they are finally going to have a child [Luke 1].  This was an answered prayer, but not what they expected.  Mary and Joseph were engaged, but their wedding and life together took a sudden and unexpected turn when she was visited by an angel [Luke 1].  I seriously doubt this was what she planned as she looked through the latest Bridal catalog, visited the local Bridal Boutiques, and filled out their personalized stone tablet on The Nazareth Knot.com registry. 

I doubt the innkeeper planned for the crowds that showed up due to the census being taken [Luke 2].  He was probably surprised to receive the knock on the door by this sojourning couple.  I imagine Mary was clearly about to give birth, and he found himself offering the best hospitality to this young couple that he could given the circumstances.  At least they were in from the weather, had straw to keep warm, and a place to lay their heads.  He might have even called in a midwife or local woman to be there to help with the birth--that is if time allowed it.  Speaking of "If time allows"--A year ago today my youngest niece was born, but it certainly wasn't what her family had planned for her birth.  She arrived so quickly that they didn't even make it to the car to head to the hospital.  Thankfully 911 was only a call away, and the paramedics arrived in time to help cut Lexi's cord.  When we got the phone call, we called 2 other family members just to confirm the story!  Births often don't go as planned.  Mary and Joseph knew that very well.

As for the shepherds in the fields trying to stay awake and guard the sheep... they were startled to be surrounded with a host of angels that night [Luke 2].  Perhaps they were sitting there, rubbing their eyes, and nudging one another, just trying to see if what their eyes saw was really happening?  It wasn't the night they had planned.  That night should have been like the night before--sitting peacefully in a field listening to the crickets chirp and the sheep doze on the grass.  What a tale they had to share!! “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10b-12)

I know many of us have been looking forward to Christmas in July today, and I've had some great conversations about Christmas!  At the Blood Drive on Monday, Carolyn Watts shared a quote with me from a seven-year-old named Bobby.  He said, "Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."  I think that's pretty profound.  Christmas is all about Love. 

[Pastors Craig and Suzanne with our Decorated Lovefeast Buns from Christmas 2009.]

I must confess I love Christmas music, candles, decorations, and all the merriment of the Christmas season.  I love A Charlie Brown Christmas playing on TV and decorating the tree.  I love Christmas Eve Lovefeasts and the expectation of what yummy treats will appear inside my Lovefeast bun this year. And right about now those cold temperatures would feel mighty nice.

This was my lovefeast bun from the 2nd Christmas Eve lovefeast last year!

But celebrating Christmas in July, or any time besides December, allows us to celebrate without all the societal expectations of shopping, overspending, often-uncomfortable company parties, and overbooked schedules.  It helps us, I believe, to focus on what is most important--the good news of a baby that was born to show God's love to the world in the most tangible ways possible.  The prophets had promised this baby for centuries, and yet he arrived in a way no one planned.  The Light of the World is here. "For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." [Isaiah 9:6 NRSV] 

At our potluck on Wednesday night, we had the opportunity to spend time together in a room soaking in the love that was being shared.  There was no wrapping paper or bows strewn across the floor... instead there were people whose plans had been changed in unexpected ways because of both a death and a birth.  A family member was being mourned, and yet in the midst of that sorrow, God's love shone in the darkness.

I must tell this one story from the potluck.  When I arrived home on Wednesday from picking up Alma, Jordy, and Fernando in Winston-Salem, I opened the fridge.  In there was a bowl of dessert that I knew I hadn't made.  I asked Steve where it had come from.  He said his co-worker had seen my posting on Facebook about the potluck, and just happened to have the ingredients at home to make this chocolate cherry dessert.  So she showed up at work on Wednesday with a dish for our party just to make sure we had enough food.  God's love shines in the darkness and in the sweetness of chocolate and cherries.

On this past Wednesday and today, and hopefully every day, we celebrate a feast of love and joy and share the Good News that death does not have the final word.  In fact, Jesus' death didn't end as planned either.  The sorrowful disciples found out their plans had changed in quite unexpected ways when their loved one walked through the wall and joined the party.  Jesus' whole life and ministry did not go as people expected, and Jesus came to show God's kingdom often happens in unexpected ways as well.  It's the small things, like a bowl of dessert, that often show us God's kingdom of love at work.

May the Good News of Christmas cause us all to pause and reflect on the birth of God-With-US--Emmanuel.  Christ the Lord.  We can and should celebrate every day that the Promised Messiah has arrived, most unexpectedly and not at all how we planned, and our lives are forever changed by God's gift of love. Amen. 

Sermon for 5-30-10 "Speak the Truth, Even if Your Voice Shakes"

Sermon for 5/30/10: Favorite Passages Summer Worship Series

Luke 6:17-36 (NRSV)
"Speak the Truth, Even if Your Voice Shakes."

As part of Craig's Sabbatical, two weeks ago we attended the Festival of Homiletics in Nashville, Tennessee for 5 days.  I'm sure many of you have questions--starting with "What is a Festival of Huh?"  Homiletics is the art of preaching, and this was 5 PACKED days of worship, preaching, lectures, and concerts with preaching at the core.  It was a chance to spend a week with 1500+ preachers from varying denominations around the world.  The best way I can describe it was like Camp at Laurel Ridge with 1500 of your closest strangers-turned-friends.  It was exhausting and exhilarating, all at the same time.  It was a chance for us to hear people speak that we read, and to study, laugh, and celebrate "This Odd and Wondrous Calling", as Rev. Lillian Daniels calls it, that is Preaching.[1]  She was one of many I enjoyed hearing!

On our first evening, we experienced opening worship and a sermon by Bishop Vashti McKenzie, the first female bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.  Between worship and her sermon, I have told many that the conference was worth attending just for Monday night, and everything else was icing on the cake.  I was inspired, uplifted, exhilarated, and kicked-in-the hind-quarters, so to speak.  And as I've thought about it, isn't that what worship is supposed to be about--Giving God our praise and glory, while being inspired for mission and ministry, and allowing God to slap us upside the head when we need it. That's not the fun part for sure, but I know I need it every once in a while for God to get my attention and help me to see the way I am living and understanding God's call is not QUITE the way God intends.

During Bishop McKenzie's sermon, an image was projected on the screen behind her of a house, looking run down with white vinyl siding, and on it was spray-painted the words, "Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes." [2] It reminded me of the images of the homes after Katrina that had messages on the sides of them, either from the residents trying to get help, or the search crews confirming the house had been checked.  "Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes."  That image has stuck with me because I believe it drills down into a part of us as humans that rings tough but true.  Speak the truth, our truth, God's truth, and don't let a little crack or waver or shake in our voice stop us... Moses and the prophets lived this. John the Baptizer lived this. 

And we see this morning in our Gospel lesson from Luke that Jesus lived this too.  This well-known and favorite passage from Luke is often referred to as the Sermon on the Plain.  Jesus goes down off the mountain and stood on level ground to preach to the disciples as the crowd that gathered around listened on.  It's more famous counterpart, the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew, with the longer list of Beatitudes we will look at next week. But for this week, someone requested this passage, so let's take a look, even if our voice shakes.

This sermon occurs soon after Jesus calls the first disciples and begins his ministry.  The themes laid out in this sermon continue throughout the Gospel and serve as a summary for much of the teaching Jesus does through parables and stories that will come later in Luke.  He is sharing with his new disciples what the Kingdom of God looks like to help empower them for the mission and ministry to which he has just called them.  Perhaps we are overhearing Jesus' Discipleship Boot Camp, if you will.

Sometimes I find it helpful to take a passage that is so familiar that I don't often read it with the same power that it once had because of the familiarity.  Let's take a moment to listen to another translation, from The Message, and see what we hear.  Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.

Luke 6:27-36 [3]"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

 "Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.

 "I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind."

Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.

I hear these words and imagine the disciples gathered around their teacher on this meadow on the outskirts of town.  Maybe the wind is blowing and the grass of the field gently sways as they listen.  Maybe the crowd has been following them from down the mountain, or maybe they trickle in as they get word the great teacher is in the area.  Sick, lame, scaly, bleeding, mentally ill, poor, homeless--the text tells us the crowd came seeking healing from whatever ailed them. (vs. 18-19)  It was probably a large gathering of the folks no one wanted to be around, which is why they came in the first place--seeking healing from their brokenness to be restored to their communities.

Perhaps then it happens...the disciples are listening intently, and Jesus' voice shakes -- maybe from the strain of a less than adequate sound system for such a large space -- or maybe from the difficulty of the words he is speaking.  But his voice quivers just a bit, and the next thing they hear is, "Love your enemies."  No, maybe we heard him wrong.  Surely he wouldn't ask us to do that.  We have given up everything to follow him and already have made some enemies by following this teacher.  Surely he wouldn't ask us to LOVE them.  So, they keep listening. "Bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you."  We've gotten abuse already, and we've only been disciples for a few weeks.  Ignore our abuse, maybe.  But pray for them.  Come on' Jesus.  Get real.  And then, and "Oh. There it is again..." Love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return." 

I imagine one disciple leans over to the next and whispers, "Do you think he really means that "love your enemies, pray for those who abuse you stuff"?  He's said it twice now.  The first time I though it couldn't be true, but then he said it again.  Could God really want us to be kind and merciful--even to those who can't stand us and who we can't stand either?"

As I've thought about these commands from Jesus' this week, I've wondered... is it easier for us to love our enemies, or as we hear later in Luke in the parable of the Good Samaritan, to love our neighbors? And, is it easier for us to identify our enemies or neighbors? Our society—our world-- is so polarized these days... pick any topic, any issue, any side of any debate--and the enemy stands out clearly--perhaps too easily--but our neighbors can be harder to identify.    The lawyer that questions Jesus in Luke 10 asks, "And who is my neighbor?" for which Jesus then tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan, which was an oxymoron in that culture--Samaritans could never be good--they were the enemy, the despised, the polar opposites in that culture.  We see in Luke's Gospel Jesus was reminding us to love both our enemies and neighbors, because perhaps they are one and the same.

 I saw a powerful, must-see movie this week about the power of love and speaking the truth, even if your voice shake, and it reminded me of Jesus' message here to his disciples-in-training.  It was about a person for whom most of us are familiar, but it was a story I was not aware of prior to the movie.  Nelson Mandela was released from Prison in South Africa on Feb. 11, 1990 after being held nearly 27 years for his work to end apartheid.[3] He took office as South Africa's first democratic president in May 1994, a few days after apartheid officially ended and free elections were held.

The movie “Invictus” describes Mandela's first year in office as he worked to bring together the white Dutch Afrikaans and black native South Africans together into one country, which he called the Rainbow Nation.  As Mandela begins attempts at unification, reconciliation, and forgiveness, he sought out help from the captain of the Springboks National Rugby team, François Pineaar.  The 1995 Rugby World Cup was to be held the following year with South Africa playing host to the world, and he made a "human calculation" that Rugby, the sport of the white Afrikaans, the sport the blacks hated, would be something that could unite a nation.  The movie shows this progression.  In one scene, the team visits Robben Prison.  Afterward, the captain remarks, "I was thinking about how you spend 30 years [sic] in a tiny cell and come out ready to forgive the people who put you there." [5]

In my opinion the most powerful scene comes when Mandela intervenes in a National Sports Council Meeting, just after the black council voted to eliminate the Springboks entirely including team colors green and gold, because of the people's hatred of their enemy--the Afrikaans.  Mandela says, "Our enemy is no longer the Afrikaans... they are our fellow South Africans.  Our partners in democracy... and they treasure Springbok rugby.  If we take that away, we loose them.  We ARE what they feared we would be.  We HAVE TO be better than that.  We have to SURPRISE them with compassion, with restrain, and generosity... I know, all the things they denied us.  But this is no time to celebrate petty revenge.  This is the time to build our nation using every single brick available to us, even if that brick comes wrapped in green and gold.  You elected me your leader.  Now let me lead you.  Who is with me?" [6]

Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.

Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31)

Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.

"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst." (Luke 6:27, Msg)

Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.

"Love your enemies and you have NO enemies." [7]

Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.

Amen.

[1] Lillian Daniels and Martin Copenhaver, This Odd and Wondrous Calling (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 2009).
[2]mulattodiaries.wordpress.com/2009/06/14/1803/  [See post from Monday, Feb. 17th for Opening Worship and the Bishop's sermon on Exodus and Moses entitled "Speaking Truth to Power."

[3] Luke 6:27-36, The Message translation by Eugene Peterson

[4] http://www.nelsonmandela.org/index.php/memory/views/biography/

[5] Invictus, Matt Damon as François Pineaar. Produced and Directed by Clint Eastwood, 2009. Video Clip: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi300483609/

[6] Invictus.  Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela. Produced and Directed by Clint Eastwood, 2009. Video Clip: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi300483609/

[7] Sea Raven, “On the Plain Part 2: Enemies” posted 2/3/2010 at http://www.gaiarising.org/2010/02/on-plain-part-2-enemies.html. Emphasis mine.

Festival of Homiletics: Tuesday Afternoon: Thomas Long's Sermon

Top 5 List from Thomas Long's Sermon on Tuesday Afternoon:

Sermon 5/18/10 "Leaning Forward and Letting Go"

(Luke 2:25-38--Simeon and Anna encountering the baby Jesus)

1. Both Simeon and Anna are the elders in their community who were promised the opportunity to see the Messiah after his birth.  

2. Luke deals with the oldest generations and the youngest generations, and all ages in between.  But the elders disappear after chapter 2 and a new generation is ushered in with Christ's birth.  "They turn the Gospel over to a bunch of 20 year olds."

3. Tom used to think the hardest thing was to stand up for the faith, but now believes the harder task is to lean into the Gospel and let go--Elders lean into their faith and let the younger generations lead.  We have to believe, and we do believe, that our God is a God who owns the future.

4. BUT we often don't live as though God owns the future.  Trusting that God is big enough to already be present in the future is tough, but necessary. 

5. Leaders who are the elder leaders now need to have the trust and faith to allow younger generations to have a chance to lead.  The elders had their days, and they share their wisdom, but empowering the younger generations to listen for God and lean into that is a mark of true, helpful, positive leadership. (Moravian Provincial Leaders, especially those involved in the Synod Restructuring Process and upcoming Synod--I loving ask you to PLEASE TAKE NOTE!)

Breaking Bread Together: Sermon for 5/2/10 (Favorite Things Summer Series)

"Breaking Bread Together"

Sermon for May 2, 2010 (Easter 5C)

Favorite Things Summer Series

Luke 24:13-35 (Easter 3A); Hebrews 13:1-2

Today we begin an adventure... a quest... a journey. It's a journey of grace... a journey together, and a journey that God takes with us. Thankfully, we are not alone. Thankfully, God has blessed us with many gifts and now we get a different opportunity in the life of this congregation to let these gifts shine. As many of us are aware, Craig began his sabbatical yesterday afternoon once we finished with the Synod Delegate training in Kernersville. He is now on an adventure of rest and renewal thanks to the Lilly Endowment. This much-deserved break will be a time for him to step away from the daily duties and stresses of ministry to renew his energy and strength for the next phase of his journey. We hold he and Anna in prayer during this exciting time in their lives. And we look forward to their return in September.

With this sabbatical in mind, we are on a journey. I like the image of a journey. We know where we are headed, and we remain open to what God has in store. The Lilly Grant for Craig's Sabbatical doesn't leave us out as well. It provides money for various opportunities for the whole congregation as we also seek renewal and refreshment this summer. Though we have been planning for almost a year for this summer, we can never know exactly what is in store. I say that with excitement, not fear--you never know where Christ might appear during the journey. I have been in conversation with many of you who share this excitement and sense of adventure.

If you remember back to January and February, I invited you to vote for your Favorite Scripture Passages, Favorite Hymns, and Favorite Anthems. I was very energized to receive your votes and collect this information. I also assure you that this information was not in vain. We will engage at least 8 of the texts this summer and many of the musical choices as well. I hope we will have fun and enjoy the experience, as I have had a great time planning and exploring these texts already. Today's text is the first in our series. Now I must confess, this is my favorite passage. We start with it today, not only because it is my favorite, but also because I see it as a foundational story for the summer. One of the things the grant provides is the opportunity for us to explore our story as a church. If you met someone on the street and they asked you about your church family, what stories make the list of favorite stories about Raleigh Moravian? Why are these stories your favorites? What do they say about who we are as a community? This past week Craig and I met with Kelli Walker-Jones and Dick Hester. They will be with us in August for worship and a workshop that will delve into our story, and we will continue to explore it in October around our Congregational Anniversary. We left the meeting so excited about the upcoming conversation. I personally can't wait to hear what stories you all share about this congregation. I invite you all to begin thinking about your story and Raleigh Moravian's Story. We each have foundational stories about our faith and church, and sharing these can be transformational for everyone as we both share with one another and hear from one another.

As we begin these conversations, I thought it might be interesting for me to share a piece of my own journey and story, and my hopes and dreams with you all this morning. That's where we connect in with the disciples on the road to Emmaus. During the three years I lived in Pennsylvania, this story took on deeper and deeper meaning for me. For my first two years, I served as student pastor at Emmaus Moravian Church. Emmaus is a community southwest of Bethlehem, and was one of the original Moravian Settlement communities in the 1700s. During my third year in Pennsylvania, Steve and I married at [CAN ANY ONE GUESS?] Emmaus Moravian Church.
             Our first year of marriage we lived in Emmaus, while I commuted to Bethlehem for classes. For my commute between Emmaus and Bethlehem, I drove Emmaus Avenue. Needless to say, over three years time I drove up and down this road A LOT. Emmaus Avenue, for me, became a part of my spiritual journey, as I often spent time thinking and praying as I drove back and forth. Does anyone know the title of my blog? "Living on Emmaus Ave." I often imagine myself as the unnamed disciples on the road to Emmaus walking along with the stranger who turns out to be Christ. You can begin to see why this story took on special meaning for me.

Have you ever had an experience like the disciples on the evening of Easter? Have you ever found yourself in an unfamiliar situation when someone comes out of nowhere to walk along side and maybe even offer support or help? As I have spent more and more time with this story over the years, a memory from college serves for me as a time when I was either entertained by an angel or the Lord himself--I shall never know.

I spent a semester in College studying abroad in Heidelberg, Germany. For spring break that semester, four friends and I decided to visit Amsterdam for a few days. We were there over a Sunday, and I knew there were a couple of a Moravian churches in town. I wanted to worship with one while I had the opportunity. My friends had never heard of Moravians, but they were willing to join me in this adventure. [1]  I tried calling the pastor and got minimal directions from his wife who spoke some English. But our phone conversation got disconnected, and I wasn't able to get back in touch with her. We got up early on Sunday and took off to find the streetcar that the pastor's wife said to take. When we got on, there was one other lady on the car. Somehow she overheard us talking about attending the Moravian Church that morning. She spoke some English, and asked us where we were headed? We quickly realized we were all going to the same place. She ended up taking us with her all the way to the front door of the church. It was WAY back in a neighborhood, many twists and turns off the main street where we exited the streetcar. [2] I can assure you, without a shadow of a doubt that with our incomplete directions and no knowledge of the area, there is NO WAY we would have found the church without her. She introduced us to someone else in the congregation who had visited Winston-Salem. We started talking to the lady about Winston-Salem, and soon it was time for worship.

After worship we were swept away by our new friend to the Fellowship Hall for an elaborate feast for their fellowship time as they offered us gracious hospitality. Throughout the day we all enjoyed it immensely. But there was still the question about our friend that led us to worship. Before we left, I wanted to thank her for bringing us to church. BUT--We never saw our streetcar friend again that morning. When we arrived, she disappeared as if she vanished into the crowd. Angel or Christ, I don't know which, but I can tell you for sure that she was from God.

Who have you encountered on a journey that helped you or encouraged you when you needed it most? What strangers have you met that taught you something about Christ that you needed to learn? Who have you shared a meal with that revealed God to you in a new way? The story of the disciples in Emmaus presents us with the invitation to walk with strangers and friends we find along our path. We are invited to eat together, talk together, and share our lives with one another.

If you think about the Gospel of Luke as a whole, Jesus was often eating--he was either on his way to a meal, eating a meal, or just coming from a meal. [3] Food was especially important to his ministry. Table Fellowship represents the kingdom of God. This story from Emmaus is no different. It is often seen as a Eucharistic meal--a meal that has many of the same characteristics of the Lord's Supper or Communion that Jesus instituted with his disciples just before his death. [4] It does carry many similarities, especially when Christ, the recipient of hospitality by the disciples, becomes the host who "took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it" to the disciples (Luke 24:30). But it is also just an ordinary meal. This could be any meal you eat around your dinner table. [5] It could be a meal that you share with family in a restaurant, or the cup of coffee enjoyed with a friend at the corner cafe.

Whenever we share our Moravian table blessing, we remind ourselves that Christ is invited to dine with us. "Come Lord Jesus, our Guest to be..." "Be present at our table, Lord..." We intentionally invite Christ to the table and offer hospitality to everyone gathered there. [6] If you think about it, this is radical. Come Lord Jesus, our guest to be. Come Christ, break bread together with us. Eat along side us as we share this meal. Maybe the person sitting at the table with you is a stranger or a friend... maybe they don't look like Christ. But if you look deeper, do you see Christ in them? Does the conversation and meal reveal Christ to you in a new way or encourage you in your faith journey? Is the stranger among us actually sent from God? Have we entertained an angel and didn't even know it?

I have a friend that taught me a new blessing that I really like. She takes a piece of bread, holds it up for the table, and says, "Christ often took bread, gave thanks, and shared it with his disciples. We take this bread, give thanks, and share it in Christ's name. In doing so we invite Christ to dine with us. Amen." Then she tears pieces of the bread apart and everyone at the table gets a small morsel that we eat at the same time. [7] It's serves as a powerful reminder that through taking the bread, giving thanks, and sharing it with one another, the ordinary meal becomes something extra-ordinary. [8] We welcome Christ through the breaking of bread together, and we honor the strangers and friends we find in our midst.

This summer we will be welcoming many different people in worship with us. We have friends coming to share worship from Winston-Salem, Laurel Ridge, and from within our own community. I am sure we will have many guests and visitors joining us in worship as well. We will also have numerous fellowship opportunities outside of worship--movie nights, lunches at church and dinner at the ballpark. We will walk together to raise support for cancer research. We will welcome strangers and friends into the community. And we might, just maybe, welcome Christ here with us as well. Can you recognize him? Can you see the love of Christ in everyone you meet? Whether we break bread together, share BBQ together, or walk the track with one another, may we treat each person with the same radical hospitality that Christ offered to the disciples and to the strangers he met. This summer I hope and pray that we all remain open to look for Christ in our midst both here in worship, and in our daily lives. Come Lord Jesus, this summer and always, be our guest. Let us break bread together and see Christ in our midst. Amen.

[1] http://ebga.nl/

[2] http://ebga.nl/contact.html

[3] R. Alan Culpepper, “Table Fellowship” in Luke: Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. IX (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1995) 26.

[4] R. Alan Culpepper, Luke: Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. IX (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1995) 480, 481.

[5] William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke, Rev. Ed., The Daily Study Bible Series (Philadephia, PA: Westminster Press, 1975) 295.

[6] Fred B. Craddock, Luke, Interpretation Series (Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 1990) 286.

[7] Thanks, Tracy!
[8] William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke, Rev. Ed., The Daily Study Bible Series (Philadephia, PA: Westminster Press, 1975) 295.

Congregational Lovefeast "Candle Talk" 2009

This is my short "Candle Talk" from the 2009 Congregational Christmas Eve Lovefeast at Raleigh Moravian Church.  It was held on Sunday, Dec. 20th at 7pm.  The Scripture text was: Luke 2:1-20.

So the story goes...The night was much like tonight--cold and dark--it was Christmas Eve.[1]  The children were in bed fast asleep from a long day of waiting for Christmas to finally come.  The father and mother were tired from all the preparations and work that had gone into getting ready for Christmas. The presents were finally wrapped and under the tree.  The dinner dishes were done, the lights and stockings were hung, and the dreaded words of parents-- "Some Assembly Required" --had been conquered.  Bedtime was finally here.

Just as he was taking off his slippers and getting ready for bed, the father remembered he had promised the neighbors on the farm next door he would feed their sheep tonight.  He'd almost forgotten with all the hustle and bustle of the day.  But it was cold and the animals needed to be fed.  So he put on coat and boots, and took off into the cold.  A small lantern lit his way as he trekked down to the sheep's pen.

The lantern reflected off the fresh coat of snow that had fallen that evening.  He arrived at the barn and found the sheep in the pen.  He found the switch and turned on the light.  Combined with the full moon and the lone bulb hanging from the ceiling, he could see despite the darkness.  As he entered the pen, the sheep stood in the corner watching the stranger's every move.  He got down the bales of hay and opened them up in the trough for the sheep to reach easily.  They stirred from their corner, eagerly welcoming the gift the father brought. 

Finally the father was done and it was time to return to the warmth of his home.  "He [reached] up to turn off the bulb, and suddenly [realized] where he was.  The winter darkness.  The glimmer of light.  The smell of hay and the sound of the animals eating.  Where he [was], of course, [was] the manger."[2]  He almost missed the significance.  So instead of rushing home, he paused for a moment to remember the humble beginnings of the Light of the World. Then he headed back home with the lantern lighting his way.  The light perhaps seemed just a bit brighter against the darkness.  The cold perhaps seemed a little less cold. 

"While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn."[3] "The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood."[4] 

As a reminder to us that we celebrate the Light of the World that has come and entered our world, we each receive a candle tonight. We invite you to raise your candles on the last verse of our last song ("Christ the Lord, the Lord most glorious") to signify that Christ does indeed shine brightly in our world.  We also invite you to take your candles home as a reminder of the Christ Child, the Light of the World, has moved into our neighborhood yet again this Christmas.  My prayer is that we may each have a few moments this Christmas to pause and notice where God is present in our world and how we can celebrate the light even in the mundane and ordinary places of our lives. And then whenever you see the candle throughout the year, it will remind you to pause, despite how tired you are, and give thanks for the Light of the World that shines in our lives, just as the father did in the manger.  May the light shine just a bit brighter for us this year as we remember anew the birth of the Light of the World.  Amen.

---

[1] Adapted from Frederick Buechner's story in "Christmas" from Whistling In The Dark: A Doubters Dictionary (NY: HarperSanFrancisco, 1988) 29-30.

[2] Frederick Buechner, "Christmas" from Whistling In The Dark: A Doubters Dictionary (NY: HarperSanFrancisco, 1988) 30.

[3] Luke 2:6-7.  NRSV.

[4] John 1:14.  The Message.

"A Christmas Frame Of Mind" (1/4/09, Christmas 2B)

"A Christmas Frame of Mind"
Christmas 2B
Sermon from 1/4/2009
John 1:1-18; Ephesians 1:3-14

Christmas Day has come and gone again this year. The candy, cards, and gifts are 50 or 75% off. The 24-7 Christmas Music on the radio is over--the Christmas CD's and movies are packed away until next year. The returns have been returned, the decorations are likely down or will be coming down this afternoon. We're already though New Years Day as well, and Valentine's candy is already on the shelves in the local grocery store. The shepherds have visited the stable and returned home. The Magi arrive this Tuesday for Epiphany, and they will then return home as well. Christmas has come and gone for another year. Or has it?

As I opened my stocking on Christmas Day with my in-laws and family in Pennsylvania, I took out a magnet that said, "Christmas isn't just a day, it's a frame of mind." A frame of mind... I like that. It's a great phrase. A Christmas frame of mind. Christmas in the church is a season in fact--12 days long that begins on Christmas Day and carries us through to Epiphany on January 6th. These are the true 12 Days of Christmas, but somehow it seems we have forgotten to tell the rest of the world about them. Christmas is over according to our culture. Is it over this year for us too? Christmas as a frame of mind--what if it was actually true? What would it look like in our daily lives?

As I have spent the past week or so preparing for today's message, I must confess I have been confronted with more questions than answers. As a pastor knowing I get to stand up and dialog with you on Sunday morning, more questions than answers has led to little comfort and much frustration in my preparation process. I have thought back often to what my college thesis adviser told me when I got to the end of my paper and had multiple pages of questions for further study--I was frustrated that it wasn't going to end with neatly answered questions, but in fact my topic of research led to more questions. She said that more questions were a good thing because it meant I was thinking and engaging the topic.

I also have had to wrestle with the fact that as a trained pastor, I feel like I should somehow KNOW the answers... but I confess that just as I think I have an answer, more wrestling with the questions and answers is required. These questions are not easily or neatly wrapped up in a box and placed under our Christmas trees. So I would like to invite you all to journey with me through some of the big questions of Christmas that I have found myself mulling over this week. Maybe some of these are also your questions? Maybe some of my questions raise new questions within you? I am excited about the possibility of wrestling with these together, because I believe these are questions that can likely best be answered in community.

For starters, what does Christmas mean? There is the easy answer--the word is from "Christ's Mass" celebrating the birth of the Christ child, the promised savior or Messiah--Jesus of Nazareth. The story is told in Luke 2 and Matthew 2, which many of us can quote at least in part. It's a cozy story that takes place in a stable in Bethlehem with shepherds, angels, magi, and a young couple who have an unexpected baby. But is it also so much more than this?

As I have wrestled, I have keep thinking about how we are often so busy and hurried in December and everything is focused on Christmas' arrival and being ready for the BIG DAY. In fact, shoppers take note--there are only 355 shopping days till next year's Big Day! Our preparation time is a blur of shopping, activities, parties, food, and craziness. Then it's here and over in a flash. Lovefeast buns have been consumed, our coffee's cold, and the smell of smoke fills this room as the candles are all blown out. It's all over and yet, how is life different? Yes, there is the stack of new DVDs to watch and clothes to wear, but how is life truly different? Or is it different at all? Why is Christmas even important to begin with? I kept coming back to the question of "So what does Christmas mean?" How does Christmas really affect our lives the other 364 days of the year? And if it doesn't, how might it be different this year to extend Christmas to make it a frame of mind or a way we view our world?

When we hear the story of Christmas, it is often from Luke or Matthew's story about the baby Jesus. But today, we are looking at John's telling of the Christmas Story. There are no shepherds; no angels; no Mary and Joseph; no overcrowded inn; no magi mentioned anywhere. Jesus isn't even named until 17 verses into the story. The writer in John takes us back to the beginning--literally-- by opening the Gospel's Prologue with the phrase "In the beginning." This phrase likely took your mind back to the beginning. We heard these passages paralleled in the reflective reading that opened worship this morning.

One phrase truly sums up the story of Christmas, I believe, but might need some unpacking to make more sense is in John 1:14. "And the Word became flesh and lived among us and we have seen his glory, the glory of a father's only son, full of grace and truth." The WORD, from the phrase “And the Word became flesh,” is a translation of logos in Greek, and is a term the Greek Philosophers used for logic or wisdom, and is even where our word logic comes from. The ideas of logos along with light and life were common terms used at that time by philosophers. But here the writer of John is taking these words and using them to show the world is forever changed. For the writer of John and for us, these words are not just philosophical ideas anymore; they live and breathe in the person of Jesus Christ. The God of the universe has become flesh and blood in human form--both fully God and fully human. Not only did this God-person exist, but lived in and among them. Because of Christmas, God now lives or tents or tabernacles or dwells among us. The tent and tabernacle images in John recall the Israelite image of the mobile tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant from the time of the desert wanderings in Exodus. As the Message translation explains, "The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood." This is the point... this is what Christmas is all about--the Incarnation where God becomes human and moves into our neighborhood.

So why did God become human (incarnate) and move into our neighborhood? John writes that it is to show us God's glory in grace and truth. The ideas of grace and truth also hearken back to the Exodus and Moses when God created a covenant with the Israelites. This phrase “grace and truth” can also be translated as mercy and truth, or love. Jesus came to earth, moved into our neighborhood and showed us what LOVE looked like, smelled like, tasted like, felt like, and acted like. Jesus modeled love with his every breath so we could do the same--maybe that is a Christmas frame of mind? As one of my favorite authors, Shane Claiborne, puts it, "In the baby refugee Jesus, God becomes Emmanuel ("God with us"), crashing in the manger. And it is in the life of Jesus that God puts skin on to show us what love looks like." [Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006) 324]

This understanding of Christmas leads me to reflect on the other magnet I found in my stocking on Christmas Day--"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love." A conspiracy of love--maybe that is what Christmas is all about. Christmas is God's cosmic conspiracy of love, and we've been invited to join in on the love-fest. Poet Ann Weems wrote a very short poem that I think brings these two magnet's saying together. She writes:

"When the Holy Child is born into our hearts
there is a rain of stars
a rush of angels
a blaze of candles
this God burst into our lives.
Love is running through the streets."
[Ann Weems, "Godburst" from Kneeling in Bethlehem (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1987) 27]

God has moved into the neighborhood, and, now, Love is running through the streets. Have you seen God's RV or Motor home parked in your front yard or at the next desk over from your cubicle? Was God standing next to you in the check-out lane at REI or Target as you made returns? Has God served you coffee and bagels or wine and bread recently? One writer I encountered this week asks, "Where then do we confront the divine, where do we touch the eternal living God, where do we experience the inner light?" Ahh--More great questions with no easy answers.

The Prologue tells us that John the Baptizer came to testify that Emmanuel, "God with us," was coming into the world, giving power to people to become children of God. So then, how do we TESTIFY to the presence of love running through the streets of our neighborhoods? Mother Teresa was quoted as saying, "We can do no great things, only small things with great love. It's not how much you do but how much love you put into doing it." Maybe that is a Christmas frame of mind. What small things can we do this year that will show God's great love to those around us--our families, our friends, our co-workers, and schoolmates? How can we love the stranger on the street corner or beside us in the check out line? Maybe its spending time with an elderly neighbor who needs to be reassured that someone really does care about them or holding a patient's hand as he or she awaits test results or treatment. Maybe we can demonstrate God's love running down the soccer field in Costa Rica as we help build a youth center and school. Maybe we participate in the conspiracy of love as we volunteer or take more time to show love to our family members who might be difficult at times to love. Hopefully we keep wrestling together with how we can see God's moving van in our neighborhood and join in with the conspiracy of love that Jesus modeled. Hopefully we can share the love of God with one another--those we love and those we have trouble loving.

I invite you to spend a few moments now quietly thinking about how you might enact a Christmas frame of mind throughout this year. Jot down ideas you have or questions that have been raised--maybe on the back of your watchword card or bulletin, and let's keep wrestling with our questions together. Email me, join me for coffee, pull aside a friend to chat as we all keep looking for God in our neighborhood and testify to the conspiracy of love... after all, Jesus came into the community to show us how to love, and here is probably the best place to practice our questioning, wrestling, and loving one another, so we can live the Christmas frame of mind in our world throughout 2009. Take a few moments now to reflect, and I will close us in prayer at the end.


God who's bigger than our questions,
thank you for moving into our neighborhood to give us Jesus as the model example of how to love and live. Give us the strength and insight needed as we wrestle with tough questions of faith and understand what it means that you took on flesh and blood. Empower us to testify to where we see you in our daily lives and show us where we can participate in your conspiracy of love. In Jesus' holy name, we pray. Amen.