Sermon after Sandy Hook Elementary Disaster

12.16.12

 

"For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself."

 

This has always been my favorite passage at Christmas – it is from Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

 

In light of this past week, the comment is a bit painful.

 

Any attempt to explain, or lesson the shock of what happened in Connecticut will fall short because in a tragic situation like this, we simply cannot explain someone's motives in any logical manner.

 

Any time tragedy strikes near Christmas; it seems all the more painful. When that tragedy is especially senseless, and affects so many children and families, it is almost unbearable.

 

At this time of hope, peace, love, and joy, how can we cope with this stunning, shocking, and appalling news? How do we come to terms with such loss in the midst of celebration, and anticipation of Christ's birth? It is the question of what to do with evil when we are faced with it quite head-on.

 

Most of us with children and grandchildren, have had the desire to hold them a little closer – spend a little more time with them, and have found it easier to appreciate them more. All of use have wanted to be closer to loved ones – and may have spent the last day or so checking in with them. For those parents at Sandy Hook Elementary whose children were safe may feel some sense of guilt, while also feeling a relief that their sons and daughters are with them.

 

So how can we respond? What is a faith-oriented way to look at the past several days?

 

A friend of Kris-Ann and mine found a reference in the Catholic tradition to the Feast of the Holy Innocents, which takes place several days after Christmas. It is a reminder of Herod's killing of all of the children in Bethlehem in hopes of killing Jesus. Certainly, the parents and families in Bethlehem and the surrounding communities felt some of the same distraught, anger, and hopelessness that has been felt in Newtown and across the country.

 

This is a part of the Christmas story that we don't always cover, and yet, it could be the very part we need to remember this year. Sometimes, this is referred to as "The Slaughter of the Innocence." This seems a fitting title for the news of the past several days.

 

Scripture gives no apology for this story. As often happens in the story of God's people, appalling violence becomes part of the story without softening it for our modern sensibilities. Sometimes, Scripture is more honest about the reality of the world than we ourselves our. The story of God's people is one of reconciliation and love in the midst of a violent and broken world.

 

As we have been looking at the Journey to Bethlehem this month, we have come to the point where we look at the actual trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem. In one of the likely routes that Joseph and Mary traveled, they would have passed through areas that were steeped in the history of the Israelite people.

 

It would have included the places Abraham received the original covenant with God, promising to redeem humanity. They would have passed through areas that the prophets proclaimed God's message. It was also the path many invading armies took to destroy Israel when they had moved away from God. Likewise, it would have been part of the return journey for the people of God who traveled with Nehemiah and Ezra to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple after the exile to Babylon and Persia.

 

Their journey to Bethlehem, whether they consciously considered it or not, would have been one of retracing the steps of God working to bring his people closer, and establishing a relationship with them. The child which Mary carried was the answer to all the broken-ness and violence that resulted from the sin of Humanity. God continues to desire relationship with human beings in spite of this brokenness and sin. Jesus is born into a world that is violent, dangerous, and not deserving of his birth.

 

The death of the children in Bethlehem, and likewise in Connecticut reminds us exactly why Jesus is born into the world. He comes as a child, and suffers unimaginable violence in his own death. We can't look at the manger and not think of the cross. We can't celebrate Christmas and only remember the hope of Mary, the joy of the shepherds, the love of Joseph, and peace shared by the angels. We must remember that God broke into creation in the form of a child for the very purpose of changing the end of the story. No more would it be acceptable to look at the world around us and respond with fear, desperation, and hopelessness. When we see the evil, and violence of Friday, we must recognize that Christ came in spite of and because of that evil and violence.

 

I've worried when I've heard in the past weeks things such as, Christmas is about love. Christmas is about family. Christmas is about sharing. Christmas is about giving. Christmas is a time to set aside our differences and celebrate our common humanity. This is not was Christmas is about.

 

It is about the God of creation coming into the world in the form of a child à with violence following him throughout his life, and to his death. The birth of Christ is no less than God's response to evil, violence, and hatred. It is God's response to hopelessness, fear, and desperation. Through this child, God will redeem humanity from its brokenness, its callousness, and its ongoing desire to destroy itself and the creation that was gifted to us in the beginning.

 

Dana Dillon, the author of the piece about the Feast of the Innocence, reminds us of the first verses of John's Gospel:

 

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it 

 

Baby Jesus is the Word that God speaks in response to the questions of doubt, fear, and anger. He is the Light that is not overcome by the darkness that is all around us.

 

Come, Lord Jesus, Amen.

Meditation for Christmas Eve

12.25.2012

THE PROBLEM

Centuries of prophets had looked ahead – telling of God's promise of redemption – telling of not the possibility, but the actuality of God sending one who would redeem – save – change the fate not just of Israel, but of the world.

 

The people of Israel had always had a unique view of themselves and their God. Through the generations, they understood that they had been chosen by God – the God, the One and Only, Creator of the Universe, True God above all Gods, King of All Kings. This God has singled out and selected Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, their ancestors – and, by the way, he singled out and selected Sarah, and Rebecca, and Rachel as well. Without the women, the men would have quickly been forgotten.

 

These people Israel, saw history, world events, as being controlled by this One God. If things went well for them, things would go well for the world. If things went poorly for them, things went poorly for the world.

 

The problem, any time human beings feel as though they have been singled out for a special purpose, they tend to begin lose focus on that purpose and begin focusing only on themselves. We are a chosen people . . . we are special in the midst of the nations . . . and so the ideas tend to go.

 

The problem that leads from this problem is that when we begin to focus on ourselves instead of on the God who has called us, we tend to lose sight of our purpose, and just lose out in general. We begin to think that God's interest is in helping us, saving us, and only us.

 

What God means as a promise to redeem, we begin to think of as a promise to restore worldly greatness. He wants to make us great. A promise to restore a relationship with humankind becomes expectations that are self-serving, and self-interpreted.

 

THE PROMISE

This was the Light come into the world . . . This was the Prince of Peace, the Mighty Counselor - - this was the Anointed one – the Messiah – the Christ – the king after David's throne – the one that so many waited for.

 

Jeshua was actually a fairly common name in first century – people were hungry for God to save. Joshua – Jesus – God saves – a reminder that they were waiting.

 

While Jesus' birth was expected, the reality of it was not what people had planned for. Other would-be messiahs had come leading rebellions – trying to restore Israel as a nation.

 

So imagine the scene:

    We're in the stable . . well, let's just stop right there. A stable? Most likely a dug-out cave behind a home where livestock and the donkeys of guests might have stayed. As Adam Hamilton puts it, in the 1^st century equivalent of a modern day parking garage.

    How is this fitting of the start of a rebellion. Show us a scene that is a bit more grand – the birth of a son to a regional governor – perhaps a military general, or at least a leading merchant. We know that no one without some power base is not going to get far.

    Starting out the story of God's rebellion in a simple stable is not the way to begin!

 

Add insult to injury – put this expected child – the holy one, in a feed trough. Not a comfortable bed, not a warm room, not even a modicum of indication that we're going to try to keep things clean.

 

    Set aside the location – his parents – A poor, migrant carpenter and his young wife. Transients. Probably took the two pennies he did have to rub together just to make the journey with his wife to Bethlehem. What kind of unstable, uncertain foundation is this for someone to be considered the King of kings?

 

    And then there are the shepherds – seriously? These are the ones we want to herald in a king? Shepherds were the lowest on the socio-economic scale – they were not the ones you would go to in a pinch. They smelled like sheep, they were out all night, and they normally were responsible for someone else's sheep.

 

    Perhaps one of the most shocking things is that the gospels wish for us to see them as witnesses to a story that we want people to believe. If we wanted to gather people together in the court of public opinion, we were want to gether those that were most trustworthy – those seen as most reliable in the community – most likely for other people to believe. Enough of this story stands to question – why can we have more upstanding witnesses to the event?

 

THE PURPOSE

    But then again, maybe that was the point. God's purpose was not to come and re-establish an earthly kingdom – as in the time of Saul, and David, and Solomon. In fact – remembering back on those 'great times,' should be a reminder that God did not want a king, but Israel wanted a king. Establishing the line of Kings in Israel was actually one of the dividing points between Israel's history, and God's desire for Israel. Perhaps not having this child become an earthy king, in part, was God's way of re-establishing not an earthly kingdom, but one where He, God, in Jesus, is now ruling.

 

    Perhaps that was the point – maybe God didn't want palaces and wealth and power. All of these things would have been distractions. Human beings tend to build ourselves great collections of possessions, tend to desire more prestige, and always want just a little bit more. God wasn't going to begin the greatest part of his story based on the temporary foundation of the human power grid. Wealth and power and prestige are shifting things – built by human culture, fear, and inhumanity - - not based in love, and joy, and peace, and hope.

And this was the point – Maybe God wanted Jesus to have these humble, transient, hand-to-mouth kinds of people because they understood humility. They understood what it was to rely on God. God wasn't just a nice thing to do when you had time, God was the very life-giving, essential to every day survival. The Grace and Blessings of God are not in the physical, world-wealthy accumulation of things, but rather in the undying belief that we will have what we need for tomorrow because we are loved by a God who provides. Firm faith in God is rooted more in our lack of things, than in an abundance of the unnecessary. Joseph and Mary were likely not able to offer comforts and conveniences, but rather faith, hope, and the love in This Amazing Grace.

 

And maybe this was the point – the shepherds were invited to be witness to this event for the exact same reason that it didn't surprise them. The angels were a surprise – the light and the praising of God – and the unexpected presence of a heavenly messenger – these were a surprise. But chances are, you didn't need to explain to the shepherds where their place in the world was. Most likely, the ones at the bottom know that they are there. And yet, none of them stop on their flight to Bethlehem and say – "Whoa guys, let's think this through – why would God send angels to us?" They didn't leave the stable and go get others who were more reputable to come and see.

    There was something about the scene – the praising angels, the loving mother, the watchful father – there was something that just told them, "This is it!" Something about the situation helped them not only believe, but also to be overjoyed in sharing this with others. God events don't require earthly witnesses to make them true. God uses the witnesses that are present to extend the message of what he is doing – showing his Grace and Love to the world, not just the culturally and socially elite, or acceptable.

 

We don't know the specific time of Jesus' birth, or the shepherd's visit, or how long they stayed. Did they leave the stable in the middle of the night? Just as dawn broke? We don't know – but we do know that as they left, they ran. They shouted. They told everyone that they saw the good news – the best news. Their witness wasn't based on pedigree or political corrected-ness. They were credentialed through their presence in the birthing suite of God.

 

And this is the point. When we hear the story of the birth of Christ, we open ourselves up to recognizing the depth of God's love. He willingly leave himself vulnerable as a child – without allowing for any assistance from the start.

 

As God called the people of Israel to be his people, established not for their own benefit, but for the purpose of redeeming the world, he calls us now – sending Jesus to help us hear – to be his people, his redemptive agents – bringing the kingdom of the Christmas babe to reality through the love, joy, peace and hope that could only be seen in the humbleness and purity of the scene by the manger.

Thankful for Faith

About a week ago, a friend suggested something of the following: if faith is "the assurance of things hoped for," than the goal in our spiritual journey is not stability. It has been rolling around in my head and kept me thinking: Our goal in faith is the ever-changing dynamic of seeking God's call daily, and celebrating this change in our lives and the lives of those around us. To grow and live is to be challenged and change. Stability is stagnation, change is growth.

If we look over the past year with thankfulness that life has been easy, stable, and simple -- have we lived? Or, can we look over the past year, and see how life has dragged us along, fundamentally changed us, ripped us out of our complacency and the commonplace and pulled us into new relationships, new challenges, a new self-awareness, and new tomorrow? We sometimes saw these as 'difficult times.' Some of these times have been the worst days of this past year; not something we would list in our 'thanksgiving list.'

And yet – these are frequently the times when God is able to most fundamentally change who we are. Not that God has caused these difficult times, but our God is one of redemption. God reaches into the very pliable pulp of our lives and creates masterpieces where we just see and feel like broken pieces. Redemption is God's response to the discouragement, shattered dreams, disappointment, and disaster. Accepting defeat and destruction actually leave us in a stagnation of unfulfillment and disenchantment. Accepting Redemption is offering to God our greatest frustrations, brokenness, and fear - - with the hope that He can use it to bring us to a new Creation.

The passage from Hebrews above, in the Century English Bible is as follows: "Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don't see," (Hebrews 11:1).

Sometimes we see this passage, and imagine 'what we hoped for,' as our dreams and the possibilities that we can construct in our minds for how tomorrow can be a better day. But, if faith is also 'proof of what we don't see,' then there is a sense that even our dreams and constructs of tomorrow are not enough. Faith is the hope in a tomorrow that only God can see. It is the end result of what God can do with everything that makes us who we are.

    Our faith, is in God's redemption, and the tomorrow that is not just better than today, but a different tomorrow than where we now go.

 

Watching the Water,

Dan

 

What is your Quest?

Recently, while in Anchorage for conference meetings, we stayed at a hotel that offered a free continental breakfast. It was a typical setup - juice, milk, cereal, toast, fruit, and muffins. On the wall wrapping around the serving area was a ceiling-high mirror. On one part of the mirror was inscribed a message basically asking individuals to keep food in the eating area. Unfortunately, someone didn't do a thorough job of proof-reading before painting this message on the mirror. At one point, the no-food-out-of-the-eating-area policy is explained as helping 'ensure that there is enough food available for every quest.'

I am pretty certain that the intended message was that they wanted enough food for every guest, but the typo was there, blazing from the mirror in bright yellow - quest. At first, I thought it was funny - wondering if someone lost their job over that one. Then, I began thinking, what a cool idea to start the day - working to fulfill the message of the wall. This isn't just a day that something will be done - this is a day that I am entering a quest.

Today I have a purpose - a journey to fulfill. Today, I am someone sent - on a mission. What if we started every day that way? What if we sat down every morning, (or stood?) and asked ourselves, 'What is your quest?'

For most of us, our days are not that exciting. We don't normally think about going to work - finishing those reports - sitting through meetings - picking up milk and eggs - then heading home - as a quest.

What if we were to insert into the mundane a task - or quest each day. Today, I'm going to call that person I haven't spoken to in a long time. I'm finally going to invite that co-worker to church. Today is going to be the first day (again) of that new diet (insert excercise program, devotional time, or whatever it is for you). Today, I'm going to complement every person I see.

What is your quest? What, today, is going to make your day remarkable? What is going to set aside today as a day that was going to be different? What is going to make today a day that you can look back and remember?

What is your quest?

Watching the Water,
Pastor Dan

GOING FOR SECONDS

We closed our Vacation Bible School, Paul and the Underground Church, with a time of communion. With the number of kids who don’t regularly attend church, there were
likely to be more than a few who had never had the chance to share at the Table before.

As we began to invite the kids forward, there were amazing smiles on their faces. There was anticipation and excitement about what we were doing. The week had been a time of
ongoing celebration and real fun. In our singing, our praying, our playing and our learning we grew in our understanding of how God loves us.

Every day, the kids visited the Apostle Paul under house arrest. They were able to see the grumpy jailor, Brutus, accepted Christ by the end of the week and joyfully accepted his new post, cleaning the emperor’s stables. In the light of God’s love, anything can be done joyfully.
In the midst of learning about God’s love, we learned also about loving each other. In a bit of a surprise, (your’s truly was playing Paul), the kids consistently said one of their favorite
parts was visiting Paul & Brutus, and the folks in the underground church. We talked about how
we treat each other, and how God loves us unconditionally, and how, through Christ, he saves us from our sins.

We leaders discussed whether or not to have communion that last day. It was the expected concerns—would some of these kids understand its significance? Would they know what they were doing? Could they take it seriously? Was is appropriate to serve to children of such
young ages? Would it lose its power in the midst of the dancing and singing? With some faith, we went ahead with it.

You could have heard a pin drop. The smiles, joy, and whispered ‘Thank yous’ as the kids came forward removed any doubt that may have been there. Take it seriously!? Understand
it? Appropriate!? As those kids came forward, the thought struck me that none of those disciples that Jesus originally handed the bread and cup knew what they were doing either. None of them could grasp the significance, because none of them really got what was about to happen. And appropriate? Is the sacrificial love of Christ appropriate for any of us? Do any of us deserve it? When we remember it, we ought to also recall that it is undeserved, and offered only because
of Grace.

The idea that Christ’s love is never appropriate struck me as several of the kids, not thinking we saw them, came forward a second time. One of them even said, ‘That was really good, could I have some more?’ Do we approach the table of grace with that question often enough? “I really needed that, could I get some more, Jesus? I’d say you have no idea what my life is like, but you do. I know I have no reason to expect this, I can’t pay you back, but, man, I needed that.”

Thank you—with smiles of anticipation for what the Grace Giver can do—
Hanging onto the Rock,

Pastor Dan