A Moment, A Life

A Moment, A Life: <-- Audio file of Transfiguration Sunday sermon based upon Matthew 17:1-9.


Good morning. Today is transfiguration Sunday and if you’ve spent much time at church in your life, you’ve probably heard more than a few sermons from the gospel texts that recount this event in Jesus’ life. It’s a dramatic scene of Jesus, Peter, James, & John climbing to the mountain top. Then Jesus’ face shines with brilliant light and his well-worn robe suddenly glistens with a brilliant whiteness. As if this isn’t startling enough, suddenly Moses and Elijah appear and start talking with Jesus. Now, I don’t know how Jesus stayed so calm in the midst of all this but Peter, James, & John were filled with awe. Peter wanted to stay there and live in the glory of the moment forever. But he had barely said that before the voice of God booms from a cloud affirming Jesus as his son that he is so proud of. At this, Peter, James, & John were absolutely overwhelmed and fell to the ground. Then Jesus comforted them and led them back on their journey… and a remarkable journey at that.


So what is it we’re supposed to get from this story? What is transfiguration? Miriam Webster dictionary defines transfiguration as “a change in form or appearance; a metamorphosis; an exalting, glorifying, or spiritual change.” So transfiguration Sunday marks a moment of spiritual change in Christ. Something big happened on that mountaintop and we mark and honor it. But just as Peter wanted to stay and the moment and found out he couldn’t, we must also recognize that transfiguration Sunday is but a moment that points to something bigger going on. Transfiguration Sunday is about a moment in Christ’s life. But I think it tells us something about our lives as well.


To be transfigured is a moment in time that changes us. It’s a moment that stays with us in ways that we remember. It reveals something of who we are, who we’ll become, or sometimes even what we don’t want to be. To be transfigured is to be open to the moment and letting what that moment has touch us and leave us forever transformed. To be transfigured is but a moment in time but a moment that we can use to push us forward and compel us onward as we gather the energy and direction that it gives us. And I want to suggest that transfiguration happens in our everyday lives.


So as I thought about transfiguration this week, I spent some time looking thinking about how we’ve tried to capture this biblical moment, the transfiguration of Christ as well as how we experience transfiguration in our everyday lives. So, I want to share with you a PowerPoint of some images that capture the transfiguration in many different forms.


I could fill a whole afternoon with artwork where we’ve tried to capture the transfiguration of Christ. But here is just a sampling of a few… like this one from the 1300’s were we see the climax of the scene.

… or this one from the 1800’s

… or this one from a more modern time.

Even look at the cover of your bulletin. Artwork from this event has captured our minds and imaginations for a long time.


But capturing the transfiguration of Christ is only worthy if we can also capture it in our own lives. So here are some images that may resonate with you on a more personal level. Images of moments that transform and give our lives deeper meaning.


See, sometimes we have moments were we realize that we are but small players in something so much larger than us, yet we’re called to be a part of them…

we look on not sure what this moment will bring but we know it will forever change things.

Some moments speak for themselves.

There are moments we never imagined but once we’re there, we rise to the occasion

… there are the moments made in the midst of sorrow

… and the sorrow made better by a comforter.

There are the moments that a whole country will never forget

… and the moments that a family would not be the same without.

There are moments we could not have imagined

… and connections that will have meaning for a long time to come.

Transfiguration is about the experience, the understanding.

Some moments call us to something bigger and hold out a vision

… while others make dreams come true.

There are moments of liberation and pure joy

… and joy

… and joy

… and joy. Joy that takes hold of us and makes us the people we want to be, children of God.

There are moments of triumph to get where we’ve never been

… moments of getting back up when we’re down.

Moments made beautiful by the friends around us.

Moments of attaining what we always wanted

… worked for

… ran after.

Moments no one imagined for us

… moments only before held in our imaginations.

And there are times when no one thought it could be done.

And as we prepare to go into Lent, we should consider all the moments of self reflection where we see beyond the shadows into who we are

… We take who we are to God

… And we climb to new mountaintops literally but mostly figuratively.

We wait for new dawn to show us something new

… something amazing

… or sometimes something quiet yet bold.

And from those Lenten experiences we have new found curiosity about God’s creation

… we wonder what could be or become of our lives.

And we take these moments with us, setting out on a journey, not knowing what will happen and not always realizing that we’ve been in the midst of something transforming.

We journey not knowing what moments will come

… and not always having the answers in those moments

… but always knowing that those moments will forever be with us compelling and moving us forward.

Sisters and brothers, Jesus went to the mountaintop and was transformed in that moment but he came back down the mountain and used the blessing of his father and energy of the experience to compel him forward. We must also do the same. Our lives are filled with moments that impact us and change us spiritually. Our job is not to build houses and try to live in that moment but rather to make a life where the moments lead us and let God lead us to something even more extraordinary. Amen.

You Are What You Think

You Are What You Think: <-- Audio file to sermon based upon Matthew 5:21-37.

Good morning and welcome. As I began to prepare for this Sunday I did as I always do and started with prayer and scripture. When I read the lectionary, I was nearly overwhelmed by all the directions we could go. And when I settled on the Matthew text specifically, I was no closer to a focus.

You see, when I read such a power packed text I have to make choices about what to bring to you and I do so by trying to listen for God’s direction. You know… what does God want us to hear today? But as far as how I do that, there are many methods. I can cut pieces out and then focus in on a small but deep part. I could also look at it as vignettes to be shared in sections. Another way is to do what I’m going to try today which is hold out a big picture view and then look more closely at a few sections. So, I hope you’ve got your thinking caps on because this is going to be a lot to digest.

When we read this passage, we’re jumping into a broader section we call the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus shares what many consider to be his centerpiece teachings. The beatitudes come before this and many more teachings about the how to live an abundant and righteous life come after that. This is really the beginning section of a kind of guide on how to live. Jesus is signaling a change in how people might think about what is good and right. You see, Jesus is a Jewish man 2000 years ago and he would have been part of a family and community that took Jewish law and observances very seriously. They would have taken part in many faith practices and lived by a moral code of rules because it is what God had commanded of the Israelites from the earliest time.

So, let’s talk real quickly about Jewish law. You see, Jewish law rose out of a time when a group of slaves who had not managed their lives were set free from Egypt. The laws, including the 10 commandments were a way to teach them order and a way to build and be community together. They were also about honoring the giver of moral awareness, God. These laws covered all kinds of things. For example, laws about handing blood of animals were really about public health because they did have a sink to wash it all down the drain. They had to be careful about not spreading illness. But following these laws not only made them healthier, it also honored God by showing good handling and stewardship of their blessings. So, when you study Jewish law, it is easy to see that these rules are for people’s benefit on multiple levels.

However, Jesus is taking this to a deeper level. He is saying in these passages, it is not enough to conform our actions to the law; we must also have hearts and minds to match. He’s not saying there is anything bad about the law or that it is of no use. But he is concerned that there are people who spend their lives following the letter of the law but never reaping the benefit of the spirit of the law. Coming back to the example of handling animal’s blood, It would be like Jesus saying that handling blood correctly might make for a good cut of meat but you missed all the growth and wonder in being grateful and praising God who gave it to you.

Being connected to the spirit of the law, reveals that our insides matter too. When we follow God’s law, we are not being called to merely conform our actions. We are being called to grow and become more than we were before. So, let’s look into a few of these places where Jesus is calling us to be more than we are on the outside. Verses 21-24 read,

“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.

Let me first offer a word of caution. In the verse that reads, “But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment,” the word angry is a bit misleading. This is not talking about the feeling of anger. Feeling angry is a natural response to injustice, hurt, and many other things. This is talking about holding onto anger and letting it fester. A more appropriate translation might be the word resentment.


But beyond that, this section clearly calls us to see that our inner thinking, feelings, and beliefs are also to be scrutinized rather than just our actions. We need to deal with our resentments and grudges before our outward actions really mean anything at all. And when it says, “first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift,” I think we could extend that reconciliation to ourselves too. In a culture that teaches us to internalize our shame and guilt, we must recognize that holding onto those things keeps us from growing and becoming all that the spirit of the law wants for us.


In the next section, verses 27-32 read,

‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. ‘It was also said, “Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.” But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Here, we might be tempted get entangled in how harsh this language is. We’re going to get to how all this fits together in a few minutes. But for now, let’s think again about Jewish law, God’s law. I think God’s intention was that we would do the right thing because it’s the right thing. But the law helps us by guiding us even when we don’t feel so upright or moral. These rules were put in place to hold together communities and families. They kept women and children from being abused and helped communities keep their moral compass true.


So Jesus is stepping into a sensitive area but just as in the previous passage, Jesus is concerned with what’s going on inside of us, not just on the outside. What’s becoming clear as we read on is that we are what we think. That eye that offends or hand that sins did so because of the inner motivations and intentions of the person, not because eye or hand is bad. So, why did Jesus say to rip it out when ultimately we know that Mahatma Gandhi was right when he said, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”?


Well, most importantly, I don’t think Jesus was being literal. He was being instructive. Jesus repeatedly shows that he has a real understanding for human nature and our struggle to do what we know to be right but can’t quite will ourselves to do. See, I think Jesus was talking about the need to constantly rebuild, reform, and transform ourselves. We must keep growing or we’ll only have eyes that see with lust and hands that act with offence. We must tear down old ways and habits if they did not help us change our insides too.


And this same notion carries into the next section as well as we read in verses 33-37,

‘Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.” But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be “Yes, Yes” or “No, No”; anything more than this comes from the evil one.

Here we see Jesus being attune to human nature again. We want to be lofty and more than we are. That’s a good thing because it keeps us growing. But the surest path to true growth is through keeping it simple and staying humble. It’s also the surest path to transforming our inner thoughts and our outward actions.


For example, wedding vows are beautiful things. But they are full of all these clauses and what if’s. What truly makes a marriage work is not the oath but getting up every day and saying yes to love with that person. Or when we look at oaths of nationalism like the Pledge of Allegiance, what we see is something honorable in its hope. But what really makes civic pride work are the individual moments each and every day when we say yes to upholding people and love and no to injustice and hate.
 Okay, let’s pull all of this together. The law helps us see how to keep ourselves going when we’re not able to act from a place of love. For example, when we’re grief stricken, we might make choices of retaliation or self-harm in the midst of our pain. So, when we are at our weakest, the law stands strong as a guide for not making things worse. But the hope of the law is that we come to know God, from whom all goodness flow. When we know God, our starting place is not just in conforming our actions. Our starting place is the love of God that is in us.


But the law serves another function. It proves just how broken and flawed we truly are and makes us even more keenly aware of our need for God’s amazing grace. No one will ever live fully into the law. Our very best intentions still leave us making mistakes and sometimes outright doing the wrong thing.


Ultimately, we need to know that this is the lesson from Christ. Over and over he shows us that we need grace, grace, grace. We offer our best and are most definitely called to grow and keep building and rebuilding. We are called to make the individual decisions, moment by moment to say yes to love and no to hate. But just as we try, God actually does. God’s work of grace brings true completion to all that we are unable to attain.


So when we’re struggling with making ourselves do the right thing; or when we are carrying resentments that burden and cut us off; or when focusing on making that next simple, humble decision becomes difficult, trust that God’s grace will pick up where our best efforts fall short. And thanks be to God for that.


Amen

A Daily Walk

A Daily Walk <-- Audio file of sermon based upon Revelation 1: 9-19

Good morning. I am glad to see so many of you here safe and sound from the weather this week. And let us continue to hold in prayer and help those who are still limited by ice, snow, and cold.

When I was last here, we had 3 straight weeks of sermons from biblical texts that are “apocalyptic” in nature. I use that word as a literary form, not it’s translation which simply means “revelation.” We looked at a text from Matthew, one from Revelation, and one from Daniel. We left Daniel by asking the question “what is faith?” and I invited us to mull that one over for a couple of weeks.

What is our faith individually and collectively? What does it mean? What difference does it make? Now, we’ve circled back around to the book of Revelation for one final apocalyptic text in this sermon series. And I hope we’re going to flesh out some of that question of faith. Well, let’s jump in and find out.

You see, until now we’ve looked in very intellectual terms at these texts. We’ve deconstructing where we’ve gotten overly emotional or interlaced them with other stories of our culture. But as we’ve said before, these apocalyptic texts are to “jar” us out of our everyday thinking. So, applying an intellectual lens to them is not the only tool we have. We are still faithful when we look in more emotional terms too. Many of these writings are truly for the purpose of creating an emotional response that impresses upon us a feeling or ideal that can’t be taken lightly. Nevertheless, that does not mean the stories have to be taken literally either. Herein lies the conflict that’s often hard to balance. And herein is our connection to faith.

As the book of Revelation opens, we are immediately told this book is to signify truths about God. As Oxford University professor of biblical studies Christopher C Rowland put it, this book “calls us to move through the letter to the spirit, not to become so bogged down in the minutiae of symbolic detail that we fail to experience these words as an organ for further imaginative insight into the ways of God and the world.” You see, we’re called to look at these texts not as a code to be cracked but as a story that reveals something, something that might be difficult for us to see or believe otherwise.

Jesus taught using parables or stories that could be applied to the way people lived. The book of Revelation tells a story using jarring images to weave together the truth of God’s ongoing relationship to the world, a relationship where justice and love triumph over institutional and individual sin. So applying one of Jesus’ parables to our lives might be as simple as saying “the good Samaritan helped someone he didn’t know because it was the right thing to do and so should I.” But applying the story told in Revelation is not as simple as applying it to a literal situation because it’s breaking across time, the Alpha and the Omega. It’s a “big picture” point of view where we can apply the truth to our faith but not exactly to the circumstances. Nonetheless, what parables and apocalyptic stories have in common is that they are both rich in meaning and keep telling us more and more if we keep looking into them.

But let’s get back to what the text says. The narrator is having a vision of Christ who is preparing him to write down what is to be revealed. From what John has already seen, we get the foreshadowing that he’s in for a wild and bumpy ride. But from the very beginning, John was asked for something he could do… to be a witness.

To be a witness and write down exactly what he sees, nothing more, nothing less may seem simple. But how often do we really live our lives that way? We anticipate, try to make sense, categorize information, and so on. It’s in our nature. Even now, I bet many of you are trying to figure out where I’m going with this. And ultimately, it’s John’s nature too because he did more than witness throughout this book. He interacted, asked questions, and did want to make sense of it. But all he was asked to do was witness.

So, I want to set forth witness as an essential part of faith. What we believe, how we define our theology, and all the different ways we’ve made intellectual sense of our faith are not really what’s fundamental. What’s fundamental is simply witnessing God.

Just as we saw last time we looked at Revelation, this book will go on to tell of a God of real power, creativity, and love that is beyond time. It weaves together the work of overthrowing the injustice in the world and beyond and offers assurance that God’s work will come to completion. It also shows how the restoring of creation as an ongoing work right now that’s hard to see from the inside out. But here we are, even today, on the inside looking at God’s work all around us. Can we see it? Do we stop to see it? Or are we too busy trying to make sense of it rather than witnessing it?


When we look at this text the next thing Jesus asked John to do was share what he witnessed. Now we may be tempted to look past just how deep this is. What we see is a book written by a man almost 2000 years ago that we don’t know, have no connection to, and quite frankly have a hard time understanding. But at that time, Jesus was asking him to write this letter to 7 churches. The Christian churches at this point were small and people knew people. They were in relationship with each other. This was not Jesus asking John to publish a book for folks unknown to him. This would be more like me asking you to write a letter to an elder in this church who has made a difference in your life. You know them, if not personally, you still know a good deal about them.

So the second thing I want to hold out about faith is that it’s relational. Faithfulness is in how we connect with others and share what we’ve witnessed. Sharing our experience of God is not only foundational to faith but foundational to the cultivation of a deeper faith. It is by seeing how God has been present to other people that we see God more fully in our own lives and vice versa.

A few weeks ago when putting the question of “what is faith?” out there, I quoted Hebrews 11 saying, “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” I said that faith is that quiet utterance within us that tells us something more is going on here than what we can understand. Faith is that most foundational piece that calls to us and beyond us. It is not definable and it’s more emotional than intellectual. It is purely spiritual.

I raise this because I believe this is God’s message to us today, for our daily walk in life. The church as an institution has gotten very good at intellectual arguments about belief. We spend enormous amounts of time, energy, and money trying to out argue one another’s beliefs while missing that God is present with each of us. And our society spends a great deal of time trying to see who can out talk the next person. Politicians, news commentators, and corporate leaders want to secure their power by making sure we believe they are sharing an absolute truth. And meanwhile, congregations, communities, and individuals hurt and long for something of real substance that speaks to their very core… a faith full of “assurance of things hoped for.”

I’m not saying that we should not use our gifts of intellect. On the contrary, it is a gift and we should apply it with gratitude. But as a gift, we should honor God, the giver, by rooting it first in faith.

So, what do I mean by this? I mean that our primary concern should be with making sure God is glorified in what we believe, say, and do. As we do make statements of belief, we should ask if it makes our experience of faith richer. When we are in a public forum, we should seek to make our engagements spring from our faith. As Sara Little, professor emeritus at Union Theological Seminary said, “when belief is equated with religion or supersedes faith, when it becomes a control mechanism or a test for salvation, it is a prison rather than a home.” So we need to make sure our beliefs are not only supportive of our faith but of other’s faith too, lest we be creating a prison of limitations rather than a home of flourishing.

You see, just like Jesus did not want John bogged down in the symbolic details of his vision so he would not miss God, we too must not get bogged down in the minutiae of trying to outthink our faith or we might reduce our own faith and the faith of others. In similar fashion, last week the president of Louisville Seminary said last week that, “A good theologian walks past the establishment and into the fresh air of faith.” I would argue that it isn’t just a good theologian that doesn’t get caught up in establishment and doctrine. I think it is a good Christian whose daily walk is in the fresh air of faith.


Sisters and brothers, faith is our most core gift from God. It ties us to God and to one another. It gives us the vision to see and understand. Just as John had this vision and sought to know more of what it meant, so do we seek to make greater sense of the world and God. But we need to keep faith as our foremost concern, a faith full of witness and sharing of God’s presence and love. When we are concerned more with seeing and sharing in our experience of God than we are with convincing others we are right, the words of belief will flow naturally and with truth. Our words of comfort to one another will ring true. And our experience as children of God will be forever enriched and transformed. Let us take a daily walk in the fresh air of faith.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Called to Faith

Sermon basued upon Daniel 12: 1-13. <-- Audio file of sermon.

Good morning. As always it’s a pleasure to be here with you and this week is no exception. You see, worship is one of those spaces where we come and intentionally yet humbly try to watch for God. We catch glimpses of God in music, prayers, the Word, the space, one another, and many indescribable moments. We also catch glimpses of what God wants for us… healing, love, sanctuary, justice, celebration, peace... wholeness, if you will.

I raise this issue about worship not because today’s sermon is about worship but because I think the rich and multi-layered way we experience worship is similar to the rich way we can experience today’s reading from the book of Daniel. You see, this week we continue our look at apocalyptic literary texts from the bible with one that in some ways is the most difficult passage we’ll look at. It’s difficult in several ways but also rich with meaning. But we’re going to try to go from the big picture and zero in on a core piece of meaning.

If you should ever decide to read the book of Daniel, I suggest you do so with an ancient Persian and Babylonian history book one side and a good biblical commentary at your other side while sipping on a big cup of humility. I’m not saying that this book is out of reach for everyday people. I’m saying that the more you engage it, the more it will show you… sort of like worship. So let me start off by sharing with you some of why this is such a complicated text and then we’ll move into figuring out what beauty emerges from its complexity.

First off, if you were following along in your pew bibles, you may have noticed that today’s Daniel text is the last chapter of the book. Daniel is not a very large book and this is a passage that draws to a close a series of stories and visions. I say “series of” because in fact, this book was not written all at one time. When we, the modern reader pick up this book, we see a nicely put together chronicles of a man named Daniel broken into chapters and verses. In reality, the original texts that we pull this from are a combination of scrolls that draw upon the experiences and folklore of the Jewish people while they were in exile. To make matters more interesting, some of those scrolls are in Hebrew while others are in Aramaic. So, we add language issues on top of the historical issues of putting together a book that cuts across time.

Now, all this may not seem important when we read either the book or today’s individual text but it is. It’s important because it means that when we look to interpret the symbols and the stories, we should be even more diligent in our study and care with what we learn. Wars have been started in the name of what people believed this book was telling them. Wars have been started because they were too sure of their own knowledge that they forgot to faithfully watch for what God wanted to reveal.

And this is the key point I believe God has for us today. Our calling is to faith, not knowledge. It is from genuine faith that we see what is important and then grow into knowledge and wisdom that is purposeful and transcending. But even more core, faith is sometimes all we have… and that is more than good enough.

Okay, so with that long introduction, let’s jump into this scripture text more fully. Chapter 12 is really the end to a longer vision that Daniel is sharing that started in Chapter 10. Like I said before, Daniel and the Jewish people are living in exile. This is a time where they are being terribly mistreated. They aren’t being mistreated necessarily because of their religious beliefs, though there is that too. But more broadly, they’re being victimized because the dictator like leadership is concerned only with conquering more lands and more people. All commoners were subject to oppression and the whims of the royals, not just the Jews.

So these stories that called upon folk heroes like the angelic Michael and Gabriel were a source of hope and comfort to the Jewish people that the suffering they felt would not be the last word. And that’s where we break into this story. The conclusion of this great battle where God’s justice triumphs over these worldly rulers is a time to pause and take it all in. And what happens when Daniel pauses in this vision? He sees resurrection and new life.

Now at this point you might be thinking, “how is it that Pastor Lavender sees this as being about faith? Sounds more like last week’s sermon of God’s triumph and the Lamb’s victory.” Well, it is… but it’s not. This vision was shared with people who would not know that victory during their lifetime. They would continue to know suffering and abuse. So, if we have a promise of victory but we aren’t there yet, we’re left to be faithful in the meantime.

Let’s reread part of this passage. Verses 1-4 read,
‘At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. But you, Daniel, keep the words secret and the book sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be running back and forth, and evil shall increase.’

What do we see here? Well, first of all, in a broken world of fear and pride, people are going to suffer. The whole of the book of Daniel is about good, everyday people suffering even when they try to do the right thing. Now we don’t live the wretched lives of the people in exile that starved to death and were held in slave labor but we do know about other ways to suffer, don’t we? Think about your own life. What about times of intense grief and loneliness or fear and uncertainty? We’ve all had them. And we’ll continue to have them. Look around this room or at your friends and family. Unimaginable tragedy strikes without care or concern for how good and faithful we are.

But to the suffering Jews and to us today, this passage offers hope. It offers a vision of deliverance. It offers the first biblical reference to resurrection. Now resurrection is one of those words that sometimes our modern mind doesn’t know what to do with. It’s a word that’s been abused and twisted at times. It’s a word that offers comfort and hope at other times. But what is it?

Well, I spent a lot of time this week reading about resurrection. The Nicene Creed, The Apostles Creed, The Scots Confession, The Heidelberg Catechism… every historical and constitutional document in the reformed Christian tradition refers to resurrection. But by and large, they refer to the resurrection of Christ and its meaning for the life of the church and for us as individuals. Not as much is said about the idea of resurrection and deliverance for the people of God.

But where did I find more information on resurrection? In texts about funerals. We, as a people of faith believe that something happens after we’re dead that does or will transcend death. Our faith heritage is not usually very specific about what that looks like because we just don’t have much biblical guidance one way or another. But we are clear that death is not the last word.

But much like I said of last week’s text, I’m not willing to tell those who are suffering that they have to wait for the hereafter for deliverance and I don’t think Daniel was either.

Resurrection is something that happens in ways we are not always aware of in the midst of it. For the people of Daniel’s time and the generations in exile that read these scrolls, they took heart in the way they passed on parts of themselves, their heritage, and their faith. I say this because of verse 3. “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” This verse is referring to victory found in sharing of ourselves with others, an act of faith.

In the bible, wisdom is never about knowledge or facts. Wisdom is about faithfulness and diligence. People without much knowledge are referred to as wise because they seek more than they speak. They are humble with knowledge and desire understanding over convincing others of their rightness. The wise are also those who remember and hold to the journey that has brought them here and will carry them forward. So when this verse says the “wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky” it’s referring to those who faithfully seek to take part in God’s victory. And that faithfulness will help them lead others to righteousness.

So here we are, back where we started. We’re called to faith. Our hope in resurrection both in the afterlife and now is wrapped up in this faith. For Daniel and his people, their faith was all they had left. It told them of their history, their hope for the future, and sustained them in this time of trial. It was everything to them. And just like the people who read Daniel’s stories found hope in their time, we must ask what is it our faith means to us in this time?

Well, we read from Hebrews 11 today that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” That means that faith is that quiet utterance from within that tells us our hopes are not in vain and that we are not delusional but in fact visionary. So when I ask, what is it our faith means to us, I intend that more as something we should go from here and chew on. What are the hopes that well up in us? What things not seen do we believe in? What beliefs make us better people, more Christ-like? What does our faith compel us to do? What do we even think faith is?

When I am back with you on February 6th, we’ll look at one last apocalyptic text and flesh out what some of these questions of faith look like for us as a community of believers. But in the meantime, let us humbly ponder these questions of what is faith and God’s calling to faithfulness, looking for glimpses of God along the way. And let us do so with assuredness that faith is sufficient and it is our calling. Amen.

The Great Ordeal of Salvation

Sermon based upon Revelation 7:9-17 <- Audio file of sermon.

A ministerial mentor of mine, Diana Butler Bass, wrote that in 1968 when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, her husband’s family went to their Presbyterian church the next morning. “They went with heavy hearts, expecting the pastor to help make sense of the tragedy. The minister rose to preach. The congregation held its breath. But he said nothing of the events in Memphis. He preached as if nothing had happened. [Her] husband’s family left church that day disappointed; eventually, they left that church altogether.”

I share that story because yesterday 6 people were murdered and another 12 were injured when a young man opened fire at a grocery store in Arizona. The apparent targets were attendees of a community political event hosted by US Representative Gabrielle Giffords. This event has and will continue to receive a great deal of media attention.

The reason these killings capture so much of our attention compared to the murder of an Oklahoma high school principle 4 days ago is because they are mixed with our fear of social unrest, the intrigue of assassination, and the sensationalism that so typically marks our culture’s appetite for drama. But the even deeper reason it captures the attention of many of us today is that we feel powerless to do anything about it and hopeless that it will ever get better.

We turned on our TV’s, hopped on the internet, or talked to someone on the phone only to find out that something horrifying happened. Quickly without even realizing it, we were drawn into the short on facts, high on assumptions reporting, including the early report that Rep. Giffords was dead. Liberal talking heads quickly pointed to violent rhetoric from republicans as the cause. Conservative media talked about progressive policies and the fall of individual morality as a root cause. And somewhere in the middle were real people, politicians or otherwise, that were scared for their own lives and the lives of their loved ones and friends.

As I took this in, started to realize that how we experience powerlessness and hopelessness has everything to do with how we respond. I also realized that for all the fear that swirls in our culture, many media outlets and politicians use it against people or at minimum are just putting a Band-Aid on the fear. At their best politicians try to fix it with policies, reporters seek to ease our minds with education, and social groups attempt to give us a vehicle for action. But here we are, real people, in the middle of all this with held together with quick fixes rather than real solutions.

Diana Butler Bass’s family came to church looking for answers in 1968 just as many of us do today. It is the job of church to offer real solutions, solutions that heal our weary souls, bring transforming light to our fears, and fill us with true meaning and purpose so that we are no longer powerless. As we move forward this morning and in all the days to come, let us be that church. The answers are not in what I proclaim but in what we claim together. Our path is not in our perfection but in our earnestness to live out our individual and collective roles in the body of Christ. We are the church, entrusted with offering authentic solutions. It is with that charge that last week we looked at a text from Matthew and suggested that sometimes we are called ahead to pave the way for those who will come after us. As we continue to dive into some biblical texts from the apocalyptic genera, I think this week’s passage also speaks to that healing, transformation, and purpose that provides genuine solutions in our lives.

Our second scripture reading for the day was from the book of Revelation. I think most Christians, including ministers, have a hard time figuring out what to make of this book. What does it signify? How is it applied to today? I mean, most biblical stories have multiple meanings, but we have a hard time just figuring out where to start with Revelation.

But it’s really not that hard. You see, apocalyptic writings are written not to offer crystal ball prophesy into the future but to jar us out of our typical thinking here and now. They are supposed to startle us so that we will let go of an old way of viewing and doing and move forward with a new vision. When we read from the book of Revelation, we are taking in visions and symbols that spoke to the writer’s life in practical ways just as it also does today. But we have to be willing to let it rattle us a little before we can see it’s meaning.

First, let me give you a little background about this passage. You see John of Patmos is sharing his visions of people coming before God and Christ. Just before this passage, he heard the numbers of the 144,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel, who were sealed with God. So this story comes directly after that. We are basically breaking into John’s vision at mid point when this passage begins. So let's look and see what the story tells us.

John said he saw a great multitude so much that people couldn't count them so these aren’t the well-defined 144,000 from the previous passage that are sealed with God. They were from every nation, all types of people, and they spoke many different languages. They were standing in front of the throne before Christ. They were robed in white and they had Palm branches in their hands. They sang praises to Christ in gratitude for their salvation. And at this point, an Elder said to John, “who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” John said, “You are the one that knows.” Then the Elder replied “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship the Holy One day and night within God’s temple, and the One who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Every time I read this, it always strikes me that the Elder had a pretty detailed reply for man who, at first, didn't admit that he knew who these people were. maybe he didn't want to recognize them like the way we sometimes don't want to claim we know the homeless or the abused. But he tells us a lot. First of all, he told us that they it been through great ordeal. So, what is this great ordeal? Well, with what the Elder said, we can know that these people suffered a lot because he says that they won't be denied basic needs anymore. That they will not go hungry and not be without shelter, because they will be with the shepherd, the Christ.

So what do we make of this passage? What is this great ordeal? And what does it mean to us today? Well, let me share a few of the features that stand out to me about this passage. Many scholars point to the fact that these are not the protected ones, sealed by God. Some suggest that this countless multitude are the “sheep of another fold” referred to by the Gospel of John. I don’t know. But what I do know is that arguing about who they might be misses who they are for sure.

From all that this passage says, it seems to me that these people are the ones of subjugation and oppression in the world. These are people who have been denied and deprived… abused and ignored. These are people that our governments, our societies, and our communities have forgotten or chosen to ignore. They are the homeless… They are the poor… They are the racial ethnic minority… They are the refugee… They are the mentally ill… They are the ones suffering with AIDS… They are the battered… they are the violated… They are the ones without voices… The ones without hope. But here they are singing praises and being healed.

So, one of the important meanings of this passage is that hope is available to the downtrodden. Hope that Christ, the Shepard will care for them. Christ does not want them to suffer. Christ desperately wants them to experience victory over oppression. I use the term victory because they were waving palm branches. And palm branches are always a symbol of victory and triumph over evil in the bible. These people of long suffering had finally prevailed. This is what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. meant in his closing words of a speech the night before he was killed. He said,

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

Those are powerful words from a prophet that would be murdered the very next day. But he knew hope. He had glimpsed it in the vision of God for God’s good creation.

But you know, I have to admit that asking the homeless and the hungry to wait for the hereafter in order to be liberated seems unfair. So I am reminded that we are called to be the body of Christ in the world. This passage can be seen as a call for us to step forward and help the widow and the orphan, the marginalized and oppressed to find victory. Maybe this is passage should serve as proof that Christ does not want humanity to suffer. Our response to that call should be to help in the work by truly being the body of Christ and living out our calls… living out God’s vision of victory over sin and death.

But let's go one step further. There are more ways to hunger and go without shelter than just physical ones. There are those who starve for love, acceptance, and invitation to the table. There are those that have endured great struggles in this world without the shelter of community, without the shelter of church, or without the shelter of the Christian family. You see I think this passage is also talking about the human struggle. The struggle to find nourishment and sustenance in the faith.

John was seeing all people who hunger and thirst after righteousness. It is a long suffering struggle to find what we need in this broken world. We are called to live in community with one another as the body of Christ. When we are sick, lonely, or tired we struggle to find hope for something better… hope for salvation. But hope is in Christ and the promise to relieve us of our struggle and bring us to victory. Hope is also in those around us who embody Christ in this world and help us through the struggles. Salvation is truly a great ordeal. Not because of Christ; Christ’s work holds all grace and sufficiency. The great ordeal is because of our brokenness.

This is where we find ourselves today. An apparently mentally ill young man did something horrific yesterday. Several bomb like devices have been sent to politician’s offices around Washington this past week. Some politicians are urging us to not “retreat” but to “reload.” Drug violence in Mexico continues to escalate. And even close to home, domestic violence and poverty in Lake County are on the rise. Where’s the hope in such overwhelming facts?

Friends, we find hope in Christ and find hope in those around us who help us through struggle. We then turn around offer that hope to others because we are the body of Christ. In spite of all that is “wrong” around and within us, a lot more goes right even if we don’t see it. Who knows how many shootings have been prevented because a concerned neighbor or family member reached out to someone with an emerging mental illness to provide shelter and support? How many crimes of desperation have been avoided because of food pantries and resale shops like the ones at First Pres? Can we even begin to count the number of children who are touched by youth events at this church and others? How many people have lived to find a better way than abuse because of a friend reaching to them? And who might we each have become but for way we’ve been touched by the body of Christ? We can look far and we can look near. There are countless multitudes who have tasted Christ’s salvation because of the way we reach out. We, in this room, are even among those multitudes whose lives have been transformed by hope in Christ.

Sisters and brothers, let us grieve for those who suffer. Let us shed tears of sorrow for lives that will not be. But let us also hold tightly to our hope in Christ… hope that we’ve tasted through our own needs and experiences, hope that others need too. When the message of the world is fear and fight, let us be and offer a true solution of relationship, connection, and love. Amen.

Left Behind or Called Ahead?

Sermon based upon Matthew 24:36-44 <-- Audio file of sermon

Good morning. It’s great to be back with you and I’m going to be here for the next few weeks. Given that we’re going into Epiphany, which means “divine manifestation,” I thought I’d do a sermon series on apocalyptic literature in the bible and see what “divine manifestation” we could unearth. This week we’re looking at a text from Matthew, next week is from Revelation, and the following week is from Daniel. All three texts represent different eras and forms of apocalyptic literature.

This from of writing has been used for thousands of years and many people believe it is telling about a literal time and place to come. Personally, I’m not sure that’s true. The word apocalypse comes from a Greek word that means “revelation” and what God has repeatedly shown is that we don’t have to play guessing games about how to live because God reveals what we need to know. The point of the writers of apocalyptic texts was not to speak to a generation sometime down the line in a code that no one would understand until that time had passed. The biblical writers were speaking to their people in that time in a way that was supposed to make a difference to them in their daily lives. Often times, I feel that the real miracle of the bible is that it still speaks to us across all this time and continues to offer relevant revelation to us here and now.

But before we go further, let me tell you that I’m a very humble person when it comes to the bible and all the ways God reveals God’s self in the world. I assure you that anything I share with you is #1 faithful and #2 represents an earnest effort of study and reflection. But are there more or different things that can be said that what I share? Most definitely, YES!

All this buildup leads into today’s biblical passage. I don’t know about you but when I read this text I immediately thought of the Left Behind book series. Now, I’ve not actually read those books but I felt compelled to find out a bit more about them because I suspect that I’m not the only one who thought of the connection. So, I started with an editorial synopsis of the first book in the series entitled Left Behind. Let me share with you what I read:

Piloting his 747, Rayford Steele is musing about his wife Irene’s irritating religiosity and contemplating the charms of his “drop-dead gorgeous” flight attendant, Hattie. First Irene was into Amway, then Tupperware, and now it’s the Rapture of the Saints. Steele believes he’ll put the plane on autopilot and go visit Hattie. But Hattie’s in a panic: some of the passengers have disappeared! The Rapture has happened, abruptly driverless cars are crashing all over, and the slick, sinister Romanian Nicolae Carpathia plans to use the UN to establish one world government and religion. Meanwhile, Steele teams up with Buck Williams, a buck-the-system newshound, to form the Tribulation Force, an underground of left-behind penitents battling the Antichrist.

Now, when I finished this reading, I couldn’t figure out what the deal was with these books. Is this the same book that a decade ago was causing people to change their lives and get “right” with God? To me, it sounds much more like a dark comedy than a call to Christ.

So, what’s up with this thing we call “the rapture?” Where did we get this idea and is this what the scripture is telling us? Well, most biblical scholars say that this passage is not about a rapturing of the saints. The idea of rapture is a fairly young one in the history of Christianity. It only dates back to the 1800’s and even scholars who believe in it admit there’s no biblical evidence for their belief.

And if we are talking about biblical evidence, why would Jesus go from consistently talking to people in a way that was about their present lives to suddenly talking about something that would not happen or make sense for thousands of years? Well, he didn’t. This passage is part of a larger text where Jesus is talking about recognizing the Messiah, something which he said to them would happen in their generation and would be ongoing. In the 2 verses prior, he says, “Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not.”

Most biblical scholars say this passage is about eschatology and eschatology is nothing more than a fancy word that means the God’s ultimate destiny of humanity. So what is the ultimate destiny of humanity? Some people do think rapture is a part of God’s ultimate vision for the world but there are many other beliefs as well. Let me offer up a couple of other visions for you to consider.

A famous theologian named Paul Tillich says that our destiny is to finally see and understand our incredible brokenness and disconnect from God and one another fully. And that when we see this, we’re then open to truly living in the presence of God. Jürgen Moltmann says that faith is found in hope. He feels that our ultimate destiny is not about the last days but rather the Christian hope and living fully into God’s vision for us here and now. Even Jesus shared an eschatological perspective during his ministry by talking about things that were of final and supreme importance. He spoke about the coming of the Kingdom of God in present and ongoing tenses and demanded a new and higher righteousness here and now.

As you can tell, there are more visions for the ultimate destiny of humanity than just the Left Behind books. So, what is this text about? Well, it is about Jesus coming into our lives. And quite clearly something significant happens when Jesus comes into our lives. Let’s reread part of this text thinking that Jesus wants us to know something about our destiny.

36“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

When read it that way, it seems much more like the “when and where” of Christ’s revelation will be a part of our everyday life and everyday function. We won’t know it or know what it looks like until it happens.

Now don’t get hung up on the fact that this passage mentions the flood story. It’s not saying anything about sinfulness or judgment. Jesus was just using a familiar story that people would know to say that people were going about their business unaware of what would happen next.

And it’s the same today. This passage is telling us that we simply do not know when experiencing the presence of Jesus is going to happen. Much like the time of Noah, we’ll be going about our daily business when Jesus’ presence is revealed to us. But here comes the key to all of this. When that happens, when we really see and understand what Jesus Christ and the Gospel are truly about, we’re transformed and rather than being left behind… we might even be called ahead.

So, again, we need to ask, what is this ultimate destiny in Christ’s presence that we need to be watching for? Simply put, it is the salvation we find in Christ. To really find Jesus and get the Gospel is to finally see and understand the freedom, grace, and deliverance we experience in Christ. Christ shows us a way of understanding ourselves, of connecting with the other, and of knowing our place in the universe. Knowing the presence of Christ shows us the way to a meaningful life and connects us to our purpose in the world today.

You know what that’s like don’t you? You know, it’s the sensation of recognizing and embracing the reality that we each have value. It’s realizing that there are purposes larger than ourselves and that we’re supposed to be a part of them. It’s waking up to see the needs around us and of claiming the power to make a difference in the world. It’s encountering deliverance and being called ahead to lay foundations for others rather than being left behind.

Christmas has come and gone and part of my holiday always includes watching the classic movie, It’s A Wonderful Life. You know, this movie is a great example of finally recognizing the presence of the Gospel in our lives. The main character George Bailey, is going about his daily life unaware of what his real purpose is. He’s focused on a vision of the future that will in fact never come. It’ll never come because he’ll soon be transformed when a series of events break through to George and he at last understands his purpose. In finding this, he experiences deliverance from his old ways of living. He then leaves behind his old notions of fumbling through life and then lives into new meaning with those around him. He realized that all along he was called ahead to pave the way for sustainable housing and to be an integral part of his community.

This brings me to the final point of the what I think the scripture is telling us, which is that when you get the Gospel, when you really experience the presence of Christ, you’re called out and called ahead, leaving behind your previous ways and focus. We’re told that: 40… two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left.

This is the story of what it’s like when someone has awareness of purpose. They then have direction, a pull toward something else and then leave behind where they were to go out and live into their true purpose… a call if you will.

Call stories where one is called ahead and something is left behind are throughout the entire Bible. You don’t have to look very far to find these stories. Consider the story of Zacchaeus. When he encounters Jesus, he drops everything to go out and fulfill a new purpose. There’s also the story of Simon and his brother Andrew in the book of Mark. Jesus tells them follow me and you will become fishers of men. They immediately left their nets and followed him. Even a Donkey found new purpose and left behind its village when Jesus told his disciples to go into a certain village to find a specific donkey that he had use of. They did that and the donkey then bore Jesus into Jerusalem. So if even a donkey can find new purpose through Christ and leave behind an old life, then where does that leave us?

Well, it leaves us looking for what we are supposed to do with this purpose and meaning that’s been revealed to us. Trust me, I know that most of us don’t feel like we’ve been connected with our ultimate purpose or destiny in the world and many don’t have the privilege to follow inner desires. But we all have something in us… some cause or purpose that’s larger than ourselves that calls to us, pulling us toward it. And if we live into that purpose fully, there’s a feeling of being called ahead that leads us to go do the work of Christ in the world.

Look around you. We’re living examples of what it means to live out that call. I left behind a home, friends, and a career to go to seminary and become a minister. Also, many of us belong to ministries where we feel called out to share the Gospel with those around us. Look at the different ministries of this church. What about Soup and Serenity, the resale shop, the deacon’s food pantry, and countless other causes First Pres works with? Or outside the church, many are involved in scouting, the Bridges program, and much much more. These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the ways we’ve encountered Christ’s call and were called ahead to make a way for others.

I suspect we leave behind lots of things as well. We sacrifice an afternoon of leisure to be with one another and help someone move or cope with tragedy or celebrate births. We let go of grudges because the hold us back from our work in the present. We leave behind old behaviors because we are called ahead to live into something bigger than what we have always known.

This is the real heart of the matter. Jesus’ presence shows us the way to live into something far more fulfilling and rewarding than anything we could have conjured on our own. What we’re talking about here is not just a J. O. B. We’re talking about vocation. So when this scripture passage tells us that we need to be vigilant and watch for Christ’s presence in our lives, it’s because this is of supreme importance. Embracing Jesus’ revelation says more about ultimate vision than the notion of rapture could ever express.

Sisters and Brothers, we truly are called ahead… but not so that others will be left behind. We are called ahead to pave the way for others to experience the revelation of Christ in their lives. So, when we ache for deliverance from meaninglessness, look for Christ. When we need direction, look for Christ. When we hunger for purpose, look for Christ. I assure you that we won’t know exactly when but we’ll find him in everyday places, showing us a new and more excellent way. This is our charge, to be watchful, open to seeing, and ready to embrace Christ’s revelation in the world. Amen.

Stories of Hope

Based upon Genesis 15:1-6 & Luke 1:26-38 <-- Audio file of sermon Good morning.

Well, we’re now at the 3rd Sunday of Advent and pretty far into our devotional, The Stars Tell the Story. It seems that since we’ve heard from Polaris about God’s faithfulness and then the fallen star of Lucifer about his attempts to use power over us, I guess word got out that we were having all these stars come in to talk with us. I got a ton of mail this week from other stars that wanted to come and share their story of how they’ve seen God work in the world. Well, there’s not enough time for everyone so I decided I’d read a few of their letters. Today we’re going to hear from 3 different stars about times they’ve watched God make and keep promises and about the hope people have in God’s promises to be near, faithful, and forever in covenant with creation. So, let’s read a few of these and see what we’ve got. This looks like a good letter to start with (open letter). It reads:

Greetings from the distant sky,
My name is Gamma Arietis. You may have seen me as part of the Aries constellation. But I’m not writing to tell you about me. I’m writing to tell you about God. You see, I have watched God work for so long now but don’t get to share much. A favorite story of mine you probably already know. But it’s worth telling you about anyway.

You see, it was about 4000 years ago and God came to talk to a man named Abram. Now, Abram was already pretty old and had enjoyed a full life. This life wasn’t without heard work but it was still a good life. He had built pretty stable a life for he and his wife, even though they had no children. They had also seen a good bit of heartache. They had rescued Abram’s nephew Lot, had to compromise their relationship while in Egypt, and in general had survived so much together.

So, God sent Abram a vision and said, “Don't be afraid, Abram. I'm your shield. Your reward will be grand!”

I think it goes without saying that Abram was startled by this. But he was still able to speak his heart and mind to God saying, “Holy God, what use are your gifts as long as I'm childless and Eliezer of Damascus is going to inherit everything? See, you've given me no children, and now my land foreman is going to get it all.”

But God comforted and reassured Abram that this promise of grand reward would happen. God said, “Don't worry, he won't be your heir; a son from your body will be your heir.”

Then God took him outside and said, “Look at the sky. Count the stars. Can you do it? Count your descendants! You're going to have a big family, Abram!”

Now, I have to tell you I always like it when God points to us. And you know what? There I was watching this happen. Abram looked at me and all the other stars in his view and tears came to his eyes when he thought that what God said could be true. I knew exactly what the tears were about because he often sat out at night crying sorrowful tears that he and his wife never had children. He would weep for his own mortality and all that he could not share with a child. He wept for his wife and the dream she had of being a mother. But this time the tears had something that they didn’t have before. They had hope.

You see, Abram believed God. God declared him righteous or “Set-Right-with-God.” It was a big moment in Abram’s life. He had already been a lover of God but from this point forward, he knew that his life had meaning because it was part of God’s plan. He didn’t have to wait for the child to be born to believe or to know how God was going to work all this out that he would have so many decedents. What made the difference for Abram was feeling like he had a real and genuine relationship with God, a place in God’s will and workings.

I think that’s what I like most about Abram. He didn’t say, “Where’s the proof?” He simply knew that this relationship with God was enough and God would do the rest.

Well, I appreciate you letting me share with you. If you ever want me to come speak, let me know. I’ll be there.

Faithfully,
Gamma Arietis

Wow, that was a fine letter. I’ve never thought of God’s faithful relationship with Abram as being what made the difference. Well, let’s see what else we’ve got here. (open another letter) This looks like a good one.

Grace and Peace to you,
My name is Mizar and I’m a part of the Big Dipper. You’re Advent series calling on us to share what we’ve seen has me intrigued. I’ve seen some good stuff too and thought I’d write you about a very special time I remember. I think you’ll appreciate this story because it happens just before the guiding star leads you to Bethlehem.

You see, about 2000 years ago, in the Galilean village of Nazareth, God sent a special messenger named Gabriel to a young woman named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph who was descended from David who was also descended from Abraham.

Upon entering Mary’s house, Gabriel greeted her: “Good morning! You're beautiful with God's beauty, beautiful inside and out! God be with you.”

I remember thinking that walking on into a young woman’s apartment in the middle of the night was a bad idea but somehow Gabriel pulled it off because you see, Mary was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But Gabriel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus. He will be great, be called 'Son of the Highest.' The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; He will rule Jacob's house forever— no end, ever, to his kingdom.”

Now, I find that if you are going to enter a situation with unexpected news, it’s best to blurt it all out as quickly as possible but Gabriel missed a key piece in his blurting. Mary said to the angel, “But how? I’m not with Joseph yet and our wedding isn’t for several months yet.”

The messenger gave an answer I’ll never forget… and I’m sure Mary didn’t either. Gabriel said, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest will hover over you; the child you have will be called Holy, Son of God. If you’re having trouble believing, did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! You see, noting is impossible with God.”

Now I don’t understand the mysteries of all this hovering stuff but I do know that Mary was a very brave young woman. I don’t know many people who would have handled it that well to hear the news that God was going to use them is such a special way yet a way that could deeply complicate their lives. Honestly! Young women were kicked out of their homes and stoned for showing up pregnant.

Mary said to Gabriel, “Yes, I see it all now. I am God’s helper, ready to serve. I pray that it be with me just as you say.” And then the messenger left her.

When I saw all this, I took a special interest in this young woman and followed here everywhere she went. She had an extraordinary life. Joseph believed in God’s plan too. They raised Jesus and other children too. Their life was a beautiful one. Even when Jesus put down his carpentry tools and took up the mantle of spreading God’s word, Mary continued to see herself as God’s helper by supporting Jesus and even spreading God’s word too.

I suppose that’s a pretty amazing gift to realize that God wants our faith to do things in the world. Mary’s faith that God would make a way for her and this child led her down paths she could have never expected. She saw things that changed her life and everyone else’s too. God asked her to do what was faithful and she was part of making the world a better place.

I hope I’ve made the world a better place by sharing what I’ve seen of God. Hey, when you look up at the sky and see the big dipper, I’m in the middle of the handle. Say hi sometime and remember that God’s promises reach far beyond what you may ever know.

Take care,
Mizar

Hmm… well Mizar seems a friendly one. I’m glad he had such a good story to share. I too am always amazed that Mary was so faithful even in a time that could have caused such great trouble. But what is more amazing is that she stayed faithful through everything. It’s true. Nothing is impossible with God.

Now let’s see what else we have here. (open another letter) This one looks good. Here we go.

To the good folks of FPC Crown Point,
My name is Alpha Andromedae. I’m part of the Pegasus constellation but I’m not sure if you have ever seen me. You have to look carefully. Anyway, I am writing because I know you are enjoying stories from stars about God’s work leading to Jesus. I wanted to share a story of the same thing but it may not be what you expect.

You see, I was watching out over some of the people I like and a new person named Fran caught my eye. She was a little girl in a very problem filled home. Her mom was a very empty woman full of resentment for the world and she took out those resentments on the little girl. I continued to watch this girl because no matter how sad she was, she still believed that God was with her. She would lay in bed and cry to God wondering why her family was so full of pain. She could see that her mother’s resentment were from having been hurt and wronged so much. But that did not make Fran’s life better.

I watched her over the coming years as she struggled to make sense of herself, her family, and the world. Sometimes watching her pain made me question the existence of God but from what I can tell, she just kept believing that God was with her.

As Fran got older, she worked so hard at school and was very involved in activities that kept her away from home. All that paid off because she got to go to college and she’s been a school teacher most of her adult life. She’s gotten to do lots of great things but I can still see the memory of her upbringing when I look at her.

I’ve watched her for over 60 years now. She’ll be retiring soon and I’m glad for her. But you know what? Until recently, I could not understand how this little girl made it through so much pain and sorrow. If I had been her, I would have given up… or at least I thought I would have until I overheard her talking to one of her grandchildren, Jasmine, recently.

They recently had a death in the family. Her granddaughter’s best friend died in a car accident. When Fran was trying to comfort her, she told Jasmine some about her own life and times when she felt alone and in the dark. What surprised me wasn’t the details of what she shared but how she understood them.

Fran said that even when things seemed their darkest, she always found what she needed. Somehow she learned the lesson early on that family could be more than your blood relatives, a belief that supported her all her life. As she got older, she came to understand that as the Body of Christ. When Fran felt most in the dark, she said that it was amazing how she would meet someone who showed her a new way to see light or have an encounter that connected her back to hope. She said that those encounters were God being with her to meet her needs. She said she’s met lots of messengers from God. And when Fran worried that her life would never change or that it would always be so full of despair, she said that something would happen… an opportunity to serve, a youth outreach event, a friend in need… things that reminded her that she was interconnected with others and that her best next step was any faithful step forward. She didn’t have to know the outcome. She just had to be faithful.

I cried. I had watched her but never really seen what was on the inside. She chose to see God instead of keeping the blinders on to the darkness. For that, Fran’s as guiding light as I can think of to point to Christ.

Your fellow seeker,
Alpha Andromedae

Sisters and brothers, I can think of no better note to end on as we continue our journey toward the newborn Christ. God is faithful and present. And God’s faithfulness is seen all around us. Our job is to keep our eyes open to it instead of letting fear, pain, pride, and other barriers stand in our way. Our job is to keep making that next faithful step. Amen.