From Joseph to Jesus.

Listen to the sermon.

They say that hindsight is 20/20.  They say that truth can be seen most clearly in the rear view mirror.  One of the more impactful things I’ve heard is when your life if over, you can look back and see  the landscape littered with the evidence of God’s presence.  Those are different ways of saying that you can see most clearly all the intricacies of a situation after it is past.  

In our first lesson, we are reading the climax of the Joseph narrative.  Joseph, who was a dreamer, a spoiled brat and the apple of his father’s eye, was not looked upon with favor by his 11 brothers.  They got so fed up with him, that they sold him to a passing caravan as a slave.  Then they told their father that he’d been eaten by a wild beast.  Joseph had a number of ups and downs as a slave - sometimes favored and sometimes imprisoned.  But because he had the ability to interpret dreams, he eventually found favor with Pharaoh and was elevated to ruler status in Egypt.  He proved his worth by saving the country from the great famine and when his brothers came looking for food, he eventually revealed himself to them.  That is where our lesson picks up today.

He could have been very angry - they expected him to be.  No one would have blamed him for holding a grudge against them and exacting revenge.  But he didn’t.  He not only forgave them, but he embraced them and provided for them and their families during the remaining 5 years of famine; He gave them a place to live and food to eat.  

He interpreted everything that happened to him in light of God - as an orchestrated dance that eventually placed him in the right spot at the right time to be the saving grace, not only for Egypt, but also for his own family who had denied him.  Not all of his journey was pleasant - he was unjustly accused and abused and left to rot in a dungeon - but in the long run he allowed himself to be used by God, and he forgave those same brothers telling them, “You meant it for evil.  God meant it for good.”  I wonder how many of us could be so gracious under similar circumstances?

But if you listened to our gospel reading this morning - it is asking us to do the same thing.  To forgive those who hurt us, to pray for those who abuse us, to bless those who curse us.  To turn the other cheek, to give without expecting return, to not take back something stolen from you.  Hard, hard lessons and yet, where it is leading us today?

During Diocesan Council this weekend, we began each day with an Indaba Bible Study.  Generally, we gathered in small groups and the passage of scripture was read out loud.  Each person then went around and shared what one word or phrase stood out to them.  Then the passage was read again with each person sharing where does this touch my life today.  The third reading asks, “What is God calling you to change or do through this passage?”

Now consider our gospel reading today in that light.  ‘Do unto others as you would have the do unto you.’  ‘Do not judge.’  ‘Forgive.’  ‘Love your enemies.’  ‘Lend without expecting return.’  ‘Be merciful, as your Father is merciful.’  ‘Turn the other cheek.’  These make great sound bites, but they are very countercultural to the world at large.  These are hard sayings in our world today.  The wolves in our world today would eat you alive if you followed these rules to the letter.  So what do we take from this lesson - these hard sayings of Jesus?

Do to others as you would have them do to you.  Often called or considered to be “The golden rule.”  Do you know that every faith tradition has something similar to this golden rule?  The main difference between our version and others is that the others are passive while the Christian rule is active.  Essentially the other rules say “Don’t do to others what you don’t want them to do to you.”  So, for example, if you don’t want them to hit you, then you shouldn’t hit them.  The Christian rule though is active - or pro-active -   It says, “Do unto others, what you would have the do unto you.”  If you want someone to treat you with respect, then you need to treat them with respect.  We all come from different backgrounds and are raised to value different things.  How do we use this demand of Jesus to look at the world around us in a different way.  Sometimes we can’t personally address wrongs we perceive happening in the world at large, but we can pay attention to that part of the world that touches our life.

 

You look at your neighbor and say to yourself, “If I were in that position, I would hope that someone would do ______ for me.”  And try to find a way to do it.  You know we have so many people begging on the street in this day and age, there is no way any of us could satisfy all of them.  And we know that some people are sponges and will drain you dry if you let them.  We also know that there are some people who really do not have the capacity to change - those who live on the street with mental health problems that are not addressed by our current governance and health care systems.  So how do you know when and how to help people?  There are many agencies, some governmental, but more funded by churches and other non-profit organizations that can minister to those people better than individuals can.  That way support of places like The Beacon and Lord of the Streets is so important - because they are equipped to minister to and help people who are living on the fringes of society.

When I was at Church of the Redeemer over in the Eastwood area, I had the opportunity to minister to a number of homeless people.  A few were living on $600 a month disability and believe me, it is a challenge to pay rent, and utilities and still have enough left over to buy food. 

They had no cars, but a few had bicycles.  We developed a bicycle ministry at Redeemer and through the gifts of abandoned bikes from Rice and the University of Houston, we managed to have enough to give to kids in the neighborhood and to many of the homeless.  We had a repair ministry and taught them how to take care of their bikes and fix them.

I used to go down to Jack in the Box and get two tacos.  I’d eat one and take the other to someone standing down on the street corner begging.  The Red barrel collection in our neighborhood Kroger’s came to us and I had food to give to the neighbors.  I almost never had money, but bus tokens and Kroger & CVS gift cards along with the red barrel bags fed people and got their medicines.  We were the mail box for a number who were trying to get jobs.  Being at Redeemer taught me a lot about street people.  More than once I took them to the hospital, or to get their medications. I knew, not only their street name, but their legal name.  I knew which ones were bi-polar and which ones were schizophrenic.  A good number of them were in church every Sunday - especially if we were having food.  

I still keep my eyes open to the possibility that God will place someone before me and expect me to do something.  But you know, this list of things that Jesus expects us to do - none of us will ever be able to live up to that expectation.  Sometimes forgiveness is hard.  And it’s hard not to want to get back at someone who hurts you.  And Jesus doesn’t really expect us to be a doormat.  So we have to find that balance between where our base nature tells us we want to be, and where Jesus encourages us to rise above ourselves.  We have to learn to temper our inclinations with God’s expectation.  And we need to remember at all times, even when we fall short of God’s expectation, his forgiveness is perfect, even if our isn’t.  One of the things that I try to remember is that God wants me to be the very best version of myself possible.  I don’t have to live up to someone else’s expectation.  I just have to strive to be the best I can be.  Sometimes it’s a struggle to go against nature - to not lash out when we have been hurt.  With current mantras raging like “Don’t get mad, get even,” it is sometimes very hard to hear the voice of God calling for grace and mercy.  But God’s love and mercy is never failing.  His grace abounds wherever we let it and even when we fall short of his expectation, his forgiveness covers us. 

 

The Kingdom of God here, now!

When I was first exploring my call to ministry, it was suggested that I play a little "Bible Roulette."  I opened me Bible, without looking at it, and put my finger down on the page - and it was this passage from Nehemiah.  "Ezra the Priest brought the law before the assembly... and read from it... from early morning until midday...   One of the verses that is omitted from this reading says, “he stood on at a wooden podium... and opened the book in the sight of all the people...  and when he opened it all the people stood. "  And further down,  "And they read from the book clearly and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading."  And my first response was, "Oh Lord, does this mean what I think it means?"  

Does this all sound familiar?  When I opened the Gospel book, you all stood to hear the reading.  Now I am standing at a wooden podium giving an interpretation of the readings so that all can understand.

This first lesson takes place approximately 500 years before the life of Jesus.  In our Gospel lesson (500 years later) – once again the people have gathered to hear the Word of God being read.  

Today, 2000 years later, the people of God are still gathering in churches around the world to hear the Word of God being read.  The tradition continues and the story is still told – over and over – with interpretation for the time.  There are thousands of churches reading these lessons today.  And an interpretation (the sermon) being given - chances are very good that no two sermons will be the same.

Now we have a history lesson, this is God’s doing because I have an aversion to history.  But in the case I think its important to connect the pieces.  Ezra and Nehemiah are both characters out of the post-exilic period; the Babylonian exile.  After Cyrus the Persian king overthrew the Babylonians in 539 BC, he allowed the Jews to begin going back to their homeland.  

The first wave went back, taking with them the holy vessels that had been stolen from the temple.  Their job was to rebuild the temple which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian king.  They accomplished that task, but they had problems in carrying over their worship practices into the living of their everyday lives.  

So Ezra the priest felt called by God to go to Jerusalem and restore the law.  His task was to restore the temple worship and help the people to see how this affected their everyday lives.  This was the second wave to return from exile.  

The third wave consisted of Nehemiah, the governor, whose task it was to rebuild the city wall around Jerusalem.  Each returning group met resistance from the people already there.  

In our lesson today, we find Ezra reading the law from early morning until midday.  And those that are assembled are men, and women, and those who could understand - probably older children.    Now understand that the law had not been read in that land in over 70 years.  Chances are that very few people there had ever heard it read.  They most likely had heard tales and stories passed down word of mouth.  

But on this day, most people were hearing the law read for the first time.  And it says that the people wept when they heard the law.  Why did they weep?  Because the Word of God touched their hearts?  Because they knew that they had not been following the law?   Probably.  But are they condemned by their leaders?  No, as a matter of fact they are told, "Do not mourn or weep, for this day is holy to the Lord."  They are told, "Eat, drink, give to those who have none, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

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In our gospel lesson, Jesus also is reading from Holy Scripture. Jesus has gone to the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth, as was his custom.  This is not something new, it is something he always did.  The people knew him, they watched him grow up, and they’ve heard him read before...  But this time it's different, this time he's been gone, and they've heard reports, strange reports, about him.  He opens up the scroll and he reads.  It is a nice familiar text - one they've heard many times before - and they wait for his teaching, his understanding of this text.

And his first words are, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."  And they're not sure what to make of this.  You see, following his baptism and his temptations, Jesus now understands that he has a purpose.  And that purpose can be found is the prophetic scriptures of the Hebrew people.  He understands that he has been anointed by God, he has received God's Holy Spirit.  He understands that the anointing of God is always given for a purpose.  It is never given just as a feel-good sensation or for one's own personal enjoyment - it is given for the fulfilling of a task.  Now Jesus knows exactly who he is and what he is to do, and this scripture spells it out in full.  

• He is to preach good news to the poor, be they monetarily or spiritually poor.  
• He is to proclaim release to those who are held captive, be it physical or emotional imprisonment.  
• He is to be the instrument of healing, to the blind, the crippled, the deaf.  
• He is to set free those who are oppressed in every land or state.  
• He is to proclaim the fulfillment of the Lord's purpose here on earth, during our time - not in some far distant idealistic future.

Jesus is proclaiming his purpose in life.  He is also telling the people what it takes for the Kingdom of God to be present in our lifetime.  Jesus was uniquely suited for this purpose.  He knew who he was and he understood what that meant.   He also understood that this was just the beginning of a new paradigm on earth.  He knew that even though this was nothing new, since it had seldom been practiced on earth, that he was to be the example - he was the one to demonstrate - exactly what God meant.  Jesus' purpose was to demonstrate that the far distant idealistic future was here, - now, - in our lifetime.  

Jesus proclaimed it then, two thousand years ago, and he proclaims it now, here in our presence.  You see, when the church gathers for worship and for fellowship, the aim should not be to make its members feel good, but to equip them for putting into visible form the Kingdom of God in their daily lives.

Obviously we're not all called to go out and preach the gospel or heal the sick in the way Jesus did.  Paul reminds us of that.  We are all part of the body of Christ.  But if each one of us does our part - worship regularly, fellowship with those who love Christ, reach out to those within our sphere of influence - God's kingdom will be manifest here on earth.  

One way we can do this as Christians is to stay attuned to the needs of the people around us.  If someone mentions a personal concern to you, they are quite often reaching out for help - for comfort - for understanding.  If someone mentions a particular need, offer to stop and pray, right then – or offer other kinds of help that can be beneficial in the given situation.

So often we say something like, “I’ll keep you in my prayers.”  And we forget how much more powerful it is to stop right then, take their hand and pray for them - right then, not in some distant future.  I used to do that - all the time.  And somehow I've gotten out of the habit - often saying, "I'll add you to my prayer list…"  And I realize that in doing that, I'm perpetuating this idea of the Kingdom of God as being somewhere in the distant future.  But when I stop and pray with the person right then, then the Kingdom of God is present - right then - in that very moment. 

I like what James says in his letter to the 12 tribes, "Are any among you suffering?  They should pray.  Are any cheerful?  They should sing songs of praise.  Are any among you sick?  They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them…" 

As members of Christ's body here on earth, we are called to do these things.  It doesn't take fancy words or special knowledge.  What it does take is a belief that God can do all things, and through him all things are possible.  We simply open up our hearts to let the love of Christ come in, and allow Him to work through us - sometimes in spite of us…

God calls each and every one of us to be a part of His Kingdom here on earth.  And God will use you for his purpose.  When people see you, will they say, "I want to be like that", or will they say, "Don't let me be like that…"  - it's your choice  --  how will God use you?

Moses stepped out in faith

God said to Moses, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”  Exodus 3:12

I really identify with Moses.  He was older than I am when he was called by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to the Holy Land.  He made all kinds of excuses why he wasn’t the right person for the job.  And when he asked for a sign, it came only after he stepped out in faith.  Reluctantly, Moses did what must have seemed to be a fool’s errand, and he faced challenges, and hardships and opposition.  But Moses wasn’t alone.  His brother, Aaron, was sent with him as a companion and a partner.  When God calls us, he will provide the means to accomplish his purpose.  

Living By Faith

Jesus said: “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me....   This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day”.  John 6:38-40.  

I believe, I have faith, not in myself, because I’ll mess things up, but in God whose promises are eternal.  If I have faith that an airplane will stay up in the air and will get me from point A to point B, then why shouldn’t I have faith in my God to take care of me and to direct me in the things I do.  When I listen to the little nudges He gives me from time to time, I find myself in the place I need to be, when I need to be there, sometimes for my own benefit, and sometimes for the benefit of others to whom God would have me minister.  Jesus promises that we will have eternal life, I believed that.  I believe that when we follow our Lord Jesus Christ, our life here on earth is enhanced and blessed, and we will see God face to face when we depart this world.  

Verse for meditation:

“Now Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  Hebrews 11:1. 

New Years Day - The Holy Name of Jesus

Today is the Holy Name of Jesus - 8 days after his birth this child was circumcised and given the name of Jesus.  

I’ve often taught that the gifts of the Spirit were given to us for the purpose of blessing others and drawing them to God.  We see that this Jesus was a gift of the Holy Spirit, given that all people might be redeemed from sin and adopted as children, and made heirs of the Kingdom of God.  January the first is such an appropriate time to consider this naming of Jesus.  As we begin a new year, let us renew our commitment to God and to the spread of the gospel message that Jesus is Lord, past, present and eternal.   

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.  Numbers 6:24-6

Scriptures appointed for today to meditate and ponder:

When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman... in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.   Galatians 4:4-5

 After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.  Luke 2:20-21

Jesus, Son of God

D                       G       Em

Long time ago in Bethlehem,

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so the holy Bible say,

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Mary's boy child Jesus Christ

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was born on Christmas day.

D              G           A        F#7       Bm        E         A

Hark, now hear the angels sing, the new king born today.

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And we shall live for evermore because of Christmas day!

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Today is the day we celebrate Christmas - the birth of Jesus.  Not that Jesus was born on December the 25, but that he was born at all.  This is the day we acknowledge that we worship a God who is willing to come down to earth, to enter into his own creation, and to be a part of the messy-ness of life.

One priest in New York City noted one year that a Christmas tree had already been thrown out at 9:30 on Christmas morning. He saw that as being symbolic of our world today. “Well, that’s over and done with so now we can get on with our lives until next year.” But that’s not the message of Christmas for those of us who believe in something bigger than peace, goodwill and gifts. 

Jesus Christ is God incarnate  - It is more than a God who sent his son to redeem creation – we have a God who was willing to become flesh and to enter into his own creation – to experience what we experience – to love and to laugh and to cry – to be alive to the world.

We must always remember that Christmas is just the beginning – the start of something new. It is about letting the seed that has been planted in our heart come to light and grow in the love of God. It is about taking the responsibility to water it and help it grow. It is about letting that light shine forth to overcome the darkness and to be a beacon for others who are in need of finding meaning in their lives.  And it is about a God who loved us so much that he dared to come down from his throne on high to reside with us and to redeem us and to open the way to heaven for us.  This is the one we call Jesus, and this is why we celebrate his birth.

Before the birth of Jesus, the Israelites thought they knew what God was like - but it is through Jesus that we get the most accurate picture into the nature of our God.  Jesus is God incarnate - God made flesh.  Jesus was a man who laughed and cried, who loved and who got angry.  Jesus was a man who taught and who was willing to learn from those he taught.  It is through Jesus Christ that God learned what it meant to be human.  And it is through Jesus Christ that men and women gained the right to become the sons and daughters of our God.

For all the hurt and pain that we have caused God by the things that we have done - or left undone, all the things humankind has done throughout the years - God loves us so much that he was still willing to send his own son into the sinful world - to redeem us, to love us, to give us hope for a better existence - one that includes the presence of God for eternity.  

For these reasons and so many more, we remember, and we give thanks.  This is why we are here today; this is why we celebrate Christmas; to remember and to give thanks for the love God has poured out on us in a little baby.0

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Mary said, “Yes.”

Advent is a time of the unexpected.  For one thing we have God’s choice of partners in the procreation of his own son.  Jesus could have been set down fully grown anywhere in the world.  But God knew that in order to understand people and to reach out to them, Jesus needed to grow up among them and to really be one of them.  God could have chosen royalty, or a wealthy family to bear and raise his son, one where he would never want or struggle.  God could have chosen a palace and an important city for the dwelling place of his son. 

But God chose Nazareth – a small out-of-the-way place – unimportant – a place where Jesus could grow unencumbered by the wealth and attention he might receive in other places.  God chose a place where Jesus could live among the common folk and learn about them first hand; a place where he could touch, feel and understand the trials and struggles of everyday people.  In this area of Galilee, there was a large gentile population nearby so he would grow up knowing not only the Jewish people, but also how they interacted with people of other faiths and nationalities.  

This is a perfect example of how God works within the context of ordinary life and through ordinary people.    Mary was not any kind of super hero  -  (no Angelina Jolie, no Queen Elizabeth – not even a Mother Theresa) – just a simple village girl who had recently come of age.  Mary lived an ordinary life in the small village of Nazareth.  She helped her mother take care of the house and younger children.  She made a daily trip down to the well, to draw water for use in cooking and washing.  She cooked and cleaned just like any Jewish girl.  I picture her singing as she goes about her work, a sweet disposition and spirit about her.

She dreamed of one day having a home of her own to take care of.  She was betrothed to Joseph, a local carpenter – a tradesman.  The life that laid before them was a simple life – one of love and shared experiences – of small children running around and growing up, much as they themselves had.  When a young couple became betrothed, the husband began work on a place to live – often a room added onto his father’s house.  When that was completed, then he came to collect his bride and everyone was invited to the celebration.

This was the plan – this was what they expected.  But before Joseph came to collect his bride, she had a visitor.  Gabriel, the messenger from God, who tells her she has been chosen to bear the Son of God.  Mary said “Yes, here I am, Lord.  Let it be,” and very shortly she found herself with child.  I’m sure that she knew about the whys and wherefores of pregnancy and childbearing and child rearing.  Those were common enough things in the life around her – and she was prepared for that – even looked forward to it. 

But I’m not sure she was totally prepared for everything that came after.  But in typical ‘girl fashion’ she goes to see her relative Elizabeth who is also expecting her first child.  And Elizabeth affirms how special this child is that Mary carries.  And regardless of what expectation we have for our children we have to wait – nine months until they are born, to see them. to hold them.  And we have to wait until they grow up to see them take their place within this life and this society.  

And so, like Mary, we wait.  We wait in expectation – in anticipation – of what God will do in our midst – how he will work out his promises – using the ordinary to do extraordinary things.   If we just have the kind of faith exhibited by a young peasant girl in a backwater town 2000 years ago – we too may see miracles and experience the great love of our God in new and wonderful ways.

Our lesson from Hebrews tells us that Christ came to abolish the yearly offerings, the sin and burnt offerings to establish himself as The Offering that redeems the world.  In God’s plan, this one person, Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, was to be the salvation of the world.  This little baby would grow up to present himself as that sacrifice for all time.  It is through this offering of Jesus’ body that we have been sanctified and made holy to stand before God.  It is because of this sacrifice that we are adopted as sons and daughters into the family of God.  

And it all started with a visit by an angel and a young girl who said “yes”.

Amen

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Christ the King

Today is designated Christ the King Sunday.  It is the last Sunday in the Christian year.  Unlike our calendars that run from January 1 to December 31, The Christian year runs from the first Sunday of Advent to Christ the King.  Next Sunday, we will turn our thoughts and focus to the coming of Christ.  But for now, we look at the culmination of His life of earth, and what that means for us.  

One of the arguments down through the centuries has been over the nature of Jesus Christ.  Is he human or is he divine?  God or man?  Some believed that he was only a man who received the Holy Spirit at baptism.  Others believed that he was fully divine and only pretended to be human.  Those were the extremes, and there was every possible variation between them.

It was in the 4th century that the church affirmed that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine - that he was of the very same nature as God and was not created, but was pre-existent before time. You know, “God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten not made - being of one substance with the father.”  All those things that we say in our creed that affirm the divinity of Christ - they were developed at the council of Nicea.  We also say "born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried." Jesus was both human - and divine. We don’t know how that is, but we believe that all things are possible through God, our Father.  

Today our lessons affirm the idea that Christ is not simply a man - but is something more. Daniel shows us the throne room of heaven in the 1^st lesson. The "son of man" is given authority and dominion over earth. Christ - Messiah - means anointed one - especially one who is anointed as king.  

If you look at the reported life of Jesus of Nazareth - you won't find him a likely candidate for king. Jesus is very much the "son of man" - Very much human - Jesus was born in a stable - raised in a small insignificant town in a remote part of the world - he worked as a carpenter - and when he took to the road as an itinerate preacher - he didn't stay in grand hotels or spacious homes. He walked the dusty roads - not riding a chariot as nobility did. 

When he said, "foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the son of man (Daniel's term for the Messiah) has no place to lay his head." Jesus is tying into the Daniel image of the coming Messiah - but it didn't quite make sense - because a king was to have absolute power. 

So when he stands before Pilate, it is with the same kind of irony. A king who is in chains - who will be put to death in a most horrible way - and yet - he can say, "For this I was born - to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice." 

Those who are not of the truth - consider it folly to follow this messiah who was crucified. This is not the way of the world - the world wants  to sees its king as victorious - fighting for right - struggling against all odds to win the day. 

A king commands absolute power - is obeyed without question - rules with authority. A king gives orders and expects his orders to be obeyed. This is not the image we see with Jesus. When he washes the feet of his disciples, he tells them, "I am giving you an example, which you must follow if you would be my disciples."   

Jesus was not the kind of king that the people expected. He didn't go around "lording" it over everyone like the gentiles. He didn't snub the poor, the sick, the homeless, the helpless. He lifted them up and helped them to become better than they were. He gave them hope and new reasons to live.  This was part of being an example for us to follow.

Jesus was given authority in heaven, but he didn't rely on that divine authority. For those of us who are of the truth, have heard his voice and - even though he didn't have to do it, he earned that authority - and our trust and respect - when he dwelt among us.  All the way through the New Testament, we learn that Jesus is our Lord and Savior.  We are willing to allow Jesus to be our Saviour - we talk about what he has done for us - giving up his life so that we might live. 

BUT - at the same time, we often pay only lip service to his 'lordship.' We hesitate to call him "Lord" - because that gives him authority over our lives. The world tells us that we need to be in control of our own life. You got to work hard if you want to get ahead in today's world - Self-help books tell us that we can do it all ourselves - We don't need anyone else. 

Both Daniel and St. John speak of dominion - Jesus is given dominion. My dictionary defines dominion as the power to rule - absolute authority. To this end the New Testament calls Jesus, "Lord." 

Giving Jesus authority in our lives means allowing him to be the guiding force in our life. It's about letting go of control for your life and allowing Jesus to be Lord over your life. So often we do something & then we ask God's blessings on what we have done. That's the wrong way around if we are to accept Jesus as Lord.  

This “Holy Day” - Christ the King - is only 93 year old.  It was established by Pope Pius XI and celebrated for the first time in 1925.  Why did Pope Pius institute this day?  It was actually politically motivated.  Mussolini had risen to power and become an absolute ruler in Italy, and Hitler had been released from prison and was beginning to rebuild and re-organize his Nazi party.  Pope Pius was making an overt statement with declaring this as Christ the King Sunday.  He was saying, remember who your true king is - don’t go running after false gods.

God is pictured as The Ancient of Days – the Alpha and Omega – an absolute ruler, pure and wise and holy.  Jesus is pictured as a human – coming through the clouds – the one who was pierced – whose throne is a cross.  He is the holy one who has been given dominion and authority over all creation.  Our earthly kingdoms will pass away to make room for the kingdom of God.  What place does this “son of man” occupy in your home?  How do you acknowledge Christ Jesus in your heart?  And how does his “lordship” play out in your life?

Becoming Saints of God

Listen to the sermon.

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”  Mary’s words, her lament, rings true in our hears.  When someone we love dies, the human side of us often wants to ask why and to rail at the unfairness of it all...  And sometimes it is unfair from our point of view.  But what we consider a tragedy for our own personal life, the Lord considers a victory.  From his viewpoint, it is a victory over death - Our loved one has made that transition to the plane where we are intended to spend our real life - eternity. 

In today’s lesson, Jesus does two things to take the focus off of himself: He prays to God and he allows the people around him to hear his prayer so that they will understand that it is God who raised Lazarus from the dead.  The second thing he does is to allow the people standing around to have a part in this raising of Lazarus.  He has them roll away the stone and then he has them unbind Lazarus.  

This act is as important as, and a reminder of, creation.  Jesus speaks the word, he calls Lazarus out of the tomb, and Lazarus comes forth.  Lazarus comes from the darkness of the tomb, from the abyss, into the light that shine in the world.  Out of darkness, God brings light.  Out of death, God brings life - abundant life.

Our lessons today have a delightful way of working together.  Our first lesson from the Wisdom of Solomon is an apocryphal reading, written during that 200 years before the birth of Christ.  In the Old Testament, you can read several stories of faithful servants of God who were taken up into heaven without tasting death.  But you will notice that God’s promises to Abraham (descendants and land and cattle) have to do with what happens here on earth, without mention of any sort of afterlife.  This idea of an afterlife is being presented here in our lesson from Wisdom.  This is where the idea of eternal life begins to emerge.  “The Souls of the Righteous are in the hand of God.”

It talks about the traditional view of death - “In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their departure was thought to be a disaster, and their going from us to be their destruction...”   That is the way a lot of the world sees death - final and decisive.  

But our lesson goes on, “But they are at peace, their hope is full of immortality, they will receive a great good, because God tested them and found them worthy of himself...”  It says here that “Those who trust in God will understand truth - AND the faithful will abide with him in love - FOR he watches over his elect.”  (According to my commentary, this was written about 50 years before the birth of Christ and therefore not dependent on him.)  The Book of Wisdom tells us that being made in the image of God includes sharing with him in immortality - the Godly, the ethical will be granted eternal life.

Next we have Psalm 24, still in the Old Testament, talking about what it takes to ascend the hill of the Lord.  I’ve been attending a Bible Study in Alvin that focuses on the relationship between heaven and earth, especially as understood in the Old Testament.  The word we translate as heaven can mean either the sky, or that place where God resides - so from earliest times God was believed to be off in the sky somewhere.  Therefore the people would go to the high places - on hilltops - mountaintops to be near God.   Moses met God on Mount Sinai.  Elijah went to the mountaintop to meet God.  Temples were placed on the highest point in any area so as to be close to God.  Even this place were we are meeting today, Temple Sinai, was named to denote the desire to be close to God.  It has always been man’s desire to be near God - Even the Tower of Babel was a plan to try to draw near God. 

But here’s the grace - in our Gospel lesson, Jesus demonstrates God power to be present here on earth - by raising Lazarus from the dead.  God now resides among his people - here on earth, right now - not in some far-off heaven or some future time.  God’s saving grace and desire to be among his people is demonstrated in this act of mercy.

And this idea of God’s desire to be here with us is reinforced in our lesson from Revelation.  Did you notice that it said the new Jerusalem, the Holy City was coming out of heaven?  God’s desire is that heaven and earth to be together and he wants his home to be among us.  Do you remember  in the beginning God walked on earth in the Garden of Eden and talked to Adam and Eve. It was a place where they could be together and interact.  And ever since our fall from grace, God has been trying to find a way to regain that relationship, that friendship with us.  

Today is known as All Saints Day – my favorite hymn talks about the Saints of God.  It really reflects Paul notion of ‘saints.’  Paul used the word ‘saint’ to speak of the believers who were being saved: Everyday people who lived their lives for Jesus Christ.  One was a doctor, one was a queen, one was a shepherdess on the green – and all of them saints of God and I mean – God helping to be one too.  One was a soldier, one was a priest, one was slain – and there’s not any reason why we shouldn’t be one too.  

They didn’t just live in the past – they are alive today and all around – they are the ones who love to do Jesus’ will.  And you can meet them in school or on the road, swimming or sailing, in church or on trains or planes, even at Wal-Mart or Starbucks, because the saints of God are just like us.  Each time we choose to be merciful, each time we extend a kindness, each time we share compassion, we grow in grace and in stature on our way to becoming Saints of God.