Advent tells us Christ is near;
Christmas tells us Christ is here. Some of you may have been Episcopalians long enough to remember those words! They are the opening lines of a hymn written by Katherine Hankey in 1888. It was included in our former Hymnal 1940—but left out of the current Hymnal 1982. What a shame! For it served the useful purpose of teaching children (of all ages) about the seasons of the Church Year. And we probably still need that! Just in case you don’t know—we begin a new Church Year today—on the First Sunday of Advent. Advent tells us Christ is near. On these four Sunday’s before Christmas—we contemplate the Advent—the Coming—of Our Lord Jesus Christ—for He is near! The Church Year—with which you can familiarize yourself by taking home a copy of our Episcopal Liturgical Calendar—is a gift that brings meaning to the secular calendar and its seasons—and enriches us spiritually. It allows us—year after year—to walk with Jesus. We are joined with Christ—by re-living the events of his life and ministry through the seasons of the Church Year. It is as though we were there! The Church Year also offers members of a congregation—and a denomination—a sense of shared identity—a feeling of community. For we are not there with Jesus alone. We are there together! Celebrating the seasons of the Church Year can be thought of as holding a conversation with God. The first half of the Church Year—Advent through Pentecost—represents God speaking to us—through the Incarnation of his Son. It reveals the very Nature of God in the person of Jesus Christ: His birth, death, resurrection, and ascension—and the coming of the Holy Spirit. The second half of the Church Year—the Sundays and weekdays after Pentecost—is referred to as “Ordinary Time.” It shifts our focus to our own personal response to God. First—God speaks to us. Then—we respond. What will we do—in response to all that God has done for us? In this season of “Ordinary Time” we concentrate on the mission and ministry which belong to those who profess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Today—then—we begin a new Church Year—with the season of Advent—which tell us that Christ’s coming is near. First—a disclaimer. We must confess that the spirit of Advent goes against the grain of what most people think of as the “Holiday Season.” Advent is counter-cultural—if you will. While everyone else is decorating, buying presents, and getting ready to party—we are asked to be reflective. Advent poses a profound and serious question: Are we ready? Are we ready to receive Our Lord when he comes? The premise is that the way we are living now—the things we are saying and doing in our everyday lives—will determine our readiness. “For the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” Advent reminds us that Jesus Christ “came to visit us in great humility”—some 2016 years ago. After this “visit”—he ascended into Heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God the Father—from whence—as the Creed says—“he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.” It is Christ’s coming again—on “the last day”—“in glorious majesty—to judge both the living and the dead”—with which Advent is primarily concerned. And so the question for each of us is: Are we ready for that day? The time we are given in which to prepare is “now—in the time of this mortal life.” And none of us knows how long that will be. For those of us who are getting older—(and none of us are getting any younger)—the words of St. Paul say it all: “Now is the moment for you to wake from sleep. “For salvation is nearer now than it was when we first became believers. “The night is far gone—and the Day is near!” Advent tells us Christ is near. Therefore we must be ready! As the Apostle Paul says: “Let us then lay aside the works of darkness—and put on the armor of light. “Let us live honorably—not in reveling and drunkenness—not in debauchery and licentiousness—not in quarreling and jealousy. “Instead—let us put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Only so will we be ready when he comes! Jesus himself says that the Day of his Coming will take everyone by surprise. No one knows when it will be: Not humans, not angels, not even Jesus himself--but only God the Father. It will be just like the flood that God brought upon the world in the time of Noah. People went on with their lives as usual—knowing nothing until the flood came—and suddenly swept them all away. Only Noah and his family were ready. Advent tells us that we also must be ready: “For the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” I think you can see what I mean when I say that Advent is counter-cultural. There is nothing here about holly, mistletoe, reindeer, or sleigh bells in the snow. There is no Silent Night, no Christmas trees, no Nativity scenes. Just the stark message of Christ’s Coming—and our need to be ready. Advent tells us Christ is near. But that’s not the whole story. Remember what the Prophet Isaiah had to say concerning the “days to come.” Isaiah had a vision of a New Jerusalem—built on the highest of all mountains. In those days—the “last days”—all the peoples of the earth will be drawn to the Holy City—and will come streaming into its gates. They will come to worship the God of Jacob—and to learn his ways. The Word of the Lord will arbitrate all disputes between the nations—and will preside over a Peaceable Kingdom where there is no more war. Isaiah’s vision shows us the positive side of Advent. Jesus Christ himself is the “Word of the Lord”—the Word of God Incarnate—whose Coming will finally bring peace to the world. His Kingdom will finally bring about the unity that has always eluded human efforts. On that day, God’s people will “rise to the life immortal”—and reign with him forever! Imagine all the nations of the world—finally at peace with each other. Imagine all the peoples of the world—finally brought together in perfect harmony. Imagine the joy of Eternal Life—to be shared by all in the very Presence of God. (Even John Lennon couldn’t “imagine” all that!) That is what Christ’s Advent will bring. That is what awaits God’s people on the last day. That is what we are called to be ready for! Advent tells us Christ is near. Today is the beginning of a new Church Year. During this year—God willing—Christians who observe the Church Year will walk together with Jesus—through all the holy events of his life and death and resurrection. We will enter into a conversation with God--listening to hear God speak to us—and striving to do God’s will in response. Beginning with these four weeks before Christmas—while the world prepares to party—we will be engaged in a different kind of preparation. We will contemplate the Coming of our Lord—and reflect on the question: Are we ready? Advent tells us Christ is near. Only when we have heard the Advent message—and responded to it—will we be ready to say: Christmas tells us Christ is here. AMEN. I hope you know the C.S. Lewis series called The Chronicles of Narnia, and especially the first book in the series: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. If you haven’t read the book, then perhaps you’ve seen the movie of the same name that was made several years ago, which is very faithful to the book. In any case, if you consider yourself an Episcopalian—or indeed if you’re a Christian of whatever variety—you should read the Narnia books. They’re very entertaining, but—more than that—they’re an allegory for understanding the world from a Christian perspective. In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, for example, Lewis gives us an imaginative picture of life in the “real” world: The Kingdom of Narnia has fallen under the power of the White Witch, who rules it with a heavy hand. The Witch rules as queen, but everyone knows she is not the legitimate monarch. She rules by virtue of her evil magic, and all the creatures of Narnia live in fear of her. Even the land itself, and its climate, have succumbed to the Witch’s spell. For “in Narnia, it is always winter, but never Christmas!” Narnia is a land of little freedom and little joy. But there is hope. Even the evil Queen cannot eliminate hope. There is an ancient prophecy that some day the rightful King will return. On that day, the curse of the White Witch will be un-done. The land and its inhabitants will be set free, and life will be joyful once again. All will be well—when the rightful King is restored to his throne! As I said, Lewis is deliberately creating an allegory: an imaginative way of understanding what has gone wrong in our world—and what it will take to set it right. The world as we know it scarcely shows any evidence of being ruled by a benevolent power. It is true that from time-to-time we encounter situations where good triumphs over evil, and right prevails over wrong. Sometimes, justice is actually done. And every day there are countless individual acts of goodness and kindness and generosity and forgiveness. Thank God for the good that there is! But just as often, the opposite occurs. The forces of evil and corruption and selfishness and cruelty—along with widespread indifference to injustice and suffering—are evident all around us. Everywhere there are “wars and rumors of wars.” Crime rules the streets of our cities, while incompetence rules the halls of government. Even the forces of Nature seem to turn against us, as tragedy and disaster claim millions of lives. The evening news reveals a world that—as a whole—resembles Lewis’ Narnia. There is little freedom and little joy, and most of the world’s people live in fear. It’s as if the good world that God created has fallen under an evil spell. And that—of course—is precisely what Christianity says. The world has fallen under an evil spell! The Rightful King no longer rules His domain. His throne has been usurped by an imposter. His people are under the evil thumb of Sin, Death, and the Devil. Even the goodness of the natural world has been affected. That is what Christianity says has gone wrong. But there is hope! Hope that—by God’s grace—springs eternal in the human heart. And there are ancient prophecies that feed our hope. Scripture promises that some day the Rightful King will return. On that day, the curse will be un-done. All creation will be redeemed and set free. Life will be joyful once again. The burden of sin will be removed. Satan will be banished from his place of power. And the “last enemy to be destroyed will be death.” All will be well—when the Rightful King is restored to His throne! Today is the “Last Sunday after Pentecost”—the last Sunday of the Church Year. And the Church Year goes out, not with a whimper, but with a bang! Today is a celebration day, the “Festival of Christ the King.” The collect of the day calls Christ “the King of Kings and Lord of Lords,” under whose “most gracious rule” the “peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin,” are destined to be “set free and brought together.” We acknowledge as we say this prayer that the day of unity and freedom is not now. It has not yet arrived, but is still to come. It is the day promised in today’s reading from the Prophet Jeremiah, when the “Righteous Branch” of David will finally “reign as King.” On that day he will finally bring “justice and righteousness” to the land, and all God’s people will be “saved.” It is the day all humanity hopes for, when finally all will be well. But this begs the question of what we should do until that day comes. In 1939, during the darkest days of World War II, the German Luftwaffe was bombing the city of London every night and every day. The carnage and destruction was horrific, and the effect upon British morale was devastating. The Royal Ministry of Information was charged with the task of creating a slogan that would galvanize the will to resist, and give the people hope. A number of different posters were proposed to be placed in the subways and other public places. The one they finally settled on was a stroke of quintessentially British genius. On the background of the British flag, with a silhouette of the king’s crown above, were the following words: “Keep calm and carry on.” “Keep calm and carry on.” That says it all in a nutshell! That is what Christians must do while waiting for the return of our King! We can “keep calm and carry on” because we can trust God. Today’s Gospel tells us that when Jesus was crucified, his enemies mocked Him and taunted Him. They said “if you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.” But Jesus chose not to show His power in that way. He chose instead to bear the suffering they inflicted on Him, and to die on a cross. The King chose not to save Himself, but to save us instead! His prayer of “Father, forgive them,” was fulfilled for us by His death. And His promise of “Paradise” will be fulfilled for all creation upon His return. All will be well—when the Rightful King is restored to His throne. Until that day, we are His witnesses and His servants in this troubled world. He has commanded us to serve Him by serving the “least” of his brothers and sisters. He has warned us not to be overcome by the evil in the world, but to “overcome evil with good.” He has taught us to “pray always, and not to lose heart.” And now—as we await his return—may Christ the King grant us the grace to “Keep calm and carry on.” AMEN. “It is a gloomy moment in the history of our country.
“Not in the lifetime of most men has there been so much grave and deep apprehension. “Never has the future seemed so uncertain as at this time. “The domestic economic situation is in chaos. “Our dollar is weak throughout the world. “Prices are so high as to be utterly impossible. “The political cauldron seethes and bubbles with agitation. “It is a solemn moment of trouble. “No man can see the end.” This statement sounds like it could be borrowed from a recent newspaper article or editorial. But that is not the case. It appeared in Harper’s Weekly in October, 1857—159 year ago! All governments and societies face challenges that threaten their survival. And every new generation faces the task of establishing and maintaining security. Security. What is it? How much of it do we need? Where can we find it? These have become the questions of our day. The people of the Old Testament put their trust in the one True God—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They trusted in God for their protection and survival. The symbol of their security was the temple in Jerusalem. The temple was a concrete—(or rather a marble and gold)—representation of their commitment to the Lord—and of the Lord’s commitment to them. It was the symbol of the covenant God had made with their ancestors. To them alone—out of all the peoples of the earth—God had said, “I will be your God, and you will be my people. But over time the people began to confuse the temple with God’s own self. They made an idol of the building and its worship system. They forgot that their security was not to be found in a magnificent edifice—but in a relationship with the Living God. By the time Jesus appeared—the Jews should have been cured of this tendency to confuse the temple with the Living God. For the people of Israel had already seen their temple destroyed—not once, but twice. The First Temple—built by King Solomon in 966 BC—was elaborate and richly adorned. It was razed to the ground—and its riches taken as booty—when the Babylonians captured Jerusalem in 586 BC. When the people were released from their captivity and allowed to return to Jerusalem, they began to rebuild the temple. But it was such a poor copy of what had been before—that those who had seen Solomon’s temple wept. When the next world power swallowed up Judea—this Second Temple was also destroyed. In Jesus’ day a Third Temple was being built. As it began to take shape, it was an inspiring sight. In richness and beauty of design it was to rival Solomon’s temple. Which is where today’s Gospel reading picks up. One day—as the disciples were leaving the temple area—their attention was drawn to the massive and impressive appearance of the building being constructed. Jesus called this place his Father’s House, and he understood that it represented the true worship of God. The Temple’s piety, however, fell short of it magnificent façade. Within its shining exterior were the seeds of its own destruction. It had become a place where empty rituals were preformed—and no longer a place of true worship. As his disciples looked in awe on this great structure, Jesus told them: “As for these things which you see, the days will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” I think we can understand the disciples’ reaction to his statement if we consider how we would have reacted—if someone had told us prior to September 11, 2001, that the World Trade Center would be destroyed. Jesus spoke these words of warning about widespread destruction and persecution around 30 AD. He spoke the unthinkable. But 40 years later, his words actually came to pass. In 70 AD, not only the temple, but the entire city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans. The historian Josephus described the destruction this way: “The roar of the flames streaming far and wide mingled with the groans of the falling victims—and owing to the height of the hill and the mass of the burning pile, one would have thought the whole city was ablaze. “With the cries on the hill were blended those of the multitude in the city below. “And now, many who were emaciated from starvation—when they beheld the sanctuary on fire—gathered strength once more for lamentation and wailing. “Yet more awful than the uproar were their sufferings.” All the disasters that Jesus predicted came to pass in the next forty to fifty years—including the persecution of his followers. Jesus had taught them to trust only in God. He warned them that true security is not provided by any government, organization, or ruler. Nor—as we have learned—can it be found in our mighty buildings—or our modern technology. Pointing to the source of true security, Jesus spoke on—to provide instructions for navigating uncertain and dangerous times. Above all, we are to remain faithful to that which can be trusted. We are not to be led astray. We must keep our focus on the Truth that is revealed in Jesus Christ. Jesus warned that—in difficult times—some would be tempted to follow leaders who claim to have all the answers—leaders who provide a false sense of security, and easy solutions to difficult problems. The other thing Jesus said was not to be afraid. We need to heed this warning in our present crisis. Our fears can easily stampede us into foolish actions. If we allow fear to control our lives, then we are unable to let God control them. We are assured that God is with us—and his message is to have no fear. The final thing Jesus said was to bear witness to him and to his Gospel—in whatever situation we find ourselves. This is not an easy assignment. And even in our day—this act of faith results in martyrdom for Christians in some parts of the world. But it is in steadfast faith—in remaining faithful—that we show the world the Source of our security—the only true security. Because we trust in God—we can face whatever challenges confront us. Which brings us to today. Some of us are pleased with the results of last Tuesday’s elections. Some of us are disappointed—or even angry. Some of us held our nose while we voted. But regardless of how any of us may feel—the People have spoken—and our electoral system has worked as it was intended. Robert Frost once wrote: “Something there is that does not love a wall.” I think Our Lord would agree. He gave his life to tear down the walls that separate us from our God—and from each other. Now is the time for the disciples of Jesus to follow his lead. Now is the time for us to become peace-makers—and bridge-builders—for his sake. I pray that we will have the grace to do so. And there is one thing we should all remember. The walls of the temple may crumble. Our governments and leaders may come and go. Our riches and our technology may pass away. But our ultimate security is assured by the Living God. And God’s Kingdom is forever! AMEN. I was watching one of the popular TV comedy shows last week—in which a new-born infant was baptized.
As the priest poured the water on the child—one of the spectators said: “So basically—we’re water-boarding a baby!” It was a funny moment that made me laugh. It also made me think—about the upcoming baptism of Drake Bo Baker—which is happening today, on All Saints’ Sunday. I started wondering what the un-initiated—the un-informed—might think about Christian Baptism. Would they have any idea what it is—or what it means? Would they be able to tell by watching what happens—and listening to the words? “Water-boarding a baby” is not what we’re about today—although most of our young “baptismal candidates” scream as if it were! What we’re about is making Drake Bo Baker a “Child of God”—and an “Inheritor of the Kingdom.” That’s the way the old Episcopal Catechism puts it. In biblical terms—Drake will be “born again—by water and the Holy Spirit.” Without that—as Jesus said to Nicodemus—no one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. In Romans chapter 6, the Apostle Paul talks about baptism as well. He says that all who are baptized into Christ Jesus are baptized into his death. Therefore we are buried with Christ by baptism into death—so that we might also be raised with Christ—and walk in newness of life. For if we are united with Christ in a death like his—we will surely be united with him in a resurrection like his. The water of baptism is a symbol of cleansing. By baptism into Christ Jesus we are cleansed from our sins. But it is also a symbol of death. In baptism we die to sin—and are born again to Eternal Life. That is what will happen to Drake today. It is appropriate that Drake be baptized on All Saints’ Sunday. That is one of the days the Prayer Book recommends for baptism. It is also the Patronal Festival for this parish—which is dedicated to All the Saints. And today—Drake Bo Baker will become a member—with all of us—of the Communion of Saints’—that Holy fellowship of all God’s People—in Heaven and on Earth. And it is worth noting that Drake will be the third generation of his family to be baptized here at All Saints’. The water that will be used to baptize Drake is from the River Jordan—where Jesus himself was baptized. Elizabeth and I brought it back from our trip to the Holy Land. And the olive oil that will be used to anoint Drake is from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. The same ancient olive trees that Jesus walked among are still alive there today—and the oil comes from them. Both the water and the olive oil connect Drake closely to Jesus Christ, the Son of God—who will always be Drake’s Savior and Lord. The rest of us owe a debt of gratitude to Drake—and to his parents Bo and Liza—this morning: First of all—because it is a joy to once more hear a young child present among us. And secondly—because most of us do not remember our own baptism. We were infants ourselves—and cannot recall the occasion. But seeing Drake’s baptism reminds us of what happened to us—and gives us a chance to renew our own faith in Jesus Christ—as our Savior and Lord. Finally, let me remind us all of a beloved Bible Story found in Mark chapter 10. There we are told that parents were bringing their children to Jesus to be blessed. The disciples tried to stop them—but Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me—and do not hinder them—for to such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven.” Today—Jesus’ words are fulfilled for Drake. By God’s Grace—he is becoming what we already are: A Child of God and an Inheritor of the Kingdom. And—by God’s Grace—each of us must become what Drake already is: A little child. For to such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven. AMEN. |
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