December 11, 2016 - Third Sunday in Advent - The Hidden Treasure of the Kingdom

I was on call and could not attend worship but italicized is Pastor Michelle's sermon today and interspersed is my response without italics:

Here is a link to Pastor Michelle's entire sermon.  Excerpts from Pastor Michelle's sermons are in bold italic:

 My friends, if you’re one of those who’s feeling less than Christmassy right now, take heart, because today’s gospel lesson about John the Baptist and Jesus contains a hidden treasure just for you. Let’s take a closer look, so that we can uncover this gift from God and claim it for ourselves!

Feeling "Christmassy" is not something I have felt for an entire season and I don't expect to anymore as a season but rather more momentary glimpses of grace.  Past expectations led me in directions I presently don't find spiritually healthy.

 

John couldn’t see any semblance of the rule of justice and peace for which he’d risked his life. So, when his friends came to window of his cell that night, he sent them to ask Jesus point blank, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we wait for another?” …John’s question is a good one, and it’s a timeless one among God’s people! Even today, some 2000 years after Jesus walked this earth, when you and I look around us at all the violence and injustice, it’s easy to become discouraged, as we wonder, “When are you coming, Lord? When will your promises finally be fulfilled? When will your Kingdom come ‘on earth, as in heaven?’…”

This definitely resonates with me.  “When are you coming, Lord? When will your promises finally be fulfilled? When will your Kingdom come ‘on earth, as in heaven?’"... These questions feel like they come from a wrong place or understanding.  They assume that the coming of Christ will be another, one-time historical fact instead of recognizing how Christ actually comes into Christian lives throughout the history of the church (as Pastor Michelle will refer to later in this sermon).   There is a parable Peter Rollins tells called The Rapture that addresses this understanding in a unique way.

Before we look at how Jesus answers John’s question, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we wait for another?,” you and I should note that while John was out in the wilderness doing his own thing he’d missed out on an important lesson that Jesus was teaching his disciples. In chapter 10 of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus taught the twelve to expect they would eventually be persecuted for speaking truth to power...  So, when we encounter John the Baptist in prison, we see that Jesus was right: Those who speak truth to power will not win any popularity contests! On the contrary, they may well end up being persecuted and putting their own lives at risk…. That’s precisely what happened to John, and it’s sobering to realize that if you and I are unflinchingly faithful to God’s call in this lifetime, it could well happen to us, too….

Why are we surprised that following the Christian way will no lead to popularity?

Dare to ask the questions on your heart, because that’s how you open yourself up to the very presence of God in your life and in our world…. Finally, dare to see and hear as God does: with love that recognizes both the pain and the potential hidden deep in the human heart…. What I have seen and heard, I now proclaim to you: Each time you and I see ourselves in the eyes of our neighbor, each time we hear our story on the lips of a stranger, each time our hearts are touched by grace that knows no bounds, Christ comes among us, and you and I come one step closer to the abundant life that is God’s desire for all God’s children, both now and in the age to come.  Amen.

So what is Creator about but radical community and spiritual transformation?  Now we are learning once again not to rely on government goodwill or those0. tools to promote social justice. We must speak truth to power. Yet, ultimately, freeing the oppressed from the burden of trauma and stigma, and also in freeing the unoppressed from the comfort, complacency, and malaise of their privilege is not primarily about persuading a majority to our vision of that truth. 

Bishop Dave just wrote an an Advent piece including a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) on himself in light of the annunciation story that I think speaks to the church today as much as the individual perspective he writes in:

· Strengths – I am a person of privilege, voice and position. I can make decisions, good decisions, and they can make a positive impact in my world.

· Weaknesses – I am susceptible to male peer pressure and public opinion. Why put myself as risk if I don’t have to?

· Opportunities – Mary is not the only person at risk in our society who bears God’s holiness. I can do the right thing by helping others bring their gifts to birth.

· Threats – Like the wise men the powers that be will seek to co-opt me. Laws may exist, or be written, designed to favor the privileged over the marginalized. I could lose my position or privilege and so my ability to do good in the future.

We need our hand, including the hand of God, for the fight ahead.  Hopefully we will be able to recognize this and continue to invite Christ among us.

[1] Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC.
[2] David Lose, “John’s Blue Christmas,”