Sermon planned for the Longest Night service at Altona Mennonite Church on Wed, December 21st
Texts: John 1:1-14
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... in him was life, and the life was the was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it."
The gospel of John has summed up the entire life of Jesus, the purpose of his ministry, the nature of God's grace – in esssence, the entire salvation story is summed up in those first fourteen verses. Every year, during this season, I'm faced with these verses; and every year something else jumps out at me.
After I was asked to share a brief meditation here with you tonight, these verses caught my attention once again. This past week, I was struck with how John speaks about the context into which the Word of God was born. The light of the world came into darkness. The spoken Word of God was made flesh in a world that did not know him – a people that did not accept him. The light of the world came into a place of deep and long darkness.
What does it mean for us, here in southern Manitoba, to experience the longest night? Physically and emotionally, it means that we're not receiving nearly enough sunlight and its accompanying benefits. If you're anything like me, this season is more of a challenge for this reason. I've got less energy than normal – and feel less positive generally. But it's also a challenge for other reasons.
Some of us experience this Christmas as a time of intense loneliness. Some are grieving the loss of a spouse or family member. Others have never married, and find this 'family season' to be painful or just plain annoying. For some, mental illness can push-out any of the shimmer and beauty that others celebrate. For others, it is broken relationships that make this time especially painful. The darkness of this side of our planet is matched by the darkness in our personal lives, and by the struggles we face. A season of 'hope and peace' doesn't feel all that hopeful and peaceful. A season of fun-filled family festivities is experienced as a time of bleak loneliness.
The stories of the gospels are also marked by these mixed feelings. On the one hand, there's festive celebration, angelic announcements, and a Savior born in a manger. But there's also the imposed Roman census, the massacre of infants, and Mary, Joseph & Jesus' arduous escape to Egypt. Or as John puts it – the light of the world came into the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came into what was His own, and his own people did not accept him.
This rejection is first seen as Mary and Joseph being stuck in some kind of barn for Jesus' birth – but it was a rejection that went as far as Christ's execution on the cross. The Christmas story, in scripture, is no stranger to brokenness and darkness.
So why is it that I feel so out of place expressing these sentiments most of the time? The more people I talk to, the more I hear about the dark-side of this season. The embarassment of what parents would like to give their children, but can't because of inadequate income. The loneliness of widowhood. The emptiness of broken family relationships. I'm hearing about this side of Christmas more and more; and this year I'm bringing my own baggage to the table.
In spring, my wife Karen and I found out that we're unable to have children. We had been trying for two years, and when the news came that this was next-to-impossible we both entered into a period of grieving. This Christmas, that grief stirred, in me, once again. Isn't this supposed to be family time? There's so much about Christmas that is centered on children that when you're childless, you really notice what's missing in life rather than the good things God's gifted us with. We've decided to not put up a Christmas tree; not because we're scrooges... but because there's too much pain riding on that practice – too many fond family memories that now remind us of what we're not – parents.
Sometimes it seems that, for everyone else, this season has to be happy and giddy. And when people find out that things are a bit darker for you – they feel the need to offer their brilliant and profound words of comfort and wisdom for us. Instead of listening to the loneliness or the heartache, people will offer up a simple and cliche piece of "comfort" or wisdom.
It's as if our surrounding culture, and much of the church itself, doesn't know how to handle difficulty, doesn't know how to just be there, without any cheap advice or cheesy words of comfort. I'm sure this is all well-intended... but that just goes to show how little help intentions are. It's as if people don't read their Christmas story and see it for what it was: an introduction to Good Friday – a foretaste of crucifixion. The light of the world came into the darkness, and the people rejected him.
The hope and joy of Christmas is not family time... people without family, or with broken families know this. The hope and joy of Christmas is not enjoying the simple things, once the money's all gone... for some, there was no money to begin with. The hope and joy of Christmas is not merely that Jesus was born – because even after that, much of this world rejected that boy and his Kingdom. The hope and joy of Christmas is that this boy made it possible for us to become children of God.
The light came into the darkness... but the darkness did not overcome it. But to be able to say that means that you first got to get a grip on the fact that much of what we deal with in life is dark, broken, shattered and lonely. But this reality has not overcome the work of God. Your loneliness can find reprieve – not in some cliche, but in the God who set up camp in our midst, the Spirit that comforts you and walks with you in your grief.
The verse that stuck out most for me in John's passage is this piece about becoming children of God. "To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God." Being childless, I can appreciate this power that God showed in Jesus. I can't provide my church with any more children – but God can. We can become God's children. It comforts me to know that God is counting me as a member in His family – and that in God's Church I am part of the lives of many children. In fact, I was asked to be a godfather just a few weeks ago. Not sure even what that all means, but I know that it's a journey I'm on because of the gift God has given me in Christ.
This Christmas, ignore the cliches and cheap wisdom that doesn't really comfort or help. In the darkness, that kind of talk is for those who are blind. The folks that are looking for a baby Jesus born into some sanitzed world of pure happiness and warm cozy family life – well... they'll find this Jesus in a stinky barn, born to parents on the run from a vicious King Herod, in occupied territory, and set for a journey towards the cross. The world of sentimental Christmas purity needs to wake up!The light of the world came into the darkness... This Christmas, we're allowed to name the darkness and the brokenness in our hearts and lives. The light came into the darkness... but, thanks be to God, the darkness is not overcoming that light! May it be so for you, this Christmas! May the light of Jesus remain alive amidst the deep and long darkness of night. Amen.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
How can this be?
Meditation planned for Eastview Ebenezer service – Sunday, December 18th, 2011
Text: Luke 1:26-38
This Advent, our congregation has been exploring the way God's activity in our world interrupts our dad to day ordinary lives. A few weeks ago we read Jesus' words about his second coming, and how that will change everything. Then we heard John the baptist's message – that he was sent to prepare the way for the coming Messiah. Israel's history, and the entire world's history, was about to be interrupted. Advent is a season of interruptions. For this reason, it was especially appropriate for our congregation to celebrate baptism on second Advent. Our congregation usually celebrates baptisms in the Spring-time, at Pentecost – but this year we had three young people request baptism; an interruption in our regular Advent theme. These three were siblings in a family that had another interruption – a wonderful surprise in fact. The week prior to their baptism, these three became aunts and uncle for the first time – their older brother and his wife had a son. Children are, by far, one of the greatest interruptions in life – they change everything.
Our passage from the gospel of Luke highlights the surprise and the interruption of Gabriel's message. Gabriel barged into Mary's life, like a young child who, in the middle of the worship service, runs to the front of the sanctuary and starts making a racket – everything stops and you have to refocus. A young woman in her teens, Mary was astonished, shocked, perplexed. All her dreams were put on pause. All her plans shattered. With Gabriel's announcement, Mary had to step back and refocus.
But this interruption wasn't bad news for Mary. God had partnered with Mary in the most important plan in history – to bear a Son, the Savior of the world. Mary was a partner in this plan – but this was an unusual partnership – a strange interruption indeed. She was a virgin. Her and Joseph were engaged to be married. Virgins don't usually bear children into this world. Mary's response to the angel's announcement was: “How can this be?” How can I bear a Son?
We've come to expect this kind of response from people that hear God's call. When God made a promise to Abraham and Sarah, promising them many descendants, they also asked: “How can this be?... we are childless” When Jesus called out to Peter, who was fishing, and after he caught a boat-load of fish, Peter was astonished, “How can this be?... I am a sinner” And now, we read this story about Mary. God told her about his partnership with her in bearing the Messiah into the world, and her response: How can this be?... for I am a virgin.
How can this be? Maybe that's how we'd respond to, if an angel told us about something God wanted to accomplish with us in the near future. But think about the many years of your life. What are some of the things that God has accomplished through you? How many of you lived through the thirties? Or how many of you remember what it was like to live during the time of World War II? What if, as a young man or woman, and angel would have come to you and told you that God wanted you to partner with Him in the gospel, during those difficult times? How can this be?
Or think of your families. Think of the challenges that you've lived through. How many of you have had to bury one of your own children? How many of you have lost a spouse, a husband or wife? What if, as a newly engaged couple, an angel would have told you that you would lose your spouse or your child, and told you that God wanted to partner with You in keeping hope and faith strong? How can this be? Most of us don't get angels appearing to us, giving us a clear Word from God in that sense – but God is still partnering with us to accomplish His purpose. How can this be?
If those three young people, who were baptized, were told all the great things God had in store for them – I'm sure they'd ask the same thing. If, a few years ago, Judson, a young man in our congregation, had been told that he was going to be a great father, by Christmas 2011 – I'm sure he would have asked a similar question... but he is a great Father – and will be a great Father. With God's Spirit – our weaknesses aren't weak at all.
If an angel would have told me, at the age of 16, that I was gonna be a preacher – I would have laughed. How can this be?... I fear public speaking... besides, I want to be a mechanic. God's partnership with us interrupts our time-lines, our plans, but it also interrupts our weaknesses. Abraham & Sarah were childless – but they were given Isaac. Peter was a simpleton and a sinner, but Jesus mentored him into being the top leader of the early Church. I was afraid of public speaking... and God is still helping me with that. God not only interrupts our schedules – God interrupts our inabilities. “How can this be?”... the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you... for nothing will be impossible with God.”
This Christmas, and in this coming New Year, what is the partnership God has in store for you? What activity is God inviting you to join Him in? I know; it's ok for us to join Mary in perplexity. In confusion. How can this be? I'm 70 years old, I'm 80... 90... maybe even 100 years old. How can this be? How can God still want me as a partner in His gospel plan? How... well, because God interrupts our weaknesses and gives us a way to be a witness to His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. Like Mary, we are called to bear Jesus into the place where we live – to bear Christ's love to our neighbours. To show healing hands to those who are hurting. How can this be? Because the Holy Spirit is upon you and nothing.... that's right, nothing is impossible for God.
May God bless you and keep you as he interrupts your life with a new Christmas-time partnership. And may you join God, with courage and joy. Amen.
Text: Luke 1:26-38
This Advent, our congregation has been exploring the way God's activity in our world interrupts our dad to day ordinary lives. A few weeks ago we read Jesus' words about his second coming, and how that will change everything. Then we heard John the baptist's message – that he was sent to prepare the way for the coming Messiah. Israel's history, and the entire world's history, was about to be interrupted. Advent is a season of interruptions. For this reason, it was especially appropriate for our congregation to celebrate baptism on second Advent. Our congregation usually celebrates baptisms in the Spring-time, at Pentecost – but this year we had three young people request baptism; an interruption in our regular Advent theme. These three were siblings in a family that had another interruption – a wonderful surprise in fact. The week prior to their baptism, these three became aunts and uncle for the first time – their older brother and his wife had a son. Children are, by far, one of the greatest interruptions in life – they change everything.
Our passage from the gospel of Luke highlights the surprise and the interruption of Gabriel's message. Gabriel barged into Mary's life, like a young child who, in the middle of the worship service, runs to the front of the sanctuary and starts making a racket – everything stops and you have to refocus. A young woman in her teens, Mary was astonished, shocked, perplexed. All her dreams were put on pause. All her plans shattered. With Gabriel's announcement, Mary had to step back and refocus.
But this interruption wasn't bad news for Mary. God had partnered with Mary in the most important plan in history – to bear a Son, the Savior of the world. Mary was a partner in this plan – but this was an unusual partnership – a strange interruption indeed. She was a virgin. Her and Joseph were engaged to be married. Virgins don't usually bear children into this world. Mary's response to the angel's announcement was: “How can this be?” How can I bear a Son?
We've come to expect this kind of response from people that hear God's call. When God made a promise to Abraham and Sarah, promising them many descendants, they also asked: “How can this be?... we are childless” When Jesus called out to Peter, who was fishing, and after he caught a boat-load of fish, Peter was astonished, “How can this be?... I am a sinner” And now, we read this story about Mary. God told her about his partnership with her in bearing the Messiah into the world, and her response: How can this be?... for I am a virgin.
How can this be? Maybe that's how we'd respond to, if an angel told us about something God wanted to accomplish with us in the near future. But think about the many years of your life. What are some of the things that God has accomplished through you? How many of you lived through the thirties? Or how many of you remember what it was like to live during the time of World War II? What if, as a young man or woman, and angel would have come to you and told you that God wanted you to partner with Him in the gospel, during those difficult times? How can this be?
Or think of your families. Think of the challenges that you've lived through. How many of you have had to bury one of your own children? How many of you have lost a spouse, a husband or wife? What if, as a newly engaged couple, an angel would have told you that you would lose your spouse or your child, and told you that God wanted to partner with You in keeping hope and faith strong? How can this be? Most of us don't get angels appearing to us, giving us a clear Word from God in that sense – but God is still partnering with us to accomplish His purpose. How can this be?
If those three young people, who were baptized, were told all the great things God had in store for them – I'm sure they'd ask the same thing. If, a few years ago, Judson, a young man in our congregation, had been told that he was going to be a great father, by Christmas 2011 – I'm sure he would have asked a similar question... but he is a great Father – and will be a great Father. With God's Spirit – our weaknesses aren't weak at all.
If an angel would have told me, at the age of 16, that I was gonna be a preacher – I would have laughed. How can this be?... I fear public speaking... besides, I want to be a mechanic. God's partnership with us interrupts our time-lines, our plans, but it also interrupts our weaknesses. Abraham & Sarah were childless – but they were given Isaac. Peter was a simpleton and a sinner, but Jesus mentored him into being the top leader of the early Church. I was afraid of public speaking... and God is still helping me with that. God not only interrupts our schedules – God interrupts our inabilities. “How can this be?”... the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you... for nothing will be impossible with God.”
This Christmas, and in this coming New Year, what is the partnership God has in store for you? What activity is God inviting you to join Him in? I know; it's ok for us to join Mary in perplexity. In confusion. How can this be? I'm 70 years old, I'm 80... 90... maybe even 100 years old. How can this be? How can God still want me as a partner in His gospel plan? How... well, because God interrupts our weaknesses and gives us a way to be a witness to His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. Like Mary, we are called to bear Jesus into the place where we live – to bear Christ's love to our neighbours. To show healing hands to those who are hurting. How can this be? Because the Holy Spirit is upon you and nothing.... that's right, nothing is impossible for God.
May God bless you and keep you as he interrupts your life with a new Christmas-time partnership. And may you join God, with courage and joy. Amen.
God is on the move!
Sermon planned for Sunday, December 18th, 2011
Texts: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Luke 1:26-55
Everything changed for me in the year 1996 – at least it felt that way. It was my second year in high school, attending Kildonan East Collegiate. We had just moved to our new house on Garvin rd., near Birds Hill Park. I was sixteen years old and in grade eleven. The year before had been an exciting one. I got my drivers license. My dad, my brother and I bought a small pick-up truck – a Mazda B2200. I loved that truck – it was perfect for pulling dough-nuts in my parents' church parking lot. In all other respects, 1996 was a great year for me – but something changed in the Fall.
Up until that point, I had a healthy relationship with my parents. We had daily family devotions at home until I was fourteen years old. I could talk to my parents about most of the things that were going on in my life. I think that my relationship with them was as good as it could be – and then something changed. You know... I'm not even completely sure what it was. Perhaps it was a combination of some new hormones running through my body – I matured late. Another piece of the puzzle, I think, is that when we moved to Garvin rd., my time with friends was greatly restricted. I now needed access to the vehicle if I wanted to connect with my friends. And I thought my dad wasn't nearly lenient enough with the keys. Even though I owned that truck, in part, I still needed my dad's permission, and he paid for gas – so I was stuck. Stuck on Garvin rd., and I hated it.
We moved there in Fall of 1996, and by Christmastime I was fed-up with this new life. I was bored, while my friends hung out almost every day. My resentment for my parents grew – especially for my dad. Christmas time was always a big deal in my family. But something had changed. Leading up to Christmas, that year, I knew that family time wasn't something I was looking forward to. I remember Christmas Eve, and my dad's annual "haul out the guitar and sing Stille Nacht"... and I remember pouting. I was angry. The family tradition that had, for so long, captured my religious experience and my spiritual excitement... that family tradition annoyed me for the first time. Something had changed.
To be honest, it frightened me. I was expecting my anger to subside. I was expecting these time-tested family traditions to create the "Christmas Spirit" in me once again. What was I to do if those family practices could no longer cook-up the sappy Christmas-feelings that I longed for so much?
When life was calm, stable and 'normal' – these family traditions were like "temples" – places where I could always return to, to find God and have my spiritual-high. But nothing about my adolescence was calm, stable or 'normal'! It took puberty and Christmas to teach me something crucial about God – that God's more a fan of tents than He is of temples.
The main metaphor and symbol of God's presence with His people, in the Old Testament, was the tabernacle or tent. It was a mobile place of worship. When David summoned the prophet Nathan, he pretty much told Nathan that he wanted to build God a house. How could David build himself a nice house to live in while God only had a tent? And so, David wanted to show this nice gesture to God, and build God a house to dwell in. Even the prophet Nathan thought this was a great idea, and he gave David permission to go ahead with his plans.
That night, God intervened and came to Nathan. He basically told Nathan that he didn't need a temple, and that God preferred a tent. "I have not lived in a house since the day I brought the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle..." God never asked the people to build Him a house to live in up to that point. Is this an important detail? I guess it depends on what that means? What does it mean to want to build a place for God to dwell in? And what does it mean for God to have dwellt among Israel in a tabernacle – essentially, in a tent? What's the difference between tabernacles and temples? That's what we're looking at this morning.
After ignoring David's request to have a house built, God turned the tables on David. Instead of David securing a place for God – God initiated a covenant with David and secured a position for him in God's plan. In 2 Samuel 7:8 we read, "8 Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; 9 and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house."
David wanted to make a house for the Lord, but in this passage we learn that it's God who does the 'making'. I will make for you a great name. I will appoint a place for my people and will plant them there. I will appoint judgest over my people. The Lord will make you a house. I think David wanted to capture God in this 'kind gesture' of building a house for the Lord. He wanted to secure God's presence. That won't do! Instead, God turns the tables and God secures David for Himself. You won't make anything for me, David... Instead, I'm going to make you an instrument of my purpose! I'm going to make you, and your lineage, into a house for myself!
And isn't this precisely what we read about in the gospel of Luke? In Luke chapter 3 we read the list of Jesus' ancestors, and smack-dab in the middle we find Jesus' relationship to King David. When God turned the tables on David's attempt to capture him, God made His own move to capture King David. God captured his lineage for the sake of His purpose. And that's what we heard about when we heard the story of Gabriel and Mary. Who is the main actor? It's not Gabriel – he's only the mouthpiece. The main actor is God, who makes His move. God shows favour to Mary. There's nothing about her, her intrinsic nature, that made God choose her – she was not Immaculately conceived – or, at least, there's no evidence to suggest this. The whole point is that she was an ordinary person. But we already know that God captures ordinary people for the extraordinary...
The word 'capture' is a tricky one. When you're captured by an evil person – that's bad news. But when you're in serious danger – when your life is nearly extinguished – being captured by a good person is the same thing as rescue. God rescues Mary, he captures her with His favour: you will conveive and bear a Son – the Son of the Most High. But what God was accomplishing with Mary was the fulfillment of what God promised David through the prophet Nathan. By favouring Mary, God was claiming David's lineage for Himself – but for what purpose? In order that the Word of God might dwell among us. The Greek word that John uses to speak about this 'dwelling' is Skeynow, which actually means "to set up a tent"... "to tabernacle". The Word of God set up a tent in our midst. The Word of God dwellt among us!
God loves to dwell among us. It pleased God to dwell among Israel, meeting them in the tabernacle – in a tent. This part of the bible captures my imagination. Israel travelled and lived out in the bush, in the desert, in the wilderness – and God was with them, taking up residence in a tent! How cool is that?!?! I love going camping. I love tenting. I've already told this to some people, but one thing on my "bucket list" is to go on an extended camping trip up north, in the middle of nowhere – for a few weeks at least; so if any of your outdoorsmen want to join me in planning something like this – that would be great! There's something about sleeping in tents that gives me deep joy. It's probably because my parents took us camping a lot when I was young.
But what's interesting about God's tabernacle is not the fact that it was a cool and rugged way for God to be present with His people. It's not that God prefers Cabelas over Michael's or Sears. What's theologically interesting about God's tent-life among the people is that God travels – God is on the move. Now I know that we say that God is everywhere – true enough. But God is personal; we know God as Immanuel... God with us. There is motion in God's being – God isn't nailed down to any one place. In scripture, we can record many different verbs attributed to God. God is constantly doing, making, healing, destroying, calling, reconciling, forgiving, judging, redeeming and raising from the dead. He wrestles with Jacob. God becomes flesh. God calls Mary Magdalene to proclaim the gospel of the resurrection. God is active and vocal. A stationary temple is just not God's style.
Don't get me wrong – God does permit Solomon to build Him a temple. God did accept the sacrifices of the people in that temple. But if you take Jesus seriously, then you'll know that the real temple that God lives in is Jesus himself, and now God's Spirit dwelling in the fellowship of believers. The physical space of a temple isn't flexible enough for the activity God has planned.
What activity? Well, after Mary visits Elizabeth we already get a hint at the activity God has planned for His Son. John the Baptist, still being formed in his mother's womb, jumps with excitement the minute Mary shows up at the house. Even as an unborn fetus, John the Baptist knew what was on the horizon. Later we read about John's vision of God's activity – drawing all people to Zion through the baptismal waters of repentance. God was reconciling people to Himself through His Son, and John knew what was coming.
God's activity involves reconciliation – between us and God and between us as people and creation. The next part of Luke's text has Mary singing a song about this activity. What's God up to in this song? God has mercy, shows strength. God scatters the proud, bringing down the powerful from their thrones. God lifts up the lowly, filling the hungry with good things. God sends the rich away empty, and helps Israel, remembering his mercy and his promise to Abraham. God is active, and being stuck in one place just won't do – not for Yahweh, who causes all things to live, and from whom all things have their being. In the presence of Yahweh, we are those who join John the Baptist, leaping for joy – because somethings gotta change!
Something has to change! And that's good news, because there's so much that needs changing. Our world – you read the news lately? The middle-east is nearly boiling-up into another massive war. Our world leaders can barely get their heads on straight when it comes to choosing between greed and being good stewards of God's creation. We could use some Christmas change! And so it's great news to hear Mary's song... to hear that God is changing things. That the powerful won't sit on those thrones for long... that those who take, and take, and take, without every giving anything to those who have nothing... they will have nothing in their hands soon enough.
Or is this perhaps not good news for you? Maybe you don't want things to change? Maybe you're the one sitting on that throne? Maybe you're the one who has everything they need – a rich person in a world of beggars – aren't we all? Maybe that's why we can resonate with King David so deeply. Maybe that's why we like temples much more than tents. Maybe that's why we like our Christmas traditions and practices that keep our spiritual experiences fairly straight-jacketed and 'regular'. Maybe that's why we understand the story of Aaron and the Golden Calf so well – because we prefer a God that's at our disposal, rather than an untamed Spirit that drives some to speak in strange languages. Maybe that's why we understand Peter so well, who wanted to build a tabernacle for Jesus on the mount of Transfiguration – because we prefer a God we can locate to following Jesus en route to the city that kills God's prophets.
The lesson we learn from God's conversation with the prophet Nathan is the same lesson we learn about God in the gospels – it is not we who have captured God. It is not we who have found a way to put God at our disposal. Rather, we have an angel delivering a message to a young woman – God is going to overshadow with His Spirit and you will bear a Son – the Son of God. God has us at His disposal. He tears rulers down from their thrones and lifts up the lowly. Our God is not boxed-in – not at all!
But this Advent, can we hear the good news that this Wild Holy Spirit wants to meet us; wants to 'capture' 'rescue' and 'captivate' us for the sake of God's Kingdom. Will we relenquish the way we try to man-handle our religious experience through traditions? Might God want to do something entirely new with you and your family, this Christmas? Something that breaks the mould? You don't have to worry about manufacturing that 'good ol' Christmas feeling'... God wasn't stuck in that temple to begin with.
Spend time, this Advent – and what's left of it – to really listen; where is God active this year? Where is God calling for your partnership? Where can you, like Mary, say "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."?
After that Christmas, in 1996, I did some soul-searching. What had changed? What was wrong? Why couldn't I get back into the "Christmas Spirit"? The temple that I had built for God – all the traditions and practices that used to get me in the Christmas Spirit – these things hadn't worked and they don't work anymore. It's as if God wasn't stuck where I put Him.
Like I said earlier, it took puberty and Christmas to teach me that I had never put God anywhere – because God doesn't let himself be put anywhere. God is God, and I am not. Through the voices of friends, family, through study and prayer, I felt a nudge to work at bible camp, that following summer, as a camp counselor. It was in the wild, out at the lake, and in the untamed encounters with God's beloved children, that I began to reaquaint myself with the God who lives in tents. The God who is always on the move – healing campers, reconciling former enemies, and bringing dead things back to life.
May you cast your temples aside and be still, for God is at work! God is active in your life, in your home, in your workplace. And may God reveal to you the partnership of the gospel to which He's called you this year. What does that look like today, tomorrow, and in the coming weeks? I wish you courage and joy as you search, study, wait, listen – and then partner with God. Amen.
Texts: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Luke 1:26-55
Everything changed for me in the year 1996 – at least it felt that way. It was my second year in high school, attending Kildonan East Collegiate. We had just moved to our new house on Garvin rd., near Birds Hill Park. I was sixteen years old and in grade eleven. The year before had been an exciting one. I got my drivers license. My dad, my brother and I bought a small pick-up truck – a Mazda B2200. I loved that truck – it was perfect for pulling dough-nuts in my parents' church parking lot. In all other respects, 1996 was a great year for me – but something changed in the Fall.
Up until that point, I had a healthy relationship with my parents. We had daily family devotions at home until I was fourteen years old. I could talk to my parents about most of the things that were going on in my life. I think that my relationship with them was as good as it could be – and then something changed. You know... I'm not even completely sure what it was. Perhaps it was a combination of some new hormones running through my body – I matured late. Another piece of the puzzle, I think, is that when we moved to Garvin rd., my time with friends was greatly restricted. I now needed access to the vehicle if I wanted to connect with my friends. And I thought my dad wasn't nearly lenient enough with the keys. Even though I owned that truck, in part, I still needed my dad's permission, and he paid for gas – so I was stuck. Stuck on Garvin rd., and I hated it.
We moved there in Fall of 1996, and by Christmastime I was fed-up with this new life. I was bored, while my friends hung out almost every day. My resentment for my parents grew – especially for my dad. Christmas time was always a big deal in my family. But something had changed. Leading up to Christmas, that year, I knew that family time wasn't something I was looking forward to. I remember Christmas Eve, and my dad's annual "haul out the guitar and sing Stille Nacht"... and I remember pouting. I was angry. The family tradition that had, for so long, captured my religious experience and my spiritual excitement... that family tradition annoyed me for the first time. Something had changed.
To be honest, it frightened me. I was expecting my anger to subside. I was expecting these time-tested family traditions to create the "Christmas Spirit" in me once again. What was I to do if those family practices could no longer cook-up the sappy Christmas-feelings that I longed for so much?
When life was calm, stable and 'normal' – these family traditions were like "temples" – places where I could always return to, to find God and have my spiritual-high. But nothing about my adolescence was calm, stable or 'normal'! It took puberty and Christmas to teach me something crucial about God – that God's more a fan of tents than He is of temples.
The main metaphor and symbol of God's presence with His people, in the Old Testament, was the tabernacle or tent. It was a mobile place of worship. When David summoned the prophet Nathan, he pretty much told Nathan that he wanted to build God a house. How could David build himself a nice house to live in while God only had a tent? And so, David wanted to show this nice gesture to God, and build God a house to dwell in. Even the prophet Nathan thought this was a great idea, and he gave David permission to go ahead with his plans.
That night, God intervened and came to Nathan. He basically told Nathan that he didn't need a temple, and that God preferred a tent. "I have not lived in a house since the day I brought the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle..." God never asked the people to build Him a house to live in up to that point. Is this an important detail? I guess it depends on what that means? What does it mean to want to build a place for God to dwell in? And what does it mean for God to have dwellt among Israel in a tabernacle – essentially, in a tent? What's the difference between tabernacles and temples? That's what we're looking at this morning.
After ignoring David's request to have a house built, God turned the tables on David. Instead of David securing a place for God – God initiated a covenant with David and secured a position for him in God's plan. In 2 Samuel 7:8 we read, "8 Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; 9 and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house."
David wanted to make a house for the Lord, but in this passage we learn that it's God who does the 'making'. I will make for you a great name. I will appoint a place for my people and will plant them there. I will appoint judgest over my people. The Lord will make you a house. I think David wanted to capture God in this 'kind gesture' of building a house for the Lord. He wanted to secure God's presence. That won't do! Instead, God turns the tables and God secures David for Himself. You won't make anything for me, David... Instead, I'm going to make you an instrument of my purpose! I'm going to make you, and your lineage, into a house for myself!
And isn't this precisely what we read about in the gospel of Luke? In Luke chapter 3 we read the list of Jesus' ancestors, and smack-dab in the middle we find Jesus' relationship to King David. When God turned the tables on David's attempt to capture him, God made His own move to capture King David. God captured his lineage for the sake of His purpose. And that's what we heard about when we heard the story of Gabriel and Mary. Who is the main actor? It's not Gabriel – he's only the mouthpiece. The main actor is God, who makes His move. God shows favour to Mary. There's nothing about her, her intrinsic nature, that made God choose her – she was not Immaculately conceived – or, at least, there's no evidence to suggest this. The whole point is that she was an ordinary person. But we already know that God captures ordinary people for the extraordinary...
The word 'capture' is a tricky one. When you're captured by an evil person – that's bad news. But when you're in serious danger – when your life is nearly extinguished – being captured by a good person is the same thing as rescue. God rescues Mary, he captures her with His favour: you will conveive and bear a Son – the Son of the Most High. But what God was accomplishing with Mary was the fulfillment of what God promised David through the prophet Nathan. By favouring Mary, God was claiming David's lineage for Himself – but for what purpose? In order that the Word of God might dwell among us. The Greek word that John uses to speak about this 'dwelling' is Skeynow, which actually means "to set up a tent"... "to tabernacle". The Word of God set up a tent in our midst. The Word of God dwellt among us!
God loves to dwell among us. It pleased God to dwell among Israel, meeting them in the tabernacle – in a tent. This part of the bible captures my imagination. Israel travelled and lived out in the bush, in the desert, in the wilderness – and God was with them, taking up residence in a tent! How cool is that?!?! I love going camping. I love tenting. I've already told this to some people, but one thing on my "bucket list" is to go on an extended camping trip up north, in the middle of nowhere – for a few weeks at least; so if any of your outdoorsmen want to join me in planning something like this – that would be great! There's something about sleeping in tents that gives me deep joy. It's probably because my parents took us camping a lot when I was young.
But what's interesting about God's tabernacle is not the fact that it was a cool and rugged way for God to be present with His people. It's not that God prefers Cabelas over Michael's or Sears. What's theologically interesting about God's tent-life among the people is that God travels – God is on the move. Now I know that we say that God is everywhere – true enough. But God is personal; we know God as Immanuel... God with us. There is motion in God's being – God isn't nailed down to any one place. In scripture, we can record many different verbs attributed to God. God is constantly doing, making, healing, destroying, calling, reconciling, forgiving, judging, redeeming and raising from the dead. He wrestles with Jacob. God becomes flesh. God calls Mary Magdalene to proclaim the gospel of the resurrection. God is active and vocal. A stationary temple is just not God's style.
Don't get me wrong – God does permit Solomon to build Him a temple. God did accept the sacrifices of the people in that temple. But if you take Jesus seriously, then you'll know that the real temple that God lives in is Jesus himself, and now God's Spirit dwelling in the fellowship of believers. The physical space of a temple isn't flexible enough for the activity God has planned.
What activity? Well, after Mary visits Elizabeth we already get a hint at the activity God has planned for His Son. John the Baptist, still being formed in his mother's womb, jumps with excitement the minute Mary shows up at the house. Even as an unborn fetus, John the Baptist knew what was on the horizon. Later we read about John's vision of God's activity – drawing all people to Zion through the baptismal waters of repentance. God was reconciling people to Himself through His Son, and John knew what was coming.
God's activity involves reconciliation – between us and God and between us as people and creation. The next part of Luke's text has Mary singing a song about this activity. What's God up to in this song? God has mercy, shows strength. God scatters the proud, bringing down the powerful from their thrones. God lifts up the lowly, filling the hungry with good things. God sends the rich away empty, and helps Israel, remembering his mercy and his promise to Abraham. God is active, and being stuck in one place just won't do – not for Yahweh, who causes all things to live, and from whom all things have their being. In the presence of Yahweh, we are those who join John the Baptist, leaping for joy – because somethings gotta change!
Something has to change! And that's good news, because there's so much that needs changing. Our world – you read the news lately? The middle-east is nearly boiling-up into another massive war. Our world leaders can barely get their heads on straight when it comes to choosing between greed and being good stewards of God's creation. We could use some Christmas change! And so it's great news to hear Mary's song... to hear that God is changing things. That the powerful won't sit on those thrones for long... that those who take, and take, and take, without every giving anything to those who have nothing... they will have nothing in their hands soon enough.
Or is this perhaps not good news for you? Maybe you don't want things to change? Maybe you're the one sitting on that throne? Maybe you're the one who has everything they need – a rich person in a world of beggars – aren't we all? Maybe that's why we can resonate with King David so deeply. Maybe that's why we like temples much more than tents. Maybe that's why we like our Christmas traditions and practices that keep our spiritual experiences fairly straight-jacketed and 'regular'. Maybe that's why we understand the story of Aaron and the Golden Calf so well – because we prefer a God that's at our disposal, rather than an untamed Spirit that drives some to speak in strange languages. Maybe that's why we understand Peter so well, who wanted to build a tabernacle for Jesus on the mount of Transfiguration – because we prefer a God we can locate to following Jesus en route to the city that kills God's prophets.
The lesson we learn from God's conversation with the prophet Nathan is the same lesson we learn about God in the gospels – it is not we who have captured God. It is not we who have found a way to put God at our disposal. Rather, we have an angel delivering a message to a young woman – God is going to overshadow with His Spirit and you will bear a Son – the Son of God. God has us at His disposal. He tears rulers down from their thrones and lifts up the lowly. Our God is not boxed-in – not at all!
But this Advent, can we hear the good news that this Wild Holy Spirit wants to meet us; wants to 'capture' 'rescue' and 'captivate' us for the sake of God's Kingdom. Will we relenquish the way we try to man-handle our religious experience through traditions? Might God want to do something entirely new with you and your family, this Christmas? Something that breaks the mould? You don't have to worry about manufacturing that 'good ol' Christmas feeling'... God wasn't stuck in that temple to begin with.
Spend time, this Advent – and what's left of it – to really listen; where is God active this year? Where is God calling for your partnership? Where can you, like Mary, say "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."?
After that Christmas, in 1996, I did some soul-searching. What had changed? What was wrong? Why couldn't I get back into the "Christmas Spirit"? The temple that I had built for God – all the traditions and practices that used to get me in the Christmas Spirit – these things hadn't worked and they don't work anymore. It's as if God wasn't stuck where I put Him.
Like I said earlier, it took puberty and Christmas to teach me that I had never put God anywhere – because God doesn't let himself be put anywhere. God is God, and I am not. Through the voices of friends, family, through study and prayer, I felt a nudge to work at bible camp, that following summer, as a camp counselor. It was in the wild, out at the lake, and in the untamed encounters with God's beloved children, that I began to reaquaint myself with the God who lives in tents. The God who is always on the move – healing campers, reconciling former enemies, and bringing dead things back to life.
May you cast your temples aside and be still, for God is at work! God is active in your life, in your home, in your workplace. And may God reveal to you the partnership of the gospel to which He's called you this year. What does that look like today, tomorrow, and in the coming weeks? I wish you courage and joy as you search, study, wait, listen – and then partner with God. Amen.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Baptism: The beginning of the good news...
Sermon planned for Sunday, December 4th, 2011
Text: Mark 1:1-8
I invite you to join me, in your bibles, in the gospel of Mark, chapter one, beginning at verse one. But before we dig in, I invite you to join me in prayer:
Spirit of the Living God, move in our midst. Transform our unseeing eyes so that we'd be able to see you more clearly. Unplug our ears, that we would hear Your Word for us this morning. In all things, draw us closer to Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
The passage we are looking at this morning is one of my favorites in the gospel of Mark. What I like about it is that he starts off his story about Jesus by telling us who Jesus is right off the bat. "This is the beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God." You don't have to wait to the end of the story to find out who Jesus is. You don't have to solve some riddle. The author of Mark tells you who Jesus is: Jesus is the Christ. Jesus is the Son of God.
There's a variety of ways that an author can start-off a story about a main character. If Bernie and Tammy were asked to write a story about Ray, Jo, and Dexter, I'm sure they could tell each one in a variety of ways. Each of the four gospels tell the story of Jesus' beginnings in a unique way. Matthew and Luke tell us stories about Jesus' infancy, about Joseph, and about an unwed pregnant Mary. Matthew tells us about wise men, come from the east, to worship and give allegiance to the newborn King. Luke tells us about Shepherds hearing the angel's message; and about the manger scene. And then there's the gospel of John . John tells us about the Word that was in the beginning with God – the Word that is God, which was made flesh.
These four authors all spoke about the 'good news' about Jesus' coming into the world. Each of them saw the goodnessof the gospel in unique and important way. If you had to tell the story of God's good news in your life, how would you tell it? What good has that news accomplished in your life? When we celebrate baptism we also listen to testimonies. We take time to hear the stories of how God has done good things in the lives of those about to be baptized. I'm sure that the way Dex, Ray & Jo will tell their story is different than the things many of you might mention if you told their story... that's the nature of giving a testimony. Mark's testimony is like that too; it offers us a very specific glimpse of who Jesus was.
One of the things we notice, when we look at Mark's gospel, is that he begins his story about Jesus very differently than the other three gospel writers. I invite you to join me, in your bibles, in reading it together once again:
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'" 4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
The first eight verses of the gospel of Mark are, in my opinion, written in a special kind of literary structure, which is often used in the bible, called a chiasm. I've mentioned the 'chiasm structure' before in one of my previous sermons, but I'll quickly review what it means. The kind of chiasm we're dealing with in these eight verses is the A-B-C C-B-A structure. What does that mean? Well, it just means that the first thing in the story gets talked about again at the end, the second thing gets mentioned second-last, and the two things talked about in the middle are at the heart of the story. An example of this can be found in John chapter one:
In the beginning was the Word, (A)
and the Word was with God, (B)
and the Word was God. (B')
He was in the beginning with God. (A')
At the start and at the end we hear about The Word being in the beginning with God – a focus on the "WHEN" of God's Word. In the central piece of this structure, we read that the Word is God and is with God. The Son and the Father are One and in communitywith one another – the key part of John's gospel.
This same kind of structure is what I see going on in the first eight verses of Mark. Why is this important? A chiastic structure helps us to understand the main point Mark was trying to make. So le'ts go through these verses and see it for ourselves. Mark begins this piece of scripture by telling us about Jesus – that he is the Christ, and that Jesus is the Son of God. In verse eight, Mark's focus is again on telling us more about Jesus, but this time by the mouth of John the Baptist. Here we learn that Jesus is mightier than the prophet John, and we learn that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit.
The second part of the chiastic structure is about John the Baptist. Here we read the quote from Isaiah: "Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way, a voice crying in the desert, "Prepare the way of the Lord, you shall make his path straight." As with the regular chiasm-structure, this second theme is repeated again in the second-last section of our passage, where we read about John's dress code and his diet. Where, before, we hear Isaiah's words about a prophet coming from the dessert, now we read about what this desert man looks and smells like.
Finally, the third part of the chiastic structure, right in the centre of our text, tells us the heart of Mark's message here. It tells us about John's prophetic word and the people's response: "John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins." I suggest to you, this morning, that at the very centre of Mark's understanding of the good news is this call to confession, repentance and baptism.
When Mark sits down to tell us the story about Jesus, the first thing he starts to talk about is that people were told they needed to repent; to turn around and prepare themselves for the coming of Jesus; and that people – hundreds of people, perhaps thousands of people – came to John and turned away from sin and they turned towards God in the waters of baptism. When Mark tells the story about the impact of Jesus' arrival... the first thing he talks about is people turning their life around and getting baptized. Amen! This is good news!
For the author of John's gospel, it was good news to hear that God's Word assumed flesh. For Matthew, it was good news to hear that wise men from far away came to give homage, proclaim allegiance, and to honor Jesus the King. For Luke, it was crucial for the Shepherds to hear that finally... finally the Prince of Peace had arrived. But for Mark... for Mark, the good news began with people's lives being changed. It was about baptism. That's interesting because one of the most controversial verses in the gospel of Mark is about this very thing – about baptism. In Mark 16:16, part of the 'longer ending' to the gospel, we hear Jesus giving the great Commission to his disciples: "And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned."
The controversial part of this passage is, of course, the suggestion that salvation requires baptism. There are endless debates about this. People ask whether a non-baptized person can be saved. This verse, then, gets pulled apart into many different directions. But I don't believe that was Mark's point at all. Mark wasn't arguing about the bare minimum requirements of salvation; in fact, quite the opposite. Mark was arguing about the full measure of God's good news.
You see, it's not the complete picture, if all we do is tell the story of Christmas. It's not the full gospel if we just tell people that the Word was made flesh. Some people would reject the Word. It's not the full gospel, just to hear Jesus' teachings and learn about the Kingdom of God; because the Kingdom is about more than just hearing and learning; because entering the Kingdom involves us in a complete reversal of values and worldview. It's not the full gospel, just to hear about Jesus' death and resurrection; even today there are thousands who hear this message and mock it, as though we were talking about a horror movie, with dead people coming back to life. The good news is only good if it is received... if it goes beyond hearing.
When Mark includes Jesus' words about believing and baptism, Mark is telling us about the fullness of the gospel, not about the minimum requirements of salvation. Salvation is more than just hearing about the gospel, it is responding to it, rejoicing with it, submitting our lives to it. That's why the thief on the cross, when he begged Jesus to remember him in the Kingdom, was promised eternity with Jesus in paradise – Why? – because he did more than listen... he turned to Jesus. That's why Mark's gospel includes the story of the centurion, standing watch at Jesus' crufixion, the guy who confesses, "Truly this man was God's Son". Mark's main point in the gospel is that the news about Jesus changes people's lives – in turns them around. And that's what baptism is all about – it is about turning to Jesus.
For Mark, in order for the news about Incarnation to be GOOD news means that we begin with repentance, turning away from autonomy, from sin, from selfish living... and we turn towards God. This is why the first baptismal question I ask is a question about repentance. Repentance is the first step for God's news to be God's GOOD news for us. God's revelation for us is complete only when it is received, heard, and believed in our hearts. This is the act of baptism!
This morning we are blessed to be in the presence of three young Christians who 'get it'. They know that all this news they've been hearing for years – the news about Jesus they've heard at home – the news about Jesus they've heard at Church and Sunday school – the news about Jesus they've heard at MCI... these three 'get it'... they know that the news they've been hearing about Jesus is GOOD news for them only if they turn their lives around and turn towards Jesus Christ. That's the fullness of good news... and that is what we're here to celebrate today.
May the testimony of these three encourage you – may it provoke your own decision: is all this news we hear in Church GOOD news for you? Because it can be!!! Will you take your stand? Will you claim Christ as your Lord in these water? And now, together with Mark's gospel, let's get on with celebrating the main event!
Text: Mark 1:1-8
I invite you to join me, in your bibles, in the gospel of Mark, chapter one, beginning at verse one. But before we dig in, I invite you to join me in prayer:
Spirit of the Living God, move in our midst. Transform our unseeing eyes so that we'd be able to see you more clearly. Unplug our ears, that we would hear Your Word for us this morning. In all things, draw us closer to Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
The passage we are looking at this morning is one of my favorites in the gospel of Mark. What I like about it is that he starts off his story about Jesus by telling us who Jesus is right off the bat. "This is the beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God." You don't have to wait to the end of the story to find out who Jesus is. You don't have to solve some riddle. The author of Mark tells you who Jesus is: Jesus is the Christ. Jesus is the Son of God.
There's a variety of ways that an author can start-off a story about a main character. If Bernie and Tammy were asked to write a story about Ray, Jo, and Dexter, I'm sure they could tell each one in a variety of ways. Each of the four gospels tell the story of Jesus' beginnings in a unique way. Matthew and Luke tell us stories about Jesus' infancy, about Joseph, and about an unwed pregnant Mary. Matthew tells us about wise men, come from the east, to worship and give allegiance to the newborn King. Luke tells us about Shepherds hearing the angel's message; and about the manger scene. And then there's the gospel of John . John tells us about the Word that was in the beginning with God – the Word that is God, which was made flesh.
These four authors all spoke about the 'good news' about Jesus' coming into the world. Each of them saw the goodnessof the gospel in unique and important way. If you had to tell the story of God's good news in your life, how would you tell it? What good has that news accomplished in your life? When we celebrate baptism we also listen to testimonies. We take time to hear the stories of how God has done good things in the lives of those about to be baptized. I'm sure that the way Dex, Ray & Jo will tell their story is different than the things many of you might mention if you told their story... that's the nature of giving a testimony. Mark's testimony is like that too; it offers us a very specific glimpse of who Jesus was.
One of the things we notice, when we look at Mark's gospel, is that he begins his story about Jesus very differently than the other three gospel writers. I invite you to join me, in your bibles, in reading it together once again:
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'" 4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
The first eight verses of the gospel of Mark are, in my opinion, written in a special kind of literary structure, which is often used in the bible, called a chiasm. I've mentioned the 'chiasm structure' before in one of my previous sermons, but I'll quickly review what it means. The kind of chiasm we're dealing with in these eight verses is the A-B-C C-B-A structure. What does that mean? Well, it just means that the first thing in the story gets talked about again at the end, the second thing gets mentioned second-last, and the two things talked about in the middle are at the heart of the story. An example of this can be found in John chapter one:
In the beginning was the Word, (A)
and the Word was with God, (B)
and the Word was God. (B')
He was in the beginning with God. (A')
At the start and at the end we hear about The Word being in the beginning with God – a focus on the "WHEN" of God's Word. In the central piece of this structure, we read that the Word is God and is with God. The Son and the Father are One and in communitywith one another – the key part of John's gospel.
This same kind of structure is what I see going on in the first eight verses of Mark. Why is this important? A chiastic structure helps us to understand the main point Mark was trying to make. So le'ts go through these verses and see it for ourselves. Mark begins this piece of scripture by telling us about Jesus – that he is the Christ, and that Jesus is the Son of God. In verse eight, Mark's focus is again on telling us more about Jesus, but this time by the mouth of John the Baptist. Here we learn that Jesus is mightier than the prophet John, and we learn that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit.
The second part of the chiastic structure is about John the Baptist. Here we read the quote from Isaiah: "Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way, a voice crying in the desert, "Prepare the way of the Lord, you shall make his path straight." As with the regular chiasm-structure, this second theme is repeated again in the second-last section of our passage, where we read about John's dress code and his diet. Where, before, we hear Isaiah's words about a prophet coming from the dessert, now we read about what this desert man looks and smells like.
Finally, the third part of the chiastic structure, right in the centre of our text, tells us the heart of Mark's message here. It tells us about John's prophetic word and the people's response: "John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins." I suggest to you, this morning, that at the very centre of Mark's understanding of the good news is this call to confession, repentance and baptism.
When Mark sits down to tell us the story about Jesus, the first thing he starts to talk about is that people were told they needed to repent; to turn around and prepare themselves for the coming of Jesus; and that people – hundreds of people, perhaps thousands of people – came to John and turned away from sin and they turned towards God in the waters of baptism. When Mark tells the story about the impact of Jesus' arrival... the first thing he talks about is people turning their life around and getting baptized. Amen! This is good news!
For the author of John's gospel, it was good news to hear that God's Word assumed flesh. For Matthew, it was good news to hear that wise men from far away came to give homage, proclaim allegiance, and to honor Jesus the King. For Luke, it was crucial for the Shepherds to hear that finally... finally the Prince of Peace had arrived. But for Mark... for Mark, the good news began with people's lives being changed. It was about baptism. That's interesting because one of the most controversial verses in the gospel of Mark is about this very thing – about baptism. In Mark 16:16, part of the 'longer ending' to the gospel, we hear Jesus giving the great Commission to his disciples: "And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned."
The controversial part of this passage is, of course, the suggestion that salvation requires baptism. There are endless debates about this. People ask whether a non-baptized person can be saved. This verse, then, gets pulled apart into many different directions. But I don't believe that was Mark's point at all. Mark wasn't arguing about the bare minimum requirements of salvation; in fact, quite the opposite. Mark was arguing about the full measure of God's good news.
You see, it's not the complete picture, if all we do is tell the story of Christmas. It's not the full gospel if we just tell people that the Word was made flesh. Some people would reject the Word. It's not the full gospel, just to hear Jesus' teachings and learn about the Kingdom of God; because the Kingdom is about more than just hearing and learning; because entering the Kingdom involves us in a complete reversal of values and worldview. It's not the full gospel, just to hear about Jesus' death and resurrection; even today there are thousands who hear this message and mock it, as though we were talking about a horror movie, with dead people coming back to life. The good news is only good if it is received... if it goes beyond hearing.
When Mark includes Jesus' words about believing and baptism, Mark is telling us about the fullness of the gospel, not about the minimum requirements of salvation. Salvation is more than just hearing about the gospel, it is responding to it, rejoicing with it, submitting our lives to it. That's why the thief on the cross, when he begged Jesus to remember him in the Kingdom, was promised eternity with Jesus in paradise – Why? – because he did more than listen... he turned to Jesus. That's why Mark's gospel includes the story of the centurion, standing watch at Jesus' crufixion, the guy who confesses, "Truly this man was God's Son". Mark's main point in the gospel is that the news about Jesus changes people's lives – in turns them around. And that's what baptism is all about – it is about turning to Jesus.
For Mark, in order for the news about Incarnation to be GOOD news means that we begin with repentance, turning away from autonomy, from sin, from selfish living... and we turn towards God. This is why the first baptismal question I ask is a question about repentance. Repentance is the first step for God's news to be God's GOOD news for us. God's revelation for us is complete only when it is received, heard, and believed in our hearts. This is the act of baptism!
This morning we are blessed to be in the presence of three young Christians who 'get it'. They know that all this news they've been hearing for years – the news about Jesus they've heard at home – the news about Jesus they've heard at Church and Sunday school – the news about Jesus they've heard at MCI... these three 'get it'... they know that the news they've been hearing about Jesus is GOOD news for them only if they turn their lives around and turn towards Jesus Christ. That's the fullness of good news... and that is what we're here to celebrate today.
May the testimony of these three encourage you – may it provoke your own decision: is all this news we hear in Church GOOD news for you? Because it can be!!! Will you take your stand? Will you claim Christ as your Lord in these water? And now, together with Mark's gospel, let's get on with celebrating the main event!
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