Give it all away

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not
because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  (Titus 3:4-7)

It’s Christmas Day.  We opened the packages, emptied the stockings, and shared good meals with our families. Today is Christmas day, and what we might want more than anything is a nap.  But the time has come.  Christ has come.  Now what? 

The passage we read today tell us that Christ appeared, and brought salvation – not because of acts of righteousness, but because of God’s mercy.  “The spirit is poured out on us richly through Jesus.  

 A few years ago, we were with our boys at an amusement park in Florida.  We were having a great time together when the rain started.  This was not a drizzle, or a sprinkle; this was a downpour, unlike anything I had seen before.  The rain came down from heaven by the bucketful.  We were soaked – as they say – to the skin.  There was no escape, there was not dry shelter to be found.  The water covered us, and we have never been that wet. 

For me, that is what is means when the author of the passage says, “The Spirit is poured out on us richly through Jesus.  As we read these words on Christmas day, imagine that grace falls like that downpour upon us.  Drenching our lives.  Covering us completely.  The spirit pouring on us.   This is grace, abundant and overflowing.  Covering us not because of anything we have done or not done, and not because of anything we have earned.  Grace covers us not because of who we are, but because of the mercy of God.  

Christ has come.  Now what? We are covered in grace so that we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  Open your hands and feel the hope land gently upon them.  Open your hearts, and know that hope recreates you.  Open your eyes and see the difference hope makes in your life.  

And then, because it’s Christmas, give it all away.  

An Extraordinary Moment

In Frederick Buechner's book, Beyond Words, as he describes Advent, he first uses three illustrations:

1. Imagine the moment before the conductor begins directing the orchestra - every instrument tuned and ready, the baton in the air. The room is silent in anticipation of the first note. 
2. Imagine midwinter dusk, and the anticipatory silence of the world. 
3. Imagine walking up to a front door and catching a whiff in the air of what is inside - maybe a crock pot cooking a roast, or a cake baking - but the only clue you have is the fragrance of anticipation.

Those moments are like Advent. Buechner writes, "The extraordinary thing that is about to happen is matched only by the extraordinary moment just before it happens. Advent is the name of that moment.” 

Today is Christmas Eve. It is the extraordinary moment just before Christmas happens. It is as if the world is holding its breath in anticipation. In the rush of preparation, if we will be still and quiet, for just a moment, we can sense it. We can hear the wind blowing through the trees, whispering the coming of Christ. We can almost detect the coming of the ringing of church bells. In the glistening of the Christmas lights, we be feel the soft heat of the love of Christ, coming into the world. 

This evening, before you go to bed, take a moment to be still, and to anticipate. Christmas is coming. It is an extraordinary moment.              

The Road

Three quotes that are rattling around in my head.

There is no freeway to the future. No paved highway from here to tomorrow. There is only wilderness. Only uncertain terrain. There are no road maps. No signposts. So pioneering leaders rely upon a compass and a dream.  (James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner. The Leadership Challenge as published in Church Leadership by Lovett Weems).

In church a couple of Sundays ago, during the Advent candle lighting, one of the readings said something like: The road to the kingdom is always under construction, per John the Baptist.

During our Academy in October, one of the attendees said, "without vision, there is no hope."

I think, as churches, and as people, we have a desire to make a difference.  To work for God's kingdom.  And yet, sometimes I think we feel like we are stuck in a rut, or moving backwards instead of forwards.  These quotes work together to say to me that without a vision, our churches have no hope of making a difference.  Those who depend on us may have no hope in their lives.  And yet, while we speak of vision, we are sometimes unwilling to pave the path forward.  Having a vision requires hard work and discernment.  The way forward is not obvious, and to find it requires our effort as construction workers.

Do we  have enough hope to search for the vision and to pave the road as we go? Will we leave those who need us hopeless?

 

Perspectives: A lamp for unity

 

A Different Community

We are not Christians because of what we believe, but because we have been called to be disciples of Jesus. To become a disciple is not a matter of a new or changed self-understanding, but rather to become part of a different community with a different set of practices." (Stanley Hauerwas as quoted in The Missional Leader)

When I first read that, I was reminded of this passage from James:

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?  If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food,  and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.  (James 2:14-17)

I don't mean to compare a new or changed self-understanding to faith, but instead to point out that we become Christians because we follow Christ.  We live as Christ has called us to live, in relationship to community.  Because Christ calls us - showed us - we feed people, we cloth people, we love people.  These actions stem out of our Christianity, because Christianity is learning from Christ and following Christ.

Our faith, which is born of the grace of God, brings us into relationship with God.  Because of our God-gifted faith, we are able to follow Christ.  In following Christ, we change how we live - to become mas Hauerwas said, "part of a different community with a different set of practices."

We hold so tightly to dogma that it becomes a barrier to living out the life of Christ.  It isn't what we believe, its who we believe in.  And who we believe in changes our actions.

When the Earth Shakes

The following is a devotional written to the West Virginia Annual Conference Laity Advent Devotional.

Luke 21:25-36

There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea, and the waves.  People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see ‘the Son of Man’ coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.  Luke 21:25-28

I have to admit, when I read the scripture that Kristi Wilkerson assigned to me to use as the basis of this devotional, I wanted to write to her and ask her to TAKE IT BACK!  Surely, there was something different I could use – something about a baby boy born in a manger or a priest struck mute by the thought of a child to come? 

The passage, an example of apocalyptic scripture, uses symbolic themes and imagery to describe Christ’s second coming.  Knowing that, but also knowing that “about that day or hour no one knows” (Mark 13:32a), I think we make a mistake if we try to read this passage as a way to predict an end-time.

Instead, we need to face our fear, and try to understand what these words means to us, today.  Today is a bridge between the past and the future.  Standing here, on this day, and looking back, who could have predicted what has happened over the last two years?  No one.  Looking forward, do we have any idea what tomorrow will bring?  No idea.

What do we know?  We know that sad times will roar into our lives like the sea.  The earth will shake as catastrophes strike in our families.  There will be dark times when it seems like the sun, the moon, and the stars fail to shine.  This passage reminds us that even in those times, Christ comes.  God is here.  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” (John 14:27).  This was true when Jesus told it to his disciples.  It is true for us, also.

Prayer: Loving God, even when the earth moves, the dark comes, and our world seems to end, make yourself known to us in your love and light.  Amen.