I think the New Year deserves a pome – a resolution pome (with a sometime rime). Something about focussing on others as the best antidote for loneliness and feeling sorry for ourselves. Signalling service and volunteerism and any other tactical intent of others-before-me. As we’ve languished within our four walls for extended periods, Covid and so many other ills have caused us to feel isolated, abandoned, or just fearful and unfriended.
It’s time (especially with Omicron at the gates) to replace fear with hope and get out (electronically or actually) among those who feel anxious with a friendly word or a selfless offer. Chances are you’ll be alleviating the mental health crisis of our time and maybe you’ll get something in return. But reward or validation is not the aim.
So, yeah, here’s my pome.
“Ring out the old and ring in the new.” (Lord Tennyson, 1850) Look we forward without further ado. (Not Tennyson) Shake the dust off 2021, And reach with hope for the new year begun. The old one hurt us; we rue and bleed. But here comes the new, rolling at speed.
How many years have rolled up behind, Only to sour or fade in the mind? But how many joys yet must lie ahead To tease us with hope and promise instead?
Carry we all our burdens and grief, But let’s admit that 21 was a thief! It had no mana, no licence to be A killer of peace or our joie-de-vie.
So, now, here they come – rising to you Possibilities looming in 22. Let’s gather our skirts and step out again: No time to dwell, no gain to complain. And here’s a tip to give you a start: Subordinate self to the challenging art
Of loving and serving and caring for others …
Yes, ring out the old and ring in the new And embrace what the new year is asking of you.
(Based on Luke 1:39-45; Micah 5:2-5; Hebrews 10:5-10)
Today we are completing the church season of Advent and are poised for Christmas. We wait in anticipation for a birth of ultimate significance.
How extraordinarily accurate was the prophecy of the Old Testament book of Micah.
The reference to Bethlehem
Israel subject to “enemies” – read “Roman Empire”
The Coming King is alive from everlasting ages, and “greatly honoured all around the world”
There will be a spiritual rebirth
The King, the Good Shepherd, will feed his flock – yes, and he still does
How enlightening and accurate all that was, and is!
Then the New Testament reading from the epistle to the Hebrews reminds us that the old system of sacrifice in the Temple was totally ineffective in deleting Israel’s sin. It was a mere faint shadow of the reality of Christ’s self-offering, his cross and resurrection, that dealt with sin, once, and for all nations and people. Only this re-establishes God’s undying relationship with humanity. Jesus’s own words sum it up: “Here I am. I have come to give my life.” This Hebrews passage focusses even further Micah’s prophecy.
Now we go to that touching scene in Luke of the cousins meeting – Mary and Elizabeth – both now pregnant. Purposeful pregnancies of great and ultimate significance. John and Jesus, second cousins – cuzzie bros – will bring joy, perplexity, tragedy and, finally, triumph to their mothers. And for many down the centuries to now.
Elizabeth’s and Mary’s sons would both die turning the world upside down.
There is in this intimate scene of the meeting and greeting of Mary and Elizabeth, above all, anticipation. Something altogether new is imminent!
So, as we ponder the transit from Advent to Christmas we ask ourselves,
Do we have a disposition of anticipation in our church and in our lives; of God doing something entirely new?
What new and transforming reality, truth, is being birthed in us?
I have had two conversations recently on what Jesus came amongst us to do. We covered many reasons for his coming. I offer a few here this morning:
To offer forgiveness and liberation to all. It is always possible to make a new start.
He taught us how to pray, and, amazingly, address the living God as Father.
He was really clear that discipleship is costly. What happened to him can happen to us – and does in some countries.
He shows us what God is like – undying love.
He shows us how to live. Truth, and love of God, and others, are absolute priority.
He initiated his Kingdom – his reign of healing, forgiveness and transformation among us.
He founded his church, his community of believers, to bring in his reign of love.
He overcame death and dwells amongst us as our wounded risen brother and friend.
All this we both embrace and anticipate. Perhaps you can add to these reasons and outcomes of Jesus’s birth and life among us. Above all, let us ponder and embrace these many faceted expressions of the love of God in Christ, as the future unfolds in a turbulent and uncertain world.
As with the lives of Elizabeth and her son John, Mary and her son Jesus, there will be joy, there will be perplexity, there will be sorrow.
But, finally, there will be the triumph of: Hope and Love, Joy and Peace.
I came across this cool little ‘morality tale’. [A morality play, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, was “an allegorical drama popular in Europe especially during the 15th and 16th centuries, in which the characters personify moral qualities (such as charity or vice) or abstractions (as death or youth) and in which moral lessons are taught”.]
So, … (read, digest, and locate yourself in the story!)
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened – everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. “God, how could you do this to me?” he cried, and in despair tried to sleep on the sand.
Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. “How did you know I was here?” asked the weary man of his rescuers. “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied.
Next time your little hut is burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God. Whilst lamenting the negative, keep an eye out for the positives that might result, and dwell on them.
When I get my mobilisation orders – from Barry – that I’m to preach on this particular group of readings, on this particular day … Even before I read the readings, ideas start to bleed in to my mind – oh, yes, I recognise that – that’s the passage about …
Today’s New Testament reading is particularly like that … in fact, Barry and I share a real love of Phil 4 – we’ve even reflected on it together, and quoted it at each other. It’s good when you can have a brother or sister to bounce things off, and to illuminate each other’s journey in some pragmatic way.
“Iron sharpeneth iron,” says Proverbs 27:17; “so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” (KJV)
It’s good to be encouraging, or exhorting each other.
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing,” says 1 Thess 5:11. (NIV) Hebrews 3:13 says, “But encourage one another daily, … so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (NIV) Are we doing this to each other, amongst each other? Encouraging and exhorting one another in this way?
And encouraging each other with Phil 4 is a great place to start.
So, then one actually reads the readings given, and again thoughts seep in. Like childhood memories, or forgotten thoughts reawakened by music. You like to think, ah, yes, the Holy Spirit is prompting me, that’s neat … But, I don’t know. I’m not sure how it works, really, but … the end result is what you get on a Sunday morning!
When I first read this passage from Luke, two things surfaced immediately: the way John welcomed the crowds; and John’s advice to various small groups.
Why?
Second things first. John’s advice to the soldiers. Interesting in itself, because it tells something of the crowd’s makeup. There were soldiers there. Along with tax collectors and Pharisees; and who knows whom else. Jewish, or Roman soldiers, I wonder? Anyway, John’s advice to the soldiers is to be content with their wages, and don’t extort money or accuse anyone falsely. Seems a bit random! Not the answer I’d expect to such a question from such men. John seems to be telling them not to misuse their power over ordinary people, not to bully them – which was perhaps a headline issue in those times. But this instruction to the soldiers has been more important to me over time in not so much what he told them, but what he didn’t tell them. [He didn’t tell them to stop soldiering. Or the tax collectors tax collecting.]
As a Christian in the military, one had a constant balancing act, weighing Christian friends who were saying, How can you be a serviceman? with military friends who were saying, How can you be a Christian? Shouldn’t a Christian be a complete pacifist? One tried to find a rational position. One looked for validation, and a way to justify being there. Over time, several arguments for coalesced into a case of, yes, it’s ok for a Christian to be in the services. For me as an individual, at least. And this interaction between John and the soldiers was salient at that time. It was helpful and affirming to me because, far from telling them to stop soldiering, he was saying, Keep doing what you’re doing, but do it honourably, morally, graciously …
And a takeaway for us all this morning – from John’s handling of these thoughtful questions, and from this my own experience shared – is how to ask simple guidance of the Holy Spirit when faced with decisions or dilemmas. We all face them – different quandaries – but the humble approach to the Holy Spirit is the approach to use.
But back to the main strike point: what about the offensive way John greeted the crowds when they came to see him?! “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance … The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down …”
Bit rough! Did he do this with every speaking engagement? Or just on this particular day that One News was there taking notes? Imagine if I’d started this reflection with, “You brood of vipers”! Even to make a point. For dramatic effect. You’d be shocked. “Shock and Awe”! (Actually, that’s a known military tactic for going on the offensive!)
Some of you might walk out, or throw something. Riot. Do violence.
Then again, maybe our sermons should start this way! Might have more penetration! Shall I try it? “You brood of vipers! Who warned you …”
How does that feel?
Well, it seemed to bring about a change of heart in the crowd. Perhaps John had reason to suspect their motives for being there. So, now – instead of being frivolous; or expecting to be entertained … or looking for smooth, affirming, obsequious words … they were brought up short. Oh! My word! “Vipers”? That’s a bit harsh. Well … ok, Mr Baptist … well, what do you think we should do?
Quite a good reaction really. A short, sharp shift of ego and arrogance, into submission to the crucial message John was really wanting to bring. “Preparing the way of the Lord.” Do you think?
It concerns me to think how many fine sermons we sit through, week after week, and we go away with very little attention to where changes need to be made. We’re typically extremely set in our ways and opinions, and maybe we need to be confronted – more often than we are. We’re among friends here, so we’re nice to each other, and don’t want to offend. But it’s good to be challenged. It’s good when Bruce says to me, “Have you really got something to say, Ken, or do you just want to say something?”! We need to be in such healthy relationship with each other that we can be challenged, without feeling put down or hurt or defensive …
… I suppose, after this, there will be a queue at morning tea all lining up wanting to tell me what’s wrong with me!
We need to be challenged, and that’s partly why I appreciate my iron being sharpenethed by other ironmongers; why I appreciate people like Barry saying, so what about it, Ken? Have you managed to fit into the Phil 4 framework this week? Have you been anxious about anything? Have you managed to fix your mind on things that are lovely and true and positive and pure?
So, John harangues his congregation, then responds to their apparently revised attitude, and … it now seems he has a lot better purchase on their attention. And, it’s interesting that his instruction is not just spiritual – it’s very pragmatic. Or, rather, he counsels them at a pragmatic level first: “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same … you tax collectors, Don’t collect any more than you are required to. And, you soldiers, Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
… before he changes depth, from shock and awe, to pragmatic and practical, to, now, ‘deep and substantial’; and gets into his real calling: preparing the way … teaching them about repentance and baptism and the Good News coming: “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” He calls this coming person, “One”, because he doesn’t know who it is yet. Or does he? There’s a question for you to ponder.
But I love the way our passage finishes. Think about this: “And with many other words,” it says, “John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.”
Great stuff!
Change some habit or practice this week, friends, I challenge and encourage you; and if you haven’t figured it out yet, the ‘coming One’ was Jesus, whose advent is imminent in this Christmas season. The way prepared, let’s welcome him.
