Scripture Text (NRSV)
Matthew 11:2-11
11:2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent
word by his disciples
11:3 and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to
wait for another?"
11:4 Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see:
11:5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are
cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good
news brought to them.
11:6 And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me."
11:7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about
John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed
shaken by the wind?
11:8 What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft
robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces.
11:9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you,
and more than a prophet.
11:10 This is the one about whom it is written, 'See, I am sending
my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'
11:11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has
arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of
heaven is greater than he.
Comments:
the essence of this passage is the sovereignity of christ in our
moments of trouble when patience is stretch to the limit! We human
beings have the tendency to discredit the amount of our faith that has
been built up for so many years when we encounter hard aspects in the
trial of our faith! the lordship of christos is beclouded by our doubt
and impatience. We only want to stay in the gloriuos aspect of our
pursuit of god, and when it becomes unbearable we back out and start
to doubt!
The following post could be used as a Children's message. I recieved
it email. I am not sure it doesn't fit. "you get what you see".
WHY JESUS IS BETTER THAN SANTA CLAUS Santa lives at the North Pole ...
JESUS is everywhere.
Santa rides in a sleigh ... JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the
water. Santa comes but once a year ... JESUS is an ever present help.
Santa fills your stockings with goodies ... JESUS supplies all your
needs. Santa comes down your chimney uninvited ... JESUS stands at
your door and knocks, and then enters your heart when invited.
You have to wait in line to see Santa ... JESUS is as close as the
mention of His name. Santa lets you sit on his lap ... JESUS lets you
rest in His arms.
Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or
girl, what's your name?" JESUS knew our name before we were born. Not
only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our
history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.
Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly JESUS has a heart full of
love. All Santa can offer is HO HO HO ... JESUS offers health, help
and hope.
Santa says "You better not cry" ... JESUS says "Cast all your cares on
me for I care for you." Santa's little helpers make toys ... JESUS
makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds
mansions.
Santa may make you chuckle but ... JESUS gives you joy that is your
strength. While Santa puts gifts under your tree ... JESUS became our
gift and died on a tree.... The cross . We need to put Christ back in
CHRISTmas, JESUS is still the reason for the season.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life. John 3:16
Nancy-Wi
Is this the Sunday that we light the pink candle? I'm new to this.
Ed in Ga
Yes, the third Sunday in Advent is the pink candle. It is used as the
Angel's candle. PH in Oh
Isaiah last week held before us a "wholesighted" vision of a restored
Eden; again he speaks of a blooming desert characterized in Matthew by
the blind seeing, the lame walking, the lepers cleansed, the deaf
hearing, the dead arising, and the poor receiving the Good News.
Now, what about us -- where do we see the blooming of the desert, how
do I open my eyes to the reality that is in God. What I do know is --
is that as soon as I am able to see -- I will be helping God create a
new world, where life is given a chance over death.
tom in ga
Is this the same John who hesitated in Jesus baptism because "he was
not worthy?" How is it that he could be hearing about all Jesus was
doing and still ask, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to
wait for another?" Was prison testing his faith? Was he asking for the
sake of his disciples? Regardless of why he asks, Jesus tells him no
more than he already knew. Was the Messiah merely confirming the
Prophet's vision or is this a statement concerning the nature of
faith. No answers yet, only questions. But then I guess that's where
we find John. Taceaux in NC
Taceaux in NC raises a significant question. What happens between
Matthew 3:14 when John declares to be unworthy to baptize Jesus, (and
so evidently percieves Jesus to be the messiah), and the present
imprisonment when he sends disciples with the question: "Are You the
Coming One, or should we espect someone else?"
What do we "do" with the absence of God's Divine Self-Disclosure is
interelated with the question what do we do with the experiential
presence of God's Divine Self-Disclosure? This is the essence of
Advent!, as mnay voices on dps has already addressed the proactive
hard work of "waiting" upon the Lord.
We do not lile to "wait"! The discipline of "listening" is hard work.
And I imagine "listening" might be harder for John in his prison cell.
We too have prison cells, self-made prison cells which we have
fashioned in our quest for God. The personal constructs, the windows
of the soul, the frame of reference at the core of our being, which we
have fashioned, shaped, forged, structured out of our sacred stories,
our faith systems, beliefs, values, and ultimate concerns/cares.
Out of this basic frame at the center of our being we "expect" God to
"come" in certain ways. What happens when God does not come and we
encounter "Absence" rather than "Presence"? We can superficially
"hold" on tot he god of yesterday but to "wair" to encounter the
Divine Self-Disclosure of the God "Coming" calls us to surrender
and/or turn loose of everything! That ultimate leap of trusting while
in "thick darkness" is hard work. Perhaps, Advent is a spiritual
discipline where the "dark night of the soul" awaits all of us. We are
called to the "kenosis", the self-emptying before the throne of grace,
in order to become an authentic self before God. The journey from here
to God in our religiousity is an impossible distance for us to reach.
Our arms are to short. But the sacred distance from God to us in Jesus
the "coming one" is eternally near, at hand, and we cannot escape this
"Hound of Heaven" even if we wanted to.
Jesus' reply to John declares the "Year of Jubilee"...the "throw away
humanity", the discarded, those who suffer upon the dung heap, the
"have-nots' in whatever form, have been claimed, chosen, loved by God,
this "Hound of Heaven", who has hunted them down and embraced them
with the redistribution of the wealth of heaven, the gift of new life,
his unconditional acdceptance and unbounding love in Jesus Christ.
"Tell John what you see"..."the blinf see",etc.,
What if God "does not come" in the neat packages of our expectations?,
according to our past religious experiences?, according to our
interpretation of the Bible?, according to our theological doctrines?,
etc., because we are so busy and caught up in our pursuit of God that
we are blinded to his search for us, and his seeking us out even in
our despair walking to Emmaus, intepreting the sacred
stories.......and we see only a "stranger".
I pray that the stranger will come again to John and I, and all
others, who perhaps sit in prison cells confined by our predetermined
expectations of how God in the messiah "ought to come". Advent is hard
work of proactive "waiting", confronting us with "thick darkness", the
"dark night of the soul", and calling us to the self-emptying before
the throne of grace. (PaideiaSco sitting with John, or rather John
sitting with me, in my prison house in the north ga mts)
This combines with my posting at the alternative Gospel site (Song of
Mary).
What do our people come expecting on Sunday, during Advent, at
Christmas? Something out of the ordinary?Or something that will simply
reinforce their own assumptions? I think that a lot of people expect
the church to operate between these two extremes. One is expecting the
church to be radical and instrumental in producing change. To be at
the forefront of liberation. (A reed shaken by the wind) The other
wants the church to be a security to their comfortable way of life. To
be a constant and assuring companion, that they are on the right track
because they are currently devoid of pain and hardship, and that there
association with the church will ensure that their easy ride
continues. (Soft robes in royal palaces)
But Jesus regards John as something more than this. A sort of
"standing outside the expectations", kind of bloke. Someone who
doesn't fit the mould in either camp of spiritual expectation.
For me it is because God is about to do something totally unthinkable
in the Incarnation. God is going to take on human form. Just imagine,
before Jesus's ministry, what such a concept would have meant anywhere
in any religion. A God becoming human or having human form. John may
not have had all the details down pat, but even today the thought
requires us to think outside the square, to even consider such an
event as a possibility. And so to prepare for such an event, it
requires someone who was even more influential, than a prophet. (who
usually only stated the obvious, but at the appropriate time.) God is
contemplating something totally outrageous. Who, but an outrageous
character such as John the Baptist, could possibly be able to carry
out the task of preparing people for the virtually impossible
possibility of the God - Emmanual.
A great man to be sure.
Yet, the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Why? For
me, Matthew is talking here about Christians who follow the message of
Jesus. Why? Because we dare to consider a world totally and radically
different to the one we now live in. That is what Christians are
called to profess. We are the people who have been baptised in the
blood of the Lamb, and who envisage the kingdom of God here on earth.
The Incarnation and the subsequent Resurrection, signals that human
existence is no longer simply survival until death, but that life is
now a promise of eternal joy and peace.
John was a prophet alright. But much more than a prophet.
Hoping you all have a wonderful week.
Regards,
KGB in Aussie.
P.S. I echo my sentiments for Rick in VA, as stated in my alternative
post.
Lots of good discusion. I'm not buying John didn't know if Jesus was
the Messiah. He had to many experiences with Him. I like the "waiting"
thought that (PadiaSCO) revealed. It reminds me when I was a little
boy waiting for Christmas morning to finally get here so I could open
the gifts. Maybe John is having trouble waiting. I think there is no
doubt in John's mind who Jesus is. Maybe John's disciples are having
trouble believing so John tells them to go and see what Jesus is
doing? Just thoughts? Harrell in Texas
I wonder what was going through John's mind in prison?
Here he was preaching judgment and repentance - that fire would draw
out the ilk of peoples lives and Jesus is preaching mercy and
forgiveness.
They are contrasts to say the least. What we expect (our
presuppositins) often times clouds our judgements of what we are,
ought to do and how we move forward.
It is a perfect theme for us as we begin talking about a New Vision
Statement at my church and renaming of the Church as well. It reminds
us that the journey is going to call us to question and dream beyond
what we expected as a Church to what God is calling us to. We are a
bit maverick here for a UFMCC church - we refuse to limit the scope of
whom God can touch and change with Grace and Spirit. We made a
decision to be a people affirming church some time ago and will be
seeking to live that vision out in greater power as we move forward.
As humans we often only get a glimpse of what the journey or vision
will be because we cannot handle much more than that. The old Gosple
Song - "Wouldn't take nothing for my journey now" talks about how we
can see things clearly on the other side, but how many would choose to
follow God if they knew ahead of time everything that they would go
through and learn?
Blessings, Greg in Nashville
If Jesus is the one, John must find out, because he is very clear
about his purpose. "one more time, I just want to make sure."
How many of us live life this way -- always asking for one more, just
a little more proof. Then I can make sure, then I will change the
things I am doing. Then I can have the courage that I need to
perservere. Who can blame him?
Also, if Jesus is the one, John's vocation is fulfilled. Therefore, he
can relax -- now that's something -- imagining a relaxed John the
Baptist...
Fr Sully
Ed in Ga asked, "Is this the Sunday that we light the pink candle? I'm
new to this."
Yep, if you are following the "Roman Use" of liturgical colors. This
is known as "Refreshment Sunday" or "Gaudete Sunday" (the latter name
comes from the first words of the medieval Latin Mass introit - "Gaudete
in Domino temper"; "Rejoice in the Lord always"). It is a break in the
sobriety of Advent. Flowers, forbidden during the rest of the season,
are permitted; rose-colored vestments and the rose candle (not really
"pink") are allowed instead of purple; deacons and subdeacons reassume
their traditional vestments (the dalmatic and tunicle) at the chief
Mass (instead of folded-chasubles). Instrumental music in former times
was also not permitted during Advent, but was allowed on the Third
Sunday. All these distinguishing marks have continued in use, and are
the present discipline of the Roman Church and some "high-church"
non-Roman traditions. Gaudete Sunday, therefore, is a break (like
Laetare Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Lent) about midway through a
season which is otherwise of a penitential character, and signifies
the nearness of the Lord's coming. (In the medieval Mass the
invitatory changed on this Sunday from "The Lord is coming" to "The
Lord is near at hand.")
Nope, if you are following the "Sarum Use" -- this is the traditional
that uses blue for Advent, which is what we use in my parish. The
Sarum Advent wreath has four blue candles.
Blessings, Eric in KS
Hi! I really like the discussion line, so far. I'm thinking of
preaching the tension found in John's reaction to Jesus in Matthew 3
and the one in Matthew 11. To me, it seems that John, although an
extraordinary individual, was still very human. He needed to be
reasurred again that Jesus was indeed the One to come.
I am also confirming 7 youth this coming Sunday and want to find some
connection point between the kids and the gospel reading. Perhaps
seeing the humanity of John - his uncertainty even though he
personally knew Jesus - might be able to be worked into a message of
hope and perserverance. If John could have doubts, then certainly you
will have doubts. But that doesn't mean you need to give up. YOu can
devote your life to Christ, too. When the doubts come, remember that
even people like John had doubts. But they held fast and they didn't
give up.
Anyway, I may do something along that line, if I can do it while
maintain the integrity of the text. Any insights along this line?
Thanks to all of you for your inspired thoughts.
Mel in NE
I vaguely recall from my Christian History classes that Judaean coins
minted during the time of Herod had a reed pictured on one side -- the
reed was Herod's symbol, sort of like the thistle is Scotland's
symbol, the shamrock Ireland's, the rose was the Tudor's, and so
forth. Thus, Jesus' comment about a reed shaking in the wind may have
been a reference to the ruling monarch. Does anyone else recall
something along these lines?
Thanks and blessings, Eric in KS
Greg in Nashville, I somehow missed your comment when I was at this
site earlier. You bring up an interesting contrast between the methods
of Jesus and those of John the Baptist. I, for one, am certainly glad
that John didn't turn our to be the Messiah instead of Jesus! What a
different world it would be! :) God is good and God is wise!!
Eric in KS, Thanks for the historical info. on why some of us use the
rose candle. I don't recall ever hearing that before. I saw that
someone else on this site called the rose candle the "angel's candle."
I don't remember ever hearing that either. I was always told that it
was the LOVE candle and represented the Love that came at Christmas in
the form of Jesus. If I may, I think I'll pass the historical
background on to my churches. I'm sure they'll find it interesting!
Thank you!
Mel in NE
We don't know what to expect, and perhaps the very test of our
discipleship is our willingness to follow Christ on faith even when
all signs might shed some doubt. Seems that this is also where John
is, spiritually - after all, he IS in PRISON! Being put in prison
would be reasonable cause to doubt ourselves. At least I certainly
wouldn't fault John for it!!!
We don't know the day or hour, we don't know peace ... heck, we
sometimes don't even behave as if we know Jesus is Lord and need to be
called into repentance! So, all we can do is draw near in faith -
through the surprises, through the disappointments, and through the
things we don't understand.
Sally in GA
If your belief system has faith on one side and doubt on the other
side, then when a super hero such as John has a doubt or two it gets
hard to handle. But if your system says faith and doubt go together,
aka "Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief!" then doubt is something
that strengthens faith.
John was in a whole mess of trouble, and probably knew his head was
about to be seperated from his body, time to get belief structures in
proper focus. His faith caused him to take his doubts to the right
place, Jesus in whom he believed.
We can't do much better than that, at the point of death, doubt,
dispair, or anything else that wants to seperate us from our beliefs,
reach out to Jesus, the author of our beliefs. Heltoni in SC
Taceaux inNC, I agree with Harrell in Texas not because he is a Texan,
but I do not think that John had doubts as to whom the messiah was. He
probably grew up with Jesus as they are kinsmen. However I think that
John had trouble with his own disciples who thought he was the
messiah. If Jesus' disciples were often confused and they had the Lord
God incarnate as their teacher how much more so the disciples of John.
John sent them to Jesus so that they could hear the truth from him and
what did Jesus say, "the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the
lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor
have good news brought to them." We don't find out what the followers
of John did next, but hopefully some recognized the Lord in His words.
Deke in Texas - Pace e Bene
Taceaux inNC, I agree with Harrell in Texas not because he is a Texan,
but I do not think that John had doubts as to whom the messiah was. He
probably grew up with Jesus as they are kinsmen. However I think that
John had trouble with his own disciples who thought he was the
messiah. If Jesus' disciples were often confused and they had the Lord
God incarnate as their teacher how much more so the disciples of John.
John sent them to Jesus so that they could hear the truth from him and
what did Jesus say, "the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the
lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor
have good news brought to them." We don't find out what the followers
of John did next, but hopefully some recognized the Lord in His words.
Deke in Texas - Pace e Bene
I want to explore a little further this concept of waiting.
The power and the pain of promise is dependent upon the waiting
period. The longer you wait, the more power, but also the more pain
there is in the promise of what is to come.
Just watch little children waiting to open their Christmas presents.
The longer they wait the more the agony seems to build, and yet the
more powerful the expectations.
Talk with women waiting to have their baby. They desire the day to
come, but there is also the trepidation of what that might involve.
The tension builds, and often full-term mothers are emotional wrecks
at the onset of labour.
Ask any man who has asked a girl out, or proposed and they will tell
you that the agony of waiting for the response.
Yet waiting is a valuable mark of love. The ability to wait is
essential in any loving relationship.
John is responding to some of that pain. What if the answer to his
question is NO. Jesus hasn't made it quite clear whether he is the one
or not, and in fact it could be argued, never fully does until the
cross. Sadly John never got to see that day.
I am reminded here of the difference, between this response and the
response of Simeon and Anna in Luke's gospel, who knew it even though
Jesus was only a child. (I know, there is discussion about whether
this was a familiar greeting to all Jewish children.) Their waiting
was just as painful however, and in Jesus' case the wait of thirty
years to reveal his true identity must have been just as painful.
I think there is a lot of merit in the Church's use of Advent as a
season of waiting. It builds the expectation and the power of the
Christmas message. But it carries the pain of realising that we are
still waiting for the fulfilment of God's vision for His world.
Thank-you everyone for a great discussion. I always enjoy the various
conversations that go on in a week's postings.
Regards,
KGB in Aussie.
I'm tired of waiting for Christmas. I'm tired of Advent. I want babies
and shepherds and kings and love, joy and peace.
I'm tired of taking my kids hither thither and yon and having all the
church activities (and we don't have many) intrude on our family time
together.
I want two weeks off of work -- not just one.
But, am I ready for Christmas? No way. The house is a mess, my husband
has the flu, my daughter thinks she's coming down with it and
nothing's wrapped. But then I wouldn't be ready for Christmas if it
was NEXT year this time. There's too much other stuff to do to get
ready.
No wonder John asked "are you the one to come?" He was tired of
waiting! He was tired. And he had too much other stuff to do to waste
it on Jesus if Jesus wasn't the one.
Just thoughts (tired ones).
RevJan
RevJan, your post made me think of something from my past - an early
Rolling Stones song, "I Am Waiting." For sure Jagger and Richards were
not writing about the coming of Christ but the words do express the
pain of waiting on the Lord. Peace and blessings on you and your
family - may the flu bug leave your home and all be well during this
holy season of Advent - Christmas and Epiphany. May God bless you and
your work. - Deke in Texas Pace e Bene
I am waiting, I am waiting / Oh yeah, oh yeah
Waiting for someone to come out of somewhere
You can't hold out, you can't hold out / Oh yeah, oh yeah
See it come along and don't know where it's from / Oh yes, you will
find out Well it happens all the time, it's censored from our minds /
You'll find out
Slow or fast, slow or fast / Oh yeah, oh yeah / End at last, end at
last /Oh yeah, oh yeah
Stand up coming years and escalation fears / Oh yes we will find out
/Well like a withered stone, fears will pierce your bones / You'll
find out
Oh we're waiting, oh we're waiting / Oh yeah, oh yeah
Oh we're waiting, oh were waiting...
-- Mick Jagger & Keith Richards
Great discussion, I am wondering if John wanted some kind of miricle,
(get out of jail). Did he want a King on a horse now. Is John like us,
we get into trouble and yell, if your the one.... thoughts after
baking cookies shopping and wrapping, my son called coming home with
the family a couple of days early... I need a wife! Nancy-Wi
To my brothers in Texas (Deke and Harrill)
Thanks for your response. I have no doubt that John's disciples were
confused. I even agree that the intent of Jesus' answer to John was to
let his actions speak the truth of his identity. Certainly, the
Messsiah is revealed in the power he wields over our lives. BUT, (and
this has nothing to do with your being from Texas) I am not convinced
that John was not asking this question on his own. In verse 6 Jesus
says "And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me." Could it be
that John was offended by Jesus' ministry. Could it be that John who
had preached of the wrath that was to come was tired of waiting for
Jesus to get started. Perhaps the whole point of this discourse is to
speak to those of us who do not understand God's mission of grace.
John was innocently rotting his short future away in prison -- could
it be that he was offended by the delay of God's judgement? Perhaps
Advent involves more than waiting for God to come. Perhaps advent
calls us to watch and listen for God's word of truth as it is revealed
in his activity among us. As great and powerful as John was, we are to
see far greater than him in the kingdom of God.
Grace and Peace to you all,
TACEAUX in NC
The good discussion continues. TACEAUX in NC I wondered about that
verse: "Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me." I am sure that
many of the disciples and possibly John and for sure Judas Iscariot
questioned why Jesus did the things He did. He did act kinda strange
for a king, much less The King. I think that verse speaks to us as
well. I heard many question "why" God let the events happen during
September 11th. Why God allows pain and suffering. Blessed is he who
keeps the faith and trust in God. In due time our questions will be
answered. I think I am going to focus on "waiting for Christmas and
waiting on my Savior" for this Suday's sermon but still in the
thinking stage. Does anyone have a good waiting for Christmas story. I
normally open with a story to get folks thinking. Keep up the good
thoughts, you folks are getting me to use my wee brain, Thanks and God
Bless! Harrell in Texas
I had another thought: When Jesus told John's disciples to go and tell
John "what you see and hear" "the blind see, the lame walk, leapers
cleansed, deaf hear, dead are raised.... These are the qualities of
the Messiah, these are the actions of the One to come. What about us?
If someone wondered if we were a Christian or not. Could people tell
by looking and listening to us. Do we let Christian qualities show
when we are not in a Church setting? How do we act in long lines
waiting to check out at the store, or in our work place? Not sure
where this fits, but? Harrell in Texas
An interesting juxtaposition of lessons this week...
James writes in the Epistle Lesson: "As an example of suffering and
patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the
Lord."
Here in the Gospel we see a prophet, John, who seems to be anything
but patient! He really wants to know and he wants to know now!
I'm reminded of that silly prayer, "Lord, give me patience... and give
it to me NOW!"
Blessings, Eric in KS
(1)In Matthew's frame of reference: what influence or role does this
sacred story have to do with the Jewish community who believed Jesus
to be the Messiah Cone,i.e.the Christ,-(a community of faith deeply
rooted in Jewish Torah tradition on one hand, yet becoming the new
ekklesia (church people of God) on the other)-and left so to speak
everything "waiting" for his quick "return/coming"...yet Jesus in
post-crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension did NOT return....and
thus this early church people of God were growing impatient in their
"waiting". what do we do with the "absence" of God in the process of
"awakening" to his "Sacred presence"? (2)The significant "paradigm
shift" FROM John's "Jonah-like" firey Judgement Day expectation of the
"way" the Kingdom was to come TO the dawning of that Kingdom in the
agape love of a "Wounded Healer" suffering at the Beautiful Temple
gate with those on the "outside" in the diseases of leprosy, aids,
...changing his bandages, one bandage at a time so that he is always
ready to help the others (Hasdimism's story of the "Wounded Healer"
concerning the Messiah who has already come and whose Sacred Presence
is among us somewhere although to our unknowing. (3) The value of
ownership of real "questions", authentic existential questions, has
something to do with "answers", affirmations, faith positions which
are living, functional, dynamic. Sometimes we are so raised with the
"answers" we don't even know what the "question" is and as a
consequence our "anserws", faith, is an empty-formality. Doubt is a
significant imperative in the process of inquiry! Deep learning in the
soul has to do with "paradigm shifts", forging new frames of
orientation, new windows of the soul, out of which to see and
meaning-make, covenant-make, connecting us in communion,
communication, and community. (4) I belive the birth of the early
church, this new people of God, out of the mother Judaism, expecting
the messiah's immanient return, is the historical context to which
this sacred story speaks. John is in someways like both Moses and
Elijah. Like Moses he is the last of the old kingdom, buried outside
the promised land at the edge of the wilderness, so that the
new-Joshua (the name Jesus comes from the name Joshua)-may lead the
new people of God into the new/now coming age of the Promisedland
realized fulfilling in a new Covenant all that the old was about in
Law and Prophecy, a New Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. (PaideiaSCO
brainstorming on the Matthewian context...care to all "brainstorming"
is still a "storm"!)
"Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me" It does seem to me that
this summary statment by Jesus is the key to this pericope. It's the
last statement Jesus makes that is directed specifically to John's
disciples. After he says it, they disperse and Jesus talks to the rest
of the crowd ABOUT John. Blessings on those who aren't offended by my
ministry, says Jesus. And then John's disciples leave. They go back to
the man they've followed with the deeds of Jesus on their minds. The
healings and cleansings and rebirths that they have seen and heard
about are Jesus' only reply to their boss's question. And these
healings, cleansings, etc. are all explicitly mentioned by Jesus'
favorite prophet Isaiah (29:18-19; 35:5-6; 61:1). Jesus seems to say
that the message of Isaiah can't be superceded by John's message (even
though, remember, Jesus also parroted John's message of repentance as
the very first proclamation of his ministry: "Repent, for the Kingdom
of Heaven is at hand" Mt 4:17). This means, finally, that
notwithstanding Jesus' high estimation of John as a great prophet,
someone (namely Jesus himself) has come who exceeds all of John's
expectations. In this blessing, then, Jesus seems to bless two groups:
Blessed are those, including John, who don't try to squeeze me into
their prejudices (even their good ones). And blessed are those who
don't hold my prejudices (for the poor, the lame, the helpless, the
lepers, et. al.) against me. It would seem that this blessing,
particularly in the context of Matthew's gospel, is a key to
understanding Jesus' vocation, and to understanding why those of us
who fancy ourselves to be healthy, "well-adjusted" folk must again and
again work at not being offended that Jesus came to hang out with
misbehaving, unpolished, imperfect people. My sermon will be called
"Taking no offense."
"Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me" It does seem to me that
this summary statment by Jesus is the key to this pericope. It's the
last statement Jesus makes that is directed specifically to John's
disciples. After he says it, they disperse and Jesus talks to the rest
of the crowd ABOUT John. Blessings on those who aren't offended by my
ministry, says Jesus. And then John's disciples leave. They go back to
the man they've followed with the deeds of Jesus on their minds. The
healings and cleansings and rebirths that they have seen and heard
about are Jesus' only reply to their boss's question. And these
healings, cleansings, etc. are all explicitly mentioned by Jesus'
favorite prophet Isaiah (29:18-19; 35:5-6; 61:1). Jesus seems to say
that the message of Isaiah can't be superceded by John's message (even
though, remember, Jesus also parroted John's message of repentance as
the very first proclamation of his ministry: "Repent, for the Kingdom
of Heaven is at hand" Mt 4:17). This means, finally, that
notwithstanding Jesus' high estimation of John as a great prophet,
someone (namely Jesus himself) has come who exceeds all of John's
expectations. In this blessing, then, Jesus seems to bless two groups:
Blessed are those, including John, who don't try to squeeze me into
their prejudices (even their good ones). And blessed are those who
don't hold my prejudices (for the poor, the lame, the helpless, the
lepers, et. al.) against me. It would seem that this blessing,
particularly in the context of Matthew's gospel, is a key to
understanding Jesus' vocation, and to understanding why those of us
who fancy ourselves to be healthy, "well-adjusted" folk must again and
again work at not being offended that Jesus came to hang out with
misbehaving, unpolished, imperfect people. My sermon will be called
"Taking no offense." Stophe in Blacksburg SC
I think John honestly doubted that Jesus was the Messiah and rightly
so. He was surely picturing the "great and terrible Day of the Lord"
as foretold by the earlier prophets. I think that he was expecting the
establishment of the ruling Messiah and doubts crept in as he faced
his own demise.
John preached judgement because the prophets foretold judgement! And
that happened. The sky darkened and the earth quaked and the
foundations shook while Jesus was on the cross. The judgement and "day
of wrath" did occur and Jesus of Nazerath bore it in his being.
John doubted and so do we. We want justice and God offers us
justification. del in Ia
Could verse 5 be the key? How about the whole idea of Jubilee? Sounds
like Jubilee to me! Good news to the poor... Matthew is into
fulfillment of scripture. Verse 5 is also that! To a Jewish audience
fulfillment of scripture would have been very important. And how about
a reed shaking in the wind? I am going to meddle here. How many of us
are like reeds in the wind, preaching what the people want to hear
instead of what they need to hear? I am not pointing fingers, because
they are also point at me! Yes, I do shy away from difficult topics.
PH in OH
As I said in the Hebrew testament section, I do not think that doubt
makes John's faith any less, but we all have questions and to find the
answer for outselves makes our faith that much stronger. I will use
part of that as my children's sermon, because I do not want them to
think that their faith is any less because they have questions. In
fact I encourage them to ask the quesitons and then to find out the
answers for them selves. It builds their faith. MR in NY
John preached repentence or the fire. He stayed in the remote area of
the wilderness, and limited himself to a strict diet. He pointed his
finger at everyone. And along came Jesus, eating and drinking and
laughing in the homes of the very people John condemned. Is there any
wonder John is having second thoughts. "Jesus, are you really the
Messiah? How could you be acting like this?" How many times has
Christmas been filled with things we didn't expect, didn't want,
didn't understand. How many times has Christ not acted the way we
thought he should? Is it really the Christ who invites us to embrace
instead of isolate, to forgive instead of seek revenge, to invite
instead of send away? jp
It seems to me that Jesus ate at the homes of the same people that
john received in his baptism of repentance. Those that John preached
strongly against, Pharisees and Saducees, are the same ones that Jesus
spoke harshly to. Deke in Tx -- Pace e Bene
Are you really who you say you are? John asks the question of Jesus
through John's disciples. Jesus could well ask each of us that same
question? Are you who (we) say you are? I preached that you would
bring judgment and throw into the fire all who did not produce good
fruit.
Jesus says to us, "Are you who you say you are?" I preached peace and
acceptance of all regardless of race, gender, life circumstances,
sexual preference, religion, etc. Are you who call yourselves
"Christian" following my Way?
We would do well this Advent to step back - like John - and take stock
of how we are living out what we say we believe. Not "wrapping"
anything up here (literally as well as figuritively 12 days before
Christmas!); but, like John, asking more questions!
Peace to all, Betty in NY
My understanding of the rose candle for the Third Sunday is found in
the first reading from Isaiah: "The desert shall rejoice and
blossom;like the crocus...". A previous translation of "crocus" was
"rose".
Gene, another Texan
Gene from Texas: "My understanding of the rose candle for the Third
Sunday is found in the first reading from Isaiah: 'The desert shall
rejoice and blossom;like the crocus...'. A previous translation of
'crocus' was 'rose'. "
If the modern lectionary had been in use for several centuries, this
would explain the use of the color rose one year out of three ... but
the use of the rose colored vestments and candle predates the adoption
of this lectionary by several hundreds of years.
Still ... it's a useful homiletic link....
Blessings, Eric in KS
TO: PaideiaSco (where is that 'north ga mts'?)
a quantum paradigm shift is emerging. established institutions like
religions,nations,universities,etc have no choice if they are
committed authenticcally in search for THE TRUTH other than this
painfull kenosis process. We Indonesians are in real 'advent' in the
sense of PaideiaSco's 'waiting for strangers' and we need alot of
discipline for those 'kairos'. rustam_al@yahoo.com ,Jakarta
Dec.13,2001
I used to think I knew what all the colored candles meant. I had heard
the rose/pink candle referred as Mary's candle, or the Joy candle
because it always corresponded to the Annunciation lection. Of course,
that announcement came from an angel, so calling it the Angel candle
seems o.k. too. But sometimes that lection seemed to fall on the 4th
rather than the 3rd Sunday. Hmmm...
And some said the purple candles were symbolic of the royalty of the
coming infant-king while others said it was to remind us of the
penetential nature of the season. Then I heard some folks were moving
to blue to differentiate Advent from Lent. Hmmm...
I got so confused that last year I made a wreath with 1 blue, 1 pink,
and 2 different shades of purple candles, 1 a reddish bruise color and
the other a royal blue-violet. Then wek by week I explained all the
meanings wrapped up in Advent suggested by colors in worship. Hmmm...
I always use a big central white candle to light on Christmas eve, but
now I hear some replace all the blue/pink/purple candle with white for
Christmas. Hmmm...
Given all this confusion over candles, is it any wonder John could
have questions concerning Jesus? Hmmm... tom in TN(USA)
And Jesus answered them: "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the
blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the
deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to
them."
Does it really matter what color candles we use as long as we preach
the great Good News? While it is good to follow tradition (old and
new) especially in this time of unrest, it is by our fruits we are
known, not by our candles, is it not? Peace, Betty in NY
Betty in NY asked the pointed and profound question: "Does it really
matter what color candles we use as long as we preach the great Good
News? While it is good to follow tradition (old and new) especially in
this time of unrest, it is by our fruits we are known, not by our
candles, is it not?"
Being an Anglican, I, of course, answer Betty's first querie: "Yes and
no."
tom in TN(USA) posted a long bit about different colors of candles and
I nearly replied to him, but now that Betty has asked her searching
question, I will definitely respond in greater detail.
Obviously, it doesn't matter what colors we use, although we have
these traditional calendars that give us seasonal colors. I don't
really believe that God cares one wit whether the altar, the pulpit
and the clergy are draped in colored cloth, or whether there are or
aren't candles or what colors they are. So in that sense, the answer
to Betty's question is "No." But that, as far as I am concerned, is
not the point. For me, the point in using colored vestments, candles
-- colored or otherwise, flowers, greenery, incense ("Horrors!" some
exclaim), bells, musical instruments, and so forth, is to enhance the
worship experience of God's people! In worship we (should) offer to
God our whole selves and the best of our whole selves. To make such an
offering means to involve the whole self in the worship experience;
colors, flowers, smells, sounds, etc. involve all of the senses and
thus represent the involvement of the total self. I once had a book by
Lutheran Bishop Kirster Stendahl in which he referred to all this
liturgical "stuff" as "holy play" (I can't recall the title of the
book and I can't seem to find it on my shelf today) -- that's what the
seasonal calendar, the colored vestments, the candles, and the rest
are for -- enhancing the "play" element of worship (and, I suppose,
one can take that word "play" in two ways -- either as "stage
production" or as "fun and games" -- I generally interpret it as the
latter).
However, one should not make use of liturgical "stuff" unadvisedly! My
liturgics professor, the Rev. Dr. Louis Weil, one of the great lights
of the study of worship in the Anglican world, offered a practicum in
how to preside at the Eucharist (referred to colloquially at my
seminary as "Mass Class" or "Magic Hands"). He would take three or
four students to the chapel and have each "celebrate" a mock
Eucharist, doing all the manual acts they thought they should be
doing. Of course, nearly everyone did what they had seen their parish
priests do. Louis would stop students at various points and say, "What
are doing? Why are you doing what you are doing?" He frequently made
the point that it was OK to do something IFF (mathematical "iff"
meaning "if and only if") one knew the whys and wherefores of the
action. This meant understanding liturgical history, the meaning of
ritual movement, the symbolism of the gesture or color or item, and so
forth. When these are understood, then the gesture, color, or
whatever, takes on meaning and becomes part of the offering to God.
Making use of the color appropriate to the mood or sense of a season
becomes part of offering to God a "whole" or "pure" worship. Its sort
of the difference between offering an unblemished cow or one with
faults. Scripture commends us to offer the unblemished sacrifice. So
in the sense of trying to make the best offering to God that we can
make, the answer to Betty's question is "yes."
I once walked into our church on a Saturday morning and witnessed (and
ended up refereeing) an argument between to members of the altar guild
about the placement of candles on the high altar. One was insisting
that they had to be placed "just so" -- the other arguing that it
really didn't matter to God and they could be placed any old way. I
suggested that both were correct. It doesn't matter to God, but it
matters to the person sitting in the pew. What do they expect to see
when they come into the church? (sort of the same question Jesus asks
of those who went to see John...) When they come into a church do they
expect to see "the beauty of holiness" -- represented by all the "holy
play" items used in a way which is "decent" and "in order" so that
their involved senses are lifted heavenward.... or just some stuff
thrown together without thought to symbolism and meaning? Obviously,
I'm couching in the question in a way to get a particular answer, but
that's my point.
I would rather a church NOT use vestments, colors, bells, smells, and
whatever than that they be used without appreciation for their history
and meaning. Used well, this "holy play" can be like a prophet,
communicating beauty and truth in a way that mere words cannot ...
used poorly, these things detract from the worship experience, detract
from connection with God.
OK .. I've rambled on enough. The simple answer -- which I tell people
when they ask about kneeling, genuflecting, making the sign of the
cross and so forth -- is this: If it helps your spirituality, do it.
If it doesn't, don't bother.
Blessings, Eric in KS
I woke up last night thinking about the "key" to getting out of
prision. Jesus Christ. When we see ourselves through the eyes of God,
totally and unconditionaly lovable we break apart the thinging and
ideas that keep is apart.
I also thought of the game monopoly and the get out of Jail free card
as a possible intro story.
Nancy-Wi
When we think that we shouldn't have doubts or questions and bury
them, they eat away at the foundations of our faith. When we bring
those doubts and questions to Jesus, He responds in a way that
stregthens our faith! Bringing the questions out into the light is an
act of faith!!
This is my first contribution, although I have been learning much from
all of you for a long time! Last week someone offered a service of
lessons and carols and I missed it. Could you give your e-mail address
again. Thanks. Jane in Spring Valley
I don't know if anyone else is using Luke 1:47-55 next week, If you
are I am encouraging anyone to keep posting over there this coming
week. Nancy-Wi
Friday morning.....the candle question has come to my parish as well.
I refuse to go out and buy new colored candles that are used only for
Advent and then look "used" next year when you see that they are only
burnt down 2 inches or so. I wrote for weeks in the bulletin that
folks could use any color candle that they wanted. My liturgy prof
said one color would be better since it is one season of Advent. I
just used white altar candles and shared that white represents the
purity of Christ. In some countries they use red to show that Christ
shed His Blood on the Cross for our sins. Seems variety would be good
for many of our congregations since "we've got to do it this way" or
"we've never done it that way before" seems to take over in some
places of worship instead of a deep desire to grow closer to Christ.
God bless.....Fr in Ia.
Great discussion! I'm thinking about looking at the value of doubting.
As one who made a short detour to Unitarian Universalism, doubting
ended up re-affirming my beliefs and helped me develop a more personal
relationship with God. Sermon title is "Room for Doubt?" I think there
is. One question, what is the "ENS quote?" lh in nj
Thanks to KGB in Aussie and RevJan for your thoughts on waiting and
being tired of Advent. Together with some poetry about waiting, and
susan in sanpedro's "new twist on 1 Corinthians" (on the discussion
site) quite literally have become my sermon for this Sunday. Staying
home with the flu, I just can't think much for myself, so I built on
your foundations. Thanks again.
Blessings, Eric in KS
Eric in KS, tom in TN posted a LONG bit?!?!?!?
I am glad you did reply 'round about. And I appreciate the attitude of
using whatever means something. We do too much in church not knowing
why. Either stop it or learn why. I favor learning why. Then when we
do whatever we do, we think. Thinking is good. Play is good,
especially holy play. Last week I did a sermon on why we use Christmas
trees and ended up helping someone who had long felt a tree was
inappropriate in the sanctuary (too secular and commercial). New
thinking made it meaningful rather than bothersome.
You mentioned "what people expect to see" as a related to the question
Jesus asked of the crowd, about John. It also relates to the question
John sent via his disciples. John expected the Messiah he predicted,
winnowing the chaff into the fire. Jesus reminds him of the other
parts of prophesy, the healing and helping. He doesn't chastise John
for lack of faith or narrow expectations, he just says, "Go tell John
what you see." I imagine John saw it too, once it was pointed out. Tom
in TN(USA)
Hey. I am going to preach on this passage...As I was mediating the
song, that Mark Lowery wrote "Mary did you know?" just popped in my
head! hmmm colleration between mary did you know and John did you
know...well, of course they did! this passage and question for the
benefit of those 12 newly called disciples...and the question is for
us! People today do you know?
And by the way The upper room says United Methodists are to use 4
purple candles in the advent wreath not 3 purple 1 pink anymore, we
are not Catholic!!! LOL So my Charge is using 4 purple now!!!
-ladypreacher in OH
"And by the way The upper room says United Methodists are to use 4
purple candles in the advent wreath not 3 purple 1 pink anymore, we
are not Catholic!!! LOL So my Charge is using 4 purple now!!!"
There you go ... turning your backs on tradition again! Sheesh... if
John Wesley had known what he was starting ... rolling in his Anglican
grave, I fancy.
LOL -- Eric (the Anglican) in KS
PS -- When did "The Upper Room" start setting policy in the UMC?
Eric, I love your liturgical-ness. Keep it up. We all need to be
reminded that there is a reason, if "only" historical for most of what
we do, or don't do in church.
My understanding of the Advent candles is that there is no one, set,
universal pattern. It's kind of make up what you will, as long as it
has meaning. I've used shepherd, angel, Bethlehem and prophet candles.
I've used peace, love, joy, hope. None in that order. I've written
parts of the liturgy for lighting, stolen parts of the liturgy, and
revised several to make one. But I agree with Eric, what ever you do,
do it for a clear reason, and make the reason clear.
So we were all sick at home on Tuesday, my daughter went to the doctor
on Wednesday - ear infection - and now I'm farther behind than I was
before. Just came back from an office party with the staff at my
school. Quite a different bunch with a few beers in them than during
the day! I thought how different our celebration at this party was
than the church's celebration. . . .
I've been thinking this week, I'm not ready for Christmas, I'm tired
of Advent. I think John was too, tired of waiting. He "knew" Jesus,
knew what the Messiah was "supposed" to look like. But Jesus didn't
look like that Messiah. John knew the story of Jesus' birth, probably
knew him as a kid, as a pimply faced-teenager. No wonder he asked are
you (really?) the one who is to come?
If Christmas came today, if the Messiah came, would I know it? What am
I looking for? What am I expecting? How would I know?
Just thoughts.
RevJan
One last final post for the week.
Eric in KS, thanks for the encouragement that words posted on this
site, strike a chord with someone. For me that is great reward as I
attempt to provide a message that is meaningful and relevant to my
audience, and yet is true and faithful to God's original intention.
You have my blessing to use the words God has provided to me on the
subject.
As I prepare to recommence full-time ministry, I have had plenty of
time to consider what does it mean to wait on God. It seems in my
ministry that I am constantly waiting for God. I wait for answer to
prayer, I wait for solutions to problems, I wait for revelation from
Scripture. But I also find that if I wait too much, I become slothful.
It's like waiting for someone to tell you something that you already
know. (You know when children get up to mischief and you want them to
own up. A very frustrating and anxious waiting time.) To wait too
long, is to miss the opportunity. So I must maintain a balance.
For me John, arrives at that point of balance in Sunday's gospel. I
have waited. The answer to my question has not been confirmed. I must
act myself and ask the question.
And in so doing, not only he, but a whole range of others, discover
far more than they might have if they had waited. So often our
questions, whether out of frustration or impatience, provide the
necessary foundation, for us and others to find that God has responded
to our need.
I've had an interesting week, with just a touch of embarassment, but
it has been fruitful waiting for your replies each day. Keep up the
insightful discussion.
What are you going out to experience in Church this week-end?
Regards,
KGB.
Two thoughts to chew on, and respond. 1)When I read the geneolaogy of
Christ in Matthew, it tells of Christ's lineage from Abraham through
the tribe of Judah. In the first chapter of Luke verse 5 it says that
Zechariah and Elizabeth were from the priestly division of Abijah, or
the tribe of Levi. That being said how then are John the Baptist and
Jesus kinsmen?
2)I had heard somewhere that the possible doubt of John the Baptist
was due to the fact that he was put in prison right after the baptism,
and prior to Jesus' ministry beginning. Which would mean that he never
saw Jesus in action. All John knew was what he had been told by his
own disciples.
How does this float? cb in ttown
cb in ttown asked, "When I read the geneolaogy of Christ in Matthew,
it tells of Christ's lineage from Abraham through the tribe of Judah.
In the first chapter of Luke verse 5 it says that Zechariah and
Elizabeth were from the priestly division of Abijah, or the tribe of
Levi. That being said how then are John the Baptist and Jesus
kinsmen?"
Funny you should ask.... To begin with, the Matthean geneology is
patrilineal, it traces Jesus' ancestry through Joseph (a seemingly
strange thing to do given that Joseph is supposed to be NOT Jesus
father, merely a foster-parent). So the kinship relationship between
Jesus and John is matrilineal -- in fact, Luke 1:36 reads (Gabriel to
Mary): "And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also
conceived a son ..." (NRSV, older versions, as I recall, use "cousin"
rather than "relative.")
I recently discovered a little meditation based on the Orthodox
liturgical calendar which denotes this past Wednesday as the
commemoration of "the admission of the Virgin to the temple." Most (if
not all) of the following is extra-biblical, but as legend it helps
explain how Mary got a husband from the tribe of Judah:
"On this day, we commemorate the admission of the Blessed Virgin Mary
to the Temple in Jerusalem. She was then three years old as she was a
consecration to the Lord.
"Her mother Anna was childless. The other women kept themselves away
from her in the Temple. She and her righteous husband Joachim were
exceedingly sad. Anna prayed to God with a lowly heart saying, 'If You
give me a child I shall dedicate it to You.' The Lord God answered her
prayers and gave her this pure saint and she called her Mary.
"Anna reared her for three years after which she took her to live with
the virgins in the Temple. Saint Mary dwelt in the sanctuary for
twelve years. She was fed from the hands of angels until the time when
our Lord Jesus came into the world and was Incarnated of this elect of
all women.
"After that, the Priests counseled together concerning to whom they
might give to protect her for she was consecrated to God; they were
not allowed to keep her in the Temple after this age.
"They decided that she be officially engaged to a man who could look
after her. They gathered twelve righteous men from the Tribe of Judah
from which to choose. The Priests took the staffs of these men to the
Temple. A dove flew and rested on the staff of Joseph the carpenter.
They realized that this matter was from God.
"Joseph took the Virgin Mary to his household and she dwelt with him
until the Archangel Gabriel gave her the good tiding and told her that
the Son of God was incarnated of her, for the salvation of the human
race."
Cute, huh?
Blessings, Eric in KS
SERMON FOR ADVENT THREE 2001 Is35 1-10; Ps146 5-10; Matt11 2-11
It was not so long ago that the Gospel reading was from the third
chapter of Matthew where the account of Jesus’ baptism by John was
told.
John has been preaching to the crowds out in the desert about
returning to God’s ways, obey the commandments, that they should
repent of their sins; that the Messiah was coming.
John had told the crowd that “I baptise you with water but one who is
more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his
sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire”.
It is not too long after that that Jesus himself goes out into the
desert to see John.
John, recognising Jesus, is taken aback when Jesus asks to be baptised
in the Jordan.
He says to Jesus “I need to be baptised by you, and you come to me?”
Shortly this event John is thrown into prison.
Whilst there he hears on the grapevine what is going on in the
country. Jesus has begun his ministry.
But what has happened to John?
Has he lost the plot?
He sends some of his followers to Jesus with instructions to ask him
“Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”
Is this the same John who not so long before had baptised Jesus in the
river Jordan?
What has happened to this tough, hard, vibrant and outspoken man of
God?
He is in prison!
I don’t know if any of you have ever been inside a prison.
I have.
And it is not a nice place. (Before you ask I was just visiting!)
And the prisons of today are a far cry from the days of John and
Jesus. Then prisoners were held in the most dreadful conditions, dark,
dank, damp, stinking places. If the words “Abandon hope all ye who
enter herein” had been above the entrance it would have been fitting,
as for many people it was the end; they died there!
And even someone as famous as John would not have been treated very
well.
Being incarcerated, as he was John may have felt that he had been
abandoned by God.
Even someone as strong as John may well has found his faith being
tested. That is why, I contend, he sent his followers to Jesus with
the question “Who are you”?
The message Jesus sends back is straight out of the mouth of the
prophet Isaiah when he spoke of Israel’s deliverance:
They will see the glory of the LORD, the splendour of our God.
Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are
weak, Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God, he comes with vindication; With divine recompense he
comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears
of the deaf be cleared; Then will the lame leap like a stag, then the
tongue of the dumb will sing.
John, who knew the scriptures well, would have recognised that passage
and may well have had his faith restored by those words, coming from
Jesus.
There are times when I doubt my faith. When I wonder what it is all
about. And I suspect I am not alone in having those thoughts.
And we are not in prison.
Or are we?
Could we, I wonder, be in prison cells of our own making?
Ones we have made out of our desire to seek God so hard that we have
built impenetrable walls around ourselves, blackened the windows of
our souls so that the light cannot get through and shut the door on
the world around us that is so much the creation of God.
In the very core of our being we expect God to come to us in some way.
We expect some blinding flash similar to the one that Paul saw on the
road to Damascus.
When He does not “come” to us as we hoped we feel lost. We feel that
something has been taken from us.
We feel we have been deprived!
But God does not come to us in that fashion. Or not usually anyway!
We have to wait for him, be patient and await “Divine Self
Disclosure”.
In this modern world people expect things to happen just like that!
(Snap fingers)
God is not like that.
He wants us to know Him, to be his children. But he does not force His
way upon us.
He waits for us to come to him.
So how do we do it – how do we get close to God?
There is a clue in the title of the Anthony Newly musical “Stop the
world, I want to get off”.
There is another in the words of the hymn “Be still for the presence
of the Lord”?
Both of these give us a clue as to how to get closer to God.
Shut the world and all its hustle and bustle out.
We must give ourselves over to Him. To surrender our lives to Him
Then we shall hear the still, small voice of calm, the voice of God.
At that time we shall experience that feeling of peace that only comes
from God, our Heavenly Father. Peace that comes from having absolute
trust in someone – God Himself.
Soon we shall be celebrating the birth of our Saviour. Jesus, God’s
own Son.
That time when God did the unthinkable and took human form.
Wouldn’t it make a really great Christmas if we could celebrate Jesus
birth, having removed our prison walls, unlocked the cell door and
cleaned the windows of our souls and then met him in the very depth of
our being?
Then we could become beacons of light that would shine out and show
those around us that being followers of Christ, Christians, does not
mean being dull and boring. It means being caring loving people.
We should follow the example set us by Jesus.
We should be one of those who go the extra mile to help their fellow
human beings; helping those who do in trouble, under stress, at their
wits end, not knowing how to cope.
We should be like John the Baptist, vibrant, outspoken people who care
for all God’s creation and show it in the way we live our lives.
That would be a really splendid birthday present for Jesus!
After all, He gave himself for us.
AMEN
From Roger Miles, St. Mary the Virgin, Gosport, UK
