Reflection: Going to Church with Jesus (January 27, 2013)

The 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany
Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10; 1 Cor. 12:12-31a; Luke 4:16-30


“Going to church” is a way that we commonly refer to attending and (hopefully) participating in worship. Going to church has been a part of American culture for generations. But, like so many things in our culture, it isn't what it used to be. In order to attract people to worship or keep worship from “becoming boring,” churches have changed worship, introduced novelties, and even replaced it with entertainment. It seems that many Christians who grew up asking “What would Jesus do?” haven’t given much thought to how Jesus worshiped and what that means for us. Imagine what we could learn if we could go to church with Jesus.

In today’s Gospel lesson we do go to church with Jesus. During a visit to His hometown, Jesus attended the synagogue service on the Sabbath day. Synagogue worship began during the Babylonian exile, over 500 years before Jesus was born. Separated from the Temple, the Jews built places of worship and developed a pattern of worship that is largely unchanged to this day — and forms the basis for liturgical Christian worship. When Jesus observed the Sabbath by attending services at a synagogue He was worshiping in much the same way that we do. Going to church with Jesus shows us a lot about what worship should be like.

The text tells us that attending Synagogue worship “was His custom,” so we learn from Jesus that we should attend and participate in worship services frequently, preferably every week. We also learn that Jesus embraced the Jewish way of worshiping. He didn't change the service to suit Himself or adapt the old ways to meet new ideas or tastes. He followed the tradition of standing to read from the appointed lesson for that Sabbath day. Then Jesus taught the people from the Word of God that He had read to them. He could have condemned people for their sins or taken them to task for not being faithful or used the opportunity to highlight the problems with the theology of the Pharisees, but on the Sabbath in the assembly of God’s people in worship he spoke “gracious words” to all who were present. While we end up letting all sorts of things drive what we want worship to be, Jesus shows us that the main thing in worship is to hear and receive God’s grace, love, and forgiveness — to experience what it means to go to church with Jesus.

Audio file of the sermon "Going to Church with Jesus."

Reflection: God Speaks, Idols Are Dumb (January 20, 2013)

The 2nd Sunday after Epiphany
Isaiah 62:1-5; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; John 2:1-11


It’s no secret that Americans are moving away from “organized religion.” A recent study showed that the ‘nones’ (people who say that they have no religious affiliation) is now about 20 percent of the population. People are convinced that they can be ‘spiritual’ without being ‘religious.’ It’s become trendy to declare yourself an atheist. Yet, when we listen carefully to people explain why they don’t believe in God, we can see past the facade of atheism and ’being spiritual’ to the real driving force behind the decline of Christianity in our culture: Idolatry.

“You shall have no other gods before Me.” Is the first of the Ten Commandments. It’s first because our whole relationship with God is driven by what we “fear, love, and trust above all things.” Far from the popular idea of putting God first, this commandment is a call to rid ourselves of all those things that would be a god for us so that we are left with God alone. But we, as a nation, have multiplied the ‘other gods’ in our lives. Celebrities, sports, possessions, health, science, government, children, and, especially, ’me’ all serve as idols for us. As more and more people fall away from the living God, our dependence upon our idols for hope, peace, purpose, and security increases. We look to sports for our sense of belonging, work for our purpose, government for security, medical science for life, entertainment for joy, etc. Idols may offer some degree of these things, but in the end idols are dumb.

In contrast to idols that are dumb (i.e., unable to speak), God declares “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet” (Isaiah 62:1). Not only is God capable of speaking, He is willing to speak to us and for us. He spoke in various ways through His old covenant prophets, but He chose to speak the fullness of His Word through His Son. Jesus came to speak good news and demonstrate the power of his Word though miraculous signs. Beginning with changing water into wine at the wedding in Cana, He showed us what is possible when God speaks. He also showed us that the idols that we would choose for ourselves cannot help us. When God speaks the things that we think are impossible become reality. God speaks love, forgiveness, healing, hope, life, and salvation to us in our broken world. Idols are dumb.

Audio file of the sermon "God Speaks, Idols Are Dumb."

Devotion: Water, Wine, Wedding ... Why? (John 2:1-11)

Audio file of this devotion.

1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast." So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now." 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. John 2:1-11

The first miracle that Jesus performed during His earthly ministry was changing water into wine at a wedding celebration in a small town in Galilee called Cana. If you're familiar with this story, you may have wondered about the way that Jesus responded to His mother when she asked Him to intervene. After all, it sounds somewhat harsh to our ears. Or you may be perplexed by Jesus turning around and doing something right after telling Mary that it wasn't His issue and it wasn't His time. Some Christians are troubled by the vast amount of wine that Jesus made (between 120 and 180 gallons) and the possibility that He may have contributed to drunkenness at the wedding feast.  You might have wondered what it must have been like to be one of the servants whom Jesus told to fill the water jars with water or to be the one that took the ladle full of water to the person in charge of the wedding celebration. You may delight in how the master of the feast was impressed that the better wine had been reserved for later in the celebration when people ordinarily brought out the cheap stuff after the guests had had plenty to drink. But have you ever thought about why Jesus choose this particular setting and action for His first miracle?

Like most of our questions about why God does what He does, the answer to why Jesus chose to perform a miracle at the wedding in Cana is first and foremost to demonstrate His glory. Indeed, the purpose of all of Jesus' miracles was to demonstrate the glory of the God who had come to dwell with us in human flesh so that we would "believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" (John 20:31) The miracle at Cana was, like all of His other miracles, a sign that God had kept His promise to redeem His people by sending His Son into our world. His plan and purpose were working themselves out in strict accordance with His will. We shouldn't think for a moment that the first sign of our long awaited redemption took place at a wedding and involved changing water into wine by accident or by circumstance. Jesus' response to Mary's prompting clearly shows us that He was acting with great intention in every detail of this miracle.

So, why wine and why a wedding feast? In the first place, wine was a staple in the lives of the people of ancient Israel. Theirs was a place and time when few other beverages could be preserved. The shortage of wine marked a time of hardship (like our "economic downturn"). Accordingly, running out of wine at a wedding feast was more than a social blunder, it was a sign of scarcity and of going without. On the other hand, the abundance of wine was associated with God's favor and with enjoying the plenty of His blessings. Jesus created a very large amount of wine not to keep the party going nor to inebriate the wedding guests, but to show the favor of God to His people as prophesied by Amos (Amos 9:13). A wedding feast was a fitting occasion for the fulfillment of what God had promised through Amos because of the joy that is associated with weddings. The rejoicing of a bridegroom over his bride is a picture of God's joy over His people. Marriage itself is a reflection of the relationship that Jesus has with His Church (Ephesians 5:31-32). The wedding feast that Jesus attended in Cana was the perfect setting for Him to perform His first miracle, a miracle that was meant to demonstrate His greatest miracle: "as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you" (Isaiah 62:5).

Reflection: Like It Never Even Happened (January 13, 2013)

The Baptism of Our Lord
Isaiah 43:1-7; Romans 6:1-11; Luke 3:15-22


The current advertising campaign of the cleaning and restoration company Servpro features the slogan "Helping make fire and water damage 'like it never even happened.'" If you've ever experienced the misfortune of water or fire damage, you know that Servpro is making an impossible claim. While they may be able to repair and restore the physical damage caused by a disaster, they could never make things in life the same as they were before the damage. The effects of the hardships, stress, hurt, inconvenience, expenses, insecurities, etc. that are part of the experience of a water or fire disaster remain long after the clean up and restoration is complete.

Fire and water are powerful forces, but friendly fire and water can be serene and relaxing. We build fireplaces in our homes more for effect than for heat. We love to visit the beach and take in the sights and sounds of the ocean. But when fire and water grow wild, there are few forces in nature that are more destructive. The destroying power of water in floods, hurricanes, and tsunamis is incredible. The ravages of wild fires are apocalyptic. Destructive fire and water leave their mark. But so do the positive powers of fire and water. Fire that is harnessed is used in many ways, including to purify things that have been contaminated. Water is essential to life; our whole world depends upon water to survive. Fire and water are integral to our lives—physically and spiritually.

John the Baptist warned people about the “unquenchable fire” of the Judgment. He called them to escape that fire by being baptized in repentance with water. He also spoke about the power of Baptism to cleanse us of our sins when he proclaimed that the greater Baptism of Jesus would include the Holy Spirit and fire. His descriptions of Baptism fill the prophecy of Isaiah with rich meaning for us: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through waters, I will be with you … when you walk through fire you shall not be burned.” The fire and water of Baptism bring new life in Jesus. They purify those who have rebelled against God through the destructive sins of thoughts, words, and actions. We have passed through the waters of Baptism and been purified in His refining fire. Our sin, all of it, has been purged by His grace—like it never even happened.

Audio file of the sermon "Like It Never Even Happened"

Reflection: Your Light Has Come. Now What? (January 6, 2013)

Epiphany
Isaiah 60:1-8; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12

We are surrounded by light. The modern world, through the use of electricity, has illuminated our homes, sports facilities, streets, shopping plazas, parks, neighborhoods, etc. There is light in every aspect of our society, except one. For all the physical light that we have poured into our world, most people continue to live in spiritual darkness. The spiritual darkness that covers our friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family members isn't simply the evil things with which they occupy themselves. It goes deeper than the pornography, violence, and satanic arts that fill our culture, because it doesn't come from what people have but it comes from what they’re missing. The spiritual darkness of this world results from the absence of the light of Christ in their lives. Without Him, “darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the people.” And it does.

But God has good news for us: “Your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” We've been filled with the light of Christ. We've been delivered from darkness into His marvelous light. God pictures His saving work in your life by contrasting the darkness that once held you captive to the light He sent to set you free. Your light has come! Now what?

Today’s readings are filled with action words that guide our response to the good news that the light of Christ has come into our lives. The two that capture the force of our calling are found in Isaiah 60:1, “Arise, shine, for your light has come …” The word ‘arise’ means more than getting up from our comfortable seats. It is a call to take our place of power, to rise up to our station in life as God’s children and ambassadors. It vividly informs us that our oppression by sin and death is over. We can rise up because we’ve been set free from all that weighed us down. We are to take our place and then ‘shine,’ which is better translated as ‘to become bright.’ In our words, actions, and life we are to pierce the darkness that once held us and still holds many. As we become brighter and brighter in the love and grace of God, the world around us is illuminated with the light of Christ. The light that has come to us spreads out to others as “His glory will be seen upon you.” Rejoice and be glad, for your light has come. In Christ you have been given the “boldness and access with confidence” to rise and shine!

Audio file of the sermon "Your Light Has Come. Now What?"

Reflection: What Are You Waiting For? (December 30, 2012)

The 1st Sunday after Christmas
Micah 5:2-5; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-56


As far as the people in our culture are concerned, Christmas is over. All the things that they had waited for have come to pass and now have passed. Decorations are being packed away, bills will be paid (eventually), and all things Christmas will have to wait until next year. Christmas has come and gone and it seems that nothing has really changed in our world. It makes one wonder what we were waiting for in the first place.

Today’s Gospel lesson tells the stories of Simeon and Anna, two people who knew what they were waiting for. God had told Simeon that he would see the promised Messiah before he died. He was “waiting for the consolation of Israel” that would come through the One who would redeem God’s people and deliver them from the bondage of sin and death. Anna, an elderly widow, was also waiting for the redemption of God’s people. She was so certain that she would see this come to pass that she stayed in the temple day and night. Both Anna and Simeon were waiting for Jesus. When he was brought to the Temple they knew that their waiting was over.

Waiting has its place. But it can also be out of place. Unlike Simeon and Anna, we have not been told to wait for the promised Messiah in anticipation of our redemption. Instead, from Gabriel’s announcements to Mary and Joseph to the multitude of angels proclamation to the shepherds to the magi laying their treasures before the King they came to worship, we have been told that the Messiah has come into our world to redeem us, reconcile us to God, and enable us to live new lives in His grace.

We know that Christmas is not over, but that it has just been renewed in our lives. We also know that even after the Christmas season has ended (today is the sixth day of Christmas), Christmas is not over. Our annual remembrance of Christ’s birth is a reminder to us of the promises that God has made and kept in Jesus. For us, Christmas is never over. It remains with us even though the trappings of our celebrations have been put away. It brings us the joy of redemption, the peace of being reconciled to God, and the power of His love made certain in our lives. It calls us to live every day in that joy, peace, and power that are ours now. What are you waiting for?

Audio file of the sermon "What Are You Waiting For?"

Reflection: Do You See What He Sees? (December 25, 2012)

Christmas Day (The Nativity of Our Lord)
Isaiah 52:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-12; John 1:1-14


The first question in the Christmas song “Do You Hear What I Hear” is actually “Do you see what I see?”. But whether this well liked song is talking about seeing, hearing, or knowing, it says very little about “the child, the child sleeping in the night.” Quite inadvertently, this song has become a telling description of how our culture experiences Christmas. People see and hear all sorts of things about Jesus during the season through carols, displays, and events, but they don’t hear what we hear or see what we see. Why is this? It’s because they don’t know what we know.

What a blessing it is to know that Christmas is more than the gathering of families, exchanging of presents, and feasting to celebrate a holiday. Knowing that the birth of Jesus is the reason that Christmas is celebrated fills all of these enjoyable activities with meaning and purpose. Because we know that Christmas is just the beginning of celebrating God being with us in the flesh, our Christmas joy continues long after the rest of the world turns its attention to the next event to celebrate. Not only that, knowing the meaning and purpose of Christmas brings us joy and hope even when we have no reason to celebrate — and when all our reasons to celebrate have been stripped away by the tragedies and hardships of life in our sinful, broken world.

Even though we know these things, rethinking the words of the song “Do You Hear What I Hear” in light of today’s Gospel reading reminds us that we often fall short of realizing the full impact that Christmas has had in our lives. John 1:14 proclaims that “We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Do we see what the Gospel writer sees? Christ has come so that we can see the glory of the Father by bringing us grace and truth — or put another way, by bringing us God’s forgiveness. By coming into our world, living in its brokenness, bearing our sins on the Cross, and conquering sin, death, and the grave, the child born at Christmas has changed the way that God sees us. In His sight we are as holy, righteous, and innocent as the newborn Christ child — “the child, the child sleeping in the night” who has brought us goodness and light. Do you see what He sees?

Audio file of the sermon "Do You See What He Sees?"

Reflection: The Name Says It All (December 24, 2012)

Christmas Eve
Isaiah 7:10-14; 1 John 4:7-16; Matthew 1:18-25


Researchers tell us that today’s consumers don’t have the same kind of brand loyalty that people had in previous generations. While this may be true, it seems that shoppers still take brand names into consideration when making purchases. Given the choice between comparable products at comparable prices, most people would choose the product labeled with a brand name that they recognize rather than the one by a company that they have never heard of. And, even though brand loyalties may have waned overall, there are still some brands (like Apple) that have devoted followers. To their fans, the name says it all.

Like loyalties to product brands, loyalties to Christian denominations has diminished significantly over the past couple of generations. As church bodies have adapted to this trend away from “brand” identities in order to attract or keep members, much of what once differentiated denominations has faded away. In place of clear and distinct confessions of Christ being associated with one kind of church or another, America is now filled with confusion about what churches are and what they teach. The movement toward a “lowest common denominator” among churches means that church names don’t necessary mean anything anymore. Once a church’s name said it all, but now it doesn't mean much. Worse yet, it offers no assurance that the Christianity that is confessed and practiced reflects the authentic Faith. Even the name “Christian” has been so watered down that it doesn't mean or say much.

Breaking through all of the noise and confusion brought about by shifting confessions and strategic naming of churches for marketing purposes, God’s Word establishes the name Jesus as the sole and lasting “brand name” for salvation. The angel first announced this name to Mary and then told Joseph “you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” There is only one name by which we can be saved. This name was given to the child conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to a virgin named Mary. We celebrate His birth because through it God came to be with us to live, die, and rise for us. The name Jesus literally means “God saves.” The name says it all.

Audio file of the sermon "The Name Says It All."

Reflection: He Shall Be Their Peace (December 23, 2012)

The Fourth Sunday in Advent
Micah 5:2-5; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-56


It seems like the season leading up to Christmas has less and less peace about it. Meant to be observed in solemn preparation as Advent, our culture has made the weeks preceding Christmas into a frenzied time of shopping, parties, events, and more shopping, parties, and events. Such busyness leaves little room for peace. This year, with the senseless slaying of twenty children and seven adults in Newtown, CT gripping our attention, there seems to be less peace than ever.

Peace is always elusive, especially when we don’t know where to look for it. The tragedy of the shootings in Newtown highlights the even greater tragedy of spiritual blindness and death that enfolds our culture. As people seek to find some comfort and solace in the wake of this tragic event, they turn to all sorts of things that cannot bring them the peace they need. Some are looking for peace in political solutions to the violence that infects our culture. Others seek peace by appealing to science to provide a medical solution that curbs the violent tendencies of those who suffer from mental illnesses. But most of us seem to be basing our peace on false comforts and hopes.

Whenever there is a tragedy that involves the deaths of many victims (especially children), people quickly embrace ideas that help them feel good even though they contradict God’s Word. Finding comfort in thinking that all the children killed in Newtown are with Jesus is a false comfort. Basing our hope in the belief that all victims of violent crimes go to heaven is a false hope. The unpleasant and ugly reality is that those who die apart from faith in Jesus perish for eternity, even if they die violent deaths as victims of someone else’s sins.

Our nation needs the genuine hope and comfort that is found only in Jesus now as much as ever. Those who will look to Him from the busyness and brokenness of our sin-filled world will find that elusive peace that we so desperately need. He comes to us in the midst of our sin, sadness, fears, and despair to “shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord.” He extends His rule and power over all who cry out to Him “to the ends of the earth” assuring us that no matter what happens in the lives of His people that “He shall be their peace.” And so He is.

Audio file of the sermon "He Shall Be Their Peace."