Christmas Eve 2015, 11pm

(Text: Luke 2.1-20)

         Tonight we hear - once more - the Christmas story. A lovely story. The Greatest Story ever told.

         Stories are an important part of our lives – they educate, they entertain, they communicate ideas, they preserve history. People tend to like a good story. It’s why we tell them, why we listen to them, why we write them down and read them.  We act out stories, we put them to music, we dance or paint or sculpt them. However we express it, we are storytellers.

         Now, some people are better storytellers than others, some stories are more captivating than others. These are the stories that we tend to think of as GOOD stories, and they all include a number of parts.

         First off, a GOOD story conveys a theme or moral or lesson. Then the action brings about the plot. The structure tells how we’re hearing the story – for example, as a character, or an observer. Then our cast of characters, those memorable folks to whom we can relate. Let's not forget the setting, the ‘where’ and ‘when’ of the story. And finally, we want to throw in some style, some emotion to the story.

         And when one story has all these components, we tend to like it. We enjoy reading or hearing it; we want to share it, we want to return to it again and again, we want it to be part of our own story. French author François Mauriac stated: “Tell me what you read and I'll tell you who you are" is true enough, but I'd know you better if you told me what you reread.”

         And tonight we’re celebrating a story that we have all read and reread, heard and re-heard. It's a story that meets all those components, including helping to define who we are. If people know who we are by what we read, people know us better because we reread tonight’s Gospel story.

         So let’s journey into this beautiful Christmas story from Luke.

         It has a theme: God’s promises are always realised. Whether it’s the promise of finding a child or the promise of a Saviour, God keeps his promises for us all.

         It has a plot, and really quite a good one: increasing government taxation through a census, a new romance with a bit of a scandal (unmarried teen mom!), a dangerous journey ending with a dramatic birth, an angelic visitation and prophecy to secondary characters who then undertake their own journey – PHEW! This is all in 20 verses. 17 sentences. In today’s literature, that’s a plot for a whole novel. This storyline catches our attention and draws us in. There's a lot happening, we're easily engaged, and we want more of it. This is a biblical page-turner, if you will.

         Structurally, we've got an external observer including some great dialogue as the plot races through converging scenes. The details of era and setting give us a feel for what's going on, and we relate to the characters through direct quotes – we can almost imagine what their voices sound like. Was the angel male or female? Did you think about that when I was reading the Gospel? Are you thinking about it now?

         Our main characters, Mary and Joseph, are ordinary folks called to extraordinary things. Mary shifts from being the pregnant betrothed to the new mother, yet remains silent throughout. Joseph is the faithful husband-to-be, with historic lineage but not well-off himself (if he was rich, the inn-keeper would have offered his own rooms for the entourage; a stable certainly would not have been sufficient).

         The secondary characters are so common that we don’t learn anything about them - no names, not even how many there are - we just know that there are shepherds. Visited by an angel, who delivers a message, and is joined by a whole choir of other angels. The shepherds’ common ministry is to receive and repeat this message. This ministry is so important that they immediately ignore their earthly responsibilities in the fields to go with haste to the town.

         So within the broader scope, the characters and circumstances of this story are relatable, for all of us. We too have to follow government legislations and taxation, even if it’s not always convenient. We too have traveled, have stayed at less-than-ideal places, have made do with what we could find. We’ve met new people unexpectedly, we’ve been approached by strangers who have been put in our path temporarily for a particular purpose.  We too have a ministry to demonstrate God’s glory to the world, a part in a greater story where we may not even be named. Government employees are civil servants, innkeepers are hospitality specialists, shepherds are farmers. Husbands, mothers, singers. Yup, we can relate to these people.

         The setting for our story is equally indistinct. Bethlehem is a main city, it could be anywhere. We don’t know anything about the inn that turns them away; we know nothing about which stable they are in as the child is born. Our shepherds are out ‘in the fields’, whichever fields those might be. It could be anywhere: a cheap motel in the city; a barn in the countryside. If it could happen there, it could happen here.

         As for timing, it was during Quirinius’ rule over Judea, which lasted 7 years – again, the details are ambiguous to allow our own creativity to fill in the blanks in a way that will make it personal and meaningful to every one of us.

         Continuing on, this story has definite style. The emotional grab hooks us right in from the start. We hear the story once and are drawn into it; we hear it again and are drawn to another part of the same story. We’re connected to this good news because it is a living reality for us. This is not a collection of words on a page, this is not just a story in a book, this is a part of who we are.

         That we reread it time and again means that we WANT to be drawn into the story. We WANT to engage with that message, to hear the “good news of great joy” the angels promise. We WANT to live our lives knowing that this message was given “for all the people,” including US. We WANT to reread this story because it speaks to us, as it has for more than 2000 years, of a direct connection that is personal, unique, astounding. We WANT to hear how God continues to give each and every one of us, in this day and age, the great gift of his Son.  “[T]o YOU is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

         And so this great story is the greatest story ever told, because it never ends. As many times as this story is told, it is lived. It is lived when we put ourselves into it, and carry it with us into the world. It is lived when we reread the story and remind ourselves that we too are being invited to seek out the Christ-child in our midst. It is lived when we reread the story and celebrate our own ministry, our own involvement in God’s great ongoing creation. It is lived when we reread the story and joyfully declare to the world (at Christmas and for all times) "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!"

Sermon, Advent 2

         We've got some really fun readings happening this week. Strong messages, very empowering and encouraging. All of them reminding us that there are great things about to happen - all of them reminding us that part of our ministry is to get ready for these thing. And all of them coming from - let's be honest - really unexpected sources.

         Starting with the message from Baruch ben Neriah. This Jewish aristocrat is a minor prophet from the 6^th century BC, best known for being the secretary, friend, and scribe for the prophet Jeremiah. Because his ministry was one of following around a prophet and recording someone else's words, some people suggest that his works should not be included in the scriptures.  And yet, we have them, and thank goodness for that, because the message from Baruch is a beautiful one. He’s writing to those who are in captivity: “God will lead Israel with joy, in the light of his glory, with the mercy and righteousness that come from him.” These powerful words are empowering for all people who wait for any form of release.

         Then our canticle, the Song of Zechariah, speaks literally to captive audience. is not a source we would expect - a devout but older priest. He’s visited by the angel Gabriel and told he’ll have a son who will announce the coming of the Lord. Not quite believing this, Zechariah tells his wife Elisabeth, also a woman of mature years, and then - shocking everyone - she conceives. Punished for doubting the angel, Zechariah is made mute until the child is named: thus Zechariah becomes the father of John, who will become John the Baptiser. Recalling that Elisabeth is Mary’s cousin, this means that Zechariah is Jesus’ uncle. Admittedly, he's not a wholly unbiased source, but his timeless message is strong and comforting: “In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

         Then we have Paul and Timothy, writing to the church at Philippi, in Greece, one of the main Christian centres of the time where Paul had visited on his second missionary trip. As he writes this letter, however, he is imprisoned in Rome, facing execution. Despite this, Paul greets his brothers and sisters in Christ in a way that serves to bolster their faith, thanking these folks for their participation in the Gospel, in their commitment to spread the good news.  He is praying that their love will continue to increase until the second coming of Christ. His thoughts are not asking for help for himself, but rather promising that the day of Christ Jesus will be soon, and until such time Paul prays for all of them. What comfort they must feel as they hear his words read aloud: “I thank my God every time I remember you.”

         And then another unlikely source of Good News comes in Luke’s Gospel. We’re reminded that this is an unlikely source, because even in those days, folks were only expected to follow the credible, approved, expected sources. This expectation is so profound we even have it spelled out for us who the (culturally) important people are, the folks with power and authority and control: Tiberius is the Emperor Tiberius, Pontius Pilate is governor of Judea, Herod is ruler of Galilee, Herod’s brother Philip is the ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, Lysanias is the ruler of Abilene, and both Annas and Caiaphas are high priests. These are no slouches; they’re the folks to be listened to, and we're given these names in direct contrast to the message that Luke wants us to hear.

         Basically, Luke invites us to ignore these fancy schmancy people, and listen to Zechariah’s boy John. It's important to note that in Luke's account, we don't know much about John. In fact, all we know from this Gospel is that the man can quote from Isaiah. He’s not educated, he doesn’t hold a position of power, he’s just some guy preaching repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Other accounts of John tell us a grittier story – he’s dressed in camel hair, eating locusts and wild honey; he’s the original bushman. A highly unlikely source, yet John becomes one who shares comforting words with those people around the Jordan who are desperate to hear it. "Prepare the way of the Lord," John says, and “all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

         The way of the Lord - not that of the governor or the ruler or the high priest, not the easy road. The salvation of God - not the promises of the elite or the limited time deals of the world.

         These readings remind us that there is Good News to be found - in abundance! But, we're also reminded that it doesn't always come from where we might expect.

So extrapolating that just a bit, let's consider our own lives.

To whom do WE listen today? Where do we hear the Good News being shared? How do we decide who to give attention and credibility to?

         We're challenged to find the messages of God's salvation and comfort in our lives, just as much as the people throughout our spiritual history had to. We need to see how we can become trapped ourselves - captives, if you will - by other messages. There are messages of political insult and mud-slinging. There are messages of xenophobia and misogyny. There are messages of fear-mongering and cultural divide. There are messages of rampant consumerism and - well, you get the idea. You've seen the adverts, heard the commentaries, read the news.

         They're overwhelming, and they trap us. They make us captive to the agendas and pains of this life. They try to block out for us the messages of peace and love and comfort, because those messages don't sell product, nor garner support, nor meet advertising standards.

         So we're reminded today that the message we want - need - to be hearing is most likely coming from an unlikely messenger. It won't have a billboard, it won't have celebrity endorsement, it won't have a prime-time advertising budget.

         What it will have is an authenticity that could only come from God. A message without a price tag, a message of inclusion, a message that focuses more on the kingdom of God than the kingdoms of the earth. It's a message of comfort, of true spiritual freedom, of a love so astonishing that we can barely begin to describe it.

         It's the message we all want to hear; it's the message God's people have wanted to hear throughout all of our history. The message invites us to turn away from whatever is trapping us here on earth, even if it doesn't feel like a trap; the message that challenges us to commit to preparing our selves for the coming of the Christ.

         It's the message of truth that is culturally shocking, and wonderful, and unexpected. It's the message that we will only hear when we can listen to messengers who are equally shocking and wonderful and unlikely. It's a message waiting to be heard, waiting to be shared, waiting to be lived. It's a message of Good News.

         I pray our Advent journey is one that prepares us to hear this most amazing message.

A very brief reflection on service...

            Service is knowing what you have to offer, and then offering it freely. It is not about parades and fancy attire, it is not about social status or recognition.

            Service is taking all that you have, and all that you are, even when - especially when - you don't want to or feel you can't - and giving it for the benefit of others.

            Service is not a demonstration of giving a portion of what we have, service is living a radical generosity whereby everything we do speaks to what is living within us.

            Service is throughout today's texts; from Ruth giving her child to her mother-in-law to raise as her own; to Paul reminding the Hebrews that Christ offered himself to bear our sins; to Jesus' teaching of the poor widow giving all she had.

            Service is not something to be remembered just one day, but to be lived all the time. It is not something that only happens in a uniform, it is something that we are called to wear in our hearts. it is not something that we do, it is an expression of who we are.

            For all who serve for peace and justice, for all who serve to bring about the kingdom, for all who serve for the love of God - may we serve them by our remembrance.

Thanksgiving Sermon 2015

Happy Thanksgiving! What a great holiday. It's all about the turkey, right?           HAPPY TURKEY DAY!

Hmm. Not quite.

          It’s the Long weekend, right? Woohoo! Sleeping in on Monday after the Turkey on Sunday!

Hmm. Again, not quite. 

          This is one of those times where we see the church being at a little different meaning than the secular world. 

Thanksgiving in the world: one day – or maybe one weekend. Thanks

Because here in the church, this weekend is about celebration. An entire festival – yes this is a festival – to celebrate the harvest.

          So here we have some challenges. I’m going to articulate on 3 that I see.

Firstly: we’re called, as Christians, to be a joyful, thankful people. So we really ought to be thankful every day. 1 Thess 5.16-18 reminds us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

          Secondly: this is the Harvest festival. A time to be thankful for the food which sustains our bodies such that our worship can sustain our souls. Yet in this day and age, most of us don’t grow our own food or purchase from the farmers themselves; many of us don’t even know where in the world our food comes from. For some, the holiday feast will include a ‘foodlike substance’ (think Cheese spreads or boxed foods”) on the plate or a pumpkin pie topped with ‘edible oil product’ – *shudder*

          Thirdly: The purpose of the harvest festival was to truly celebrate, and to delight in the connections: connections to the land, to the family, to the stranger, and to God. Yet our connections with the land are diminishing. Our connections to family are sometimes strained (I wonder how many dinner tables will have to enforce a ‘no cell-phone or tablet’ rule?). Our connections to the stranger are gone, the scriptural requirement of sharing choice provisions overlooked or ignored (see Lev 19.9 and 23.22). For many, the connection with God is also a rarity, a stilted grace before digging into the feast is hardly the celebration of prayer and gratitude this was intended to be.

          So then – what is the appropriate Christian response to this weekend?

It’s a feast. It’s a party. It’s time with family, in true celebration.

It’s a time to make Thanks giving about Giving Thanks.

This may be easier for our French-speaking friends. Thnaksgiving is called <> That means the action of grace.

          So let’s talk about that. What do we  mean when we say ‘grace’?

Grace is a free, spontaneous gift from God. Totally unexpected and undeserved. And an invitation to share in God’s divine life. It’s translated from the Greek χάρις (charis) which means "that which brings delight, joy, happiness, or good fortune."

          There’s 2 main types of grace that theologians have articulated over time. 

          The first is called “sanctifying grace” – this is a stable, permanent state of that delight, joy, happiness. It’s God’s continual gift to us, and we can only be rid of it if we choose to reject it completely. By the grace of God, we are granted redemption through Christ.

          The second type of grace is called “actual”: grace – not actual in the sense of real or genuine, but temporary – one act. Actual grace is a transient state of grace, happening in great acts of states of holiness, recognising God’s intervention into which is then incorporated into that action itself. By the grace of God, we are all gathered safely this morning.

          So – grace. Lovely. Present. Real. Something we all experience, something we all have access to, something we all benefit from.

          It is this grace that we celebrate this Thanksgiving weekend – not just as one day to say thankyou and overindulge, but as a call into action. Action de grace – actions of grace. 

          Actions of God’s grace, to God’s people, for God’s people, by God’s people.

God’s grace will be known in the world – and celebrated in the world – because we take up that challenge. We are called to put our own ThanksGiving into actions that demonstrate how grateful we are as the people of God. 

          So how does that look? How is that going to be known? How will that celebratory grace be shown to a world that is feeling disconnected at every level?

That’s going to be up to you.  God will stir up in your heart a desire share that grace – in your own unique, creative, beautiful way. The discernment of that way is up to you.

          So I invite you to spend some time this weekend connecting. Consider your food, your drink, your clothing – and be thankful for what you have, not worrying about what you don’t have – as we are told to do. 

Consider your connections, the people that God has put in your path, and how you might relate to them. 

Consider how God’s grace is flowing in their life just as it flows in yours. 

Consider new ways to connect with those people as a result of the grace that is shared between all of us.

Consider being a recipient of grace – and consider how you are called to respond to that grace, and as a result of that grace. And consider if everyone chose to do the same.

          This Thanksgiving, let us truly give thanks. Let us embrace the actions of grace that we are called to. Let us be grateful for the gifts of this life that we have, and recognise that one of those gifts is the opportunity to know, live in, and share the grace of God. May our Thanksgiving be an active demonstration of giving thanks – this turkey-filled weekend and throughout the year.

"A capable wife" Sermon on Proverbs 31.10-31

This morning I'd like to focus some thoughts on the reading from Proverbs. Because the bride in this passage - yowsers. Right? In 21 verses we hear some AMAZING things this woman can do. Let me list them for you.

   A capable wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. 

Awesome.

   The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.

She's completely reliable.

   She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

Pure, consistent, positive, supportive.

   She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.

So, hard-working with only the best materials.

   She is like the ships of the merchant, she brings her food from far away.

Cooks wonderful, exotic meals.

   She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household and tasks for her servant girls.

Organised and organising, domestic engineer.

   She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

Owns her own property, and knows the land. Quite the fruitful (pardon the pun) gardener.

   She girds herself with strength, and makes her arms strong.

Sees the value in regular exercise. Can carry her own boxes and move her own furniture.

   She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.

Good business sense. A forward-thinker, careful planner.

   She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

(for the record, in spinning: a distaff holds the unspun fibres, and of course the spindle collects the thread) So, this woman is hands-on in making sure that all work is done right.

   She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy.

She's generous, compassionate, seeks justice.

   She is not afraid for her household when it snows, for all her household are clothed in crimson.

Dual meaning here. Firstly, scarlet or crimson symbolises the celestial love of good - a focus on all good things. Secondly, the dyes were very hard to set in those days, so to wear crimson was usually reserved for the very affluent, as they had to wear something underneath -or watch their skin turn red. So a household clothed in crimson meant this wife is making sure that all her household (including the staff) have sufficient clothing, and it's of good quality. She's looking out for her own.

   She makes herself coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Again - the dyes bleed, so purple is rare and expensive. Yet this thrifty woman is making her own clothing - so not only does she know how to sew, but these skills make those dollars stretch a long way.

   Her husband is known in the city gates, taking his seat among the elders of the land.

She has taken for her husband a man of good repute and reputation.

   She makes linen garments and sells them; she supplies the merchant with sashes.

Not only is she using her skills for herself and her household, but makes a business of it.

   Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.

Strength, dignity, sense of humour. This is a woman of high integrity.

   She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

She's wise, worldly, a teacher.

   She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

A good manager, not lazing about while others do her dirty work.

   Her children rise up and call her happy; her husband too, and he praises her:

She ensures a happy family life.

   "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

So a woman of faith, who knows what is important and what is temporary. She won't be swayed by fads or trends.

   Give her a share in the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the city gates.

She is known for her faith, integrity, and works; in the neighbourhood and beyond.

What a woman! What a wife, what a bride.

Now I'm going to make some suppositions here. About half of you are likely thinking "WHEW! That's the woman for me!"

And about half of you are thinking "WHEW! *hair flip* That woman is me!"

All kidding aside - we get from the reading that the work is being done for the benefit of all - those within the household, those who relate to the household, those who do business with household members, and even strangers on the street or in the marketplace. The wife has a lot to offer, and so she's always trying to find news ways to share what she has.

Why? No really - why is she doing all these things?

Because for her, doing 'just enough to get by' just isn't good enough. Not for her, not for the family, not for the community. Instead, she sees that all of her gifts and virtues are there as a means to bring about the common good - to make things better and more just, by using wisdom and integrity and compassion.

Not so that she will receive, but because the opportunity to share brings her joy. And she recognises that the more she gives, the more she will benefit - and so will all those around her. So she wants to do more, give more, act more. She want to increase what she offers, knowing that what she is giving is making a difference for the better now AND for the future. She's looking out for the common good of her community.

Think about the end of the passage again - she earns a share of the fruits of her hands - not just what she is expecting, but more than she had imagined. And then her works praise her in the city gates - her great reputation for faith and good works is being shared with everyone who passes into and out of that city.

What she gives, because she gives fully and faithfully and joyfully, revisits her and her household, with abundance.

The more she gives, the more they all benefit. The more she gives, the more she inspires those in her house to give, too. And the gifts increase, and the community improves, and the people want to keep doing more for one another, simply because they can.

Whew! What a woman! What a wife! What a bride! Who wouldn't want to find her? Who wouldn't want to BE her?

So here it is. What if we already ARE her?

Because, my lovelies, we are. We, the church, the ekklesia, are referenced throughout the scriptures to be the bride of Christ. We are called to be faithful, committed, dedicated, having vowed our fealty and devotion to Christ.

So with that, let's consider ourselves under the premise of the 'capable wife' that we've just been discussing. We, as the church, as the bride of Christ, have a lot to live up to; we have a lot to offer, and a lot to gain.

We want to be the bride that recognises that 'just getting by' isn't enough. We want to be the bride who is inspired to only offer the best of hospitality, justice, compassion, &c. We want to be the bride that is focused not on what we will receive, but on how to give.

This is where this passage gets a little bit easier for us. Because suddenly the 'perfect bride' is not in one person, but an amalgam of all of us. So while we don't have to do everything ourselves, what we do should be the very best of what we do; what we give of ourselves should be the very best of ourselves.

And what do we give? We give our time, we give our skills, and yes we give our money.

But what if we don't? Somebody else will make up the difference, right?

Hmm. Are you okay with that? Do you turn to someone else to ensure that your other relationships are getting everything it needs? Is "good enough" actually good enough?

Or can there be more? Can you give more. Can you commit more?

When it comes to time, there are always things that can be done - there are all sorts of people that do all sorts of things here with their time - thanks be to God! - maybe with a bit of time from each of us we can do even more for the love of God - more praying, more phoning, more bible study, more faith-based conversations.

When it comes to skills, there are always things to do -again, thanks be to God for the tremendous gifts that are already being given here! So imagine what more could be done with skills being shared - more volunteer opportunities, more outreach, more hospitality - the sky's the limit. "It's never been done before" is not a reason to not try it now.

When it comes to money, yes, I'm going to talk money - there's always more that can be given. That's a conversation that I will encourage you to have with God. Yes, this parish always seems to find "good enough" in late December, but a look at the books throughout the year shows that we dip into debt and are paying interest on a regular basis. Imagine if we decided that 'good enough' wasn't - imagine if we decided we wanted to do better, to do more. Imagine if we got so excited about the mission and ministry of this parish that we wanted to increase our support of what we do. Hmm.

So I invite you to spend some time focusing your prayers and meditations this week on who we - together - are. We are all part of something big, something exciting, something inspiring. We are the church; the ekklesia; the bride of Christ. And when we focus on the cross of Christ, and love fully, as was preached on Thursday evening, great things will happen.

A perfect bride... a capable wife, who can find?

Well, we can find, if we truly want to - we only need to look to ourselves - and live into our role of the generous, wise, compassionate, faithful bride of Christ.