Some Reflections on Christmas Eve 2012, After the World Didn’t End in Apocalypse at the Hands of Pagan Prophecy

I am blessed to have a number of friends who do not profess to be Christians. That may seem like an odd thing to observe for a Presbyterian Minister but I recall a while back hearing a sermon where the preacher commented that for most people within two years of becoming Christian all of their friends are Christians. This might be good for spiritual growth and community and fellowship, but I think it may make evangelism difficult. Because of the generalized disdain (and sometimes outright hostility) our culture has for “Christians,” most Christians would rather keep their affiliation quiet. It’s a normal reaction, but it really makes it hard to make disciples. Let’s not forget that the last thing Jesus commanded his followers was to make disciples. (Mt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8).

Now I think our society has good cause to be suspicious of Christians. Inside our fortress church we talk to each other about the depths of the Father’s love manifest in Jesus Christ. But outside the fortress what do Christians profess? Most try to fade chameleon-like into their surroundings and unless you happen to have seen one at church you wouldn’t guess they were followers of Jesus. You can’t tell the difference between them and anyone else. And if we do happen to see each other on the street, it is with great trepidation and embarrassment. I heard a funny joke once: Catholics don’t recognize the Mormons, Protestants don’t recognize the Pope, and two Baptists don’t recognize each other in a liquor store. We, maybe it wasn’t that funny after all.

Then there is a kind of hybrid Christian who tries to identify both with Jesus and the culture simultaneously. These are the ones who drive around in Humvees with Jesus bumper stickers, and indulge in every excess of society, but have convinced themselves that they are living “godly” lives. They attend church regularly, raise their kids in the church, probably tithe, maybe are even involved in service activities and small group ministry. I think it is also mainly this group who seeks to identify Jesus and his kingdom with man-made institutions such as political parties, or even nations. But they mistake prosperity and right standing before their peers for intimacy with Jesus. I once saw an SUV with a license plate that said “HIS GIFT.” I wondered what it would be like to have a God who gave away cars. For these, I am afraid Jesus is only the means to the end of middle class respectability.

Finally there are those who I believe are the worst kinds of Christians because they are the most righteous. They are the ones who make nuisances out of themselves by going around quoting scripture to condemn their neighbors to hell. They are certain that they are saved and everyone who does not believe as they do are not. There cannot be any better example of this kind of Christian than the Pharisee who self-righteously condemns the sinner standing near, saying, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector,” (Luke 18:11 ESV).and then cataloguing his supposed righteous acts. Jesus condemns this Pharisee in no uncertain terms, not because of his righteousness, but because of his hypocrisy. He puts his trust in his own behavior, rather than in God’s mercy, and because of that he walks away unchanged, untouched, and unjustified.

At the farthest end of the spectrum of this kind of “Christian” are the Koran-burning Terry Joneses and the hate-filled Westboro Baptists. Few who truly know the true gospel of Jesus condone their chicanery. But they are vocal enough to catch the attention of the media, who are only too happy to associate them with all Christians in the public eye. And don’t get me wrong, they are the most extreme, but every time I even silently condemn any of my brothers or sisters to hell I am the same as they are, no matter how convinced I may be of the depths of their sin.

Well in the last few paragraphs I’ve condemned most of my brothers and sisters who profess the name of Jesus, so doesn’t that make me just like the Pharisee? And I have to answer yes; I too, am a sinner and a hypocrite. It’s unavoidable, really. That is the nature of the world. I am not proud of it, nor do I excuse it. The best that my own understanding and effort can come up with is far short of the perfection required to be justified before God (Ro. 3:23). And this is the point of Christmas.

So there is a real distance between the Biblical vision of the Christian Church and how our society experiences Christianity. The negative image many have of Christians is well-deserved, even if it is incomplete and misleading. It doesn’t help to indignantly deny that the picture is true. What is needed is a more compelling message.

I started out this little reflection by observing that I feel fortunate to have so many friends who do not profess to be Christians. I didn’t mean that because I don’t like Christians because I do, by and large, like most people, even Christians! But I’m happy to have so many non-Christian friends because it gives me the opportunity to proclaim Jesus to them, not by preaching at them and condemning them to hell, but by living with them and allowing them to see Jesus in real life. Jesus himself calls those who are his, and he is irresistible. (John 10:14-16).

Now that may seem a bold statement and it is and yet it is the promise of the gospel. If I am a follower of Jesus, I have been given a new life in Jesus. As time passes, often in spite of my own will and wishes, the Spirit works in me to form a new person in the likeness of Jesus Christ. Paul writes, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20 ESV). I am not required to be righteous to be justified, I am justified and so I am commanded to be Jesus. This does not mean that I cease to be human nor that I suddenly cease to sin (or start walking on water and producing wine out of tapwater). Paul declared himself to be the chief of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15), and this is not just false humility. And we are advised that he continued to struggle with sin (2 Cor. 12:7-10), and yet who has been a greater evangelist than Paul?

How am I, a disciple of Jesus, called to make disciples? In the same way that Jesus did: through self-sacrificing love. As Jesus did, I must be willing to give up myself for the benefit of others. Jesus tells us, "A new commandment I give you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35 ESV). The birth of Christ binds his followers to love as Jesus loves. Christians are called to live in the world, as Jesus did, and to love, as Jesus did, and we are promised that Jesus himself will build his church (Mt. 16:18).

Mother Teresa, highly revered by many both Christian and non-Christian, committed her life to working among the poorest of the poor in India. Many of the people she ministered to were not Christians; they were Hindus or Muslims. But she gave everything she had to their care, regardless, because she said she recognized Jesus in them all – in his most distressing disguise. She once remarked,

How you live your life is proof that you are or not fully His. We cannot condemn or judge or pass words that will hurt people. We don't know in what way God is appearing to that soul and what God is drawing that soul to; therefore, who are we to condemn anybody?

To me this says that I am to love everyone, not just those close to me but those who annoy me and those whose lives I disapprove of and even those who hate me (Mt. 5:44) as Jesus loves. The life of Mother Teresa provides a wonderful example. It is not my task to determine your relationship with God; it is my task to be Jesus to you, no matter what.

So Christmas presents to us the dawning of the glorious good news, but it ought also to bring us to sober reflection on the burden receiving that good news places upon us. It is a burden impossible to bear in humanity. Jesus is born the lowest of the low, the weakest of the weak. Jesus is born in a barn. His gospel is pronounced first to outcasts: to the shepherds, and to me (Luke 2:8-10). “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” (Is. 9:2 ESV). May I, waiting in darkness like the shepherds, greet the light with joy, and proclaim it by self-sacrificing love to all of my brothers and sisters in this broken world. Amen.

Merry Christmas to all. Peace on earth.

--
Grace and Peace.

Rock Presbyterian Church 6910B Miramar Rd. Second Floor, San Diego 92121. Email: rockpresbyterian@gmail.com. Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/SDRockPresbyterianChurch. Telephone: 760-271-7285

Sermon Notes 12/23, Luke 2:8-14, “Peace on Earth”

Christmas is the affirmation that the well of God's mercy is infinite.

Good morning. Merry Christmas. Grace and peace to you all from God our Father and The Lord Jesus Christ. I am wishing you “the generous overflow of the love of God the Father” and “a state of wholeness with God with no deficiency.” Grace and peace.

This morning we are going to celebrate the birth of our savior by looking at a passage from the Gospel according to Luke. We are looking at Luke Chapter 2 verses 8-14.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:8-14 NIV).

For the past several weeks in the EM we have been celebrating the season of Advent. Advent is a time at the beginning of the church calendar that reminds us of our need for a savior. It employs the symbolism of waiting in darkness to recall the time between the sin of Adam and Eve and the coming of Jesus. It recalls the depth of our depravity and brings to mind the helplessness and the hopelessness of humanity. But it also reminds us that from the time there was a need for salvation God had a plan for salvation.

Celebrating Advent reminds us that God has made that plan real in the person of Jesus Christ. And so we are today celebrating the greatest gift in all creation. Imagine what it must have been like for these shepherds. I think it is significant that the first announcement of the "Good News" (the gospel) was to them. Shepherds were among the lowest people in the ancient world. They didn't smell very good. Their sheep would destroy pasture land, so people didn't want them on their property. And they were thought of as dangerous and probably dishonest. In many ways the people of the ancient Near East probably thought the same about shepherds as some in our society do about so-called illegal immigrants, or homeless street people.

Now in the story we read today we see these shepherds out in the fields and waiting in darkness. The lowest of the low, lost and outcast, shivering in the cold darkness. And all of a sudden there is a great light, an angel of The Lord announcing "Good News." And let's be clear that we’re not just talking about "good news" like "Good news, I just got a new car!" or, "Good news, I just got a raise!" or even "Good news! I just won the lottery!"

The word used here signifies the announcement of a great victory by an emperor or military commander. So it's not like "good news," it's more like "unbelievably great proclamation of a major victory." And hearing it would have brought on great joy and celebration the these shepherds.

In this story we see this great news being proclaimed to a bunch of outcasts and misfits. And that by itself ought to be comforting to us. Because the Bible, and our experience, makes it clear that, left to our own devices, we too are a bunch of outcasts and misfits. The announcement the angels made was not to the high and mighty, but to the poor, the lonely, the downtrodden, people who were waiting in darkness, maybe not even knowing there would be a light, certainly not expecting that a light would come to them. And it was made to us, too, who also have waited in darkness, with our only hope being the Advent of a divine savior.

Joy, and Peace

Well, what is this great news? "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord." (Luke 2:11 NIV). You will find him in the lowest of the lowly places, the angel said. You will find him in a barn, outcast like you.

The people of Israel had waited centuries for the Messiah. Pretty much everyone believed that God was going to send his Chosen One to make everything right, but nobody really knew how it was going to happen. The scriptures were not clear. Many people expected a great warrior king like David. The shepherds who heard the good news must have been surprised and puzzled to learn that the Messiah had come in the form of the weakest of the weak. But they believed it. Luke tells us that they went to Bethlehem to see if it was really true, and finding that it was true, they immediately told everyone they knew about the good news. And those who heard it were amazed.

Now the scripture tells us that these angels were announcing peace to the earth. I want to just focus briefly on what that means. We have an idea of peace but I think our idea is a little different from what the shepherds or other Jewish people of first century would have heard. When we think of peace, we usually think of the absence of conflict. We are at peace if we are not at war. We are at peace if we are not arguing.

But for the people of the ancient Near East the word would have had a much richer meaning. In the Hebrew language the word and the concept Luke is getting at is “Shalom.” You probably know that a common greeting among Jewish people even now is “Shalom.”

Shalom does mean the absence of conflict, but it also means much more. In the Hebrew language Shalom can be both a verb and a noun. When we think of peace, we think of it as a noun, as a state of being. Hebrew speakers think of it this way too, but there is also an action associated with it.

God's creation was an act of shalom. The world was created in shalom. God created Adam and Eve to live in the Garden of Eden in perfect joyful communion with him. There was no sadness, no pain, no sickness, no suffering. They had no troubles and no need for anything. So that is why one definition of Shalom is “a state of wholeness with God with no deficiency.”

And it also refers to relations between people. So, for example, if two neighbors lived at peace with each other, we could say that they lived in a state of shalom. But if one of the neighbors did something that harmed the other, then that peace would be broken. In order to restore it, the guilty neighbor would have to do some act of restitution. He could pay for the damages, and that would be an act of shalom that wold restore the peace between the two called shalom.

When the angels announced "peace" on the earth, they were announcing both things. God had created the world in shalom. Adam and Eve broke that shalom by disobedience, bringing about all of the brokenness and misery of the world. The problem that Adam and Eve and their descendants, and that includes us, had and have is that we are incapable of repairing what is broken. We do not have enough money to pay for the damages. And that means that a state of conflict and broken relations exists between God and the people that people cannot fix. It was upon them to fix it, because they had broken it, but they could not. And so God and man were in a state of war that could not end.

But because of his great love for us, God himself devised a way to pay the debt. He sent his own son, who was the only one wealthy enough to pay the price, to pay it for us. Christmas is an affirmation that the well of God's mercy is infinite. God himself paid the price that restored the relationship between God and man. God himself did the action of shalom that restored the peace of Shalom. In the words of the ancient hymn, "God and sinners reconciled."

In Christ

Now I'm not going to get into a long theological discussion here but I have to tell you that our old lives were so damaged that the only way we could be restored was by receiving new lives. We had to be born again. And when we were born again, we were born into Christ. The apostle Paul writes to the church at Galatia, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." (Gal. 2:20 ESV). Our life is in Christ.

And if we are reborn into the life of Christ, we are also born into the work of Christ. Christ's work is a mission of shalom. It is a mission to restore our broken world. We, the church, as the Body of Christ, are now entrusted with that mission. It is upon us who are "in Christ" to continue Jesus’ work of restoring the peace between God and man. God chose us to be the coworkers of Jesus in the work of shalom.

How do we do that? In the same way Jesus does it: through self-sacrificing love. As Jesus did, we must be willing to give up ourselves for the benefit of others. Jesus tells us, "A new commandment I give you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35 ESV). So the birth of Christ binds us to love as Jesus loves.

Let us remember this Christmas Day the great light that burst forth in the darkness and announced the magnificent good news of Jesus’ birth so long ago, the news of peace on earth to the lowest of the low. Let us be grateful for the work of Jesus Christ that gave us new life in “a state of wholeness with God with no deficiency.” And let us identify in the work of Christ our own calling to announce peace on earth, by living lives that reflect his light to everyone.

Merry Christmas. Shalom

--
Grace and Peace.

Rock Presbyterian Church 6910B Miramar Rd. Second Floor, San Diego 92121. Email: rockpresbyterian@gmail.com. Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/SDRockPresbyterianChurch. Telephone: 760-271-7285

Prayer for the Third Sunday of Advent

This was my closing prayer for my message about joy on the third Sunday of Advent:

Let us pray. Father we bring before you today all of our anguish and all of our fears and all of our brokenness. We bring before you our suffering at how dark the world is. We confess that we have failed to take your Word seriously and so we find ourselves surprised when confronted with unspeakable evil. We confess that we have become lost and confused in our pursuit of joy in things outside of you, in things that can never bring real joy. We confess that we sometimes wonder where you are in all of the tragedy we see around us. And we confess that we have lost sight of our calling to make disciples by shining your light on the world around us. Lord, in the midst of all of this brokenness, we pray that you would remind us of your presence. We ask that you would once again fill this community and each of us individually with your Holy Spirit, not only so that we ourselves might be comforted, but so that we can bring your comfort and your joy to those who are still waiting for you in darkness. We look forward with great anticipation to the Advent of your son Jesus, bursting forth in light upon this gloomy world. We pray that we can recapture the joy of your apostles, and rejoice in such a way that we bring all nations into you in a kingdom of righteousness, justice, and love. And we pray all of these things in the name of your son and our mighty savior Jesus.

And all God's people said...