Love your enemies - even Joffrey.

Matthew 5:13-20, Epiphany 5 A, February 9, 2014

Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

Joffrey. Cercei. Tywin Lannister. The Red Woman. These are the names that Arya Stark says every night before falling asleep. If you haven’t seen or read Game of Thrones, you might think that this is the list of people that she cares about, just as we pray for those we love. For Arya, this isn’t so. Instead, this is the list of people that she intends to kill. 

In the Game of Thrones series, Arya is a young preteen girl who has seen more death and despair than anyone should ever have to. By the end of the third book and TV season, her father, mother, and one of her brothers were brutally murdered in her presence. Many others that she loves have suffered at the hands of her enemies. So it is no wonder that she has vengeance on her mind. 

We have seen similar events of such intense violence. In the Bible, Cain couldn’t stand the fact that God preferred Abel, so he killed his brother. King Saul felt disgraced that the people preferred young David, so he repeatedly attempted to murder him. Saul of Tarsus truly believed that Jesus’ followers were so out of line that he brought them to the authorities to be stoned to death.

Throughout history, people have resorted to intense violence. When King Henry VIII didn’t receive an heir from his wife, he disposed her by divorce or beheading. Joseph Stalin in his Great Purge executed hundreds of thousands of his own communist party so that he would never face opposition. White supremacists were so afraid of the message of racial equality that Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke of that they killed him.

In our modern day, we cannot escape violence. Michael Dunn, a white man living in Florida killed the black teenager Jordan Davis just because he was playing loud music. In Ukraine, protests against the government have turned violent in the past few days; Thursday alone almost 70 died. Even in our own backyard, Kristen Smith abducted her half-sister’s baby and then abandoned the child outside a gas station in West Branch.

Jesus tells us in today’s gospel that none of this is acceptable. Instead of hating our enemies, we are to love them. He does not mean that we need to become emotionally attached to our enemies in the way that we are with our families. Instead, we are to respond with kindness. 

When brought to court with a debt to pay, we should pay double. If someone insults us, we are not to respond in kind. Instead, we can stand firm without resorting to retaliation. Ultimately, all of Jesus’ guidance in this passage - from turning the other cheek to handing over a coat to walking another mile - is all about nonviolent responses. 

For most of us, the violence that we fear - or inflict - is not physical violence. Some of the hardest violence to recover from is emotional, verbal, and written violence. We often hear about how terrible kids can be toward each other, yet adults can be just as destructive. We are no better than our enemies. 

http://frederickbuechner.com/content/enemy

Frederick Buechner writes about our modern tendency to throw curses instead of punches. He writes, 

"It would be pleasant to think it's because we're more civilized nowadays, but maybe it's only because we're less honest, open, brave. We tend to avoid fiery outbursts for fear of what they may touch off both in ourselves and the ones we burst out at. We smolder instead. If people hurt us or cheat us or stand for things we abominate, we're less apt to bear arms against them than to bear grudges. We stay out of their way. When we declare war, it is mostly submarine warfare, and since our attacks are beneath the surface, it may be years before we know fully the damage we have either given or sustained.

"Jesus says we are to love our enemies and pray for them, meaning love not in an emotional sense but in the sense of willing their good, which is the sense in which we love ourselves. It is a tall order even so. African Americans love white supremacists? The longtime employee who is laid off just before he qualifies for retirement with a pension love the people who call him in to break the news? The mother of the molested child love the molester? But when you see as clearly as that who your enemies are, at least you see your enemies clearly too.

"You see the lines in their faces and the way they walk when they're tired. You see who their husbands and wives are, maybe. You see where they're vulnerable. You see where they're scared. Seeing what is hateful about them, you may catch a glimpse also of where the hatefulness comes from. Seeing the hurt they cause you, you may see also the hurt they cause themselves. You're still light-years away from loving them, to be sure, but at least you see how they are human even as you are human, and that is at least a step in the right direction. It's possible that you may even get to where you can pray for them a little, if only that God forgive them because you yourself can't, but any prayer for them at all is a major breakthrough."

Loving our enemies by showing them kindness is a tall order. Somedays it may seem impossible. Violence can only create more violence. So, when you are hurt, stand up for yourself nonviolently and turn the other cheek. When you owe your enemy a debt, repay her plus more. When your enemy requires you to work for him, go out of your way to do a bit more. You may be amazed at how your enemy will respond to your kindness. 

Like and unlike Arya, the young girl from Game of Thrones, please do name your enemies every night. But instead of listing their names with the intent to destroy, pray for them. Pray that God might work through them so that they can be a blessing instead of a curse. Pray that you might find a way to be kind to them. Maybe - just maybe - God can help you to repair your relationship with your enemy. May it indeed be so. Amen.

Salt and Light

Matthew 5:13-20, Epiphany 5 A, February 9, 2014



Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

Listen to this story: “A king had three daughters. He wondered how much they loved him. The one said that she loved him more than all the gold in the world. The king was impressed. The second daughter said she loved her father more than all the silver in the world. That pleased him, too.

“The youngest said, ‘I love you more than salt.’ He was disappointed. The castle cook overheard the conversation and decided to do something in defense of the youngest girl. The next day she left out all the salt in the king's food. The food was tasteless. Then he knew what his daughter was saying to him. She loved him so much that without him, like salt in food, nothing was good.” http://www.sermonsuite.com/freebk.php?i=788018570&key=bbOBs4rzanqh4zqr

We can appreciate the value of gold and silver, but like this king, I wonder if we don’t value salt enough. When Jesus tells us that we are the salt of the earth, he means that we are of great value. In our modern context, I am not sure that we are fully aware of what Jesus meant. On every table at every restaurant and at almost every kitchen table in every home, there is a shaker of salt and a shaker of black pepper. Grocery stores are full of table salt, kosher salt, and even rock salt. No matter in what form we would like to purchase salt, we can find it at a reasonable price.

When Jesus says that we are the light of the world, he is also implying our value as Christians. Do we ever consider how important light is? In our homes, we can turn on lights with just a push of a button or a flip of a switch. It doesn’t cost us much to light our homes. We even can get solar powered lights for outside that use no electricity. Even in our small towns of Le Claire and Princeton, we have some streetlights that help us see in the dark. We need not live without light unless we want to do so.

In Jesus’ time, salt and light were rarer yet just as necessary for life. Back then, just as it is now, salt was used in many ways. They needed salt to preserve food and to season it. Salt was so important that it was used like currency in the first century.

They even used salt to keep fires going. They did not have coal, nor did they have much wood, so they needed to use blocks of salt to increase the heat of the fire. Eventually, like coal and wood, the salt block would burn down and become useless. Then, they would throw the ashy remainder in the street. Salt was a critical part of society in the first century, a rare and valued commodity.

Light also was not as available. When the sun went down, people could not light the world like we do today. Without electricity and light bulbs, people in Jesus’ time needed to use oil lamps and other small sources of fire to light the world at night. Light was never taken for granted.

We may take light and salt for granted, but we should never take our own value for granted. Yet, so often we do. The following story shows how a young child values his father, even when the father didn’t feel like it.

“In the faint light of the attic, an old man, tall and stooped, bent his great frame and made his way to a stack of boxes that sat near one of the little half-windows. Brushing aside a wisp of cobwebs, he tilted the top box toward the light and began to carefully lift out one old photograph album after another. Eyes once bright but now dim searched longingly for the source that had drawn him here…

“Setting aside one of the dusty albums, he pulled from the box what appeared to be a journal from his grown son's childhood. He could not recall ever having seen it before, or that his son had ever kept a journal. Shaking his white head, he wondered to himself, ‘Why did Elizabeth always save the children's old junk?’

“Opening the yellowed pages, he glanced over a short reading, and his lips curved in an unconscious smile… It was the voice of the little boy who had grown up far too fast in this very house, and whose voice had grown fainter and fainter over the years. In the utter silence of the attic, the words of a guileless six-year-old worked their magic and carried the old man back to a time almost totally forgotten…

“Reminded that he had kept a daily journal of his business activities over the years, he closed his son's journal and turned to leave, having forgotten the cherished photo that originally triggered his search. Hunched over to keep from bumping his head on the rafters, the old man stepped to the wooden stairway and made his descent, then headed down a carpeted stairway that led to the den.

“Opening a glass cabinet door, he reached in and pulled out an old business journal. Turning, he sat down at his desk and placed the two journals beside each other. His was leather-bound and engraved neatly with his name in gold, while his son's was tattered and the name "Jimmy" had been nearly scuffed from its surface…

“As he opened his journal, the old man's eyes fell upon an inscription that stood out because it was so brief in comparison to other days. In his own neat handwriting were these words: Wasted the whole day fishing with Jimmy. Didn't catch a thing.

“With a deep sigh and a shaking hand, he took Jimmy's journal and found the boy's entry for the same day, June 4. Large scrawling letters, pressed deeply into the paper, read: Went fishing with my Dad. Best day of my life.”

Jesus tells us that we are of great value. We are the salt of the earth. We are the light of the world. He doesn’t stop there, though. He encourages us to share ourselves with others. Instead of hiding an oil lamp under a bushel basket, we can put on the top of a stand so that it lights up the whole room. 

Instead of hiding ourselves inside our homes or even our sanctuary, we can spread the love of God to our neighbors, our community, and to those we love. With the internet, we can spread God’s love throughout the world!

Remember, you are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. You are more important than gold or silver. You cannot be replaced. You are valuable, and you have something to share with others. Go out and brighten someone’s day! Amen.

The Case from God

Micah 6:1-8, Epiphany 4 A, February 2, 2014

Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

Atticus Finch vs. Racism

The book and subsequent movie, To Kill a Mockingbird, have become classics. This coming-of-age story has influenced generations of children as they also come of age. At some point, all children learn of terrible evils and how they can live in this world despite them.

The courtroom scene in that book and movie is a classic. The narrator Scout’s father, Atticus Finch, is the lawyer for a black man named Tom Robinson who is charged with raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. Because of the rampant racism during the thirties, Atticus knows that he will loose the case. However, he chooses to represent Tom Robinson because he wants to teach his daughter Scout about justice.

So, during the trial Atticus skillfully shows the court that Mayella’s severe bruises were caused by a left-handed man, but Tom Robinson’s left hand is lame. Through examinations, Atticus brings out the truth that Mayella wanted Tom Robinson, but he refused her advances. So, Mayella used her white privilege to charge Tom Robinson with rape. Indeed, Atticus shrewdly discovers that it was Mayella’s father who beat her.

Yet, despite Atticus’ hard work and excellent execution, the court finds Tom Robinson guilty. There was nothing that Atticus could have done to change his client’s charges. This was a hard lesson for Scout to learn: in that age the evil of racism could not be overpowered by sound judgment and kind souls.

God vs. Israel

Evil like racism has been around for centuries. Sometimes sound judgment and kind souls can make a difference. In fact, that is exactly what God asks of the people of Israel in our first lesson. In Micah chapter 6, we hear of a very different courtroom scene. This figurative one does not take place within a building; instead, it is set outside where the whole world can hear. There is a judge ready to hear the case that God, the plaintiff, sets before him. The people of Israel are the defendants. The mountains and hills form the gallery. Instead of revealing the entire trial, the author only gives one statement for each party.

As the scene begins, the judge addresses the Lord for all to hear, saying, “Lord, now is your time to speak your peace. Tell all of us what you have to say. Your message will resound around the earth, through the mountains and in the valleys.”

Then the judge turns to the defendants’ table and addresses them, saying, “Listen, people of this earth, to what your Lord has to say. Even as the Lord’s voice will ring throughout creation, so also will it ring in your ears. The Lord has an argument to pick with you, the Lord’s people of Israel.”

Finished with his opening speech, the judge turns back to the plaintiff’s table. He gives the Lord the floor to speak to the assembly.

Instead of addressing the judge or the jury, the Lord then turns to His people sitting behind the defendants’ table. Addressing them, He says, “O my people, what have I done to you? How could I possibly have exhausted you? I do not understand. Over and over again, I have saved you from terrible misfortune. I delivered you from slavery in Egypt, freeing you from hard labor and cruel punishment. I gave you leaders like Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to guide you to the land that I promised to you.

“O my people, do you not remember how King Balak of Moab had schemed to have Balaam curse all of you before you even entered this land? I stopped Balaam from cursing you. I opened the mouth of his donkey so he could understand his folly. Balaam blessed you because I intervened. Then I gave you the land that I promised.

“By now you should know the saving acts of the Lord.”

With that, the Lord finished his statement and returned to his seat. The judge gestured that it was the people’s turn to respond. The defendants’ representative rose and responded,

“What do you want from us? How can we approach you, bowing down before your presence? Do you want a burnt offering? Maybe our finest fatted calves? Or would you like thousands of rams, or all of the oil we can muster? What about my firstborn son, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? What is enough for you? Can we ever make amends?”

The judge does not need time to decide his verdict. He declares, “The Lord has already told you – did you not listen? You know what is good in the Lord’s eyes. All that the Lord requests for your sentence is to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. Seek out ways to stand up for one another; always share kindness with friends, foes, and strangers; and enjoy a simply fulfilling relationship with your God. That is enough.”

There, the scene ends. The Lord showed that He felt justified in his actions. After saving the people of Israel time and time again, the Lord could not understand why the people complained so much. The people responded by suggesting outrageous sacrifices, including their firstborn. Clearly, the people did not understand the purpose of the rituals in their tradition. Then, the judge described for all what the Lord really wanted, not empty rituals but a sound relationship.

What does the Lord require of you?

Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly with our God. I wonder if the people of Israel thought that they were off the hook with this one. Or did they realize what a huge expectation this is? Each of these expectations individually requires a lot of effort. All three together is an enormous undertaking.

First, to do justice, in Hebrew mishpat, means to follow God’s law. Inherent in God’s justice is caring for those who are least among us, the ones who once were widows, orphans, and foreign visitors. Now, that category also includes those living in poverty and the young and old who cannot care for themselves.

Next, to love kindness means to appreciate God’s love, in Hebrew chesed. After receiving God’s loving kindness, we are to share this exact loving kindness to everyone. This can also be described as compassion, empathy, and benevolence. We can share God’s love with others.

Finally, we are to “walk humbly with our God.” This one is harder to define. Although humility is certainly an important part of our relationship with God, this phrase may also mean to be peaceful, modest, or meaningful. The Lord expects us to fully participate in the life of the church so that what we offer is never meaningless.

In To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout and Atticus Finch show us how evil racism can be. In Micah, the prophet shows us that God has already overcome the worst evil in our world. The least we can do in response is to care for the least among us as an expression of God’s love in response to all that God has already done. Amen.

Jesus went to Capernaum...or Princeton?

Matthew 4:12-23, Epiphany 3 A, January 26, 2014 (Annual Meeting)

Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

http://www.princetoniowa.us/

Sometimes far off places can be just like home.

When we hear stories from the Bible, we often think of them like a fairy tales. We hear of far off places like Galilee, Nazareth, and Capernaum. The people have strange names like Zebulun, Naphtali, and Zebedee. These stories hail from ancient cultures with customs that we do not understand. In many ways, Israel is very different from Iowa. But maybe we are more similar than you would think.

When Jesus hears that John the Baptist has been arrested, he leaves Nazareth in Galilee to go to Capernaum, a thirty-mile walk. That may sound like a long distance, but it really is like going from West Davenport to Princeton. Jesus left Nazareth, which certainly was not a booming town in those days. Yet Capernaum was even smaller.

Capernaum was a small town on the Sea of Galilee. There were about 1,000 people living in Capernaum, some in the city and others in the countryside around the town. Most of the people living there were either farmers or fishermen. Sound familiar?

You may ask, why would Jesus go to somewhere like Princeton to start his ministry? We aren’t special here. Many of us don’t have exciting lives, but instead we enjoy the slow, casual pace of life away from the busy Quad Cities. We enjoy knowing our neighbors and the people in the pews. Why would Jesus reach out to people like us?

That is a great question, one that many people have asked. A better question is, “Why not us?” Why shouldn’t Jesus go to the unimportant, regular people first? By doing so, we can step into the disciples’ shoes and see Jesus’ ministry from their perspective.

Who were these fishermen?

These fishermen were simple people. They were not known for their intelligence. They could not read, nor had they ventured far from home. Instead, they were diligent, persistent, and strong. They were not rich, but their work usually produced enough to get by.

The life of a fisherman was a hard life. They had to be strong enough to haul in their nets full of fish, yet they had to have enough fine dexterity to mend their nets. They worked long hours in relative isolation. They could quickly clean the fish that they caught. Sometimes, all of their hard labor produced very few results.

These were the people that Jesus called to follow him. He did not call scholars who were desperate to study under a rabbi. These men probably had very little education, and they were ok with that. Knowing all of this, it is no wonder why the disciples were often so clueless about Jesus’ teaching!

The passage explained

After John’s arrest, Jesus leaves Nazareth, his hometown. Jesus was ready to begin his ministry, but he did not want Herod Antipas breathing down his neck. So, he travels the thirty miles to the small fishing town of Capernaum. He quickly settles in and begins to preach saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." Jesus is quoting John the Baptist word for word.  Jesus is continuing where John left off.

Then Jesus approaches first Simon Peter and Andrew and next James and John. He makes a strange, unexpected request: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." Without question or hesitation, they drop everything and immediately follow Jesus.

I wonder how long Jesus was in Capernaum before he called those fishermen to follow him. I wonder if the fishermen heard Jesus preach. When they dropped everything and followed Jesus, did they know what they were getting themselves into? Did they realize how difficult their next few years would be?

Did they know that Jesus would heal people without explanation? Or that he would teach using confusing riddles? Did they know that Jesus would end up dying a horrible death on the cross? Did they know that they would become the first church of Christ?

No, I think not. They may have had some idea of who Jesus was, but they had no way of knowing all that was to come. Somehow, they knew that this Jesus was someone special. So, they followed him throughout Galilee. They listened to Jesus preach and teach. They watched him cure people from incurable diseases.

These simple men with strong hands and gentle hearts followed Jesus across the country. They even followed him into Jerusalem where he was destined to die. They witnessed his resurrection and shared his story so that we also can become disciples.

Now it is our turn.

The first disciples did their part, and they have passed their story down through the generations and laid Jesus’ mission in our hands. Not only are we blessed with the written scriptures, but we also have centuries of traditions, rituals, and theology. Throughout Christian history, we have seen so many fabulous examples of how to – and how not to – be the church.

So, what are we going to do with it? We are at a turning point in our church. Today, we are going to elect new council members and adopt a new budget. We are going to review the past year and look toward the next. Throughout our meeting, ask yourself and each other, “How are we being disciples of Christ? How are we continuing his mission?”

After Jesus heard that John the Baptist was taken into prison, he left a place like West Davenport and came to a small, rural place just like our own. He went up to people just like you and me and said, “Come. Follow me. I will make you fishers of people.”

Let us leave behind everything that is getting in the way of us following Jesus. Let us leave behind our grudges, our laziness, and our fear. Let us leave behind anyone or anything that distracts us from the will of God. Let us leave it all behind so that we can follow Jesus into the community where we can share the good news and help those in need.

We can do this because God strengthens us through worship, study, and prayer. By joining together here, the Holy Spirit prepares us for the ministries that we are called to do. Jesus shapes us into the people God calls us to be. Thanks be to God! Amen.

Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber in Cedar Falls

#Nadiastjohn pic.twitter.com/tbHTZ0OvuN

— NE Iowa Synod, ELCA (@NEIowaSynodELCA) January 23, 2014

Last Wednesday, Brett and I went to see Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber in Cedar Falls, IA. We loved her interview with Krista Tippett, and I have read her autobiography, Pastrix: The Cranky Beautiful Faith of a Sinner and Saint. I have already admired how untraditionally Lutheran she is. She may not look or act like your average Lutheran pastor, but her theology is solid. Because of her life experience, Pastor Nadia understands God's grace in a way that I may never be able to.

Brett and I ventured in the bitter cold two and a half hours through blowing snow and low visibility to see Nadia Bolz-Weber. Thankfully, we were there early enough to grab some dinner and get seats in the sanctuary. Even though we are not from Northeastern Iowa Synod, we knew a few people there (fellow Wartburg College alums). There were over 650 people there! All of the ticket sales plus another offering went directly to the ELCA Malaria Campaign.

$10,685 was raised for @ELCAmalaria at Wed's event with Nadia Bolz-@Sarcasticluther #Nadiastjohn

— NE Iowa Synod, ELCA (@NEIowaSynodELCA) January 24, 2014

Pastor Nadia described her approach to leading her congregation, House for All Sinners and Saints (HFASS) in Denver, CO. They do a lot of unique things, like delivering turkey sandwiches to people who have to work on Thanksgiving. They are "anti-excellence and pro-participation,"meaning that doing ministry and worship together is much more important than doing it well. Describing why she needs a bishop, "Somebody should make sure that we are on the yellow brick road, that I am not taking my people into a field of poppies."

"Faith is a team sport, not an individual competition... We hold faith on each other's behalf." #Nadiastjohn

— Bryan Odeen (@BryanOdeen) January 23, 2014

A big message that the gathered assembly took away from her talk is that the Christian message is the same as it has always been, but our delivery method needs to change. Just like phone booths and Blockbuster, the church destined to struggle if it doesn't change with the times. Our culture is also very cynical about institutions and trust our lived experience instead. So, people are still desperate to hear the Good News, but many won't go out of their way to get it.

The church needs the to connect the sacred story and the world around us. We have a lot to say if we finally connect the dots. #Nadiastjohn

— Bryan Odeen (@BryanOdeen) January 23, 2014

One final story from Nadia Bolz-Weber: Every Good Friday during worship, the people of HFASS lay purple tulips on a crucifix. Not letting the flowers go to waste, after worship, they bring those tulips to the site of a local shooting. One year, they went into a bad neighborhood where all of the dogs were barking. As they laid the flowers down where an innocent person died, they chanted. The dogs stopped barking while they were chanting, and then they began to bark again when they stopped. 

"It's like the dogs' barking were kyries and they were happy we could take over for a bit." Wow! Goosebumps. #Nadiastjohn

— Bryan Odeen (@BryanOdeen) January 23, 2014

Deluge of Baptismal Waters

Matthew 3:13-17, Baptism of our Lord A, January 12, 2014

Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

God was not in these waters

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Sandy

October 2012. The hurricane named Sandy hit land. It brought 115 mph winds and pounded the northeast with torrential downpours. The entire coast and twenty-four states, from Florida to Maine, were impacted by this storm. Buildings were destroyed and livelihoods were lost. The coast was ruined. Hurricane Sandy caused at least $65 billion in damage. Almost 300 people were killed, some immediately and others after time in a hospital. Superstorm Sandy came to America, but God was not in those waters.

July and August 2013. Heavy rain struck Manitou Springs in Colorado. In a matter of days, this area received a year’s worth of rain. Not yet recovered from the previous year’s forest fires, this part of Colorado experienced flash flooding that led to terrible mudslides. Bridges were destroyed, roads collapsed, and houses demolished. Mudslides came to Colorado, but God was not in those waters.

http://qctimes.com/gallery/weather/photos-q-c-floods-in/collection_72c4064a-a82d-11e2-9774-0019bb2963f4.html#24

April, June, and July 2013. Our very own Quad Cities receives remarkable amounts of rain, raising the water levels of all local rivers. At least four times during the spring and summer, the Mississippi flooded over its banks. At the same time, the Wapsi and Rock rivers also flooded.

Some buildings were damaged, including many homes and businesses. These excessive waters forced Davenport to put up their Hesco barriers multiple times along River Road and Credit Island. After carefully protecting the Credit Island lodge from the waters, it went up in flames. Many who loved this lodge were devastated. Flooding came to our part of the world, but God was not in these waters.

We have experienced many natural disasters caused by rain, snow, and ice. When the waters come in excess, our lives stop as we assess the damage. Buildings and homes are often destroyed, leaving people without places to work or live.

Sometimes we can prepare for these times. People along the coast can board up their homes. We can build homes above flood levels and create levies and floodwalls along the river. Sometimes, all of our protection isn’t enough. Sometimes we can’t help but watch from safety as everything we know is being demolished. I do not believe that God causes those natural disasters.

  

God is in these waters 

But God is in some waters at some times. When water is combined with scripture read and proclaimed, then God is present. In the waters of baptism, God does not destroy the good. Instead, God destroys the bad within us and enlivens the good. We know that God comes to us in those holy moments of baptism because Jesus first experienced baptism. Jesus went to the Jordan to be baptized by John, and God was in those waters.

Jesus was baptized by John 

After John had made a name for himself, Jesus traveled from Galilee to John at the Jordan. He knew that it was time for him to be baptized. When Jesus approached John the Baptist, John immediately knew that this man was not just one more to make clean. John knew who he was, and he knew that Jesus didn’t need to be baptized. Jesus had no sins to confess; he did not need to be washed. For every reason that John baptized others, Jesus did not qualify. All that John had preached about and all of the baptisms that he had done were all in preparation for this moment.

John wanted to be baptized by Jesus. He asked him, “Why do you want me to baptize you? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?” Jesus answered him, “Don’t worry about your role in this. You need to baptize me to fulfill all righteousness. It is part of God’s plan.

So, John took Jesus into the river, and he did as he had done with all the others. John gently leaned Jesus back in the water until his head was at the water level. He said that Jesus was baptized in the name of the one true God. Then John leaned Jesus back further until his entire head was submerged in the river. 

God was in more than these waters

Then, as Jesus slowly lifted his head out of the river, the water streamed down his face and dripped from his hair. Looking up, Jesus saw the sky change above him. It looked like the blue sky was pulling away to reveal a bright golden light. And from that stunning bright space he saw something white and holy coming down to him. Although it appeared as a dove, Jesus knew that this was the Holy Spirit. When this Spirit descended upon him, Jesus felt himself changed and at peace.

Then Jesus heard a booming voice from heaven say, “This is my son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matt 3:17) Jesus knew that this was the voice of his one and only Father. In this moment, the Trinity was complete in Jesus, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Jesus left the Jordan strengthened, prepared, and empowered for his entire ministry that would come. He was ready to face the world, yet he does not go straight to teaching or healing. Instead, he had to face the temptation of the devil first. From the bright, holy moment of Jesus’ baptism, he was led directly to one of his darkest – into the wilderness.

God is in our lives

We too face dark moments in our lives. Our dark moments, like so many natural disasters, are not caused by God. Yet God brings us through the darkest times, walking along side us. When the water seems to be rising above our heads, God lifts us up to safety. We are never alone.

One way that God does this is through baptism. Because God has baptized us and cleansed us from all of our sins, we can step refreshed into each new day. When we receive communion, we are strengthened for what is to come.

If in baptism we die to sin and are raised to new life, then these waters are powerful. These waters are as destructive as Hurricane Sandy, destroying everything in its wake. The waters of baptism create mudslides inside us, taking away all that is evil. The waters of baptism flood us so that only the good can survive. “Cleansing us from all our sins” sounds so simple and peaceful. Instead, God creates a deluge inside us to strip away all that stops us from serving God.

All of the crashing waves of the flood at Noah’s ark, the blessed separation of the sea during the Exodus, and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Jesus’ baptism are wrapped up in those three little scoops of water gently caressing an infant’s head. No matter how we are baptized, whether through sprinkling, pouring, or submersion, the water and the word bring God to us. All of God’s love, grace, and will for us is found in baptism. Amen! 

The Nativity

Luke 2:1-20, Christmas Eve A, December 24, 2013

Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

            Rachel Held Evans is a popular Christian blogger. Recently, she wrote a post about how difficult it is to find the perfect nativity set. She wonders, “How hard can it be to find a handmade, fair-trade, biblically-accurate, ethnically-realistic, reasonably-priced, child-safe nativity scene?” She concludes, pretty hard, actually. After looking on the internet, I agree with her.

Handmade fair-trade nativity scenes are available, but they usually depict other cultures’ interpretations of the nativity. 

http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/nativities/joyful-andean-family-nativity

Some nativity scenes disregard the biblical story and leave out important characters, like the wise men or shepherds. 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/255016397623720933/

American and European nativities completely disregard the ethnicity of the holy family. 

Jesus is often blue-eyed and blond, 

http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/half-shell-ornament

yet for some reason one of the wise men is often black.

Many nativities are reasonably priced, but some are not. 

http://www.amazon.com/Olive-Wood-Kings-Nativity-Pieces/dp/B0002XH8Z0/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1387484219&sr=1-2&keywords=nativity+set

Child-safe nativities are a great way to teach the Christmas story to kids, but they fail miserably in other categories.

http://www.amazon.com/Little-People-Christmas-Nativity-Lights/dp/B000067R86/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387483846&sr=8-1&keywords=nativity+set

Rachel’s quest for the perfect nativity scene ended in failure. 

In the comments on her post, nobody had the perfect solution. Some didn’t care that Jesus is often blond-haired and blue-eyed. Others suggested that Rachel keep a collection of nativities. The sum of the whole may equal what she was looking for.

Why, I wonder, does no nativity scene seem to work just right? What is missing from those figurines? Let’s look at each character to find out. Well, maybe not the wise men. They don’t come until Epiphany on January 6^th anyway.

Let’s start with the animals. How could they go wrong with animals? Well, some cultures put their own animals in the nativity, so there’s that. 

http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/nativities/bengal-nativity

We know that the shepherds probably had their sheep nearby, although I doubt they brought their whole flock in town!

http://www.amazon.com/Fontanini-Roman-Nativity-Figurine-5-Piece/dp/B0000CFWLG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1387484850&sr=8-2&keywords=sheep+nativity+set

Because Jesus was born in a stable, barn animals were certainly there. That explains the donkeys and oxen, but what about camels? Maybe the wise men brought those. What gets me every time is that the animals are almost never scaled correctly. 

Look at that tiny camel!

Next, let’s look at the shepherds. The shepherds were out in the fields keeping their sheep together. They probably had been in the fields for some days, so they were quite dirty.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/70157706669170358/

Pigpen should have played the shepherd, not Linus!

In fact, shepherds were held in very low regard in society. They had their sheep feed on others’ private property, so most landowners despised them.

Shepherds in nativity scenes never look degraded or scorned. They are always so clean and beautiful.

 Often, one is holding a lamb in his arms. When we don’t see the shepherds as homeless, conniving social scum, we forget how wondrous God was to announce our Savior’s birth to them first. The angels didn’t appear to the rich and powerful; the angels appeared to the lowest of the low.

 God sent the angels to them because God loves these least among men. And the angels’ message was so extraordinary that the shepherds had to see Jesus for themselves. I doubt that they stopped along the way to wash their faces.

Next, let’s talk about those angels.

http://www.amazon.com/Precious-Moments-Gloria-Excelsis-Deo/dp/B000K0JQV4/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1387488705&sr=8-13&keywords=angel+nativity+precious+moments

 We don’t know much about these heavenly folk, so maybe they were in white robes and had white, downy wings. Or maybe they didn’t. Angel in Greek, ἄγγελος, really just means “messenger.” These angels are messengers of God. Surely they didn’t look ordinary, but maybe they didn’t look extraordinary either.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/235594624228485722/

The heavenly host is another story.

http://travelswithcharie.blogspot.com/2010/12/merry-christmas.html

We have domesticated the term “host” to mean “a lot,” but a host is an army. Can you imagine an army of angels appearing out of nowhere to praise God? Most nativity sets don’t come with an army of angels.

http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Heavenly_Host

And the one angel that they do have of course is floating over the manger scene. Many angels appear in the Christmas narratives; they appear to Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men. Yet none of these messengers appear in the barn where Jesus was born. Maybe the nativity set needs a field to stage the scene of an army of angels coming to shepherds and their entire flocks.

Now that we have covered all of the secondary characters, let’s move onto the holy family. First, Joseph.

We know from first century culture that Joseph most likely was considerably older than Mary, but some nativity sets take it too far.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/52072939415490999/

Joseph was probably in his thirties, not his eighties!

Next, Mary.

 We know that Mary was a young mother, probably in her early teens. Many nativity sets show her kneeling by the manger in her demure blue. For just having given birth, she looks really good! 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/166211042471667604/

She doesn’t have any baby weight, nor does she look exhausted, sweaty, or completely worn out. Mothers have told me that it is absurd that Mary would be on her knees right after giving birth. I will have to take their word for it.

Finally, we come to eight pound six ounce newborn infant Jesus.

Jesus who isn’t to scale in many representations.

Jesus was not born half-grown! Jesus was wrapped in bands of cloth to keep his arms and legs straight, so only his head should be visible. He was put in a manger, the feeding trough, which I doubt was as clean as this hay.

We have seen that nativities are woefully inadequate. 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/42713896440018011/

They can barely represent the characters involved, let alone be able to express the emotions of the event. 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/53972895503755141/

When you look at a nativity set, do you feel that “The hopes and fears of all the years are met” in Jesus? The fear turned into joy, the danger turned into peace, the despair turned into hope. Jesus does all of this for us, and for the world.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/245446248411178736/

Nativities show the baby Jesus, but they cannot express how he is fully God and fully human. They cannot show the magnitude of this event, of how this world is changed forever in that one tiny child. No visual representation can do that.

Which is why we are here. We come to worship Jesus, to hear his story anew. Together with our families and friends we light our candles and sing our praises of his birth. In this place, God comes among us - in the word, in the song, and in the breaking of the bread. In these moments, God changes us. God empowers us to overcome whatever is stopping us from sharing the good news.
In our fear, God says, "Be not afraid."
In our grief, God says, "I am with you."
In our despair, God says, "I will give you salvation."
Our God found in Jesus loves us in these profound ways. Jesus gives us all of the joy, peace, and hope that we can ever need. Empowered by God, we like the shepherds can go out and spread the good news of Christ's birth to all who will hear. For all of who Jesus is and will be is found in his first moments on this earth - as that little baby squirming and crying in a trough of dirty hay. Amen.