12.4.22 "Advent 2: Peace!"

Isaiah 11.1-10; Matthew 3.1-12

The world’s a bit of a mess, I’d say …

But, then, it’s been that way, in varying degrees, ever since Cain killed Abel … 

So, what do we do?

Do we wash our hands of it all? Circle the wagons and protect our own? Surrender our ideals? Hunker down in our little part of the world? Pray, and hope for the best?

Here in this place, and in churches all around the world … churches - great and small … we pray for peace, we preach and sing, Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.

Last week, it was hope … hope grounded in the promises and love of God … centered in the crucifixion of Jesus, a reminder that life can be hard, really hard, even for God … 

It’s no cakewalk for God … to be God.

To right the wrongs … and keep the light shining … and it’s our task, as well … in concert with God and all the angels of heaven, we sing:

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me!

But no one ever says it’s easy to be people of peace … 

Just before Thanksgiving, the Disney Chanel had the last episode of Andor … great series … people on the fringe of the Empire, trying their level-headed best to make a life, to make a living … but in the end, the Empire becomes so cruel, so evil, so desperate to rule, no one can rest easy; everyone is threatened … so the work begins, the resistance, the Rebellion, star wars, to find a better way.

It’s a big story, that fires our imagination … could we be so brave? Could we endure? Would we make it? That’s what big stories do: Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, A Tale of Two Cities, The Night Before Christmas … stories that call us to goodness and greatness.

We have a story, too … a big story … stretching all the way back to the moment God said, Let there light.

Paul the Apostle tells us: We were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. 

From the dawn of time, to the end of it … from the first words of creation, to the last trumpet … the story, the work, the love of God!

The prophet crying out: Prepare the way of the LORD … make his paths straight.

Our story is never just “my story,” or “your story” or the story of Westminster … our story belongs to the ages and reaches for the stars.

A huge story, deeply personal … in every generation, in every age, it comes to those just like us … heed the call of Christ, love the things of God, work for peace.

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

And what is peace? Is peace merely the absence of conflict or war? 

An absence of those things would be terrific … 

But there’s more to the word peace … 

The Hebrew word Shalom says it well: to make something whole, complete … everything in its place, and place for everything.

The flourishing of society … the welfare of all …

Life is not a game to played to the death - winner take all!

Life is a shared effort, to give and to receive.

To lift up the fallen, help the weary, carry those who cannot walk, bless all in their need - the lady at the well, the beggar by the Pool of Shalom … the lost sheep and the Prodigal Son.

We’re all in this together, with Christ … we weep with those who weep; we rejoice those who rejoice.

Peace is never an easy road … Jesus says, My peace I give unto you … and in the next breath, Jesus tells us of a cross to bear, a burden to carry, a tough road to travel. 

Jesus says, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Peace-makers … deeply personal … peace with God … Paul the Apostle says, we have peace with God through our LORD Jesus Christ … 

So we can move on - forgetting the past, says Paul … forgetting the worst of it, and, yes, forgetting the best of it, too … 

The worst is set aside so we don’t drown in a sea of regret … 

But here’s a part we all too often ignore: setting aside the best of it.

The best of it? you ask!

Yes, to free the future … to free the future from our achievements.

From the backward look rather than future adventure.

A wise pundit once said: The greatest cause of failure? Success!

In business, in church, in government, personal life nothing worse than letting yesterday’s success set tomorrow’s agenda.  

The writer, Ann Patchett, tells a good story about her and a friend, renting a room on the desolate coast of Scotland, watching “… in horror as the owner sat and pulled apart the most beautiful sweater I’d ever seen, winding the yarn back into balls. ‘I wanted a new sweater,’ she said while we sat their aghast, unable to save it. ‘I’ve had this one for years.’”

If we want something new, we may have to unravel the old - and maybe that’s what death is all about … God unravels the old, winds it up in a ball, and knits something new.

God is always the God of tomorrow … the past offer counsel, but the future demands new blueprints.

Peace-makers are badly needed.

The rising tides of:

anti-semitism … 

Christian nationalism …

Racism …

Gun violence …

Climate change …

Homelessness …  

Homophobia & Transphobia …

It’s not easy to build bridges when some folks are determined to blow ‘em up.

It’s not easy to offer peace, when some are eager to live by the fist.

It’s not easy to tell the truth when folks find comfort in lies.

It’s not easy to lean into the future if we’re strangled by the past.

And of our own shortcomings? … sometimes we’re the problem.

We talk amidst the devastation

of abandoned cites

the wrath of men

searching for peace.

The writer and comedian, Ruby Wax, says: “So this is the human condition: we’re living longer, getting taller, and are a push of a finger away from every other person on the planet and yet we do not know how to run ourselves.”

Peacemaking … it takes work, skill, patience, humor, humility, a willingness to be misunderstood, and a willingness to bear another’s pain, lots of forgiveness, honesty, starting all over again …  and the capacity - to keep on dreaming!

Where are the peace-makers?

They’re right here … in these pews, down the street and around the corner, and all around the world … 

Women and men of good conscience, who honor God.

Or maybe they have no religious sensibilities at all, but, by golly, they know right from wrong, they know the lie from the truth … they’re not deceived by glittery things; they’re not power hungry … they look for the gold, the real stuff, and they find it …

Where are the peace-makers?

A special call out to the story-tellers of our day … poets, novelists, script writers … costumers, set-designers & cinematographers; singers and musicians, location scouts and gaffers … on stage and screen, on the page and with the blog … those who help us understand ourselves, who show us the world, in ways both surprising and challenging … 

Peace-makers are everywhere … and they’re hard at work.

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.

Hallelujah and Amen!

8.28.22 "The Joy of Baptism," Westminster Presbyterian Church, Pasadena, CA

 Genesis 17.7-13; Acts 2.37-42, 16.29-34

[Theme music from “Waterworld”] …

Waterworld … the blue planet, a little blue pebble in the sky … 71% of our earth is water-covered … as for us, we’re a handful of dirt, and 60% water … the creation story begins with the primal waters over which the Spirit hovers … the four rivers that flow out of Eden … Moses and the people cross the Red Sea on their way to freedom … water from a wilderness rock … 40 years later, the Jordan to the Promised Land … centuries later, Jesus baptized in the Jordan River … Jesus, the living water of

God’s love … water transformed into wine at a wedding … the river of life flowing from the throne of God … the waters of birth … the waters of baptism, a cup of cold water … refreshment for a weary body, enough to wash away our sins … water-world … water, water, everywhere … water-world, indeed.

When we turn to the New Testament, baptism marks a new beginning, a new day, a new chapter in God’s long-term plan … be baptized … as Jesus was baptized … 

Jesus steps into the Jordan River … the very first thing he does before anything else … baptized by John … to be one with us, that we might be one with God.

As the early church took root in Palestine, people were baptized to mark a new beginning in their life …

When those early Christians were baptized, they asked about their children, If we’re baptized, what does that mean for our children? Do our children belong to God, too? Or do they have to wait until they’re adults to be baptized?

The Church put on its thinking cap and quickly realized - We have the answer … it’s right here in front of us, our spiritual DNA, the traditions of our faith, the ancient stories … Abraham and Sarah … Moses and the Prophets - the rite of circumcision … in Christ, transformed.

No longer just the male child, but now all the children … the whole household - those by birth, those who work there … no barriers, no boundaries, no restrictions of gender, age, race or status … the love of God for all the world, the world for the love of God … anticipating the great words of the Apostle Paul: There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

God’s work begins long before any of us know anything about it … an adult may “come to faith,” but long before that adult knew anything about Christ, Christ is at work … God at work, first … it’s never about us … it’s never about our faith, our decision, as if we had anything to do with it … 

We were born not of our own decision or making. And we’re born anew of God’s purpose and power, not of our own decision or making. 

It’s always about God’s love, God’s faithfulness, God’s purpose and God’s goodness … God’s decision … God’s creation, God’s work for our sake, and for the sake of the world.

To God, and to God alone, the glory … Praise God from whom all blessings flow … praise him all creatures here below … praise him above ye heavenly host … praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Some years back, a church called me about a possible interim … in the interview, I was asked, “When did you accept Jesus Christ as your LORD and Savior?”

I replied, “I never did. Because Christ accepted me, and made himself to be my LORD and Savior. And I’ve known that all my life.”

Dear friends, I have but one testimony - it’s not about me, it’s all about God.

Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, dead and buried

On the third day, he rose again from the dead and ascended into heaven, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

Jesus Christ gives his life for us, for all of us … to confirm what God made clear to Abraham and Sarah - a covenant … a covenant to be our God, to be the God of our children, and our children’s children … a decision embedded in the heart of God … before the foundation of the world.

It’s been my joy to offer the water of baptism to countless families … and the joy of baptizing my own children … and baptizing my granddaughter … 

To celebrate the on-going work of God … upon the face of this earth, there will always be a people, a people who sing the songs of Zion, who know the light of Christ, and the great purposes of God … 

What a joy today, to celebrate baptism for Joseph Robert and Spencer Thomas … to celebrate with these children the joy of Christ … and even now, legions of angels attending unto their little souls, the on-going work of God … a work that began in the first moments of creation, a work that continues to this very day … I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit … I baptize you, with water.

Water-world, indeed.

The gift, the glory, the joy of baptism.

Hallelujah and Amen!

"Immanuel" - January 15, 2017, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles

Isaiah 49.1-7;  Psalm 40.7-9; 1 Corinthians 1.1-3; John 1.29-31

Good Morning Immanuel.

And God’s Peace to you.

God’s love and mercy.

God’s goodness and grace.

The stuff of life.

That keeps us going.

No matter what.

No matter how hard the road becomes.

And sometimes the road is long and miserable.

Sometimes everything that can go wrong goes wrong.

It happens now and then.

Everything upside down.

A topsy turvy world, it can be.

And we’re not quite sure how to go.

Or what to do.

Or when and where it’ll end.

Such is life for all of us.

Sometimes grand and sometimes not.

Yet here we are.

In this place and time.

A time to worship and lift our voices.

To join in the chorus of God’s People throughout the ages.

If we listen, we can hear them:

Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachel.

A chorus of faith.

A song of hope.

The vibrant sounds of creation.

The original moment of light breaking out.

The Spirit of God hovers over the primal waters.

When nothing was everything.

And everything was nothing.

Only the Spirit, like a dove, wings beating.

And there it came, in the night.

The light, bright and pure.

By Word of Mouth, a Word spoken.

Let there be light.

In the beginning was the Word.

And the Word was with God.

And the Word was God.

And there was light.

Plenty of light.

Lots of light.

Enough light to make things grow.

Light to lead the way.

Down through the ages.

People have believed … strange stuff, this believing stuff:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, 

Maker of Heaven and Earth.

And in Jesus Christ.

God’s only Son our LORD.

Conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Born of the Virgin Mary.

I believe in the Holy Spirit.

The Holy catholic church.

The Communion of Saints.

The resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.

Strange stuff, this believing stuff.

Because some stuff is dangerous.

Really, really dangerous.

Takes us to God …

And God sees to it that our life -

Is no longer our own.

God weaves our lives into the very life of the universe.

God sets the pace of our every step.

And we’re glad to be a part of God.

Glad to know the goodness of Christ.

And sometimes we’re not glad to be a part of God.

Sometimes the calling of God is more than we can bear.

Like Isaiah, the reluctant prophet.

A messenger of faith, hope and love.

That’s what we are.

We’re messengers.

Messengers of a good and godly word.

A transformative word.

A difficult word.

A word that speaks to the deepest places of life.

A word that creates and recreates.

A single word, a string of words.

Words to bless and words to inspire.

Sure, there are plenty of words that deconstruct.

Words that wreck and destroy, maim and malign.

Words that are lies, and lies that are words.

And we don’t know which is what, and what is which.

Because some liars are masters of their craft.

Clever in their deceptions.

Skilled in slander and fake news.

And people will be misled - by these masters of the lie.

Misled - all the way to disaster.

Because of clever lies.

Lies that glitter.

But are not gold.

So God calls Isaiah.

And God calls you and me.

Here and now.

For our time and day.

The message of faith, hope and love.

Grace, mercy and peace.

Christ born in a stable.

And crowned with thorns.

Baptized in the Jordan.

And crucified on a cross.

Dead and buried.

And three days later …

A stone rolled away.

Roman guards knocked senseless.

Women amazed.

Disciples bewildered.

And then the Spirit all over again.

Hovering over those uncertain disciples.

In an upper room.

Full of doubt and fear.

Flames danced upon their heads that day.

And they began to speak.

That strange and Holy Day of Pentecost.

And the people in Jerusalem.

They heard the word in their own tongue.

In their own language.

Words they could understand.

Words of faith, hope and love.

It made sense to them.

And many believed.

Though some thought to themselves:

These clowns are only drunk.

But drunk they were not.

Stone cold sober they were, on that great awakening day.

They spoke of faith and hope.

They made sense of things in a strange and uncertain time.

And these gospel words still makes sense today.

They always have.

And always will.

Because God is truth, and truth is love.

And love defeats the lies.

Love defends the poor

Love finds ways to get along.

And has no need for bluff and bluster.

But love does need justice.

Love needs truth.

Love cannot sit idly by when some want to take it all.

And the children go hungry.

So here we are in faith dear friends.

On the road we go.

The LORD ahead of us, with light and love.

Come follow me, says he … ever strong and ever good … his name, Immanuel.

Immanuel.

I love the name.

God with us.

That’s what it means.

Immanuel.

The very presence of God.

The God of light and love.

The God always with us.

I don’t know what the future holds.

But I know God holds the future.

And the arc of history bends toward justice.

Love prevails, love wins.

Sometimes the way ahead has to be the cross.

That we know.

And that we believe.

The love of God is forged in hard ways and hammered nails.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 

so wisely noted:

The measure of man is not what he does in comfort, 

But when caught up in challenge and controversy.

Follow Christ?

How easily we throw that notion around.

As if it were a cakewalk.

And sometimes it IS easy.

But Jesus speaks of challenging times.

A cross to be carried.

A plow to be managed, and never, ever again, look back.

To follow Jesus - it can be hard, sometimes.

But hard or not.

What other way might there be?

Where else can we go?

To find such a lasting hope; the one John called, The Lamb of God?

If you’ve seen Rogue One.

You know the line.

“Revolutions are built upon hope.”

And there is no larger hope than Christ.

And no greater revolution than Christianity.

Sure, there are those who would tame Christianity.

Make it docile and quite.

A servant of the rich, or a tool for personal enhancement.

But Christ is the revolution.

The turner of tables and the disrupter of the status quo.

He speaks of love when others cry for hate.

He offers forgiveness when the proud call for judgment.

Christ is our hope and Christ is our peace.

Christ is our voice.

Christ is our revolution.

The way forward; the way to life.

Happy are those who make the LORD their trust.

Who do not turn to the proud.

Those who go after false gods.

And there’s plenty of that these days, dear friends.

False gods galore.

Noise and pride.

Mocking the disabled and damning the poor.

Folks so hungry for power they’ll do and say anything.

Nothing new with any of this.

So let’s not be surprised.

Let’s not be naive.

Let’s keep our eyes upon Christ, instead.

Stay the course and love one another.

Never give up.

Or turn away.

We shall remain engaged and determined.

To bear the cross of hope.

To carry the message of peace.

To challenge the powers that be.

And tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

So, help me God.

And that’s the anchor, isn’t it?

God helps us.

God sustains and God guides.

God with us: Immanuel.

The Christ of everlasting glory.

The Christ who refused the easy way out.

And choose the hard way in.

To serve the LORD God Almighty 

And to love the world to the end.

Immanuel: God with us.

Let it be so.

In word and deed.

Song and service.

Let the tower of this church point toward heaven.

To lift the human spirit.

To remind the discouraged and the downtrodden.

That life is worth the living, and the living is worth everything.

To remind the oppressor and the cruel.

That God moves in a mysterious way wonders to perform.

Justice will have the last word.

Goodness will triumph over evil.

Immanuel: God with us.

That’s our message.

And we are the messengers.

To the glory of God.

The transformation of our world.

The healing of the nations.

And the salvation of all nature.

Amen and Amen!