Sermon for January 13th

Please note: I will not be preaching the next 2 Sundays, my next post will be Sunday, February 3rd.

 The reading

Matthew 3:1-17

1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." 3 This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' " 4 Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9 Do not presume to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

The message

(I am continuing without a manuscript so here is a brief outline)

We are still in that time of epiphany, of revealing, of the world figuring out who was born on Christmas.  We also see who first experiences this good news of great joy, light to people in darkness and that reveals a lot too.  First were the shepherds,  not exactly everyone's favorite people and not exactly religious scholars, Then foreigners, the magi, visitors from far away with no known historic or cultural connection to Israel.

Today, about 30 or so years after the wise men visit, we hear from John the Baptist.  This time, the arrival of the kingdom of God is announced by an outsider, a prophet who was not connected with the temple authorities, who never claimed or tried to be.  John's message is that promise from Isaiah 49

I have a greater task for you, my servant

    Not only will I restore to greatness
    the people of Israel who have survived,
but I will also make you a light to the nations—
    so that all the world may be saved.”

 This is why John is so aggressive with the religious authorities,  the kingdom is not confined to a particular place, time or people.  Their claim to authority and power was that they were children of Abraham.  God was doing something new.  People would be known as children of Baptism, a diverse and different people connected to God through grace, baptism and love.  This is how the world would be saved.  

Today, we are invited to remember the kingdom of God has plenty of room for everyone.  We are also invited to remember, we receive that same spirit that descends on Jesus, that same power John has to speak the truth and that same joy when we realize the waiting is over

   

  

Sermon for January 6

The reading 

Matthew 2:1-23

1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 6 "And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.' " 7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

13 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."

14 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son." 16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men.

17 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: 18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more."

19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20 "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead."

21 Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23 There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean."

The message

I am starting out the new year without using Manuscripts .  I am going to share an outline / summary each week

-The word epiphany means “revealing”.  The arrival and gifts of the magi answer the question “who, exactly, was born on Christmas”  Gold Indicates royalty, frankincense for someone to worship, Myrrh, a perfume for the anointing of the dead to reveal that Jesus will suffer, die and rise again.

Today’s reading has been one of my favorite. Over the years I have used the story of the Epiphany (the 3 magi) as a way to understand and celebrate what is going on here in our community.

-The magi follow the star to Jesus.  The star disappears after they leave.  Today, we are the star, we point people to Christ in our words, actions, worship and life together.  We, along with our school and the other congregations that share our space with us are brighter together

-This week, we do not only see the magi revealing who was born on Christmas. This familiar, joyful story is paired with one of the worst events in the scripture, the slaughter of the innocents, King Herod killing all children under 2 years old to try and get rid of the competition (Jesus the newborn king). 

-This too is a revealing, not of who Jesus is, but what the world is like. What sin can do, what people are capable of when they are scared or fearful.  The light that shines in the darkness is not always welcome, change is not always wanted.

 -We are called to remember the light of Christ is very bright and powerful, the darkness of the world is deep and does not go away gently.