Sermon for December 1

The readings


Jeremiah 33:14-18


14 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: "The Lord is our righteousness." 17 For thus says the Lord: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, 18 and the levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to make grain offerings, and to make sacrifices for all time.


Mark 8: 27- 29: Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" ²⁸They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." ²⁹"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Messiah."


The message


We are now on week 12 of our Old Testament series leading up to Christmas, the Birth of Jesus Christ, God dwelling amongst us, God’s promises fulfilled.  Most other churches are starting Advent today (hence we have the wreath up). Over these past few months, we have gone through the history of the world before Jesus, including some of the most important and improbable events. There was the creation, where we are introduced to God we can see and know as well as God we are incapable of experiencing directly,  the call of Abraham,  where faithfulness and trust in God are boldly lived out, the call of Moses and Exodus, where God’s promise keeping is sure, There are the times of doubt, worshipping a golden calf and giving it credit for, kings turning to empire for salvation or to the canninite diety baal  for help, there is the law that draws people together, builds a society and reveals sin, Now we are in the time of the prophets, holy speakers active during the last years of the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel, the final defeats, total destruction and exile, people who share God’s word of frustration, society’s suffering and better things to come.  

The prophet Ezekiel (who we did not hear from this cycle of readings) actually goes so far as to share a vision of the presence of God leaving the temple and departing the world. This is followed by a reassurance that God will once again dwell with His people in a perfect relationship.   Jen and I bought a canvas bag this week that reads “recycle or DIE” and most people who read it think that’s an exaggeration.  The message of the prophets was repent or DIE, turn back to the worship of God or DIE, keep the covenant or DIE and most people who heard them thought it was an exaggeration. Turns out the prophets were right. 


The book of the prophet Jeremiah is very confusing and complicated. Attempts to determine a timeline and order are upset by different styles of writing and some odd chronology.  We do know that Jeremiah was very young when he starts his work.  Jeremiah served as a prophet during the last years of the independent kingdom of Judah, before, during and after Jerusalem fall, the temple is destroyed by the Babylonians and the people of God are sent into exile, away from the promised land.
Jeremiah starts during the time of King Josiah’s reforms (for those who remember last week, this is the time when the law of God is rediscovered, found amongst the trash and other religions that had taken over the temple. The law is read to the people and starting with the king, the covenant, the agreement or contract that they will be God’s people and God will be their God is re-entered. During Josiah’s time as king, the temple is repaired, the pagan worshippers and temple prostitutes are thrown out and some limited efforts towards social justice are made. There is some effort towards living out the word of God, improving the lives of all, following the law to care for the poor, widow and foreigner. It seems that Jeremiah felt these reforms were great but too focused on temple worship, on external acts, not enough on justice, care for neighbor, faith in life, and perhaps too little too late. 

After Josiah, King Jokohian, takes the throne. Jokohain has, no concern for justice, He was ruled by greed and materialism, the desire for wealth and fame like David and Solomon . He withholds tribute to Babylon, which leads to invasion, the fall of Jerusalem and the exile. Exile, to take people from their lands, homes and cultures and bring them someplace else was a common tool meant to weaken defeated enemies, prevent rebellion and make re-building and restoration difficult.


This is the world that Jeremiah is told to preach to, to prophesy to, to share God’s word with. At the time of today’s words Jeremiah is in prison in Babylon, He was significant enough to be exiled, and then significant enough to be carefully watched and keep out of the public eye. The word of God can be dangerous to empires, the call for justice can be very uncomfortable to the powerful, calls for helping the poor are bad news for those who benefit from inequality, calls for peace are bad for those who benefit from war.  Jeremiah speaks some very dangerous words, this is God’s world, God is the ultimate power (not my captors, not the empire that destroyed the temple, not the guards who have taken everything from me, who I depend on for food, water, etc, ), that God’s promises are still good, that God will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  


Jeremiah had every reason to shut up, he was young, no one would listen, King Jokoiam when confronted with Jeremiah’s words, rips them up and very publicly throws then away, the world was falling apart, being part of the promises of King David’s line didn’t feel like much as the temple Solomon built was destroyed and the Holy city was lost. God seemed powerless or disinterested or so fed up, God would not intervene.  To this group in suffering, hopelessness and fear, Jeremiah  says God has not forgotten God’s promises, in time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
  

Now we jump about 600 years into the future, after Jeremiah shares these promises. In Mark 8, Jesus is completing his ministry, Caesarea Philippi is the edge of Israel, the northern most point, it is now he asks the people who have been following him through all the confrontations with religious authority,  miracles, healings, signs of power, teaching and words of welcome, who do people say that I am. 

People are not too bad, they reply with some good choices. First. John the Baptist. John was recently beheaded after Herod was tricked by his wife into killing him. Many people regarded John as a holy man and prophet and Herod was afraid John would come back for revenge. Others said Jesus was Elijah, the prophet who we experienced in the conflict with the prophets of Baal, The prophet Malachi  shares word that Elijah would return.  Malachi 4, ⁴"Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. ⁵"See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.  Even Today in some Jewish traditions and holidays, a chair is left empty, a space saved for Elijah.  John the Baptist and Elijah were both faithful guesses. 


Peter responds differently, filled with the Holy Spirit and with words that will be the foundation of the church, declares that Jesus is the Messiah (the branch from David, who will execute justice and righteousness). Here Peter’s declaration places all trust in Jesus, he is the fulfillment of God’s promises, Jesus is not just a messenger or just a person entrusted to make the road, Jesus is the message and the way.
  

Next week, I, we, celebrate 10 years of our work together here in Woodside, here in church. We are invited to share like Jeremiah, in times of peace and war and be bold like Peter, placing all power and trust in Jesus.   What are saying to people: come to church?  God cares?  Who are we worried about talking to, do we hesitate to say just how great God is, to proclaim healing, to share stories of faith in action, do we worry about what words to say, do we worry about maintaining relationships, do we wait for the perfect moment to talk about faith with someone, which never comes, do we wait for someone to ask us and then not know what to say.  Say to people distraught, this is God’s world. Say to someone angry or upset, this is God’s world, say to everyone, this is God’s world.  Say to someone who does not want to hear it that they are loved by God, Say to someone desperate to hear it, they are loved by God