Sermon to St. Andrew's by-the-Sea, Pacific Beach
Summary
Bishop Mathes preaches to the congregation of St. Andrew's by-the-Sea in Pacific Beach about being the light in the darkness.
Message
Advent I, B
Isaiah 64: 1-9
Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19
I Corinthians 1: 3-9
Mark 13: 24-37
Come Holy Spirit: Touch our minds and think with them, touch our lips and speak with them and touch our hearts and set them on fire with love for you. AMEN.
One of our Thanksgiving traditions is that on the Friday after Thanksgiving we come down to Pacific Beach. This Friday was no exception. We had a late lunch at the orange taco stand on Mission Boulevard, walked the board walk to work off a few calories, and then took a family photo on the pier. As we were heading back along the boardwalk, I noticed a man sitting with his sign. You know the look. It is either a dooms-day-er or someone protesting something. But this fella was a first. He was sort of the anti-dooms-day-er. At the top of his sign in blue letters, all caps, were two words: END TIMES, with a masking tape “x” crossing them out. Then, these words followed:
4 ½ billion years science days
Rats and roaches will die
Don’t bet on 2011, 2012 end
Secular Bible Study KJV (Crossed out)
May 21, 2011 OOPS Mark 13:30
Oct 21, 2011 Iffy (Crossed out) Did not happen
Dec 21 2012 Iffy
NO FAITH IN PREDICTIONS
I think he has been there a while. Clearly this person has a point to make. Regardless of what he is trying to convey to the world, I think his presence and his sign are indeed a profound sign to us twenty-first century Christians.
We all kind of chuckled when on May 22, 2011, we drove past the Harold Camping billboards predicting the end. But the truth is, Camping read our Bible. And this person on the boardwalk, was referencing Mark 13:30, which is part of our gospel reading for today. And so, those who are not a part of the church bundle us all together: Harold Camping, Pat Robertson, Gene Robinson, Jim Mathes, Katharine Jefferts Schori, and each of you. In the worldview of too many, to follow Jesus is to believe in silly Bible predictions and be a judgmental, and hypocritical, people.
The reality is this. To be a Christian in the twenty-first century is to be on the margins and to be misunderstood. Welcome to the twenty-first century church; welcome to the first century church. For this was also the world of Jesus’ followers. The very passage that our boardwalk friend referenced and we hear today is actually words placed on the lips of Jesus by those living in the chaos of that first century when his followers were embattled. And like today’s world, first century Palestine was a brittle place. It was the same for the peripatetic apostle, Paul, and his early church communities, like Corinth to whom he writes in today’s epistle. Things were shaky for those early Christians. Those Roman legions might bring pax romana to some but to others it would bring chains and a cross.
And so like the first century church, we gather. We gather as sometimes misunderstood and ridiculed. We gather in a time of economic travail and foreign wars, where many—way too many—suffer. Some may suggest that Jesus’ words to us in Mark give us hope because they tell us that this will all end with a darkening sun and stars falling from the sky—you know, pie in the sky, by and by…. But that is really not what Jesus is suggesting. The real message of this gospel is hope in this time between times. It is about our compass-setting, not our destination. It is about how we are to be a faithful people in our own times.
And that is where we are particularly blessed today. For today we begin a new church year. We gather in the shortening days to begin anew. And on this day, we conjoin this start of a new year with confirmation of those who wish to affirm their faith. We all join them in affirming ours. We all then begin anew. In the swirl of the ups and downs of jobs, economies, wars and rumors of wars, we like those around Jesus on the Mount of Olives, hear him tell us: “from the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.” Even now, in the darkest of days, the light is emerging. God is acting in our lives. We can feel it if we are alert and awake.
In just a few minutes, I will ask you to stand and renew your baptismal vows. This is an invitation to be different. You are invited to strike out and teach the world the true message of Jesus which is hope, not doom, and life, not death. You are invited to be a source of light in darkness. These are solemn vows we make. In taking them, we enter into a new reality. We are invited to think and act in different ways. We are invited to a moment of repentance. The Greek word for repentance, metanoia, means to turn around and change directions.
That metanio, that change of directions, comes as we live out our promises. We are to be a community gathered that learns of Jesus, breaks bread and prays. We are to be those who repent, who change directions. We are to tell this good news of the kingdom. And we are to search relentlessly for Jesus in the neighbor. We build the kingdom in this world through justice, peace, and dignity. These are our solemn vows. Echoing Isaiah, we surrender to God as clay in the hands of a potter. We are molded to be a new person, for a new kingdom, in the service of Christ, who is first servant himself.
And so in this twenty-first century at St. Andrew’s, Pacific Beach, how do we move forward once we have again made promises to God and with each other? What is our next step? For even though we celebrate here, our friend will still have his sign out on the beach. We few are very much outnumbered. The culture will still be working against us. After all, Black Friday is the dominant spot on the calendar, not the first Sunday in Advent.
All we can do is be faithful to Jesus and to the promises we make. And here Paul may be our guide. It is interesting to note that when he wrote to the church in Corinth, a church with whom he had some real disagreements and to whom he will speak the truth in love, he begins with blessings: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus…”
I am reminded of a bishop colleague who recently was reflecting on his own priestly ordination when his bishop anointed his hands and said, “May these hands only be raised in blessing.” And of another priest in this diocese, who suggests that the only words that should be said are those that build up the kingdom. We are to be those who bless, who give grace and peace in Jesus Christ.
Frederick Buechner, noted Presbyterian minister and author, once told about walking down the streets of NYC saying in his prayers towards everyone who he passed, “God bless you.” He reflected that as he did this blessing, the world looked different to him.
On this first Sunday of Advent, as we repent and turn around, by making solemn vows of our baptism, may we be those who take blessings into the world. For the truth is this: we are the body of Christ. We are Jesus to the world, and by our fruits they will know the one who vanquishes the darkness. They will know the one who brings hope to those in despair. Let’s get to work. The light is breaking.
Comments:
Login to post comments