Brad's Blog

Accountability

brad@brookhavenchristian.org — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:58:00 GMT

In the last couple of days, I have heard the word accountability used a lot. For a lot of people it is a scary word, conjuring up visions of an overseer or a boss looking over our shoulder to make sure we are doing things correctly. I have heard it in terms of our political process. For example, when someone says that an office holder needs to be accountable to the people. I have heard it in terms of business. Such as when a board of directors or an officer of a company must be held accountable to the stockholders. I have heard it used in legal proceedings. For instance, when a guilty party must be held accountable for their crimes.

It’s an important word, accountability. It implies that there are consequences to our actions, and so, it’s good to have someone holding someone else accountable to make sure that the consequences are not bad ones. I have heard it used as a pejorative when someone says, “Well, they’re accountable to no one but themselves,” implying that they don’t care for anyone but themselves. But I have noticed something when I hear the word used. That is, that we seek accountability from others, but too often don’t insist that we also reach the same standard of accountability. And believe me, I am including myself in that! We want other people to do what they are supposed to do, but sometimes don’t react well when someone wants to hold us accountable. It can be uncomfortable when someone calls us on something and expects us to change.

Why am I bringing all this up? Because I have heard the term thrown around a lot lately. Yes, our politicians should be accountable to us, but there’s not a lot I can do as a single voter. Yes, the officers of the companies in which I have invested should be accountable to me, but as a single shareholder there’s not much I can do except remove my investment (which, isn’t big enough to cause a stir!) Yes, criminals should be accountable to society for their actions, but that is up to a judge to decide and what kind of influence do I have in that arena? Not much. And those who are accountable only to themselves? Well, in the long run we are all accountable to someone beyond ourselves.

Who, then, are we accountable to? How are to be held accountable? Well, when it comes down to it, I think we are accountable to God first and foremost, and that accountability will lead us to a place where the rest of our accountability questions are not all that important. I say that because if we truly seek to be accountable to God, we will work hard to be the person God would have us be. We will understand that God’s will for us is to live in a certain way, emphasizing love and kindness and hard work and devotion to God’s principles. If we do what is right before God, we won’t have to worry too much about the rest of it. In fact, I think a whole lot of the accountability issues in our society stem from the fact that we about being accountable to a whole host of other things – stockholders, the bottom line, success, providing every comfort of life for our families – and forget about our accountability before God. Now, I’m not saying that we should live in fear that God will strike us down or judge us harshly if we get out of line. I’m saying that if we truly seek to follow God’s will and word, to live a life that honors and serves God, doing our best to be accountable to God with every breath we take, then, the rest of it will pretty much fall into place.

Prior to his legal problems, John DeLorean, a former Executive Vice President of General Motors, wrote a book called “On A Clear Day You Can See General Motors.” His was a fascinating life, and for someone who grew up in Detroit, full of lots of good stories about the automobile industry and the city. One chapter of his book was called “How Moral People Make Immoral Decisions”. In this chapter he recounted the decision by General Motors to pay off lawsuits resulting from injuries and accidents resulting from the Corvair’s faulty design, rather than fixing the design flaw. They correctly surmised that it was cheaper to settle the lawsuits than to retool the car to be safer. It was a rational decision made by people who were accountable to the stockholders, the corporation, their fellow executives, the bottom line. DeLorean argued that a good part of the blame for this decision rests on a skewed sense of accountability. And while he didn’t use faith language to say it, if each of these people in charge at GM – the vast majority of them good, conscientious people of faith – had held themselves accountable to a higher authority, the decision to continue to produce and sell a dangerous car would never have been made.

With all the talk of accountability swirling around us these days, can we really change the world by seeking to be accountable, first and foremost, to God? No, but we can change ourselves. And that’s a start.

Sunday January 22, 2012 "I Believe in God..." Genesis 1:1-31a

brad@brookhavenchristian.org — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:46:00 GMT

I believe in God.

Not a real shocking statement, is it? After all, I am a Christian minister, and it is kind of assumed, isn’t it? That assumption is a two edged sword, though. While it can be rightly assumed that I believe in God, there is still the question that lingers for many, including many Christians.. That question is “Why do I believe?” And that is a question that believers have wrestled with for centuries.

Over the course of the next three Sundays I want to explore one of the great statements of faith of orthodox Christianity, The Apostles Creed. If you turn to page 359 in your hymnals you will see something called “The Apostolic Affirmation of Faith”, which is the Disciple way of saying, “The Apostles Creed.” By tradition, The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a non-creedal church, which means we have no creed or confession that we hold up as a “test of membership.” For us, acceptance of Jesus as the Christ is our only “test of membership”. We recognize that matters of faith can be very personal, and in fact, can be interpreted differently by faithful people. Part of the reason we are here is to share our experiences, our interpretations, our faith, and come to an understanding of belief. The fellowship of the church is where we work that out.

Not all Christians have always felt that way, nor do they all feel that way today. From the earliest stages of the formation of the church, some have desired a statement of faith, a creed that all could lay claim to and pledge their belief in. I think the movement toward creeds was a noble one. Church leaders needed something they could hang their hat on, something they could articulate, something that could bind the people together in a common purpose and in common worship.

And so, councils of church leaders have met through the centuries at places like Nicea, and Westminster and composed, through much discussion and many prayers, statements of faith to be shared by like minded Christians. Over the centuries, however, some people have used the creeds to exclude, and that is one reason we as Disciples of Christ have steadfastly refused to hold up one creed as “right.”

The Apostles Creed is a little different than others, though. Tradition says it was composed by the Apostles of Jesus on the day of Pentecost. In it’s original form, it contained 12 lines and tradition holds that each of the 12 Apostles added a line. The more likely scenario is that it was written sometime in the 2nd century, as an amalgam of new testament statements of faith. The first time it is mentioned by name is by Ambrose, in a letter to Pope Siricius. Did Ambrose write the creed? Did a council in Milan refine it? We don’t know. But we do know that in the late 4th century, it became a popular statement of faith of the burgeoning Christian church.
I don’t know exactly when and why it was written, but in this brief document is an attempt to answer that question that I raised before, “Why do I believe?”

It is a question that I get at least a dozen times a year. Sometimes from church members seeking clarification. Sometimes from those seeking insight into their own struggles with their faith. Sometimes it comes from non-believers, hoping to trip me up. But it is a question worth pursuing, and the Apostles Creed serves as a good framework for seeking an answer.

The Apostles Creed addresses the notion of belief in God with this opening statement: “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth.” No great involved explanation, no footnotes leading us to other sources of explanation, just “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth.”

These two clauses lead us in a direction that might be worth pursuing. The first, the declaration of God as “Father Almighty”, speaks to the authority of God. The second, the pronouncement that God is “Creator of Heaven and Earth”, speaks to the power and strength of God.

Let’s deal with this notion of the authority of God as “father almighty”. For the early church, this was a statement of how God relates to humanity. It is based upon their human understanding of the authority figure of their culture: the father in the family structure. Fathers were seen as the ultimate decision makers and ideally exercised their authority with a sense of justice and love. Ideally is a really important word here. Fathers were seen as responsible for their families. They were seen as teachers and providers and rule makers and yes, they were seen as the disciplinarians. They were given a preferred place in society.

We live in a different world today. Fathers are not the solitary authority figures they were in the early church days. Egalitarian movements have brought us to a time of shared authority in the home. The absolute authority wielded by fathers has yielded to a different authority structure today. Add to that the realization that not all fathers are the just, loving, teaching ideal that this creed supposes, and this can be problematic to 21st century Christians.

How are we to reconcile the two worlds? One suggestion is to remember that the creeds use of father is an IDEAL. Who would the perfect father, or the perfect parent, be? One who loved abundantly and unabashedly; one who taught carefully and diligently; one who comforted tenderly; one who disciplined fairly, and one who exhibited honesty and integrity in all actions. For our ancestors, the use of the phrase “father almighty”, in all it’s idealism, would have summed up all of those qualities, and thus painted an image of God to be embraced.

But this description of God doesn’t really lead me much closer to an understanding of ‘why I believe’. But the second clause might help us some there. When I really think about how to explain why I believe, the idea of God as “creator of heaven and earth” is a lynchpin.
In preparing for this sermon series, I read a lot of commentaries and articles and other folks statements of why they believe in God. While I don’t disagree with most of them, they all seemed to center around this idea that belief must be “proven”. That is, most people writing about why they believe set out scientific and rational “proofs” for God’s existence.

From Thomas Aquinas to present day theologians, they have laid out their proofs. They talk about complexity, and apparent order, and claims that if you cannot disprove God’s existence, then you must accept it as true.

I find some of these avenues fascinating, and I find some of them perplexing. Some of them help bolster my belief, some leave me a little confused.

And then it hits me: it’s because these writers are answering a different question than I have asked. The question is not: “How can I prove God exists?” The question is: “Why do I believe in God?”

One of the great statements I have ever come across on this subject comes from Dr. Francis Collins, former head of the Human Genome Project, the endeavor that successfully mapped the myriad of genetic markers that each of us carry. Dr. Collins is a Christian who was once an atheist, converted by the very scientific and medical discoveries that served him as a physician. He came to understand that the order and complexity pointed to a creator God, maker of heaven and earth. He acknowledged that his reason had led him to believe. Writing in 2009 he said, “But, reason alone cannot prove the existence of God. Faith is reason plus revelation, and the revelation part requires one to think with the spirit as well as with the mind. You have to hear the music, not just read the notes on a page.”
I think he has hit it the nail firmly on the head. It is fine and good to spend time doing our best to prove that God exists, but we cannot truly believe until we have experienced God’s revelation.

My friend Maureen lost both her parents before she was 18. When asked why she believed in God, she said, “Because I would not have survived without God there to hold me close during my darkest days. Since then, I have seen God all around me.”

I understand what she means. For while my experience of God is not exactly the same as hers, I too, have seen God all around me, too. Our scripture this morning tells a beautiful story of God’s creative hand shaping our world. To read the words can be awe inspiring. Some will accept these words as literal fact; some will accept, not as fact, but as a beautiful story pointing to the truth of God’s power. But you know what? Both of those groups of people can still accept the story as truth, even if they don’t agree on the facts. Did God create the heavens and earth in 6 days? Maybe. Is evolution a better explanation of how the world came to be? Maybe.

I’m not trying to cop out here. I firmly believe that acceptance of the facts of either of those points of view can still be compatible with the basic truth of the matter: God created the heavens and earth. How long did it take? I don’t know, I wasn’t there, but my reason shows me that creation exists. My reason shows me there is an apparent order in our world that staggers my imagination. My reason shows me that the complexity of our world could not be the result of random actions. My reason tells me all those things.

But, my faith tells me that it is good.

My faith tells me that it is God.

My faith tells me that the more I look for God in the wonder of the totality of God’s mighty creation, the more I see God everywhere, and the stronger my belief becomes.

In the beauty of the wildlife of the North Georgia mountains. In the astounding vastness of the night sky. In the overwhelming emotion that fills me when I stand on the ocean shore. In the face of a child experiencing the wonder of their world for the first time. In the love that is etched in every wrinkle of the face of the senior citizen who gives me wise counsel. In the quiet of the forest, in the noise of the city, in laughter, in tears, in solitude and in the misdst of a crowd of strangers.

That is where revelation has met my reason.

That is where I have seen God.

And that is why I believe.

A Grateful Life

brad@brookhavenchristian.org — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:45:00 GMT

A friend of mine once said, “There is nothing quite so OVER, as Christmas!” She was right. We spend all of Advent leading up to Christmas. All around us the anticipation builds and the excitement reaches a fever pitch. The day comes, we celebrate, we praise God, we gather with family and friends, and then it’s over. Really, really, over.

Well, at least that’s what it feels like.

What we too often celebrate as the culmination of a busy season of plans and waiting, really should be celebrated as the beginning of a wondrous time of awe. Because the events of Christmas are nothing short of awe inspiring, but in and of itself, the birth of Christ is simply the start of things. It sends a signal to each and every one of us that God so loved the world that God became incarnate, fully human and fully divine, so that we might come into personal relationship with our creator and live full lives as children of God.

So, the next step is completely up to us. How are we going to keep the awe of the coming of Christ alive every day? How can we celebrate every day as sacred? How can we prepare ourselves to be the people God would have us be? Some of us will do it by making new year’s resolutions to study our Bibles more; to pray more; to take better care of ourselves; to reach out more to other people…and all of those things are great ideas. But I think there is a step before those things come about. That is, to start by seeking every day, in every way, to live a life of gratitude. That is, to wake up every day and give thanks for Christmas. To spend every day committed to celebrating the fact that Christ came to live among us. To walk through our lives seeking out those who need to see the bright shining light of the star of Bethlehem, and do our best to be that light. To give thanks for those who share the journey with us, for the gifts we have been given, for the talents that allow us to glorify God, for the ability to worship freely and openly. To give thanks for the spark of God that inhabits every single one of us and to seek that spark out in every person we meet. To simply be grateful for this God-given life.

When we find ourselves living that life of genuine gratitude, everything changes. Our problems don’t seem so big, our obstacles don’t seem so high, our desires don’t seem so important, and we find that we are more able to live in service to others in small ways and big. Not because that is what we are supposed to do, but because that is what we want to do. Because in God’s economy, gratitude for our blessings leads us to be a blessing to others. And the amazing thing is, the more we step out to be open and available for others, the more blessed we become.

Several years ago, three of us were having lunch with Fred Craddock, and before the meal came, we turned to Fred and asked if he would say grace. He simply said, “Are we grateful?” We all answered “yes”, and he answered, “Well, that’s what it’s all about.”

Christmas is over, but as we move into what the church calls “ordinary time”, my resolution is to be grateful that Christmas came, and comes, and will come again…today, tomorrow and every day. And that is indeed, what it’s all about.

Thankful

brad@brookhavenchristian.org — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:04:00 GMT

My friend Dick Mitchell has been going through a tough time lately. He awoke one day about 2 months ago unable to use his legs. Since that time, he has been tested, undergone major back surgery, been diagnosed with metatstic lung cancer (which had traveled to his back), begun intensive rehabilitation to regain the use of his legs, and prepared to begin raditation treatment and chemotherapy. All of this while he and his wife Linda do their “snowbird” thing in Texas. Dick has been on our prayer list and I hope you will continue to keep both Dick and Linda in your prayers.

But here’s the thing: Dick has kept several of his friends updated via e-mails and in every single one he has found a way to thank God for everything he has been given. As feeling began to return to his legs and slowly but surely it seems that he will walk again, he thanked God for therapists and healing. As he came out of back surgery, he thanked God for the skilled hands of gifted surgeons. As the cancer was diagnosed, he thanked God for medical breakthroughs that have allowed this awful disease to be fought. He also thanked God that this all happened where it did, close to one of the best oncology centers in the country. His message is clear, in the midst of everything, there is ALWAYS much to be thankful for.

Two days before Christmas, he sent something out that truly touched my heart. His sons, their wives, and his granddaughter were headed to Texas to spend Christmas at the rehab center with Dick and LInda. It was without a doubt the best gift he could have received. When I read what he wrote, I immediately e-mailed telling him I was going to steal it. He said he would be happy to have it shared. This is what he wrote:

“May your time in the next few days be as fun-filled as I anticipate ours will be. May each of us individually, and all of us collectively, also have that as a time when, in significant ways, that Almighty Love which is beyond our understanding somehow becomes palpable to us. Then may we be able to suck the stem cells of that Love into our fibers, suck enough in to keep and to share, and so become agents for the Source of Our Faith as we move on through our world: loving, caring, and sharing God’s Love with all who see, or hear, or touch us, now, and forever.”

In those simple words, Dick reminds us that there is always something to be thankful for, even in the midst of uncertainty and pain. I only hope I can live up to his charge, no matter what circumstances I find myself in. But, I’m certainly going to try. I hope you will, too.

Sunday December 25, 2011 "Singing a New Song, Again" Psalm 98

brad@brookhavenchristian.org — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:55:00 GMT

What’s your favorite Christmas song?

What is it that makes Christmas songs so special?

Why is it that we sing songs during worship, or any time for that matter?

Songs are a way of telling the story of whatever moment we might be in. There are songs in my life that can take me back to a specific point in time. When I hear those songs, sights, feelings, even smells come back to me. Do you have any like that?

Let me ask you this: if you have any of those, are they songs that bring back good times or bad?

For me, I can’t think of too many songs that point to bad things…most of my “song memory” is solidly in the good. “Suite Judy Blue Eyes” is one of those for me…as are most Beatle songs.

But let’s turn the tables just a little bit: are there events or situations that simply need a song? For me, a bright, sunny day with Carol, is one of those times…years ago, before we were married, I remember Carol and I driving up Mass Avenue in Cambridge, Massachusetts in my beat up Chevette and feeling the need for a song: “Because I’m in love and it’s a sunny day!”

And Christmas is one of those times.

Year after year, we hear the same Christmas songs. And year after year, they are a welcome addition to our celebration. They are like old friends, come back to visit us once again. But most of them you can’t really sing during the rest of the year. They are Christmas songs, and they fit with the celebration that we are undertaking here and now. They make Christmas complete in some very real way, don’t they? Because, again, Christmas is one of those times that calls out for music, for singing, for celebration.

Our scripture this morning fits this idea perfectly. It’s not just that we are expected to sing songs at Christmas, we can’t help but sing songs at Christmas! No matter how out of tune or out of practice we are, Christmas opens up a whole new world for us, and we sing: loudly and joyously.

During Advent we spent a lot of time talking about preparations and waiting. For me, the anticipation of Advent is simply sweet agony. Living on the Easter side of the cross, I know what it means that Jesus was born, Emmanuel, God with us! I know that the birth is something to be celebrated but it is what unfolds after the birth that is so important. I know that because Jesus was born, because he lived among us – fully human and fully divine – our lives were changed forever. I know that his teachings live on when people like us gather together, and I know that we are blessed by the presence of God’s holy spirit – alive and active and real to our lives – because Jesus was born in the manger some 2000 years ago.

I also know that because of that, I want to so order my life so that every thing I do, every word I speak, every action I take, honors God. I am not always successful in those things. But that is also part and parcel of something I know because of Christmas: God came to meet us where we stand, in all our humanness, and knows that we are not perfect. I know that because of what started on Christmas Day, I am forgiven, and there is nothing more amazing than that!

And so, we echo the words of the Psalmist in our joy, in our celebration, in our awe….hear the words to that psalm once more, only this time, hear it modern language from “The Message” paraphrased translation of our Bible.

1 Sing to God a brand-new song. He's made a world of wonders!
He rolled up his sleeves,
He set things right.

2 God made history with salvation,
He showed the world what he could do.

3 He remembered to love us, a bonus
To his dear family, Israel—indefatigable love.
The whole earth comes to attention.
Look—God's work of salvation!

4 Shout your praises to God, everybody!
Let loose and sing! Strike up the band!

5 Round up an orchestra to play for God,
Add on a hundred-voice choir.

6 Feature trumpets and big trombones,
Fill the air with praises to King God.

7 Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause,
With everything living on earth joining in.

8 Let ocean breakers call out, "Encore!"
And mountains harmonize the finale—

9 A tribute to God when he comes,
When he comes to set the earth right.
He'll straighten out the whole world,
He'll put the world right, and everyone in it.

Today, all the preparations have paid off.

Today, the waiting is over.

Today, the anticipation is realized.

Today, we sing.

Why? Because it’s Christmas…and it’s time to celebrate;

today, tomorrow and always, Amen.

Let us pray: Gracious God, we give you thanks for all that this day represents: your love showered down upon us, your graceful forgiveness, your merciful guidance. May our celebration please you, and may the song in our heart always be one that honors you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Sharing Our Gifts

brad@brookhavenchristian.org — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:56:00 GMT

Without a doubt, the best gifts I have ever been given have not come in a wrapped package or gift bag. This is not to say that good things don’t come in packages or gift bags! It’s just that the best gifts have been intangibles that have been shared with me. And that word “shared” is very important here. A warm smile, a enveloping hug, a strong shoulder to lean on, a kind word, wise advice, the simple presence of someone who cares about me. You see, when those kinds of gifts are given away, it does nothing to diminish the giver, in fact, I think it strengthens the giver as much as it does the receiver. For me, that is the very definition of sharing – when we give of the gifts that we have been given.

One of the ways we at BCC have been gifted beyond measure is through the sharing of the musical talent of so many. All who attend worship at BCC, be it in our sanctuary or in our alternative services in the fellowship hall, have been richly blessed by those gifted singers and musicians who so lovingly share their gifts with us. What an array of talent we get to experience! No matter the style of music, I’m pretty sure that someone at BCC can play it! And in their sharing, our worship honors God in a very real way. This past Sunday was one magnificent example of the gift of music honoring God and helping us all to worship well. The Christmas Cantata was absolutely beautiful and once again reminded us that one of worship’s most basic functions is to prepare us to move into the world to declare the Good News of Jesus Christ. Sunday’s cantata certainly succeeded in doing that! Thank you to Rev. Beth Parlier for all her hard, loving work in sharing her gift as teacher and choir director of the highest order. Thank you to Michael Spassov for sharing his gift of beautiful organ and piano music that enriches us all. Thank you to the choir members, volunteers all, who find the time each week to practice the sharing of their gifts so that our worship might be enhanced each week. Thank you to all the wonderful musicians who provide musical leadership to “Praise on Peachtree” and who provide special music to all our services and gatherings. We may not say it enough, but your sharing of your gifts inspires us week after week after week. Thank you.

This Christmas Eve, we will hear special music from a variety of folks during our worship, and we will all be blessed by that music. But we also have a special gift shared with us before the service starts. Several weeks ago, LeAnn Blanchard mentioned to me that for years, her family – made up of talented professional and amateur musicians – played together on Christmas Eve at one church or another. In the sharing of that gift, their celebration of Christmas was also enhanced. Over the years, family members moved away and, like many families, found it hard to all be together at Christmas. But this year, everything lined up and they would all be together. LeAnn’s dad remembered fondly those Christmas Eves and wondered if there was a place they could play this year? Well, of course there is!

So, at about 5:40 p.m. this Saturday evening December 24th, LeAnn’s family will present a pre-service mini concert as their way of sharing their gift of music with BCC. They will play for about 20 minutes as prelude to our Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service. So come early, and receive the gift of music this Christmas Eve. It is in the sharing that we are all blessed.

Gifting and Re-Gifting

brad@brookhavenchristian.org — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:47:00 GMT

As we prepare for Christmas, we are acutely aware that this is the gift giving season. We look for the perfect gift for family and friends; we reach out to total strangers by putting money in the red kettle outside Wal-Mart or buying presents for the “Angel Tree” kids. We invite people into our homes, and visit in others homes, always bringing something to share. Lots of us use this time to sit down at the end of the year and decide how much we can contribute to our favorite charities, knowing that they are in the ‘giving’ business all year long.

What sometimes gets overlooked in all this is that fact that the season of Advent is designed to help us to prepare for the celebration of the birth of the Christ child, and to help us focus on what that means. And at the heart of what it means is that we have been given the most wonderful gift we could ever imagine: a savior! And like all good gifts, the gift that God offers us in the form of the baby born in Bethlehem is one that delights and brings joy over and over again! We celebrate Jesus’ birth on Christmas, but the meaning of that birth and the magnitude of the gift don’t really begin to make sense until we reflect on Jesus’ ministry, his life, his death, and his resurrection. Because it is in paying attention to those things that we recognize what truly remarkable gifts we are given on Christmas Day: the gift of forgiveness, the gift of redemption, the gift of salvation, the gift of life as part of God’s Kingdom.

I think that is why gift giving comes so naturally to us at this time of year. Because we understand what it means to be the recipient of the greatest gift of all, we want to do our best to “give back” to all those around us. As we continue our journey through Advent toward Christmas, let’s remember that we have been given a gift of unending love. In grateful recognition of that gift, let us put ourselves in the mind to make giving our way of life, not just in this season, but all year round.

In the Spirit

brad@brookhavenchristian.org — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:28:00 GMT

Oh, the weather outside is frightful…it’s enough to dampen your Christmas spirit!

It is sometimes hard to get into the Christmas spirit and stay there. Just because we are in the anticipatory season of Advent, doesn’t mean that the rest of our obligations stop. In fact, if anything, they ratchet up this time of year. Almost every job out there has some “end of year” component that plops some big task on us and the “end of the year” donation requests fill our mailboxes. Add to the “end of the year” stress is the fact that we are buying Christmas presents, going to Christmas parties, planning Christmas pageants, attending special concerts and plays.

And then, to have to deal with this grey and drizzly weather, well, it’s almost too much! Almost. When we look past the busyness of our calendars, we realize that everything we do during this Christmas season is good stuff. The celebration with friends and family, the support of worthy causes that seek to make the world a little better place, the enjoyment of the hard work that goes into all the pageants and concerts and plays…it’s all great! But still, in our humanness, it is easy to lose our focus on the season and get overwhelmed with the pace. And the weather isn’t helping.

I was in that place earlier today. Not in a bad mood, just starting to see the things pile up that need attending to. All of them are great. All of them will be fun. But, I was feeling more of the pressure of Christmas than the awe of Christmas. Until I headed down to Oglethorpe Presbyterian Church to drop something off. On the way back, I looked up in one of the trees and saw one of the most beautiful sights I have seen in a while: about a dozen bright red cardinals adorning the branches of an evergreen tree. As I rolled by, they suddenly took off, filling the sky with blurs of red, heading off to the next tree. And suddenly, I was in right back in the Christmas mood again. You see, to me, cardinals are not just beautiful birds. Without going into detail, for Carol and me, cardinals are very special and serve to remind us of loved ones that we miss dearly. When we see the cardinals, we know that they are close, and that is a good thing. This morning, I saw the cardinals, and it was like blinders came off. Suddenly, the reason for the season lightened my step and put a little spring in it. Yes, I am just as busy now, but I am reminded that it is busyness with a purpose, and I thank God for that purpose.

What reminders are out there for you? What causes you to suddenly be launched into the middle of Christmas reverie? What can you look for today that will take your mind off the stress and busyness of life in December? Well, my pastoral advice to you: keep your eyes open, because it’s out there, and when you see it, things are going to change! And that is a good thing.

Sunday December 4, 2011 "Are We There Yet?" Isaiah 40:1-11 and Mark 1:1-8

brad@brookhavenchristian.org — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:25:00 GMT

“Are we there yet?”

If you are a parent, you probably have heard those words before. If you were ever a kid, you probably uttered those words at some point. It is universal question usually asked when someone is tired, bored and wanting to get on with something.

When I hear this question, I am taken to a very specific time and place in my life. It is the end of the school year, in fact, the last day of school. At the Isaac Crary Elementary School in Detroit, we always had only a half day on the last day of school. We got our report cards and were ushered into the glory of summer. And summer for me meant getting out of Detroit and heading to Camp Conely, the summer camp my parents ran in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. As the morning wore on, I could barely sit still, I was so excited. I knew that when the bell rang, and we were released from our state ordered incarceration, the summer would begin. But it wasn’t there yet. It was going to take a 7 hour drive before summer really began.

We packed the car the night before, and as soon as we all got home about noon, we jumped in the car with the sandwiches my mother had made and headed out of town. And lest you think it was just us kids that got excited, years later, after my parents had stopped running the camp but still spent the summers at our cottage just down the river, I talked to my mother about their plans for the summer. She said “Well, your dad is done with school at noon on June 12th.” “So,” I asked, “when are you headed up?” “Oh,” she replied, “About 12:05 on June 12th.”

Have you ever felt that kind of anticipation? Times when you wanted time to speed up so that whatever it was you were waiting for that much sooner. Times when you had to will yourself to sleep at night so that tomorrow would come even faster and what you were waiting for was that much closer? The only other day that I remember this kind of anticipation was the day Carol and I were married. We even scheduled a morning wedding so we wouldn’t have to wait all day!

But whatever those events are for you, the fact is that somewhere along the line we all have asked, “Are we there yet?”

The Hebrew people certainly might have asked that many, many times.

We see it in the Isaiah passage very clearly. Isaiah speaks God’s word to a group of people who have been exiled, dominated and humiliated. They have experienced the presence of God throughout their history and they have heard the promises of God, too. When Isaiah prophecies to them, they are simply worn out from years of waiting. “Are we there yet?” they might easily have cried out. “Tell us again that God is coming, because we are tired.”

Isaiah’s words seek to comfort and must have had the effect of building the anticipation of the coming of the messiah.

Isaiah’s words make it clear that God is on their side, that God hears their cries, that God is coming. The promised messiah will come like a bold ruler, protecting them from enemies. The promised messiah will come like a shepherd, tenderly caring for them. There are words of comfort in both those ideas, and the Hebrew people held on tight to these promises, eagerly anticipating the day when God would come.

When you look at this passage, it has a very strange construction. That is, it progresses from God speaking first in the past tense, then moves to the present tense, on to the future tense, and then back to the present tense. This may come from interpretation and translation over the centuries, or it may be intentional, which gives us something even more to think about when we ask, “Are we there yet?” when preparing to welcome the messiah. Are we talking about an event that has happened, is happening or is about to happen?

Through Isaiah, God tells the Hebrew people that “Jerusalem has served her term, that her penalty has been paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” This is in the past: they have been forgiven. Then God’s word continues with direction for what the Hebrew people must do now, in the present. “Prepare the way of the Lord” and then the future result: “The Glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

It seems to me that this is exactly what I would want to hear in this situation. Forgiveness has been granted, a task has been identified, and the future coming of the Lord is assured. Talk about anticipation!

Can you imagine?

Years of exile and feeling cut off from God. The people of Jersusalem take God’s word to heart and do their part to declare this good news, to worship God, to prepare the coming generation for the promised messiah. Are we there yet?

Fast forward 3000 years.

Jerusalem has been rebuilt. The worship of Yahweh has returned to the holiest of temples. But still, the citizens of Jerusalem are captive to their Roman conquerors. Still, they wait for the promised messiah.

Are we there yet?

John the Baptist was doing his best to live out God’s direction that came through the prophet Isaiah. The writer of Mark alludes to this fact when he says, “I am sending a messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness.”

“Are we there yet?” the people ask John. “Well,” he replies. “I am not the messiah, but the messiah is coming. But until that time, we must repent of our sins, knowing that God forgives us.”

Again, the pattern of past, present and future is played out. The promise of God has been offered. The people are called to do something to be ready. The messiah will come.

Are we there yet?

How can we ask that question, today? Hasn’t the messiah come? Haven’t the promises been realized? Besides understanding our history, how are these passages relevant to us?

Are we there yet?

As I reread these passages, struggle mightily with the answer to that question.

We wait in anticipation for Christmas to come. But when we look at the world around us, we are left to wonder just where God is. Are we there yet? If we were, how can the world be such a mess? How can we still live in fear? Where is the comfort of the messiah? Where is the power and might of the messiah? No, we can’t be there yet.

But then we realize that the anticipation of the coming of messiah is only possible if we have experienced God’s presence in our lives. When we gather in this place, when we stand on a mountaintop or beside the ocean, when we hear a baby laugh and feel the warmth of a bright sun, we recognize that God is in fact all around us. Are we there yet? Yes, of course we are.

As I have struggled with this question, it has suddenly dawned on me that the reason I do not have the answer is because I am asking the wrong question. It should not be “Are we there yet?” No, the question we should be asking is “Are we ready for God to lead us where we need to be?”

The Hebrew people had to ready themselves for the messiah to break into their experience, and by so doing, strengthened themselves for whatever might come. John the Baptist helped prepare people for the coming of the messiah, and in so doing, helped them be more faithful people. We sit today in times of turmoil waiting expectantly for the messiah to be known to us, again. But as we wait, we come together, pray together, read scripture together, and learn how we are to best learn to honor God. And when we do all that, we become better Christians and better people.

Every year when the school year ended I looked forward to heading up north. My anticipation was so high precisely because I had experienced that wonderful place already and longed to return. I endured the long trip because I knew what was waiting for me when we got there.

Maybe my anticipation of Advent and Christmas is not so different than that.

Every Advent I look forward to the wonder of Christmas. My anticipation is so high precisely because I have experienced the presence of the messiah already and long to experience that presence even more deeply again.

The fact is, while we wait, the anticipation is as much a part of the thrill as the actual event. And I want to savor the waiting and the anticipation. I do not want to rush the process. I need every day of Advent to wrap my head and heart around God’s message. I need to take in all of God’s creation and remember all that God has so graciously given me. I need to think about how I am to prepare myself. I need to work on being the best person I can be. And when I understand what I have been given, and what I am called to do, I can point to the fact that God’s promise will indeed be made real. Then, when I comprehend God’s presence in my past, my present and my future, I will be ready to welcome the messiah.

Are we there yet? Yes!

Are we there yet? No.

Are we there yet? Soon.

Are we there yet? In God’s time.

Let us pray: Lord, give us strength to wait. And while we wait, help us remember where you have guided us in the past; challenge us to be faithful in the present; and give us a glimpse of the glorious future that you have promised. All this and all things, we ask in Jesus name. Amen.