In the End, We are Loved

         When you think of John the Baptizer, what do you consider? His strange diet of bugs and honey? His wardrobe choice of camel’s hair? The fact that he did not become a priest in the Temple like his father and instead went out to the edge of the civilized world to preach? 

         If I asked you, what is the point of John the Baptizer; why does he exist? Maybe you would say “to point to Jesus”, which isn’t wrong, but is definitely not the whole story. John’s life is more than simply to tell people that his cousin is God’s chosen One. John’s existence has a complex purpose and reason for being, just like each of ours. 

 

         Consider what his father, Zechariah, says in the blessing that we read today as the psalmody (Luke 1:68-79): And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way, to give God’s people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (vv. 76-79)

 

         John’s purpose, besides bringing delight to his parents as a child of their old age, is to tell people that they have received salvation, a restoration of wholeness, through the forgiveness of their sins. The people must know that this compassion is part of God’s nature in order to understand who Jesus is when He comes. 

         

         Did you get that? Zechariah understands a concept of salvation, of reunion with the creator, of wholeness and hope- before Jesus is born. Additionally, it is this message that John will proclaim in the wilderness. He is not saying that the Messiah isn’t necessary. He is pointing to the fact that God is already loving, already forgiving, already compassionate, already merciful, and the coming of the Messiah is the telos of the nature of God, not an anomaly. 

 

         Telos is a fancy church word. The writer Rachel Held Evans describes it best in her latest and last book, Wholehearted Faith. I will read her words to you, rather than reinvent a wheel. Evans says: 

 

“… Scripture reminds us, the end is never quite the end as we typically understand it; it’s only a beginning. One of the biblical words for “end” is telos, This Greek word doesn’t have the air of finality that the English word “end” has. In other words, it’s not a dead end. To the contrary, it’s full of life, because it has a sense of completion and contentment. It carries the satisfaction of doing what you know you’re called to do and the fulfillment of being who you were always meant to be. 

         The telos of an apple tree is to flower and to fruit, producing blossoms and apples and seeds that will propagate the next generation of tree. The telos of a honeybee is to collect pollen and produce honey, working in concert with other honeybees throughout seasons of plenty to store sustenance for seasons of lack. The telos of a surfboard is to help a surfer catch a wave. The telos of bread and wine is to sustain and to nourish, to delight the tastebuds and gratify the body until the next meal comes…

         The telos of a human- your telos, my telos, our telos- is to love lavishly and indiscriminately, as our God has loved us. Love is what we were made to do. But even more than that, love is who we were made to be.” (Evans, Wholehearted Faith. p. 177f) 

 

         This telos, this end which is not an end, matters. When John goes out to the wilderness to preach about the nature of God, he is doing so because the message matters. If he does not proclaim this word, which likely burns in his chest and keeps him awake at night, he knows people will fail to perceive and to understand the One whom God sends.

 

         The very same misunderstanding that John feared still happens today. Christians still tend to believe the God of the Hebrew scripture (Old Testament) is angry, vengeful, and in need of appeasement. No matter how many times we read in the psalms, in the prophets, and in the writings that God is “slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love”. No matter how many messengers proclaim, “Be not afraid”. No matter how many times we read about the Divine Being always keeping promises, covenants, and commitments. Still, still, STILL- people hold wrong ideas about God the Holy Parent and, when they do, they form wrong ideas about Jesus. 

 

         The telos of John the Baptizer was and is to remind people, even the worst people, of the merciful and covenant keeping nature of God who creates and preserves a welcome to all prodigals in all places, at all times. 

 

         He points to a God whose telos is to make all things new, not to make all new things. The incarnation, the coming of Jesus- as God- among us, is one aspect of that telos. 

 

         Which brings us to our own selves, our own vocations, our own telos. As Evans wrote, “The telos of a human- your telos, my telos, our telos- is to love lavishly and indiscriminately, as our God has loved us. Love is what we were made to do. But even more than that, love is who we were made to be.”

 

         How do we be love? How do we live out this miraculous, hopeful, and holy way of being, doing, and resting in this life and into the life of the world to come with the help of the Holy Spirit? 

 

My inclination is to tell you that first we must reject the aspects of our lives that do not conform to God’s love and will. However, even as I think and write that, I realize that it is wrong. 

 

First, we must actually believe that God is love. We must lean into the gift of faith and believe that we have been made in God’s image- all of us and every person we know. We have to believe that God sees us as worthy of love, of compassion, of restoration. 

 

When we dare to believe that this love is true, true for us, true for all people, then we will be open to the repentance that John points to. The turning away from division, the rejection of injustice, the spurning of habits and ways that cause pain and bring death. 

 

          The chief purpose of our lives has never been to make ourselves worthy of the gifts of God. Rather, the chief purpose is to grow in the understanding of those gifts and how God equips and calls us to use them, with the help of the Holy Spirit, for Christ’s sake in the world. Comprehension of our telos comes through leaning on the everlasting arms and knowing that we did not earn our place there but have been gifted it through Christ’s faithfulness. 

 

         In this season of Advent waiting and preparation, in thinking about the celebration of Christ and the promise of Christ’s return, I invite you to consider your own telos, the fullness for why you have been created. It is not merely for your parents, your children, or even your neighbors. There’s a reality for why you specifically have been made, a special way that you specifically can glorify God and imitate Christ, a specific way that you are called to live and show love among God’s faithful people and in the world. 

 

         We have been called to love because we have first been loved. We were created from love, and, in the end, we return to the source of love. This is not a new thing since Jesus’ birth, but the reality of who and how God- Creator, Word, and Spirit- has always been. Love made us, made all things. And it is our telos to love with our whole being- in all we do and say- every moment of our lives. 

 

         This is not impossible. It is very possible and even probable, if we are willing to believe the truth about the nature of God. The truth that has always existed. The truth that we heard from our brother, John. 

 

Amen. 

10 Things to Know about Advent

 

 10. Advent is Latin for “come in” and the practice of observing Advent prior to Christmas goes back before the Middle Ages. For these many centuries, Advent was a penitential season, like a slightly shorter Lent. Christians were encouraged to fast, give to the poor, and devote themselves to other outward and inward signs of faith as part of the work of getting ready for the advent of Christ, for Jesus to “come in.” We as Lutherans no longer observe Advent as a season of repentance, but as one of joyful anticipation in the fulfillment of God’s promises. Each candle we light, hymn we sing, and prayer we utter is part of how we join in the Spirit’s preparation for what is to come.  

 

9. By the 1600s, northern hemisphere Christians adopted the practices of their non-Christian (usually pagan) neighbors, using rings of candles to mark the passing of the dark season associated with northern winters. We know that versions of these candle rings were being used in connection to the Advent season in the 1600s, especially in Germany. By the early 1800s, Advent wreaths that would look more familiar to us were in use in Europe as a teaching tool to help children mark time until Christmas. Such wreaths didn’t come into widespread use in the United States until the late 1800s and early 1900s. 

 

8. Since official church use of the Advent wreath is much newer than use of it in the home, “official” prayers and liturgies for lighting the candles in the congregation are still being developed, written, and adjusted. The most common themes for the four Sundays of Advent are “hope”, “peace”, “joy”, and “love”. Blue candles and blue church decorations are used for Advent in most Protestant and some Catholic traditions because of the connection between blue and hope. The Roman Catholic Church still officially uses purple for Advent, but both some Protestant and Catholic traditions use a pink candle for the third Sunday in Advent to go with the theme of joy. 

 

7. There are alternate themes to go with the candles. For example, the candles are sometimes lit to represent prophets, Bethlehem, shepherds, and angels. These connect to the other themes with the idea that the prophets had hope, Bethlehem (the City of David) had faith, the shepherds had joy, and the angels proclaim peace. Please note that it is difficult to use the word “traditional” around Advent themes when most of them are less than 150 years old. 

 

6. Speaking of traditional, the singular, oldest tradition we have around this church season is the hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”. This hymn was composed for use during vespers- evening prayer- services sometime prior to the 8^th century, The earliest printing we know of was in the 1200s. The verses, in Latin, spell out a reminder of Christ’s coming. They also lift some of the many biblical names and promises attached to Jesus’ birth as God coming among us. The tune is meant to sound both mournful and rejoicing, underscoring the themes of the season- both joyful anticipation and heavy longing. 

 

5. We often assume heavy longing is necessary because of the idea that Advent is an eschatological season. Eschatology is a fancy church word that means study or focus on the final things. In our day, right now, people use the word eschatological when they are talking about the last days and what will happen at the end of all things. However, that has not always been the case in Christianity. The development and use of the word, eschatological, in English only goes back to about 1850. Does this mean that people weren’t worried about what comes next before 1850? No, but it means they weren’t spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on pamphlets, books, movies, and television ads that promised to tell them exactly when and how things would end. They focused on their own families, their communities, and the faith that God had everything else under control. It wasn’t fatalistic way to live, but a trusting one with a deep, abiding consolation that God had kept promises before and would again. 

 

4. That kind of faith brings us to the other way to use the term, eschatology. In Christian mysticism, eschatology is a metaphor for the end of ordinary reality and a reunion with the divine. This means that readings and hymns about destruction and the end of the world as we know it are meant to help us dig deep, become more attuned to the Spirit, and find within ourselves and all around us a greater awareness of the presence of Divine love. I realize for super concrete-thinking Norwegians, practical Germans, and please make it plain Montanans of all descents, that sounds a little woo-woo and maybe like something you can pretend you didn’t hear in this sermon. (*Please hold while I look you all in the eye with my patented “Pastor Julia stare”.) 

 

There is a very real aspect to faithful living that is beyond our full explanation, but not beyond our comprehension. You’ve all felt it when outdoors, in a quiet moment of thought while moving a herd or a flock, or in a meditative moment doing dishes, sewing, gathering wood, or cleaning animals for the freezer. You know what it means to have an awareness both of yourself in a moment and of that particular moment’s connection to something larger, something more, something that both is the source of everything and welcomes all things home. That is the essence of real Advent eschatology- those moments that pause the ordinary reality (with its unnecessary hustle and bustle) and causes us to be connected to the very ground and source of our being. 

 

3. It is that particular moment and experience that pastors, teachers, musicians, and choir directors are striving for when they hold back on the Christmas music and keep Advent in place for all four weeks. The Advent hymns are not focused on getting ready to celebrate a baby; they are focused on Christ’s return, the fulfillment of God’s promises, and the hope we all hold for the time when all things are made new. Listen again, God has not promised to make all new things, but to heal, renew, restore, and resurrect- making all things new. This truth is the focus of Advent. This truth matters and it cannot, should not, and will not be rushed, not matter what the world tries to press upon us. 

 

2. If we rush, we will get the wrong idea about God. If we rush, we will miss the moments to perceive and understand the nature of the Holy to whom the psalmist prays, “Show me your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; in you have I trusted all the day long. Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, for they are from everlasting.” (Ps. 25:4-6). 

 

If we rush, we will miss already with us glories of the one of whom Jeremiah proclaims, “⁶In 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.” (Jer 33:16) 

 

If we push past Advent and all it brings, we will misunderstand the One whom Paul says can, “make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.” (1 Thess. 3:12) 

 

If we rush, we will forget the word of Jesus, word that tells us there are always going to be disasters in the world around us, yet our redemption, the kingdom of God, our own peace is near. (Luke 21:25-36) 

 

1. The number 1 thing to remember about Advent is that it exists for a reason. It has its own lessons to teach us besides waiting for Christmas. Advent has lessons about waiting with joy, about saying yes to what sounds impossible, about remaining strong in faith, about doing what’s right even when afraid, and about the ultimate truth that God is love. If we listen carefully, openly, and with mystical eschatological hope to the lessons of Advent, we will not come to the idea that we are sinners in the hands of an angry God. 

 

If we listen carefully to the lessons of Advent, then we will arrive at the manger with great hope, peace, and joy, looking down into the straw, and understanding all over again, “God so loved. God so loved. God so loves.” 

 

Amen. 

 

 

 

 

Expectations (Sermon)

 Sunday, 7 February 2021- Year B

Mark 1:29-39

We know that we are called to the imitation of Christ. Not only is modeling Christ Jesus part of our mission statement, but Ephesians 5:1 tells us to imitate God. This imitation happens through, and only through, the help of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is gifted to us, yet many of us struggle with the modeling we are called to for the sake of the world. 

In today's gospel, Jesus does something that most of us would find nearly impossible. On his first day in ministry, he calls disciples, he teaches in the synagogue, he heals a man possessed by demons, and then he heals Simon's mother-in-law. That's a pretty full day. 

When that day ends, word has circulated quickly enough that people are crowded up to the door of Simon's house with their own sick and demon-possessed people. 

Sidebar: what's the difference between sickness and demon-possession in Mark? It is likely that what people called demon-possession in Jesus' day were illnesses that seemed to have no external cause. Epilepsy, strokes, or even something like heart palpitations, alongside mental illnesses, would have seemed out of the blue and certainly caused by evil forces. Sicknesses that came from bad food, skin diseases, or the sanitation issues of the time might have seemed more self-evident, requiring basic healing as opposed to an exorcism. This is the end of the sidebar. 

Back to Simon's house, after the Sabbath has ended, the crowd is gathered with their sick and their demon-possessed. Jesus heals many of them. Many, but not all? Why doesn't Jesus heal them all? 

Jesus is capable of healing them all, but some people do not want to be well. I don't mean that in the sense that they would prefer to malinger and drag out their suffering and gain attention for it. I mean that some people have struggled for so long that they feel unable to imagine a life of wellness, a healed existence. It seems likely to me that there were probably those among the crowd who wandered up themselves or who were dragged by family members but had no interest in what Jesus offered. They didn't think it would work or they numbly submitted to healing prayers, but immediately dismissed the possibility of such efforts working. 

I am not saying that people don't get well in that time or in our own because they don't want to, even though that can happen. I am saying that Jesus offered a powerful gift of healing for them and, for whatever reason, they were unable to receive the gift. They were not more powerful than God, nor were their illnesses or nor the demons that possessed them. They had simply stopped believing anything could change and therefore nothing did. How often have you been in that situation? Believing that what exists simply is and nothing can be done about it. These simple sentences remind us that no one's suffering, pain, or possession is God's will, but suffering continues when we refuse to believe that healing, that wholeness, that a different way of being is possible. 

So, what is it that Jesus does that would seem impossible for us? It's not the healing. We are entirely equipped to be part of how God brings healing, including through exorcisms, in the world. What we would find difficult is something else.

After the full evening of healing people, Jesus appears to have slept and then awoken early to go and pray. Simon and the others hunt for Jesus. Though in English, our translations say they looked for him, the Greek implies that they hunted him down. He went to get away and they pursued him. 

Why would they do this? 

The night before, they get their first taste of Jesus-mania. Everyone wants to come to see Jesus and they are known as Jesus-adjacent. Perhaps they can trade their closeness to Jesus for favors, for funds, for fame. With stars in their eyes, they hunt Jesus down so he can come back and keep doing these miraculous things, acts with the potential to change the lives of these fishermen. 

But Jesus didn't come for fame and fortune. He hasn't called the disciples so that they can be his managers and his entourage. 

Here we see the contrast between how regular humans act and how Jesus acts. 

Jesus tells the disciples that it is time to leave Capernaum and to go to other villages. He wishes to go and carry his message, and his healing powers, elsewhere. 

You can easily imagine Simon and the others spluttering, "But, but, but... we have it good here. People will come to us. You don't need to travel, Master. Let's set up here. There's a crowd up at the house and Mom is feeding them. You don't want to disappoint them, Jesus." 

But Jesus is not focused on human disappointment. Then, as now, disappointment with Jesus doesn't come because Jesus fails, but because our expectations for Jesus are misplaced. 

Unlike most of us, Jesus can see the desires of the world, the desire to be liked or loved, the desire to be influential, the desire to be surrounded by people who admire you... Jesus can see all these things and turn away from them to do what God wills. 

God's will was not to make Capernaum into a destination city. "Come see the MIRACLE WORKER! Step right this way! See demons cast out before your very eyes! Just 1 shekel! Half-price for kids." 

God's will was (and is) for Jesus' power- his teachings, his healings, his provisions- to be spread throughout the region and the world. Jesus can reject what the world offers for the sake of God's desire, God's will, God's expectations. 

I cannot imagine how disappointed Simon and the others must have been to go back to the house, gather up their things, and tell the crowds, "He already left." The dreams of their own glory were fading before their eyes and as the gospel goes on, we see they didn't let go of those dreams so easily. 

Jesus moved on, not staying where the story would become just about him. He kept traveling to spread the gospel, the good news, of God-with-us, of the nearness of the kingdom to as many people and as many kinds of people as possible in the time he had. 

This brings us to what it means to model Christ Jesus. Are our actions oriented toward getting the most likes, being the most known, having the most glory? Do we make choices based on what is popular with our family or our friends or in our community? Are we willing to set those things aside if it means being more aligned with what God wants? 

This is a fine line to travel because it is easy for us to embrace an unpopular opinion and say, "Well, even Jesus couldn't please everyone." Modeling Christ Jesus, though, never calls for taking the devil's advocate stance. It calls for carefully reflecting on our choices, our words, and our actions. Is what we are doing, or leaving undone, part of God's will for the world? Does it bring healing, wholeness, or hope? Does it reveal and support the growth of the Spirit's fruits- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control? If not, perhaps it is a behavior or a habit that needs to be exorcised, cast out, for the sake of modeling our Savior? 

Also, what do we expect of Jesus? Are we like Simon and the others, hoping for glory on the Savior's coattails? Or do we trust that Jesus has already exceeded anything we could expect of a Savior- an inseparable connection with God, amazing grace, the sending of the Holy Spirit? What are our ongoing expectations of our Lord in light of what He has already done? 

As we go forth today, may God help each of us to live in and for Jesus, even more fully. May our faith in Jesus be increased such that we do not live for our own glory, but for His. And may we seek every opportunity to model His love in a world that needs to know such compassion, such mercy, and such peace. 

Amen.