December 17, 2006
Advent 3, Philippians 4:4-7
A theme runs through the readings for this third Sunday in Advent. Zephaniah speaks in a time when Israel is living under the rule of a foreign power. He tells a people separated from the practice of their religion to sing aloud and not fear, do not let your hearts grow weak. He hears God saying that all will be set right.
The canticle from Isaiah was probably addded to the book when it was used in worship, added much as we add a psalm to our readings even today. It fits Isaiah’s theme of promise to a people in exile that God would act to change their situation. Surely it is God who saves me; I will trust in him and not be afraid.
Even John the baptist who calls the people coming out to see him the brood of vipers goes on to give them hope and help in preparing for the coming of Jesus.
In each case the message proclaimed to people watching and waiting for a better day is one of hope and comfort.
So it seems strange that slipped in among these readings is another message of comfort and assurance to those who have already experienced the saving action of God. In his letter to the Philippians Paul writes, do not worry about anything, the Lord is near. Just when we think the readings are telling us that things will get easier...better when God arrives on the scene, we hear Paul having to reassure those who have already met Jesus. Even after God acts to save creation, we need to hear again and again, do not be afraid. Trust your God.
As we await the coming of Jesus in this Advent season, particularly this Advent season, it might help us to remember that the Jesus who arrived on the scene in first Century Jerusalem brought more questions than answers. The little church that began to form in the wake of Jesus was divided over whom it was called to serve, and which leader to follow. They had no common understanding of the meaning of what had taken place around Jesus, and they had no written account of those events. They knew that something had happened, that their world had shifted and that they were drawn to a new kind of community that seemed to respond to a hope they each held deep inside. From the beginning, there were problems. Paul wrote and traveled, giving encouragement, instruction, developing theology around the events of Jesus’ life and telling one little congregation about another. Paul is almost single handedly responsible for knitting together a bunch of little churches into the Church, and reading his letters Paul’s work often sounds like trying to heard a bunch of kittens through a room full of ping pong balls. He did a lot of pushing and cajoling and explaining.
What is clear from the letter to the little church in Philippi is that even people who have encountered Jesus, who have chosen to follow the way of Jesus and have committed their lives to that journey.....even they.....even we.. find ourselves sometimes wondering when the Lord will come and set things right. When will we understand what this road we have chosen is all about? And how, if we now have to wait some more for that day......how do we do that? How are we to live in the meantime?
Paul’s answer to the Christians in Philippi might serve us well this week as we wait for the day of the Lord.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and suplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
If you have been keeping up with the news about the Episcopal Church, you might know that today is the final day of voting in eight Virginia ccongregations on whether or not to leave the Episcopal Church. They began voting last Sunday, and before today is over, I expect that most, if not all of those congregations will have decided to part company with the rest of us. The Episcopal Church will probably be front page news again, and if the diocese and the congregations can’t work out soem sort of property settlement then we’ll be in the news for some time as the courts decide who gets what.
The central issues have come to the surface in response to questions about human sexuality, but that is not the issue over which congregations are leaving. The central issues have to do with how we treat scripture, how literally to take it, and about salvation. What is salvation and is Christianity the only way. These questions have been around since the reformation when Anglican theology first began to embrace diverse opinions about the faith and seek a middle way to live with our diversity. This ability to live with differences has been our strength as Anglicans, and it has at times made our identity as a particular kind of Chistian seem unclear. There have been many times in our history when a small group of Episcopalians has decided to leave because for them, the church’s middle way seems to be trying to embrace too much. That is what you will be hearing about in the days and weeks ahead.
I want you to know that our bishop, Peter Lee has been an incredible leader in these times of conflict. Even those who are leaving praise his care and concern for them, and his efforts to help them find a way to stay. He will grieve their leaving and he would expect the same from us. I have learned a lot from bishop Lee about trusting God and loving those with whom we disagree. I thank God that he is our leader in these challenging times.
When you read in tomorrow’s paper about the vote and how many churches decided to strike out on their own, you might think about Paul and those kittens. Those of us who have chosen the way of Jesus, who have celebrated his arrival so many times before, are waiting again. We still watch the horizon hoping to see light breaking in a way that will make it all clear....that will give us hope....show us the way.....
We still have questions about Jesus, about the church, about what to do in this meantime.
...and Paul’s answer to the Philippians is still comforting. It is ever timely.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and suplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Amen. JMB