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SERMONS CHRIST CHURCH – SUNDAY 14 DECEMBER
2008 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...” The familiar cadences of the prologue to the Gospel of John ring out in the Christmas season. But interspersed with this almost poetic rendering of the coming of Jesus the Christ looms the figure of the forerunner, John the Baptist. John always strikes me as fearsome character - the sort only a mother could love (and I’m sure his mother did love him) - with a grim determination to carry out his mission from God - no matter whom he offended. Amongst those he undoubtedly offended were the religious leaders of Judaism caught – as they were – between their religious conservatism and their servility to the Roman overlords - fearful of anything that looked like popular messianic awakening which might undermine their position and authority. So the priests and Levites hastened to confront John, “Who are you?” Listen again to how the Gospel writer frames John’s response. “He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” (and if he had a Monty Python streak in him, he would have added, “I’m just a naughty boy”!) He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I’m not, repeat not the Messiah, absolutely not, no way could I be Messiah, got it?” “OK, not the Messiah. Elijah?” As light into darkness... In this world – as in the world into which Jesus was born – there
is much darkness. [Responses] In another favourite Christmas text, we will hear the words of the prophet Isaiah: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined.” And the prologue to John reminds us that in Jesus: “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.” and “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” Or, as I read in an Advent reflection this week, “Jesus was not born in Bethlehem to make the darkness more manageable.” (Repeat) No, our confession is that Jesus was born to overcome the darkness - to overturn the darkness - defeat the darkness. Jesus comes – in the words of Isaiah: “To bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn - to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.” Because – says Mary in her song of praise – the God who is revealed in Jesus the Christ: “has shown strength with his arm; has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.” This is our confession: That the light that is born into the world in Jesus does make a difference! To bring good news instead of oppression; hope instead of despair; freedom in place of captivity; comfort instead of mourning; to change the balance of power (and even the way power is used); to redress the inequalities of this world’s use of its resources. What might that look like in practical terms in the places of darkness we named in our world? [Responses] In the cycle of advent, the third week is about joy - and amidst the darkness of this world, our joy arises from - the quiet confidence that we have in God - and the quiet assurance that God’s saving power is at work in the world redeeming God’s creation. So in this Advent season - we wait to re-member, re-create, re-live the wonder of Jesus’ birth as the light for all people - we wait with anticipation the time of fulfilment when the darkness will be truly vanquished - but we wait - most importantly – for the light of Jesus to be re-ignited within us. Because that is where it begins – within us. That’s where the light begins to shine for today’s world – within us. Like Isaiah, we can be assured that: “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; God has sent me.” [Can we say that - and mean it?] Like Mary, we can be filled with praise of our God, singing: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant... the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” And so our advent hope is that the light of Jesus is being renewed within each of us; that the light of Jesus is being reborn constantly within this faith community. But sometimes we are a bit half-hearted about it. If truth be known, we are afraid of what might happen if we trust ourselves, our journey, too much into God’s hands. And, in doing so, we only allow in enough light to make the darkness more manageable! But Advent is a season of God’s waiting - and God is waiting to burst with the fullness of the light of Jesus into our lives, into this community’s life to enliven our journey in God’s name into the darkness of the world in which we live that we might begin to turn it upside down in the name of our God. To paraphrase some words from Ann Weems: “When are we going to learn that the hope of Christmas comes only when we turn and face the darkness? Only then will be able to see the Light of the World.” I said above that our joy arises in a quiet confidence that God’s saving power is at work in the world redeeming God’s creation. How much more complete would be our joy if it arose from a hearty, robust confidence in the redeeming work of God because we could testify to its action daily in our lives and in the ministry of this community! How full is your joy? How open are you to the light of Jesus the Christ being re-ignited in your life? For what are you really waiting in this Advent season? Let’s pause to ponder those questions. Hymn TiS 281 “When God almighty came to be one of us” |
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