Jesus both Old Testament and New?

 /

A man with his new bird do is out for the hunt.  After shooting his first duck, it fell in the lake.  His dog ran to the water’s edge then gently walking out on the water, picked up the duck, and brought it to his master. Stunned the man didn't know what to think.  So he shot another duck and again the dog did exactly the same thing!  No one will ever believer this, he though. So the next day he decided to invite a neighbor to come and see his new dog fetch a downed bird. The dog repeated his miracle for the friend to see but he didn’t say anything.  So the man shot another duck and the miracle happened again. We he could no longer contain himself, he asked his friend.  Didn’t you notice something strange about my dog. Oh yes of course said the friend.  Your dog doesn’t know how to swim. 

Mar 3, 2019    Luke 9:28–36,  Psalm 37  vu page 763   

Is there a Jesus of the Old Testament?  Many church folks have struggled with this idea.  Well the gospel of John refers to an entity called “The Word” that was there in the beginning and then tells us that the word became flesh.  Paul and the other Apostles have a name for the Jesus resurrected they call him “The Christ”.   Christ you see was not Jesus’ last name but a name used by them to describe the entity that always existed.  We first hear about this entity in the book of Genesis 1: 26.  here is what it says:  “Let us make humans in our image”   Colossians 1: 15-18 gives us a description of this eternal entity called “The Christ”.  This reading is called “The Supremacy of the Son of God”   ¹⁵ The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.  Here we need to remember, to the early followers of the Apostles, this idea of an eternal Jesus dying on a cross and then rising from the dead just did make any sense to them.  In fact when Jesus tries to tell them He is going to experience death on the cross they don’t understand what he is talking about let alone believe it.   In their minds, Jesus was to over through the Roman authority and set up a new Kingdom that would rule over the people eternally with peace, justice and love.   So for us who base our faith upon an eternal resurrection story, a story that never ends, these verses from Colossians are very important for us to understand.  In fact they speak of The Christ that was there in the beginning.  Genesis 1: 26   “Let us make humans in our image”.    The writer of Colossians describes a Jesus who was there from the very beginning.  He is ruler over all creation, He is Lord of lords and King of kings.  Everything that was made, was made for and through Him.  According to Colossians the realm of Christ’s reign covers everything that happens in heaven and on the earth.  No one, not even those who deny Christs existence can be free of His rule or be outside His sphere of love and authority for “The Christ” is as Paul states in Romans 14: 9, “Both Lord of the Living and of the Dead.”  So I ask you to hold onto those thoughts as we reflect upon the gospel and this “MIRACULOUS” transfiguration story. 

The first question that always seems to crop us is: is this just a story or is it a fact?  This is something only the individual Christian can judge for themselves after doing personal reflection of all scriptures involved.   We should always be reading the scriptures not necessarily for fact but for signs of hope, and revelation, something we can take home personally.  A key to comprehending this story’s significance is found in Mark 9:1.  Jesus spoke these words 8 days before these three men are led up the mountain to experience this event.  And I quote:   And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”    I believe His prophetic words we meant for three of His followers, disciples Peter, James and John, why because: shortly after saying this, Jesus takes Peter, James and John up to a mountain top.  There, Jesus is somehow transfigured.   They no longer see Jesus as He was but as a shining white light, so bright it transforms Him into something greater, something too difficult for their minds to comprehend.    This transformation only lasts for a moment, but in that moment it seems to have transported these three men to another place and time.  It appears to resemble the near death experience we often hear reported by many.  They experience being present to a bright shining image, with a voice and the voice almost always that tells them to return to their bodies. They also report an overwhelming feeling of peace and contentment nothing like they have ever felt before. 

This place and time is visible to Peter, James and John who are still among the living, but also includes two of the most significant figures from the Old Testament who are dead, yet they are all present to this experience.   We have Peter, James and John, the living and Moses and Elijah the dead, all in the presence of a transformed Jesus, not the physical man these men went up to the mountain top with, but an entity that is “Lord of both the living and the dead.”      May I suggest to you they were all in the presents of “The Christ” the entity that we heard about in the Colossians reading, the entity that was there in the beginning with God, Genesis 1: 26?   No one knows for sure what these 5 men were getting a glimpse of, but may I suggest to you that Jesus’ prophetic words from Mark 9:1 have now become a reality.  And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”   

In this place both the living and the dead are able to see and speak with the transformed Jesus, “or as Paul refers to Him, “The Christ” in His glory and in His power just as He said.  This passage represents for the Christian a truth that can only be believed by faith, a faith that is overflowing with hope, and the assurance that Jesus is “Lord of both the living and the dead,” Romans 14: 9. and I quote the passage “For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life, so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.”   And the congregations sang:   Amen!

"The Biblical Paradox"

A word that I want you to consider this morning is the word Paradox.   A paradox is a statement that seemly contradicts itself.  A paradox is used to challenge the mind and make you think about the statement in a new way.  A paradox is often used to make you question common thoughts. Take the statement "Less is more." These two opposite words contradict one another. How can less be more?  The concept behind this statement is that what is less complicated is often more appreciated. .  So, I want you, as you hear the Gospel reading this morning, to listen for the Paradox in Luke’s four blessed statements and the four Woes that follow.  

 Feb 17, 2019  1 Corinthians 15:12–20    Luke 6:17–26

In today's Gospel reading this morning, Luke puts his own twist to four of Matthews’s beatitudes. It is a vison that is strikingly different from that found in the Gospel According to Matthew.  Instead of eight statements concerning those whom God will bless, Luke lists only four statements that resemble the beatitudes - four statements concerning those who are blessed.  At first glance the four seem familiar enough, but then he adds four woes which seemly contradict the first four.  Let us hear the first four once again.  “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.   Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh?  22 Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.”  I think most Christians are relieved and willing to accept that God will bless the poor and the hungry.  That God will comfort those who mourn and reward those who are often scorn upon for telling the truth or doing the right thing as taught by the Son of Man.  These statements also give the rich and the middle class hope, because well, we cannot exclude ourselves from needing God’s grace at some point in our lives too.   

But then Luke goes on and instead of listing four more blessed statements, he delivers four disturbing self-contradictory statements. Here we go once again folks dealing with a biblical paradox.   It is disturbing because they are contrary to the blessed statements and to societal norms often taught within family life and often within the Christian traditions.   Well then, let us consider his woes.   “But woe to you who are rich,   Woe to you who are well fed now, Woe to you who laugh now, Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you.  His woes appear to contradict his first four statements.  What then is Luke trying to get us to understand here?  Is that not what many of us have been taught and strive for in life, to work hard and get ahead of the crowd, to become well off, well fed, seeking financially security for our family, our community and of course ourselves you know, for our senior years.   Should we not laugh and enjoy the good life as presented by wealth and prosperity.   Well, on the other hand, may I suggest to you that riches and prosperity often make people stingy, especially if you have worked hard all your life to get what you have, even if you were given your riches on a silver platter the woe should be heard here?  Riches have been known to harden the heart of individuals, countries, even communities of faith are not immune to the condition of the hardened heart.  Remember I made this statement last Sunday that the heartbeat of a church can be found in its mission work.  To do the work of mission you must give freely of your resources, this would not only include your money, but your time, your talents and your experience.   If you have no defined mission to share your resources, the individual will die from the inside out and the same goes for communities of faith.  Without an outpouring of your personal resources, your talents, your gifts, and your love to others, you will wither and die on the inside.  We are not meant to just gather for ourselves.  The giving, from what we have gathered to those whose bellies are empty produces fruit for the giver, the blessed, and in fact makes our gathering whole.  Without the out poring, our resource, no matter what they are, they can becomes stagnant and a worrisome burden that can be self-destructive in the end. Self-centeredness and greed will eventually turn on us, stealing away our laughter and bring us nothing but heart ache and sorrow.

How many of you are familiar with that famous song “I Did It My Way”?   People love it because it gives off the impression that one has total power and control over our one’s life.   It also represents a societal value that contains its own deception.  The deception of course for a Christian, and I emphasize Christian here,  is found in the statement “MY WAY.”   We should be able to hear within its lyric the warning “Woe To You”?  The deception being that none of us, have ever really accomplished anything without the sharing by others along the way, be it a good thing or a bad thing.    May I suggest to you that in the real world there is no such thing as doing it “My Way”?   And, if whatever we do, is to be done in our best interests, we Christians would do it Jesus’ way, right?   The truth about being saved is in the doing, not in words that a person might say, but in the fruit of what they do.  

So then Woe to we who are full now without good conscience, especially when we are aware that some of our brother or sister are existing on empty.  It is a warning to all Christians that we not only need to share our wealth, talents, experience and our food supply with those in need but we must do it without judgement.  Then we need to give thanks and praise to God as the source of where our food, talents, abilities and our wealth have come from.  Often, we again make the mistake of thinking we receive according to our good works and see the blessings are our reward.  Now here is a shock to many Christians who feel deserving because of their goodness.  When in reality all of our abilities to attain and sustain our well-being are gifts bestrode upon both the good and the bad, by the grace of God, Matthew 5: 44-45  “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, “that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”  you see its by grace not by merit.    

We are called to share and give without judgement, we are called to be Disciples of Christ, mission workers, helping to build God’s Kingdom here right now and we must trust and follow in the ways of Christ.  Luke 6:38 tells us: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Luke’s woes are a needed contrast, take them in, they will soften a harden heart, replacing it with a new compassionate and loving heart.  For we are all God’s children meant to be servants for each other.  This is the foundation that produces the Agape love our souls so long for.   

Doctrine or Discipleship?

Belief or Discipleship?
by Richard Rohr 

 

I often say that we do not think ourselves into a new way of living, but we live ourselves into a new way of thinking. I’m not suggesting that theory and theology are unimportant; but I believe that faith is more about how we live on a daily basis than making verbal assent to this or that idea. In fact, my life’s work in many ways has been trying to move heady doctrines and dogmas to the level of actual experience and lifestyles that are an alternative to our consumer culture. In today’s reflection, Shane Claiborne—an Evangelical I deeply respect—invites us to quite literally follow Jesus:

Over the past few decades, our Christianity has become obsessed with what Christians believe rather than how Christians live. We talk a lot about doctrines but little about practice. But in Jesus we don’t just see a presentation of doctrines but an invitation to join a movement that is about demonstrating God’s goodness to the world.

This kind of doctrinal language infects our language when we say things like, “Are you a believer?” Interestingly, Jesus did not send us into the world to make believers but to make disciples [see Matthew 28:18-20]. You can worship Jesus without doing the things he says. We can believe in him and still not follow him. In fact, there’s a passage in Corinthians that says, “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3, author’s paraphrase).

At times our evangelical fervor has come at the cost of spiritual formation. For this reason, we can end up with a church full of believers, but followers of Jesus can be hard to come by.

One of the reasons that Francis of Assisi is so beloved is that he followed Jesus so closely. In Shane’s words:

Francis did something simple and wonderful. He read the Gospels where Jesus says, “Sell your possessions and give the money to the poor,” [Matthew 19:21] “Consider the lilies and the sparrows and do not worry about tomorrow,” [Luke 12:24, 27] “Love your enemies,” [Matthew 5:44] and he decided to live as if Jesus meant the stuff he said. Francis turned his back on the materialism and militarism of his world and said yes to Jesus.

 

"Mining for Wisdom Nuggets"

There are mining town all over this planet.  In your opinion what is the job of a miner.  What would you call the method a miner uses in his work?  What is the miner looking for? 

June 20, 2019 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11  Psalm 36 5-10 John 2: 1-11

Years ago when Johnny Carson was the host of The Tonight Show he interviewed an eight year old boy. The young man was asked to appear because he had rescued two friends in a coalmine outside his hometown in West Virginia. As Johnny questioned the boy, it became apparent to him and the audience that the young man was a Christian.  So Johnny asked him if he attended Sunday school.  When the boy said he did Johnny inquired, "What are you learning in Sunday school?" "Last week our lesson was about Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding.  The audience chuckled but Johnny trying to keep a straight face then said, "And what did you learn from that story?" The boy went silent for moment. It was apparent he hadn’t thought about this.  All of sudden he blurted out, "Well I suppose If you're going to have a wedding, it might be a good idea to invite Jesus!"

You know, that is pretty profound advice.  Jesus is, at least for those who claim to be Christian, a sign of God being present in your life.    Jesus brings God into the picture and kindles within us the Holy Spirit.   Both relationships, your relationship with God and the relationship with a spouse were meant to be lifelong.   The first one shouldn’t end with the placement of a ring on someone’s finger, unfortunately for many it often does.  This, to the unknowing couple, creates an incomplete and fragile crevice in their relationship.  The relationship with Jesus shouldn’t end either with the claim that one has found salvation.  This make Jesus to small and too incomplete.  These covenants are for daily living not just for moment in time, what do we say?  Until death do us part!  Jesus at the weeding is not only keeping the party going, his presences there is a sign of God’s life long and eternal love for the couple.    

So then, It is a good thing to have Jesus at wedding ceremonies, more so it is good to have Jesus show up in our daily lives not just on Sunday.   

Many followers and preachers often focus here on the miracle at Cana, and miss out on mining for the deeper nuggets of wisdom for our daily lives.  Here, the ancient Hebrew practice of Midrash can be effective for us today. We must become like a miner, digging for those hidden golden nuggets of wisdom.  They are not always visible at first read and are often hidden within the stories, you have to dig for them.   The miracle is really secondary to what Jesus brings to the gathering.  Upon closer observation, the first two verses reveal our first nugget.  In order to have Jesus present, an invitation must be extended.  Inviting Jesus in, sets the stage for not only their gathering, but we too, must extend the same invitation, to have him present in our gatherings and in our daily lives.  The second nugget can be found when we hear of the family’s most embarrassing moment.  Let us not turn Jesus’ presence in our lives into a show piece as the hypocrite does, we invited Him in because we know Jesus helps us through the ups and downs of our daily life.  He is the only one who can save us from ourselves.  

Just when the party gets going, they run out of wine.  This is not really a life and death situation folks, well at least for some of us, yet even here Jesus comes to the rescue.  Another Nugget:  There is no cry for help that is too trivial for Jesus if Jesus has been invited into your story, into your life.  We do not have to make detailed requests for the Universal Christ to understand our needs, Jesus knows even when we cannot ask.  His mother simply states a problem while staring at her son.   Has this ever happen to you as child, you know the stare, "your room is a mess" the urgency to do something about it may not have be spoken, but the message is loud and clear.

This miracle story it is a great illustration of what can happen when Jesus is invited into our lives, He is always there for us through the thick and thin.    We humans can get carried away with neglect and indulgence leaving God and Christ out of our live but, when we do, we do not see trouble coming.  How many extend a daily invitation for Christ to enter in?    

Jesus has been invited to attend this wedding and His presence has a profound effect on its outcome.    Mary, understanding the embarrassment the family was faced with, so she looks to her Son for help.  At first, Jesus show reluctance to fulfill his mother’s unspoken request, because it is not time yet to show His authority over life and death He tells her.  Yet because of the invitation, Jesus’ true nature, which is to be a servant to all, comes shining through.    Jesus never fails the voice of the one who asks for help.   
                                                   Jesus on the Main Line”

Signs as we all know point to something and the signs in this story testify to something that is greater than we are - and it is that greater thing we are meant to be mining for - not the miracle in itself.  The signs here point to many things about Christ and about His relationship with us.   Here are three: 

First  - In turning water into wine,  Jesus takes what is and shows us that it has the possibility to become something new.  What can that do for us here today?   Well for those of us who might feel anxious or tired, fearful, devoid of joy, empty or board, lacking in purpose – WE can be transformed by the power of inviting His presence into our lives.   WE can be turned into something rich, fragrant, and ripe with the fullness of joy through His presence and care for our lives.   There is a lot of gospel in that for all of us.  Who doesn’t need his care, who doesn’t need his presence, Jesus can bring new life, even to that which appears to be dead to life.   May I suggest to take the story of Lazarus for instant not as fact but as a metaphor and dig for its deeper meaning.   He was apparently dead for over three days yet still responded to the voice of Christ.  Hearing it he was able to walk out of his darkness back into the light where Christ reigns.  Our Hope is that Jesus will fill the dead emptiness in our lives.  He can take whatever it is that we bring to him - no matter how little or how much and utterly remake it into something way beyond the best that the world is capable of providing.   Our Nugget here is "Trusting".  Put your TRUST in Jesus for He can literally change your life.  Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonder face and the things of earth will grow strangely of dim, in the light of His glory and grace.

Second -  John notes that wine, not just new wine but the best of wine came from thirty-gallon of water,  think of it, because of His generosity and their gratitude the time for celebration had once again begun.  Your new life awaits you because you have invited him in, now the seed must be planted so it can grow.  The soil which can grow this new relationship best is thankfulness.  Our nugget here you see is your Gratitude.

Thirdly - the Gospel story emphasizes the abundance of what Jesus can provide.  The wedding guests went from having no wine at all, to having almost enough to swim in.  By putting your trust in Jesus you too can share in His generosity of the abundant life.  One in which the wine of life will be the best ever - your cup will always be full to overflowing.  Thus this miracle was a sign pointing to the prize, the nugget here is: Jesus' is that prize.   He is the long-awaited deliverer of your life.   He is the one who will purify you and make the circumstances of your life palatable.   Jesus always provides more than is needed.  Isn’t that GREAT!!!!   

  

"Jesus and The Bible"

                   Scripture can be understood on at least four levels: literal meaning, deep                                          meaning, comparative meaning, and hidden meaning.

More than telling us exactly what to see in the Scriptures, Jesus taught us how to see, what to emphasize, and also what could be de-emphasized or ignored. Beyond fundamentalism or literalism, Jesus practiced a form that the Jewish people called midrash, consistently using questions to keep spiritual meanings open, often reflecting on a text or returning people’s questions with more questions. It is a real shame that we did not imitate Jesus in this approach. It could have saved us from so many centuries of righteousness, religious violence, and even single-issue voting.

Rather than seeking always certain and unchanging answers, the Jewish practice of midrash allows many possibilities, many levels of faith-filled meaning—meaning that is relevant and applicable to you, the reader, and puts you in the subject’s shoes to build empathy, understanding, and relationship. It lets the passage first challenge you before it challenges anyone else. To use the text in a spiritual way—as Jesus did—is to allow it to convert you, to change you, to grow you up as you respond: What does this ask of me? How might this apply to my life, to my family, to my church, to my neighborhood, to my country?

While biblical messages often proceed from historical incidents, the actual message does not depend upon communicating those events with perfect factual accuracy. Spiritual writers are not primarily journalists. Hebrew rabbis and scholars sometimes use the approach of midrash to reflect on a story and communicate all of its underlying message. Scripture can be understood on at least four levels: literal meaning, deep meaning, comparative meaning, and hidden meaning.

The literal level of meaning doesn’t get to the root and, in fact, is the least helpful to the soul and the most dangerous for history. Deep meaning offers symbolic or allegorical applications. Comparative study combines different texts to explore an entirely new meaning. Finally, in traditional Jewish exegesis, hidden meaning gets at the Mystery itself. Midrash allows and encourages each listener to grow with a text and not to settle for mere literalism, which, of itself, bears little spiritual fruit. It is just a starting point.

Whatever is received is received according to the manner of the receiver. [1] This statement from Aquinas was drilled into me during seminary. People at different levels of maturity will interpret the same text in different ways. There is no one right way to interpret sacred texts. How you see is what you see; the who that you bring to your reading of the Scriptures matters. Who are you when you read the Bible? Defensive, offensive, power-hungry, righteous? Or humble, receptive, and honest? Surely, this is why we need to pray before reading a sacred text!

Jesus consistently ignored or even denied exclusionary, punitive, and triumphalist texts in his own inspired Hebrew Bible in favor of passages that emphasized inclusion, mercy, and honesty. For example, referencing two passages from Exodus (21:24) and Leviticus (24:20), Jesus suggested the opposite: “You have heard it said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you . . . turn the other cheek” (see Matthew 5:38-39). He read the Scriptures in a spiritual, selective, and questioning way. Jesus had a deeper and wider eye that knew which passages were creating a path for God and which passages were merely cultural, self-serving, and legalistic additions.

From daily devotions by Richard Rohr

"Jesus' Family as Refugees"

"Mary, Joseph, and the Child Jesus flee death by escaping to Egypt"

Question:  Was the advent period and the build up to Christmas Eve different from other years for you?   What insights or revelations did you learn from your experience this year? 

Dec 29 2013 Readings: Matthew 2: 13-23,  

We heard through scripture over the Advent weeks leading up the Christmas Eve, the struggles and hardships that both Mary and Joseph had to endure to bring Jesus into the world, yet the attributes of hope, peace, joy and love would be found in the midst of their difficult journey and the birth of Mary’s Boy child.  But the tranquility of the birth and the quietness of the stable was soon to disappear as we heard in the scripture this morning.  Jesus was no longer a baby but now a young infant living in Bethlehem when trouble begins to follow the Holy family once again.  Let us not forget the image of the Holy Family as refugees, fleeing oppression with the threat of certain death.  In fact that is what happened to them.  I believe we must include them as part of the refugee families that are fleeing oppression and the threat of death in many parts of our world today.  But as difficult as it was for Joseph and Mary to trust God they did, and God always came to their rescue.  In fact folks, the whole of the Old Testament is about God rescuing His children in times of despair.

The infant has just received extravagant gifts from exotic visitors from and foreign land, the Magi.  The meaning of His birth, the promise of His life seemed so momentous, so filled with hope, peace, joy and love, and now troubles are brewing once more.    Joseph is awakened by yet another visit from one of God’s angles in a dream.  “There is someone in search of the boy, and they want him dead.”  Can you imagine the panic?  Joseph is once again thrust into despair.  You can just imagine the frenzy of activity around their home, both Mary and Joseph quickly packing whatever they can gather together for yet another journey.  Now it’s out to the street, then to the road that leads to Egypt as fast as possible.   Joseph is now in fear every time he sees a Roman soldier on the road.  The nightmare doesn’t end when they reach their place of refuge either, as word of genocide reaches them, stained with the blood of the first born male of every Jewish mother in the region.  Their wailing and cries can be heard as far away as Egypt.  Can’t you just hear those without faith accusing God, “Heavenly Father why are you letting this happen, why do you not stop this bloodshed?”  We can assume that both Mary and Joseph would be fully aware of the reason why these children were being slaughtered, yet, at the same time in all this chaos and mayhem, they somehow have held onto their hope, trusting that God was weaving a safe path for both parents and child.   Mary and Joseph had been obedient to God’s will for their family.  They had been open, listening and attentive to the Angles nudges.  

For them and for us today the reality of our chaotic world doesn’t stop after the Christmas celebrations end.  For those who have experienced Jesus’ spirit being birth within themselves, it often intensives troubles and hardship for the believers, as it did for Mary and Joseph. Sing “Through It All”

The question we might ask here is: what in this story, can help us today?

May I suggest that God doesn’t interfere in our daily lives by stopping us from making choices, even if our choices create kayos for both us and our neighbor?  But God also doesn’t just stand aside, doing nothing.  No, no we must continue to trust as did Mary and Joseph that God is always working in the background on our behalf and in all situations, working for goodness to prevail, even when hope seems to have avoided us.

We can learn from Joseph and Mary’s choices here because they chose to put their trust in God and in God’s messengers.  The example for us here is: to continue to follow God’s nudging in life.  By them doing so, Jesus is safely returned to Jerusalem to fulfill his destiny.  I believe that same goes for us to.  This is where we must choose to follow our faith by putting our trust in God, for God will make us a way too.  Don’t give in to difficult circumstances but continue to keep hope, peace, joy and love alive in your life.   Do you know the song: “Over my Head I hear Music in the Air”

In the kayos and craziness of the material Christmas that many of us had been caught up in again this year, how attentive, open and listing to the spirit have you been this year?   The Apostil Paul often reminds us that we, like Jesus, have a loving parent who will not leave us stripped bare and alone to face worldly dangers.   As Mary wrapped her Child in the warmth of love and compassion, so God our parent offers to us, spiritual cloth to wrap ourselves in.  This special spiritual cloth contains the gifts of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, love, forgiveness and peace.  May we seek and accept these gifts from God, and may we wear them in life-changing ways as we go forward.

In conclusion many have in their hearts already put away Christmas for next year?   May I suggest putting away the stable, the manger the oxen, sheep, shepherds and Magi, but less us not put away Jesus and his family.   They need to remain visible, to remind us of the story because there are many who still reject or ignore the message that Christmas brings.  

When times are difficult for you, when the road ahead looks bleak and there seems to be no way, God will make a way for you to.  Faith in God is more precious than the gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Mere Folks.   Let us continue our journey with the Holy Family in the next few days so we too can experience the complete Christmas.  And let us wait in expectation of the spirit being birthed in you, for He shall come again.    

    

"A Love Not Bound by Rules"

"The 4th Sunday of Advent is Love" 

A Spiritual Master said to his young student: "Rule # 1, Do not physically touch or look directly into the eyes of a women lest your human nature get the best of you"  Just then a rain storm turns a ditch into a river.  On the other side of the rushing waters, a beautiful young lady is pleading for help.  The Master carefully wades across the now river and picks the young lady up in his arms carries her to the other side, sets her down, looks straight into her eyes and tells her everything will be all right.  As the Master and his new student continue their walk, the student finally asks.  "Master rule # 1, I do not understand?"  The Master replies, "There are no rules when Love Calls." 

Dec 23, 2018 Readings:  1 Corinthians 13: 4-7   Luke 1: 26- 38

One great thing about Christmas morning for both children and parents are the surprises.   When else in life do you get to pile 10 or 20 surprises all together at one time, then sit for an hour enjoying each of them? One after another, surprise after surprise.   Even though it is a material Christmas it is wonderful in that way. I can still remember how I felt as a child, the amazement, the astonishment of Christmas morning.  Even the tree seemed different, more alive, bigger and brighter.
Chuck Swindoll writes, “surprises come in many forms and disguises: some good, some borderline, some are amazing, some awful, some tragic, some hilarious.  But there's one thing they all have in common, surprises aren't boring.”   Let me tell you a true story about how God sometimes springs surprises on our lives.   It is a story about a professor who sat at his desk one evening working on the next day's lectures.   His housekeeper had place the day’s mail on his desk and he began to shuffle through them, discarding most to the wastebasket.  He then noticed a magazine, which was not even addressed to him but delivered to his post box by mistake.  When he opened it, there facing him was an article titled "The Needs of the Congo Mission".   Casually he began to read when he was suddenly consumed by these words: "The need here is great.”   We have no one to work the northern province of Gabon in the central Congo.  The writer went on to say “And it is my prayer as I write this article, God will lay His hand on one - one on whom, already, the Master's eyes have been cast - that he or she shall be called to this place to help us."   Well!  As Paul Harvey would say, now for the rest of the story.  That Professor name was Albert Schweitzer, and after closing the magazine, he wrote this in his diary: "My search is over." I shall give myself to the Congo.  In 1913, Albert Schweitzer opened his hospital, bringing modern medicine to the French Congo.    Now here in lies the surprise:  The magazine was not addressed to Albert, but somehow landed in his mail box, and then somehow fell open to that particular article.  That little article, hidden in a magazine which was intended for someone else, OR WAS IT!!!  It was meant for him.   Now I Ask You could that have been by Chance?  No, I believe it was it truly one of God's surprises.   Sometimes surprises have happen to us like this but in smaller ways, has that ever happen to you?   What mission has God been placed upon your heart, what mission or task are you being called to.    

This morning we heard another one of God’s great surprises, when an angel by the name of Gabriel appeared to a young teenager by the name of Mary.  Through Gabriel with the help of Mary and Joseph, God gave the whole world a surprise, by fulfilling an ancient prophecy.    A miracle was to be preformed through Mary and a convenient of unconditional love was to be made known to the world.  The surprise was that this love would be unlike any other kind of love the world had ever known.  Many today struggle to understand the difference between human love and God’s love.  In our world, human love is often confused with infatuation, personal pleasure, we sometimes have even been know to love things.  And most generally we look for confirmation that we are loved by a return.   This kind of love is fragile and in many cases similar to happiness because it doesn’t last long, let alone be forever.   Quite often People fall in and out of love quite easily.   The reason for and the difficulty with this kind of love is its tailings, meaning it has conditions.  In order to keep this love exciting and alive we need to have it reinforced, I love you and you should then in return, love me.  Often one of us needs to do something, to prove or to remind us how precious we are to them.  As strange as it may sound the need for acknowledgement becomes the flaw.  But there is other kind of love, God’s love, it is a love without conditions.  Here in lay the magic that makes it flawless, having no strings or tailings attached to it.  Here is another strange thing about God’s love.  The only way you know you have it, is when you share it.  It doesn’t come from others nor does it need reinforcement.  It is already within you.  It was placed in you when you were conceived, you were made in its image.  All you need is just to accept it, trust it, and believe in it and then share it.  Do you know why it makes you feel so good!  It’s not because the other person loves you, it is because of your love, love coming out of you.  Being the lovable person you were meant to be, even when and if others rejected it.  Rejection has no power over this love.   We know from 1 Corinthians 13:  that this kind of love isn’t like our human love, because it is always patient, always kind.  It does not envy, or boast nor is it proud, it is not rude, nor self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs, never delights in evil, but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, trusts, hopes and always perseveres.  You do not have to say or do anything physical to win it or retain it, it is already in you, in fact you are its truth when you share it.   This love was made visible for the world to see through Mary’s boy child.    This love is much harder to understand but much easier to accept and hold on to.  Here is another one of its surprises, if you accept yourself as the gift and embrace it, it can change the love you offer others and it makes it impossible for conditions to steal it away.  It also has the power to make other forms of human love tolerable, forgivable and workable.

It is pretty hard for us to conceive and live a love that only loves.   A love that says:

 I love you NO MATTER WHAT.  And here is another on of God’s surprises. When we examine the story of Mary and Joseph we can see the struggle with the conditional love of family and community.  You can imagine Joseph’s doubt with Mary’s pregnancy, how could she be with child, the Shame brought to their families.    It would also be shown to us through 12 disciples who struggle with their conditional human love for the Master.  Jesus’ love for them didn’t change when they rejected him in his final hour, nor did he stop loving those who were threatened by his love, those who hurt him, and even those who put his body to death on a cross.   Then in a super surprise this tragedy turns into the greatest act of unconditional love the world would ever know.   How did He do it?  He truly was God’s love incarnate.

We must begin to understand that this love is different.   Those who try to exist on human love alone will never see the flaw, nor gain the gift.  This year let Christ be birthed in you. Let that be your surprise gift, that you too are love, accept it now, it is what you are meant to be, you will never be the same again as it has the power to turn your human love into something beautiful.