Matthew 17:1 - 13 The Transfiguration -- Big moments

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord,

       The epiphany season gives us a chance to explore some of the times God revealed himself to his people in Bible times. Back in the days of the Old Testament, God appeared to Moses in a burning bush and identified himself as the great “I Am”. He appeared to Moses again when he received the 10 commandments and to Elijah on Mt. Horeb when the prophet was feeling down at heart. These were big moments, both for the people involved and for the story of salvation.

       The transfiguration was also a big moment and a bigger one was about to take place. Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, where he would surrender his life on a cross to pay for all our sins and build a bridge between mankind and God. He wanted to give everyone a chance for a rich, meaningful life that would last forever through faith in him. His trip to Jerusalem would have a glorious outcome, for he would rise from the grave there and ascend to heaven, but first he would pass through some dreadful days, and so he withdrew to a mountain with his “A” team disciples, Peter, John, and James, to spend time with his Heavenly Father in prayer.

       Stepping away from the text for a moment, we realize that we have big moments, too, birth, baptism, marriage, and the hour that our souls pass from this life to eternity. Other big moments are less obvious, such as when we choose our heroes or when we decide whether life presents us with a lot of closed doors or if it has a plenty of opportunity for us. Jesus’ transfiguration teaches us a lesson. We do not face our big moments on our own. Our Heavenly Father carries us through them. We trust, because of Jesus, that our big moments will turn out well for us, even the ones that come at us with a pretty dreadful appearance.

The Heavenly Father acted promptly to comfort and encourage his Son. He transformed his physical appearance as a reminder of the divine glory that Jesus set aside when he took on human flesh and that he would reclaim when he finished his mission on earth. The Heavenly Father sent him two companions: Moses and Elijah, whose features he also transformed. He chose these two because Moses received God’s law and Elijah was the chief of prophets, who held a small number of people together during a faithless time. These great men showed Jesus a lot of respect by being with him just before his journey to the cross; their presence highlighted that he is the fulfillment of both the law and the prophets and that he surpassed them. He would walk along a path that was especially his; his work would turn out well. His death would work like a seed that produced an enormous harvest.

       The Heavenly Father lifts us up, too, as we deal with our big moments. His companionship comforts us. He promises that our sacrifices will produce results. Bad times give way to good days. We sow in tears and reap in joy – one of life’s basic truths, up and down, bad and good. A let-down follows a big moment, then comes deeper understanding, more wisdom. Though he often insists that we wait, the blessed Lord makes sure that everything works out well for his beloved children.

       The Heavenly Father did something else for his son; he spoke directly. “This is my Son, whom I love; I am well pleased with him.” The Father used the same words at Jesus baptism. He claimed his son and reassured him that he wouldn’t let him go. He would guide and sustain him during the coming ordeal. The Heavenly Father’s’s infinite power and love, his wisdom and glory were all focused on Jesus as he directed his thoughts and his will toward the coming crisis in Jerusalem. The Father would uplift his Son; the Savior would make no bad choices during days that would be very stressful; he would take no false steps; he would carry out his Father’s plan without a hitch. And then he would return to glory. Moreover, the change in his appearance was a foretaste of the glorious transformation that would take place after he came back from the grave.

       The Transfiguration was also a big moment for the three disciples with him. They had seen Jesus’ miracles and heard his preaching and teaching; they had confessed their faith in him and knew that he must die in Jerusalem at the hands of the authorities and be raised again on the third day. Now the cloud, the radiance that shone from their master, the presence of Moses and Elijah and the voice of the Father confirmed for them that God had been working in Jesus and that he was God himself. They had put their trust in the right place. They were present at a revelation of his divine nature that amazed them at first and frightened them but that also worked to strengthen them.

       They received a specific command from the Heavenly Father – to listen to Jesus, his chosen one. The world floods us with an abundance of temptations. Thoughts stray easily; wills weaken; hearts drift. If they wanted to worship God faithfully and in truth, they would listen to Jesus. They would learn the meaning of his death and resurrection in Jerusalem. The hidden God is revealed in Jesus; the light of the gospels shines through him. They should look only to him.

       The unexpected physical change in the Lord overpowered them. Peter acted in haste. He wanted to make the big moment last longer and offered to build three protective shelters in hopes of persuading Moses and Elijah to stay with them. But since the world is full of change, impermanence, and sin, revelations of heavenly glory don’t last long. Peter and the others would have to wait for the sinless world that is coming and be happy for now with the promises the Heavenly Father made them in Christ. His word was enough to bring them to salvation and keep them there.

       The sound of the Heavenly Father’s voice scared the disciples; they fell face down on the ground. You and I would have done the same. Moses once wrote that no one can see God and live. The sight of the living God in his power overwhelmed the A-team. Jesus went to them. He touched them and told them not to be frightened, just the way a parent comforts a child after something frightening and mysterious happens. The Savior cleared a path between mankind and the Almighty God so that anyone may approach him confidently and boldly. When they saw the glory of God in the face of Christ, the three disciples saw a very human face. The light of heaven that unbelievers don’t see reassured them. The light that shone from the savior was a preview of the resurrection. It promised that a day of transfiguration would also come for them, when they would reign in heaven alongside the Lord. Meanwhile, God brought them into his inner circle. He caused the light of the gospel to shine in them. He assured them that the turbulent days ahead would turn out well, that no permanent evil would ever befall them. He makes the same promise to all his people, that everything that happens in our lives will work out for our good and the glory of God.

       So the transfiguration is a big moment for us, too, if we pay attention to it. Jesus looked ahead to sacrifice and suffering in Jerusalem.  The Christian life ever since then has involved sacrifice and even, from time to time, suffering. Materialism has captured the souls of many people. Christians sacrifice the fulfilment of many earthly cravings so as to live righteously in the light from heaven. We sometimes give up popularity and esteem because Jesus is more important to us than keeping up with worldly trends. We don’t join in with folks who devote their lives to temporary satisfactions. Like our savior, we put the best interests of others on a par with our own. We help our brothers and sisters in Christ bear their burdens. We don’t rise above ourselves to claim authority that the Lord hasn’t given us. We wait for him to reveal his will.

       We’re frail mortals, it’s true. The false gods of the age tempt us, the blows of life weary us. We sometimes look for easy ways, and on down days we may consider giving up on something we’ve worked on for a long time, even though we know it’s God’s wish that we keep on going. But the blood that Christ shed on Calvary washes us clean and gives us strength. The blessed Lord had stronger reasons to quit than we do, but he didn’t lay down his burden. He persisted. Needing strength, he brought his cares to the Heavenly Father in prayer. The Father revived him and prepared his spirit for the tough days ahead. He offers the same comfort and strength to us in our daily prayers and whenever we worship or read the Bible. In bad moments, when it may seem that nothing goes right, we remember that the Lord has claimed us in our baptisms and that he will not let us go. The Father who lifted up Jesus also upholds his adopted daughters and sons. As Paul once wrote, there is no veil between us and God. The heavenly light that never goes out shines clearly for you and me.

       The Transfiguration is a big moment for us because it reveals our destiny. The Lord knows that sacrifice and suffering touch our lives. Things happen to us that we don’t like. Opportunities to relax and enjoy life never stay around very long. Peter wrote: “...for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which persists even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Suffering and sacrifice refine us and purify our faith so that we may be fit to meet the Lord when he comes back to claim us for glory. So hold on, dear friends, abide in faith. A day is coming when the circumstance of life will change completely and we, too, will be transfigured.

        The Lord shows us, meanwhile, how to cope with our big moments. We don’t give way to weaknesses. Like Jesus, we lean on our Heavenly Father, who strengthens us to carry on, even though we must sometimes walk along paths that are strewn with difficulties. His light shines in our hearts. His love for us gives us confidence. He will hold us steady and will not let go. He will shape us and refine us. We ask him to keep our faith strong until we reach the fullness of the new life to come. In His name we rejoice. AMEN

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge of...

Luke 5:1-11 -- Jesus Rules Nature

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

       We’ll explore this morning’s gospel text from St. Peter’s point of view. We’ll pretend he’s with us this morning. He begins by telling us about the importance of fish and the fishing business in our Lord’s day. “The Sea of Galilee was free to everyone,” he tells us. “Anyone who wanted to could fish there. Fish was one of our favorite foods: people ate fish whether they were sick or in good health, on any day of the week, and especially at our Sabbath meals. A lot of people worked in the fishing business. You could get fresh fish or dried fish or fish that was pickled. We made sauces out of fish. Some folks were experts on the subject. They claimed they could tell where a fish came from by its flavor. We had plenty of legends about fish. We used to tell stories about a great dinner where 300 varieties were served and about the king of a neighboring country who ordered 600,000 barrels of sardines every week for the people who took care of his fig trees. We never believed these stories, but they were fun to share, especially if you happened to be out in your boat for a long time without catching anything.”

       Peter then tells us something about what Jesus did during this early period in his ministry. “He was baptized in the Jordan River, you will remember, and then the devil tempted him in the desert for forty days. He went back to Galilee after that and taught in our synagogues, where people praised him. You know about the time he went to the synagogue in Nazareth and declared that a well-known prophesy in Isaiah applied to him. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” he read. “He has appointed me to preach good news to the poor, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Everyone in the synagogue marveled at the wonderful things he said. How could a carpenter’s son, they asked, be full of so much grace and wisdom? And then there was a spot of trouble. He said that people in his own country wouldn’t accept him, but that others, outsiders, would, and so there was anger in the synagogue, and the people drove Jesus out of his own city and tried to throw him down the cliff that Nazareth is built on, but he saved himself without any trouble and went down to Capernaum. This episode in the synagogue, by the way, encouraged him to preach outdoors, by the lake and on hillsides, rather than in our usual places of worship.

“After he left Nazareth, he drove out demons and healed numerous diseases. He even came to my house once, when my mother-in-law was sick with a bad fever, which he rebuked so that it left her and she got up right away and began to serve Jesus and the people with him. He went to a quiet out-of-the-way place later that day. People followed him and begged him to stay with them. He said that he needed to go to other cities – in particular the southern part of the country and preach the good news about God’s kingdom. Even so, people in our town urged him to speak God’s word to us. Then he saw our fishing boats and got into mine to use as a pulpit.”

       Peter draws our attention to this morning’s gospel text. “The story of what happens next isn’t just narrative,” he says. “Jesus’ life on earth had a meaning and a purpose and if you were paying attention you saw a lot of what’s special about Jesus in this one brief episode by the Sea of Galilee. He brought God’s kingdom to the earth, and this is what he showed us by his preaching and his healing and when he cast out demons. God and his kingdom had come to us, as he had promised would happen long ago. He wanted us to believe in him and to trust him. He would always keep his word; whatever he promised would come to pass. He used a small example to make a big point. After he finished preaching about the kingdom and the power of God’s word, he turned to me while everyone was watching and asked me to move out to the deepest part of the lake. He wanted me to trust him – that he would lead us to enough fish to fill our nets. Think of it! A carpenter was telling us professional fishermen how to carry out our trade. He wanted to give us a demonstration of the power of God’s word that everyone could see and to show that whatever he said would take place. If he promised to heal, healing would happen. If he said he’d die and rise again, that would take place, too.

       What’s more, he called John and James and me into his service, and to show his love and care for us, he gave us something we very much wanted and could use in our daily lives – boat loads of fish. He had greater gifts in mind for us, but he didn’t neglect everyday things and what’s down-to-earth. He didn’t give us something better than fish that we wouldn’t understand. He gave us fish. And because he gave us an abundance of what we wanted and needed, we could also trust him when it came to bigger things – like our salvation and living every day in God’s presence.

       Anyway, I should tell you something about the way I felt when the carpenter told the fisherman to move to the most unlikely spot for fishing and at the very worst time of day. I didn’t really believe him, despite the miracles he’d performed, including the healing of my mother-in-law; I didn’t trust that he really knew where to find a great school of fish. But I went along with him, because it was he, and I didn’t want to make him unhappy. Willingness and a desire to please, you see, aren’t the same things as the faith that trusts. Willingness says – what else can I get? What have I got to lose? Best not to give offense. Trust doesn’t ask a lot of questions and dives in wholeheartedly. We’d had a long and frustrating and disappointing night. I’d about given up on God. But I’ll tell you something – God didn’t give up on me. He never gives up. He sent me and my partners out to the middle of the lake and told us to let down our nets. What a powerful and generous God. Our boats were filled, and so I understood that if the physical world obeys his command so must the world of the spirit that we can’t see. So must life. So must death. I felt giddy for a moment and full of vanity, and I told myself that I’d hook up with this man forever and ever. Then I looked at Jesus, and new thoughts and feelings overcame me – of the sort I’d never had before. I knew who he was and also who I was. It was a much more powerful experience even than when he healed my mother-in-law. The Lord of the universe who controls everything and is on the side of life rather than death was right there in my own fishing boat. He was perfect and I was anything but, so I fell to my knees. People have told me they didn’t understand the way I acted. It was because I’d had an experience that most people never have; I had a glimpse of the depth of my sin and error. We mostly glide over the surface of life, not thinking very much about the meaning of what’s happening or who we are or why we do what we do, but just then a marvelous insight came to me – a revelation, and so I fell to my knees. You’d have done the same if you’d been there – or at least I think so, because you seem to be the sort of people who are attuned to God and his word.

       Anyway, I was astonished, amazed, thunderstruck. I told Jesus to go away from me. I wasn’t worthy to be in his presence. Besides, you’ll remember that Moses said that we can’t look on God and live. Again, you see, I was both right and wrong at the same time. I was right to see my sinfulness to repent. I was wrong to tell Jesus to go away, which he didn’t do in any case. He knew what was right for him and also right for me. God came to earth in Christ to make his home with us. He took on our flesh. He didn’t sin, but he lived the way we do. He worked; he ate; he slept; he laughed; he socialized. He also preached and performed miracles and brought the word of God to everyone who would receive it. He didn’t come into the world only to leave it. And when people did succeed in making him leave the world for a short time, he turned this shameful episode into a great benefit for mankind by using it to pay the price for the sins of the whole world. Everyone who trusts in him receives everlasting life and the forgiveness of sins. Jesus is tenacious and persistent; he means what he says. He came back to the earth, as you know, in a resurrection body to proclaim his victory over his enemies and over death and the devil and to give his people a preview of the wonderful life that lies ahead for them – perfect bodies, perfect minds, and perfect, never-ending happiness in the presence of Christ.

       “Now, I want to digress for a moment and call to your mind one of our savior’s resurrection appearances. Seven of us disciples were by the Sea of Galilee again. I said to the others that I was going fishing and they came with me. We fished all night, but we didn’t catch a thing. Just at dawn, though we didn’t know who he was, Jesus was standing on the beach. He asked if we had caught any fish. We had to say no, and then he invited us to drop our nets onto the right side of our boat and then we would catch some. He spoke the truth. Our net was so full that we couldn’t haul it into the boat. Then we recognized Jesus. He invited us to have breakfast with him. He shared his bread with us and some fish he’d been cooking on a charcoal fire. He went to a lot of trouble – didn’t he? – to convince us that he was God and that we could trust his promises. If he knew how to find us an abundance of fish and how to come back from the dead to be with us for a short while, we could also trust his words about salvation and redemption from sin, about the friendship of God and life everlasting.

       “Now, I want to make one more point,” Peter says, because he enjoys talking with us and he is delighted that God has kept us in his kingdom of grace and mercy, “please remember the last thing Jesus said to us in your gospel reading this morning. He said that he would empower James and John and myself and the other disciples to be fishers of men – and women, too, of course. The word that our Lord used for “catch” doesn’t mean ordinary catching, but to catch alive. Our fish died almost as soon as we caught them. They flopped around in the nets but not for long. When God’s word catches a person that person lives – and has life to the full, and not just an abundant earthly life, but fullness in eternity as well. I believe that God has caught you and that he intends to hold onto you. He catches you for life and for more life. He knows that you have times of trial and stress, and perhaps even deep discouragement. These are parts of life on earth for everyone. All such moments pass away. He commands you to trust his promises to you – as the other disciples and I learned to trust, for he has in mind the solution to all current and eternal problems. Keep onto him now; his word sustains you. Trust him. He has caught you alive.” AMEN.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge of Christ Jesus. Amen. 

Luke 4 -- Jesus Preaches in Nazareth -- Rebuilding, Restoration, and Renewal

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you from God our Father and Christ Jesus the Lord,

       It was customary in our Lord’s time for every grown-up to go to the local synagogue on the Sabbath, which was our Saturday. The people expected to hear Psalms and prayers, readings from Scripture, and some preaching. Preachers in those days had different styles, just as they do today. There were learned rabbis who put a lot of thought and scholarship into their sermons, but most people preferred to hear preachers who had the gift of putting insights from Scripture into everyday language. They liked sermons that were easy to listen to. Some things never change. Just like today, preachers who had the common touch and gift for words can often expect an appreciative following.

       Things were different, of course, on the Sabbath when Jesus spoke at the synagogue in his home town. There were usually two readings from Scripture before the message. Jesus gave the second reading and then sat down to preach, for it was the custom in those days for preachers to sit while they spoke. Many of the people present didn’t like what Jesus said. They flew into a rage and brought our Lord to the edge of town to throw him from the top of a hill. Jesus knew that even though the folks of Nazareth didn’t want to hear him, others would listen, and with faith and gratitude, for as Isaiah foretold, his message was full of healing, the hope of freedom, and the promise of God’s everlasting favor.

       The full version of the passage from Isaiah that our Lord read contains many gospel ideas: binding up, release, gladness, praise, righteousness – all blessings that come from Jesus. Also freedom from despair and steady strength of spirit. God offers these to every believer.

       Isaiah wrote about the bad side of life, too – brokenness, grief, sadness. He breaks through the propaganda that tries to teach us that everything that happens is all right. He says that God knows the truth about broken hearts and troubled minds and the pain of mourning. God knows the troubles we face. He knows our concerns. What will happen to our families? Will we be safe? How can we cope with the pain or the loss of a loved one? Our concerns are real. God knows them and he works to bring healing.

We often try to solve problems on our own, thinking that our strength of character will save us or our earthly heritage or the good luck that seems to follow people in North America. Human cures and human strength are often not enough. The best healing and strength come from Christ. He turns ashes into beauty and despair into praise.

       Consider the forgiveness of sins. The wrongs life inflicts on us can hurt deeply, but a tortured conscience can be the sharpest wound of all. It can drag us down and bring us exaggerated fears. The people who led Jesus from his own synagogue must have suffered afterwards. But had they listened to him when he spoke to them, they would have gained a fresh new outlook on the problem of guilt. Instead of rising to anger at the Lord, they would have rejoiced. Instead of being frightened and drawn to despair, they would have been sturdy oaks of righteousness, as Isaiah put it, for complete forgiveness is the great miracle Christ works in the lives of all his people. God heals through his mercy; the cleansing by his blood brings life. Forgiveness and salvation always go together. Gladness, freedom, and a spirit of praise come through God’s forgiveness.

Living with God day after day, washed clean in Jesus’ blood, Christian people grow skilled at the art of renewal. God uses us to extend his kingdom. Isaiah mentioned rebuilding ancient ruins and renewing devastated cities. After they returned home from seventy years exile, God’s Old Testament people worked to rebuild Jerusalem.

       Rebuilding, restoration, and renewal include an unseen dimension that starts with forgiveness. We forgive people who cause us to worry about our earthly futures; we forgive people who deprive us of the love we need and those who stand between us and the good things of life.

       In these and other acts of forgiveness, we not only help to preserve our own peace of mind, we also help to restore our neighbors’ consciences and heal hearts that may be broken. We act toward others as God acts. As Isaiah put it, we are called to be priests of the Lord. I don’t suppose we think about our special status in God’s eyes as often as we should, but our savior does place us in a unique category. He builds us up and expresses his confidence in us by giving us his work to do. He is the one high priest, of course, but we are deputy priests, so to speak. Peter put it this way in his first letter. “You also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God...You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

       These are not just nice-sounding words to fill a few minutes before lunch. God restores us through forgiveness and gives us a spirit of rejoicing instead of despair so that we may act as priests for Christ in a fallen world. Like all Christian priests, we represent God to others by speaking about what he has done and by helping others find deliverance from the bad side of life through faith in Christ. We also represent other people before God, praying for them, asking for mercy, and bringing their needs before the throne of grace. Jesus equips his priests to help bring about the revived world of which Isaiah wrote, not by taking Jesus’ place but by following his example and by calling others to faith in salvation through faith in God’s grace.

If the folks in the synagogue at Nazareth had allowed themselves to absorb what the Lord was telling them, they’d have found what they’d been looking for from their religion: renewal and restoration together with a mission to the world outside God’s house. We’re well-positioned not to make the same mistake as they, for Christ is with us through his Word and rather than reject him, we do our best to welcome him. This welcome brings rewards for God then pours into minds and hearts that he has opened the good news about freedom, gladness, and a spirit of praise.

       I hope we’ll take these words seriously. They’re not words we hear on the news or at work or when we discuss the current scene. But they describe for us the reality God has in mind, partly now through the gift of pardon, but fully realized later on in the next life, which we now dimly imagine as we cling to our savior by faith.

       We can sympathize with the people in the synagogue at Nazareth because it takes courage to let go of the world and take hold of concepts from God like binding up, comfort, release, and strength of spirit. But priests of Christ like ourselves are well-equipped to receive the renewed life that Jesus holds out to us, both for ourselves and the benefit of the world around us that the Lord sends us to help restore. It’s a high calling to take part in heaven’s comfort and praise; it’s a great honor that the Lord displays his splendor through us.                 If we need a lift during the week or a word of encouragement, we do well to spend a moment with God’s Word and to recall our special status in his eyes. He gives us his best so as to bring out our best. To paraphrase Isaiah, he feeds us with the wealth of the gospel and the riches of his love. He will continue to comfort us and fill us with gladness and train us in enthusiasm for the tasks he sends us. In Jesus’ Name. AMEN.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge of Christ Jesus. AMEN.

Matthew 3:13 - 17 Jesus Baptism and Ours -- What do They Mean?

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come,

       The church year is divided in two halves. We’re now in the half where our Sunday Gospel texts focus on the earthly life of Jesus. We’ve thought again about his conception and birth. Last Sunday was Epiphany, when the gospel text reminded us of the wise men who followed a star to the manger in Bethlehem to worship the infant Jesus.

       This morning, we come to his baptism. We may wonder why he wanted to be baptized in the first place. Even John the Baptist didn’t understand right away, for he believed that he needed to be baptized by Jesus, yet Jesus was coming to him.

       First of all, Jesus began his public ministry with his baptism. Immediately after that, he spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness in a conflict with Satan, then he began to preach and call his first disciples. He soon started healing sick people and becoming known in Israel.

       All three persons of the Trinity appeared at his baptism. His Heavenly Father identified him as his Son. The Holy Spirit came in the form of a dove. Jesus’ baptism shows everyone that he has dedicated his life as a man to God: his Father is pleased with him. The Father loves righteousness and holiness and here he proclaims that Jesus brings these qualities into the world in full and that he will be able to carry out his important, saving work.

       John the Baptist acts as a witness, our representative. He said at the beginning of John’s Gospel: “I myself did not know him.” But now, after hearing the Heavenly Father’s voice and seeing the Spirit in the form of a dove and remain on Jesus, he says: “I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”

At Jesus’ baptism, God puts his seal of approval on the ministry his Son is about to begin.

       Why didn’t he make the announcement another way? After all, baptism cleanses sinners and Jesus didn’t sin at all, not even once. Why would he ask for a ritual that didn’t seem to apply to him? The answer involves one of the deep mysteries of the Christian faith. Everything we are and everything we have and everything we know about ourselves comes from God. Every person on earth has a relationship with him. God intends our bond with him to be harmonious and fruitful, but all men and women are sinners. We know this from Scripture and our minds tell us. God wishes to deliver us from sin, however, so that that we may live fruitful lives, with joy in him and in harmony with each other. He wishes us to live creatively, without the terrible burdens of guilt and lack of self-confidence. He intends to continue the abundant life he wants to give us throughout all eternity. Our new lives can’t take place, however, until sin has been wiped out, so he sent his Son to earth to solve the problem of sin. Since he brought healing and salvation to the human race, Jesus needed to identify with us in every way. He took on our cloak of sin, so to speak, so that we wouldn’t have to wear it any more, at least in the eyes of God. Also, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism of sinners partly because every good leader sets an example; he doesn’t ask his followers to do something that he himself wouldn’t do.

       So Jesus asked John to baptize him so that he could take part in full in the mystery of God’s complete union with mankind. Paul described the mystery this way in 2^nd Corinthians: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

       This is what happened, then. God demands righteousness of all people. He knows we can’t fulfil his demand because sin has deeply corrupted our natures, so God became sin for us so that he could forgive our sinful natures completely and so that we might become the righteousness he’s looking for. We don’t need to understand how it works. We need to know only the effect of the mystery: the work Jesus began when he took on our flesh and that he continued in his baptism and finished on Calvary. He brought our envy and anger, our pride and backbiting, the sins that ruin lives and separate people from God, to Calvary to enliven our relationship with God and rebuild our lives.

       So Jesus’ baptism benefits us. The 6^th chapter of Romans helps us understand our connection with it. Paul wrote that believers – you and I – have died to sin because Jesus died for all sinners. Christians have the power and freedom to die every day to sin by subduing our sinful natures with God’s help. God pledges that in our baptisms the blessings of Christ come to each of us. Christ’s death for sin is also our death. Paul said that everyone who is baptized into Christ is baptized into his death. His resurrection life is our life. Jesus died for us so that the separation of the body from the soul isn’t the end of everything but the beginning of a new life. Baptism is God’s way of bringing us into a personal relationship with Jesus’ life – his power and his love. God claims us in baptism just as he expressed his relationship with his Son at Jesus’ baptism. “This is my beloved Son,” he said, “with whom I am well-pleased.” God claims you and me to participate in every blessing that comes to the human race as a result of Jesus’ life and death.

       I looked into Luther’s large catechism to understand better what baptism means for us. Luther wrote that baptism is God’s work, not a human institution. He said that the purpose of baptism is to save. Jesus said: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” People don’t receive baptism, Luther wrote, so as to become princes, but to be delivered from sin, death, and the devil, and to become members of the kingdom of Christ and to live with him forever.

       Luther also said that faith alone enables a person to receive the benefits of baptism. Faith helps us understand what baptism means. There’s enough in baptism for every Christian to study, Luther said, to keep us busy for a lifetime. Christians have enough to do to believe the promises and blessings of our baptisms – victory over death and the devil, the forgiveness of sin, God’s grace, the person of Christ, and the Holy Spirit with all his gifts.

       Luther tells us that to appreciate baptism and to use it correctly, we need to draw strength and comfort from it, especially when memories of our sins or guilty consciences distress us. At such times we say, “But I am baptized. And since I’m baptized, I have the promise that I’ll be saved and have eternal life, both in soul and body.” Reminders of baptism reassure us of God’s loving disposition toward us.

       Luther described the effect of baptism in another way as well. He said that baptism means slaying the old Adam and the resurrection of a new man or woman. Two actions take place every day throughout our lives – the slaying of our desire for sin and the birth of new life. Luther said the Christian life is a daily baptism that began once and continues throughout our lives. We drown whatever is born in us from Adam – irascibility, spitefulness, envy, lack of chastity, greed, laziness, pride, and unbelief and enter Christ’s kingdom. The longer we live there the more we become gentle, patient, and meek, and free of vices that corrupt the soul.

       Baptism remains forever, Luther said. Even though we fall into sin, we have access to our baptisms so that we subdue our sinful side again and again and abide in faith every day with its fruits and blessings. We have God’s forgiveness each day for as long as we live on this earth.

       Jesus lived by the promises his Heavenly Father gave him at his baptism. He imparts a share of his staying power to us. Our baptisms tie us to Christ, in whom we find forgiveness, freedom, and strength. The effects of the baptism he received in the Jordan reach us today. May we continue to receive the blessings of the wonderful gift of baptism – his and ours – today and all our tomorrows. In Jesus’ Name. AMEN.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge of Christ Jesus. AMEN.          

Isaiah 60:1 - 11 Epiphany: Why Should We Rise and Shine?

Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ

       Arise!  Shine!  Rise and shine.  Something a parent might say to a youngster on the first day of school.  Don’t just crawl out of bed, be ready to take hold of the day with joy and spirit.  Some folks do that well.  Others need to push themselves, especially during the let-down that often follows the holidays.  And to shine all day long with cheerfulness and zest for life, to take up our tasks without worrying, to address the various situations that come our way and without fretting – that takes willpower for most everyone.  Fortunately for us, we are Christians.  The Lord passes on to us from his abundant strength the ability to rise and shine.  And so we do shine – like stars, even when we fear that the grumpiness of the world has got the best of us.  Somebody once said to me that we are twinkles in the eye of eternity.  Jesus sees our shining when we ourselves do not.

       Let’s have a look at two or three reasons for our shining.

       First is the resilience that is common to human nature, but strengthened and sustained by our faith in the Lord. We don’t let the bad parts of life break us.  We fight back – from accidents, illness, setbacks.  Very few give up.  I remember the vitality of Christian people I’v  known. Some have set examples for me. They did not quit in times of adversity.  We all have down times, of course, but the Lord empowers us to rise up and keep on battling.  We cast off sluggishness.  It’s true that death and the grave come for us, but while our bodies wither, our spirits, thanks to Christ, move toward the gates that lead to the new, perfect life that Jesus has prepared for us.

       We rise and shine, in the second place, because there are people we love who depend on us and who love us in return.  We shine for the sake of the communities we belong to – family, work, friends, and especially the church. Some years ago, after the dreadful terrorist attacks in New York, the Queen spoke in her annual Christmas message about the troubles that had come upon us.  She said that our communities nourish us and we should pay attention to them and work to build them up.  How important it is to have encouraging people nearby and how much it means to our neighbors when we take time to offer moral support and lift them up.    Jesus blesses us greatly through his community – the church, which brings us his strength and his comfort – and numerous Christian friends.  Rising and shining, we lift each other up by the strength that God imparts to us.

       We shine out side the church, too, or to say it better, we bring the spirit of church with us wherever we go.  Jesus commands us to offer to others the rest and peace and fellowship of his kingdom.  How many of our neighbors struggle for faith?  How many of the young people we know crave courage, hope, and strength?  The Lord uses us and the community at St. Peter’s to help them.

       We have many failings, we’re shy to move out with our beliefs, we don’t like to try new things unless we see an immediate benefit. God is patient, though. He and his church think and act for the long term.  We may be too quiet, but we don’t give up and aren’t easily discouraged.  One project each of us might take on is to pick someone we know who doesn’t come to church now or appear to have a saving relationship with Jesus, an acquaintance or family member, befriend this person, listen to his or her joys and sorrows, pray, help carry the burden, and speak about the gospel in as winning a way as we can when the right moment comes.  God’s kingdom grows by face-to-face contact at the grassroots.  Maybe this person will even come with you to worship. Rise and shine for that person.  The point is to persist and not lose heart if we don’t see results right away.  The Lord gives us quiet but effective ways to pass on the good news about our walk with him: prayer, conversation, offering a shoulder to lean on, forgiveness, patience, strength in uncertain times.

       A third reason to rise and shine is Jesus himself, the light Isaiah foresaw would come, bringing God’s glory, the gospel of salvation, to rise upon us.

       Jesus rescued us from the nighttime of sin, death, and the devil.  He wipes away our sins and brings peace to our consciences.  Nothing can stand between us and his love.  He comforts us in days of loss and affliction.  He blesses us with hope.  This moment we live in is only a small segment of time, and one day all of time will be swallowed up in eternity and we will shine forever in the presence of our Lord.  The separated will be united.  There will be no struggle for material things, for God will shower his riches upon us.  Anguish and suffering will not exist.  All heaven will proclaim the name of the Lord.

        Jesus empowers us to rise and shine.  He blesses us with a spirit of endurance so that we may cope with gloomy mornings and freezing rain.  He comforts us if we lose a job or our health or a loved one.  He consoles us when we grieve for our sins, and he turns shame into rejoicing.  He frees us from bondage to things of earth.

       But there is a catch,  our human natures love to set up road blocks.  God works in a way that offends mortal flesh and that even you and struggle with from time to time.  Where our human minds prefer great and powerful and flashy things, he came to the earth in lowliness and humility.  When he was born in the manger, he didn’t attract the people who counted, only some shepherds and a few traveling wise men from an alien culture that most people looked down on.  The ones in power, the great and rich, wanted him out of the way.

       We can imagine that.  We know how people act. We know what goes on in our own thoughts.  How, then, can you and I expect to rise and shine in Christ more often than once or twice a year?   By the mercy and power of God, who makes it possible.  “I became a servant of the Gospel,” Paul wrote, “by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.”  We take hold of God’s treasure through the actions of the Holy Spirit, who enlivens our hearts with faith.  The Spirit draws us to the Gospel and we rise and shine at God’s offer of life, salvation, and strength.

       The Holy Spirit, not our own desires or thoughts, convinces us that Jesus is the light who enlightens everyone.  “Permit this light to lead and enlighten you,” Paul wrote.  Let Jesus be our guide.  He transforms people like ourselves, who don’t like change, in the most delightful way.  He turns us into light ourselves.  “You were formerly in darkness,” Paul said, “but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light.  In other words, we receive and believe the Holy Spirit.

       The great power God gives us is hard to understand.  We can scarcely grasp even the basic principles.  Even so, the Spirit lead us to trust by faith that Jesus sets us free from sin and death and strengthens us for life now.  Our understanding grows as we learn and study God’s Word.  The light of his glory fills us.  Earthly kinds of glory and the pride of our flesh and showy things that bedazzle for a while and then fade away – these do not deceive us.  By the power of the Spirit, we follow our Savior along the path of lowliness and humility.

       Our ability to rise and shine in Christ is one of faith’s many miracles – the action of God on our hearts, not our own doing. 

       Isaiah wrote his prophecies almost 3000 years ago to comfort the faithful people of Israel as they faced a rough passage in their history.  Whatever difficulties lay ahead for them, they were to remember that God was preparing a time of great rejoicing for them.  “No longer will you have the sun for light by day,” Isaiah wrote, “nor will the brightness of the moon give you light, but you will have the Lord for an everlasting light, and your God for your glory.  Your sun will no longer set nor will your moon wane....the days of your mourning will be over.”

       Isaiah’s words also apply to the church, to St. Peter’s, to you and me.  Our faithful Lord gives us promises to hold onto.  We cling to him and cope with any spiritual trial.  The key is to walk humbly in faith, not in a hurry but patient.  I suspect that Jesus has made the people of St. Peter’s, not perfect, but still pretty good at these qualities, and how much your neighbors benefit.  It pleases the Lord that we do not weaken but keep on rising and shining.  The point is not to quit.  In the spirit of New Year’s resolutions, which I almost never make, we can promise with God’s help to make improvements, because his light has come in Christ, and his glory rises upon us.  In his name we rejoice.  AMEN.

The peace of God...

Luke 2:8 - 20 Christmas, Shepherds, and a Few Questions

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from god the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,

The passages from the gospel of Luke we read a few minutes ago invite us to ask a few questions. We’ll find Christian answers for some of them in the next few minutes, starting with a general question.

Since we can’t see God, can we know where he is? Scripture tells us that God is everywhere – in the rocks, in the lakes and the forests, in the crowds at the malls and the crowded Toronto streets. He is in our neighbors and in people on the other side of the world we’ll never meet. We may marvel at the beauty and order of creation, and God is there. We may also conclude that God is present in our consciences. Everyone knows the difference between right and wrong. Everyone has a guiding inner voice that he or she ought to listen to because it is trustworthy.

God is present in all these things, yet we cannot really take hold of him in any one of them. What is God’s nature? Is he on our side? Does he have plans for our lives? To answer these questions, we have the guidance of God’s revelation. God is present with us every day and he is especially present in the Word he sent to us – his Holy Scriptures. That’s where we take hold of him. His message never changes. The Bible is clear and consistent; we can rely on it because it always tells us the truth.

The message we take hold of this afternoon by way of God’s revelation to us is that he is very much on our side. He has a plan for our lives. Her set his angels and the great host of heaven to a group of shepherds outside Bethlehem to proclaim peace on earth and good will to all people.

That must have been a wonderful thing to see – greater than a fireworks display or all the Christmas lights in Toronto. The God who is hidden from our everyday sight broke into the world of nature with a tremendous affirmation of his love and his good intentions for humanity.

It happened only once in the last 2000 years and we can’t expect another visible display of God’s power like that until Christ returns in glory.

Now, here’s another question. We understand why God celebrated the birth of his Son in a public way, but why did he choose shepherds to receive the news rather than powerful and influential folk in Jerusalem? The Heavenly Father knew that the shepherds would listen to him. They were the sort of people to whom he could safely communicate the good news.

God often acts contrary to our expectations. We expect him to deal with the highest and mightiest people. Instead, he reveals himself to very ordinary folks. Shepherds followed a very old calling that had many traditions. They worked close to the earth. They needed to find grass and water and to protect their flocks from bad weather and wild animals. Even though the shepherds Luke tells us about lived centuries ago they are the kind of working people you and I can understand, loyal, devoted to their callings, trustworthy. There are millions and millions of people like that in the world and there always will be. Nations and societies rest on them, so to speak. They are the guardians of values. God wants them to know that he speaks directly to them and that they are included in his plan. God offers them an honored place in his kingdom.

Then, too, in Old Testament times, God referred to himself as the shepherd of his flock, and Jesus told his disciples that he himself is the good shepherd. He is our shepherd who guides and cares for us and is bringing us safely into eternity. It’s fitting, then, for our Heavenly Father to announce the arrival of his Son in an unforgettable way to a group of shepherds.

We want to know, as well, why the shepherds were afraid. They weren’t accustomed to seeing great wonders It’s good for us that God is hidden from our sight, for a passage in the Old Testament says that no human can look upon God and live. The presence of God’s angels and the heavenly host made the shepherds aware of their weakness and shortcomings. The angel quickly reassured them, however. This is always the way. Because we can’t see him, the Lord reassures us about his good intentions toward us and toward all people. He calls us to live in faith and confidence, not in fear. His reassurance is no farther away than Sunday worship and the promises we find in the Bible.

We ask also what was the purpose of the shepherds’ visit to Christ and the holy family. Surely there was more involved than idle curiosity. For one thing, the Heavenly Father wanted the shepherds to visit his son for the sake of their own salvations. The angel called the infant Christ Savior and Lord. God wanted the shepherds to receive the benefits Jesus came to bring. He also wanted them to talk, to spread the word, to glorify and praise God. This is part of the life of every Christian. We are talking people. We gossip about God and the gospel. We pass along the good news. If the church as a whole is to experience a revival, it will take place partly because Christians will share the gospel with their neighbors in millions of private conversations.

Our culture celebrates Christmas every year, and every year it is easy to overlook the true reason for the holiday. So we ask another question. What prompted God to come to earth as an infant?

Somebody said many centuries ago that the human race is so deeply corrupted by sin that only the power of God can save us from eternal damnation. We can’t do a thing to help ourselves. At the same time, only another human being can experience life as we do, with all its ups and downs. There is no barrier between ourselves and another human the way there would be between ourselves and a holy and perfectly righteous God. We can easily approach a God who became fully man. What’s more, since God has made us responsible beings, our sins must be paid for. It takes a human being to stand in our place and pay the penalty.

So God set aside his power and majesty and took on our frail human flesh. He became a servant for our sakes. He suffered humiliation and the death of a criminal in our place and then rose again from the grave.

This is the most important reason that God came to earth as a child. Other than that, we also say that God has nothing to do with evil, so by taking on human life, he shows us that life is good It’s good to be an infant, good to be a teenager, a grown-up and so on. Our world needs reminders of God’s love for human life. One of the themes of the culture that surrounds us seems to be disregard for life. Consider the millions who’ve died in wars in the last hundred years, how much abortion there is, and the number of people who are pushed to the sidelines to fend for themselves because they are different from the majority or can’t keep up with the strong and the aggressive.

Jesus affirms that every life is worthwhile and meaningful. The old, the sick, members of minority groups, the disabled, folks who are challenged in one way or another. God loves them all.

Now, let’s look at Christ’s coming in a different way. There are times when trouble marks our lives. We don’t get discouraged, for we know that our Savior walked ahead of us along a bumpy road. His struggles were not in vain. He passed from this life to a glorious new life in eternity that he promises to share with us. God uses our troubles in his mysterious way to bring honor to himself and good to us and to our neighbors. The endurance of Christians, our faith in tough times, gives glory to our Savior. If he hadn’t come to the earth, the bad side of life would overwhelm us and we would be lost in the world. Christ is our light, the one who unfailingly guides us to safety.

We won’t stop here, though, for we have one final question. Is there a connection between us and the shepherds to whom the angel and the heavenly host appeared? We might not think so at first. The shepherds lived 2000 years ago. They had the special privilege of seeing the heavenly host first hand and Jesus as he lay in the manger. We don’t expect such wonderful events to happen to us, at least not on this side of the grave. 

We may be tempted to think that we’ve missed out on something necessary or at least important.

It’s true that God is hidden. He doesn’t come to meet us face to face. He asks us to live with him by faith. The shepherds also lived by faith and not by sight. A week after the wonderful events in Bethlehem, as far as the shepherds were concerned, they were only events in their memories that they could talk about. They didn’t happen a second time. They had no documentary evidence to back up their claims. They trusted, nevertheless, that some of the people they spoke to would respond to the good news with joy and faith, so they offered their witness, out of hearts full of faith, glorifying and praising God.

The Lord brings the shepherds and ourselves together into one eternal community of faith. No one who has experienced the life of faith ever claims that it’s easy. God sends challenges to test and refine us. Some moments will be rockier than others. We expect that.

At the same time, the Lord sends us powerful resources to help us that the shepherds didn’t have. We have the Bible in full, which tells us about the later life of our Lord and the work of his apostles. We have the full story of what God has done for our salvation and also his church, a well-established Christian community that nourishes our faith.

Faith is difficult but not impossible. God uses our worship this afternoon to take us away  from the seasonal push and pull and gives us a chance to focus on what’s most important. Jesus intends our hour together today to build up our faith in the God who is hidden from our sight. An old prayer puts it this way: the Lord gives us a new revelation of his glory in the mystery of the infant Christ, the word made flesh. The writer of the prayer asks that we see God by faith in the person of his Son so that we love things that are not seen –the God who made us and redeems us in Christ plus his blessings to us such as the forgiveness of our sins, his love for us, and our eternal home. We become skilled at trusting what we can’t see.

This is a good place to stop. The Bible and the church assure us that the God we can’t see loves us. He sent his Son to prove it. He makes it possible to us to believe that his love for us won’t end today or tomorrow but will last forever and has the power to carry us into eternity. So in Jesus Name we rejoice. AMEN.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge of Christ Jesus. AMEN.

Matthew 3:1 - 12 John the Baptist and God's Fire

Grace and peace to you from him who is and who was and who is to come,

     We’ll begin with some thoughts about basic teachings of the Bible. All people were born in sin and it is our nature to run from God.  Even so, he didn’t abandon us in our folly, but sent Jesus to live and die for us and to rise again and to make us new people.  He claimed us as his adopted daughters and sons.  He says to us, “You are mine, you are in my family.”  He will love us and bless us.

     As it happens, our preparation for Christmas brings us to reflect on John the Baptist this morning.  He was different from other people of his time and certainly different from folks today.  His example teaches us how worldly and short-sighted our lives can be.  This is one of the messages God wants us to take from John the Baptist.

     A down-to-earth man, he lived close to the soil.  He knew the pattern of the wind and the rhythm of the seasons.  He used word-pictures from everyday life to tell the people what God wanted them to hear – trees, and an axe, a barn, and so on.

     God’s people in those days didn’t analyse   everything as we so often do.  They saw the world as a whole, ruled by God.  They understood what one of the Psalm-writers meant, for example, when he said that rivers clap their hands and hills rejoice.  They believed that the Lord ties everything together into a unity – that life comes from him and is under his direction.  Things that are very different from each other, such as our souls and our bodies, nature and spirit, are all parts of God’s creation and fit together into his plan.

But many of the Israelites strayed from their heritage.  They ran away from God in their hearts and became like the pagans around them.  They were in danger of losing their salvation and needed to reverse direction and return to the Lord who loved them, so the Heavenly Father sent John the Baptist to help them get ready for the Savior who was about to come to them.

     Before they could receive Jesus, though, and appreciate him they needed to hear what God thought of their present spiritual condition.  Using picture language he knew they’d understand, John said that God wanted his people to produce fruit in keeping with repentance.  Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be thrown into the fire.  The fire:  a word picture that the people could easily visualize.  If God’s people don’t turn to him with repentant hearts, sorry for our sins, he will consider us useless and throw us into the fire like rubbish.

     Everyone knows how destructive fire can be – to the wilderness, to homes, to human life.  John is speaking about a more worrisome kind of fire, however, eternal punishment for those who make a lifelong habit of ignoring God and disobeying him.  He forgives; he restores repentant sinners; he forgets.  But he promises to punish impenitence and stiff-necked pride.  Somebody wrote, “to become hell-fodder, a soul must have a pronounced and ineradicable streak of arrogance, a belief that his or her judgment is infallible…anyone who is driven by pride in their own power or skill, their own beauty or genius, or their own unaided intellect is a candidate for eternal damnation – anyone who tries to be like God.”

     Because of our trust in Christ, though, our customary humility before God, and because we accept his forgiveness, you and I don’t worry about the fires of hell.  Heaven is our home and our destination, but Biblical warnings of hell-fire do help to keep us on track. They remind us to trust in God and not our own achievements or the fact that we live in an advanced civilization.  God’s ways are not our ways.  It is wise not to lean on our own understanding, but to rest in him.

     That is not the final word, however.  John used the word “fire” another way, too, that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  John does not mean the fire of condemnation now, but a divine fire that is connected with God.  You may remember that Moses saw God in a burning bush and that when he received the law, God came down to Mt. Sinai in fire, and that a pillar of fire guided the Hebrew people at night as they traveled through the wilderness through the Promised Land. The Holy Spirit came to the apostles at Pentecost as flames that rested on their heads.  Luke wrote in Acts:  “They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.”  God also uses fire, then, to guide and protect and as sign of his presence for purification and refinement.

     One of the Old Testament prophets, who was distressed at the way God’s chosen people thought and behaved wrote that God had told him two-thirds would be struck down and perish, “yet a third will be left in it,” the Heavenly Father said, “and this third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.”

     The prophet Isaiah wrote that God would cleanse the blood stains from Jerusalem by a spirit of fire.      

Our Father in heaven cleanses every believer.  St. Peter said that we rejoice in temporary trials of all kinds so that our faith, which is worth more than gold that perishes even though refined by fire, may be proved genuine.  The Lord cleanses all his children with a loving fire.  “Yes, I have refined you,” he said in the Book of Isaiah.  “I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”  And a faithful man of Old Testament times who suffered greatly said: “the Almighty knows the way that I take. When he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”

     In other words, God’s fire drives away our complacency, our worldliness, and our self-satisfaction.  His fire clarifies our souls so that we rejoice in him and not the world and so that we think to turn to him every day with our burdens and our needs and the things we’re happy about. Furthermore, God’s fire also lifts up and inspires.  One of our hymn texts for Pentecost asks God to revive our drooping faith, remove our doubts and fears, and kindle in our hearts the flame of never-dying love.  And Martin Luther asked the Lord to inspire every believing soul with his own pure and holy fire.

     God’s fire, then, that cleanses and purifies also inspires us with love for him and our neighbors and zeal for our faith. God’s fire never rests; it prods and guides and invigorates; it lights our path so that we may always find our way to Jesus by faith.

     Now, returning to the Lord is one of the main themes of the Advent season, when the church helps us get ready for the celebration of Jesus’ birth.  “Return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning,” God said in the Old Testament.  “Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate.”   

     Our sins are not great crimes like those of hard-hearted tyrants; we don’t worship false gods like some of the worldly kings of the Old Testament; we don’t lift ourselves up to challenge God, like the Egyptian Pharaohs who held God’s people in slavery.  Still, things of the world can draw us away from the Lord, cares and amusements can infiltrate our souls.  We may grow sluggish. God’s fire comes to our rescue.  It burns up the chaff that sticks to our thoughts and feelings.  It shines with a more reliable warmth than the beguiling light that glimmers from the world.  God’s chastening and encouraging fire assures us that he is at work on us; it keeps our wills focused on him, for he has promised not to let us go or lose us or give up on us.

     John the Baptist warns us not to let the pride and vanity of earthly life deceive us.  The way to truth and strength is through repentance and faith in Christ.  The divine fire that chastens does not harm.  It is good for us.  We don’t rebel but accept the corrections of God.

     To conclude, then, we’ll say that the wise Heavenly Father gave John the Baptist a role in public life.  The church today carries on John’s mission by putting the Lord’s truth before our neighbors and pointing them to Christ.  Though we may not be aware of the results of our work, a member of our family or a friend may see in us the joy and confidence that come with faith in Christ.  A neighbor may learn something from our refusal to take part in the excesses that lead up to Christmas and follow our example by seeking refreshment through rest in the Lord.  We trust that God’s fire will continue to work on us during these chilly December weeks.  May our families and loved ones find in us the warmth that comes from our contact with the fire of God’s love.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge of Christ Jesus, AMEN.