Sermon - Advent 2B 2011

Mark 1:1-8

1 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,' " 4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Sermon:

In the beginning...

Back to the basics...

What's really important here...

Hmmm... where to begin...

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Beginnings are hard...

Once things are rolling... you find a groove... you figure out how things work... you stick with it.

In fact, today is the Budget setting meeting of Council that always happens in December. Then we have our AGM - annual general meeting in January. And to be honest... I don’t think anyone celebrates AGM’s for any organization.

But this year will be different I hope. I hope that this year as we look at a budget that we can actually meet... as we gather we will focus not on weakness, but celebrate what we have done.

But this will be hard... our rut tells us that there is a way things are done and really enjoying AGM’s... or any talks about church structure... is boring and hard.

Experience being the teacher that it is... it’s hard to trust that new possibilities are even possible... it’s easier to stay in the familiar ruts of life...  even when we see where the ruts are going...

Which is why I really like how Mark starts off his Gospel. "The Beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God."

Such a wonderful place to begin... at the beginning...

Only it's not really a whole new beginning... Mark is clear that what is happening in Jesus is part of the whole plan... part of one great narrative that has been going on since the beginning.

Only... it is a new beginning... God is doing something new... it's Good News... The beginning of the Good news.

Notice... it's not just the news... it's not just the story... it's the "Good News"... ...

And the symbols are all so clear... The story is as old as Babylon...

First is the reference to the work of Isaiah:

Remember that time when we were slaves? And God acted in a mighty way and we were once again made free? Remember how we couldn't possible imagine how life would ever be better and yet God acted in a mighty way... like building a super 4 lane highway right through the desert of our discontent and desolation... God was mighty in the past, is mighty now and trust me... he will be mighty for all time. It all smacks of promise! "Every valley shall be lifted up and every hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain."

Second: Trips to the wilderness.

Note that John is Baptizing in the Jordon...

It was repentance; which simply means to turn around...

it was forgiveness of sins; which simply means the restoration of relationship.

Or... to use the baptismal imagery... it was to die and drown in the waters of discontent and desolation... that is killed and gone...

The familier ruts paved over...

And new life is to be raised up to a lung full air... to a new life with a new relationship and... leaving the Jordon and returning to regular life meant to re-enter the promise land... it was a new beginning into all that already is.

Thirdly: John the Baptizer himself. Each article of clothing having layers of meaning linking him to the whole story. Camels hair like Elijah, wild honey and locusts having to do with God providing in the wilderness... lots of layers of the old weaving with something new...

And it all comes to this...

Mark begins his Gospel - that is - Mark begins his story of God revealed in Christ by calling it Good News.

A new beginning... and good news.

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A story:

When Matt first started attending the morning prayer services at his church he was sure it wasn't going to last... Mark is not a morning person. He has a hard time getting up for his job... and the extra 20 mins he'd have to spend showing up, going through the Matins Morning prayer service with the group, and then dragging himself off to work was not something he wanted to do. But Mark was accepting a personal challenge... do this just until Christmas he was told... it's just 10 weeks.

So like everything that is good for you... Mark forced himself to do it.

Thousands of years of spiritual practice... there must be something to it... God must be present in a special way.

Mark kept his promise for exactly one week.

The second week there was a problem with his alarm... he shut it off.

The third week there was an ice storm and by the time he got the ice off the car it was too late... he would have missed it.

The fourth week he just didn't feel like it and spent 20 mins updating facebook instead of making it.

The fifth week he did make it... all the way to the locked door of the church... he'd missed the memo that it was cancelled that week.

With Christmas just 5 weeks away Mark doubled down. He got a copy of the morning service and started reading it every night before bed. There was something odd about praying "Satisfy us in the morning with you steadfast love, O God..." especially at 11:45pm lying in bed... but Mark didn't mind... he was going to stick to it.

He even made it to 2 out of the last 5 services... Finally Christmas came and he put the habit the down... Whatever spiritual practice he was going to get would have to come in a different form. He rationalized that he wasn't getting much out of it... maybe something else would speak to him more.

On January third, disaster struck. Marks mom had a car accident and she was in the operating room and nobody knew if she was going to make it. It was late in the evening when Mark finally rushed into that awkward space where the family gathered sipping bad coffee and feeling useless as they waited for news.

Hugs were given as family and friends waited.

They were finally allowed into the recovery room it was. It was crowded and they all gathered around hoping for a recovery. Mark's cousin said "someone should pray or something." And all eyes looked around at one another... and finally rested on Mark...

Mark immediately regretted telling his family about the morning prayers he had been trying... Mark couldn’t remember a time he had ever prayed out loud with people listening... Mark did not think that his faith was ever going to force him into a situation like this...

His brain was blank... and then he said "Satisfy us in the morning Oh God..." and there was a silence. No words came this his brain... but on the next breath he started speaking again;

"O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that you hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN"

There was a silence... and then from the bed in a weak voice came "Mark, that was beautiful... you should keep doing those morning prayers... Maybe pray for healing too next time.”

---

Our part in this "Good News" of Jesus is to live lives somewhere between Acts of the Apostles and Revelation. We live between the First coming of Christ which we celebrate at Christmas, and the Second coming of Christ which we look forward to - and also celebrate and hope for at Christmas.

As our Gospel writer Mark says "The beginning of the good news", we hear this to mean an ongoing beginning.

Jesus is a new beginning, God's new beginning. In Jesus the Christ, God creates anew and again, pouring out God's love in the cross, a love that is stronger than anything this world can dish out, including death. And so in Christ's life and ministry and through his cross and resurrection we see God announcing that it is never too late, that this world and reality we know so well do not have the final word, that God the creator and author of all things is not yet finished and has promised to renew, restore, and recreate all things. (Lohse)

And the Good news is that it's never to late to be part of this ongoing re-creation. I firmly declare to you that we are living in the time of new beginnings... new beginnings with each birth, new beginnings with each baptism, new beginnings with each repentance and Holy Meal shared, new beginnings with each death... God isn't finished... and there is Good news.

I want to send you off with a challenge.

In my story, Mark found something new... he found himself speaking faith and good news amongst tragedy through a simple practice of prayer. His eyes were opened to newness. He spoke in a way he didn’t think he could.

As the sanctuary is transformed for Advent... as colours changes in here... as lights go up out there... hold close these words this week:

For you, the beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The bible tells us about it.

I have declared it to be true.

I have told a story where someone found it.

Now it's your turn... go and find it.

The new Beginning... the Good News... the God who never quits... who keeps coming... who is revealed in breaking of bread and sharing of hurts and pain... in community... in repentance... in forgiveness.

This week... the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Lives transformed... old ruts paved over, New paths to places we thought impossible... sins forgiven... let us boldly pray:

"O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that you hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN"

Matthew 5:1-12

1  When Jesus  saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.  2  Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:  3  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4  "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  5  "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.  6  "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  7  "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.  8  "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  9  "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10  "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  11  "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely  on my account. 12  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.


Sermon

ALL SAINTS DAY - HOPE AND LONGING

We all long to hear a good word: a word that brings good news, a word that can sustain us, a word that can give us the vision and courage to make it through another day, a word that tells us God is with us.

All Saints Day.

We are reminded today that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. A great multitude of people whom God has worked through to bring all creation and this church to this day.

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When I  think of a Saint the first name to jump to my mind is Mother Teresa. But I think that Sainthood was not what she was going for... she was aways so humble about the whole thing. And as Jesus sees to have an affinity for the disenfranchised, she was right in the perfect spot to have all the stereotypical marks of a Saint.

(((http://www.americancatholic.org/features/teresa/sainthood.asp)))
In a 1981 interview, Mother Teresa spoke about another champion of the poor: St. Francis of Assisi. In a famous story of a turning point in Francis’ life, he encounters a leper by the side of the road and passes him by. Then he realizes that if he is going to devote his life to the poor he must embrace the leper—he must welcome him into his life as a brother.

Francis then runs to the leper’s aid.

Mother Teresa commented, "The encounter with the leper made St. Francis." So, too, it is Mother Teresa’s selfless encounter with the dying that made Mother Teresa.
It is the calling of Christians to serve the poor, to make room at the table for everyone. Francis came to see that. He reveled in the foolishness of God who has special love for those whom most of us would rather avoid. Teresa learned that, too, during mid-life. She will be named a saint because she cleared away life’s clutter and allowed God to work through her in a powerful way. We should imitate her.

Wow... that is a statement that heaps judgement on me... Clear away life’s clutter and allow God to work. My mind spins with what I could de-clutter and get working.

That is a lot of clutter... There are a lot of things that I see as ‘blessings’ that would need to be cleared away to come into alignment with this.

This is really going to cut into my time... it’s really going to call into question much of what makes me busy... much of what I chase after in terms of the accumulation of things... and even how busy my life is. In fact... most days I wouldn’t have time to turn around to return to the leper... I’m too busy for that...

This is where I feel the judgement.

But then... maybe that’s just my brain confusing blessedness with the clutter of things... blessedness with the absence of pain... blessedness with wealth and the ability to buy a good coffee or take a deep breath of fresh air... blessedness as a healthy and stable family...

Jesus seems to have a different take on blessedness. Blessed are the poor in Spirit? Those who mourn? The meek? The hungry? The persecuted?

This is something new... this is a new way to think of suffering and death and pain... and blessedness....

Blessed... Happy... fortunate... not because of any state of being... but because of what will happen... they will recieve God and find that God is in all things... even in the suffering... even in the clutter... even in the crazy business of life... even in the feelings of despair and... even in the grave...

Looking closely, we see that this is in fact what makes a Saint. And in fact... it’s the exact same thing that makes a Christian.

And what makes a Christian is God breaking into your life and working through you, and with you... choosing you... God calling you... God sanctifying you... God renewing you each day... God is in fact in all things... the great moments but more importantly the moments of suffering, the moments of failure, the moments of loneliness where we would be tempted to pray for a new reality... to reject reality and in so rejecting reality we would have to reject God.

to reject reality and in so rejecting reality we would have to reject God.

And you know what... as I wrote that line... someone walked up to me in the coffee shop and asked me “What if you can’t”.

He was referring to the sign on the back of my laptop that quotes Micah
“Act Justly
Love Mercy
Walk Humbly”

And he asked “What if you can’t? I can’t...”

And in a short conversation we agreed that in fact we can try... but ultimately we can’t do these things... but God does and is glorified and we are saved not in our obtaining our own “Sainthood”... but in what God does to us through and with. Through With and Under us.

God is honored in this man who knows he can’t... but God does.

This is reality... this is the reality which God acts in and calls this church to be the Body of Christ in...

We do not reject reality... we take it all... because in all of it is God... And God is a blessing in all of it because nothing is lost to God.

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Author —James Baldwin who was an African American writer and civil rights activist wrote, in his book Go Tell it on the Mountain powerful words that paint us a picture of what God’s promise of New life will look like:
This is how he see All Saints Sunday:

Then John saw the river, and the multitude was there. And a sweetness filled John as he heard the sound of singing: the singing was for him. . . . No power could hold this army back, no water disperse them, no fire consume them. They wandered in the valley forever; and they smote the rock, forever; and the waters sprang, perpetually, in the perpetual desert. They cried unto the Lord forever, they were cast down forever, and lifted up their eyes forever.

No, the fire could not hurt them, and yes, the lions' jaws were stopped; the serpent was not their master, the grave was not their resting-place, the earth was not their home.

Job bore them witness, and Abraham was their father, Moses had elected to suffer with them rather than glory in sin for a season. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had gone before them into the fire, their grief had been sung by David, and Jeremiah had wept for them. Ezekiel had prophesied upon them, these scattered bones, these slain, and, in the fullness to time, the prophet, John, had come out of the wilderness, crying that the promise was for them.

They were encompassed with a very cloud of witnesses: Judas, who had betrayed the Lord; Thomas, who had doubted Him; Peter, who had trembled at the crowing of a cock; Stephen, who had been stoned; Paul, who had been bound; the blind man crying in the dusty road, the dead man rising from the grave. And they looked unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of their faith, running with patience the race He had set before them; they endured the cross, and they despised the shame, and waited to join Him, one day, in glory, at the right hand of the Father.

Look around at the names of the Saints...
Look around at the breathing Saints in these pews...
Look at your hands... the hands of a Saint.

And now add your story to the mix... set free from obligation to obtain Sainthood... but filled with God and the Holy Spirit... following after Jesus... claiming your blessedness not in just the parts of life that are joyous but in all life...  Acting Justly, loving mercy, walking humbly... take a moment and insert your name...

NAME ______ Saint of God... who God worked (Your story) and you are beloved of God.

You look unto Jesus the author and finisher of your faith, running with patience the race He had set before you; you endure the cross, and you despise the shame, and wait to join Him, one day, in glory, at the right hand of the Father.

All Glory and honour and praise be to God who works through the lives of the Saints.

AMEN

Matthew 22:15-2215 Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. 16 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. 17Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?"18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. 20 Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" 21They answered, "The emperor's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." 22 When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.



1 Thessalonians 1:1-101 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. 2 We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. 9 For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.

Sermon

Today is Week 1 of a 4 part movement towards All Saints Day - November 6th this year. I will be following our Second lesson to explore the book of Thessolonians, as this walks us nicely into All Saints Day.

If you miss a sermon don’t worry, they are on the church blog or ask me for a copy... but... each sermon should stand along just fine.

And so the next 4 weeks will follow this way:

Receiving the Word.

Bearing the Word.

Looking at the Word more closely - a Reformation moment.

And finally, on all Saints Day, a look at Hope in the Word.

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So today we talk about receiving the Word...

There are three words that are the most powerful words in the English language.

I can’t actually measure the power of these three little words... and so it is speculation that these are the most powerful words but here they are:

I don’t know.

Wow... powerful words. I don’t know.

When we speak these three little words we open ourselves up for ridicule:

“Really... you don’t know? Why do you have all those certificates on the wall? How do you do your job and not know?”

However... by using these words two other things happen.

Saying “I don’t know” would have saved countless Americans from being mocked by Rick Mercer when he travels the States looking for people to highlight in his show “Talking to Americans.” If they had only had the courage to say “I don’t know” then they would not be on camera saying things like “Congratulations Canada on building the Peter Mansbridge” or “I don’t think that Canadian Mining companies should drill into Mt. Rushmore.”

But most importantly... and why I bring this up... is that I want you all to use these words this week (((“I don’t know”))) … use these words in combination with 4 other words:

“What do you think?”

Let’s peal these words back a bit, “I don’t know, what do you think?”

This is a combination of open ended possibility...

Saying “I don’t know” says that you are open to listening to the thoughts of the other. “What do you think” allows for a moment of communication. To share the thoughts you have received with the other.

If one simply answers any question with their best guess at the moment, the conversation ends and nobody grows... no deeper discussion can happen.

And this is how it applies to us... finding ways to share our thoughts and experiences of God with each other is something that we as the body of Christ here in this place do to the great benefit and enlightenment of each other - and to the community around us.

Where we fail to invite each other to share our thoughts and opinions and experiences, we fail to share and receive what has first been given to us. This is the task that every Christian community since the beginning has had to wrestle with.

In every age there are new thoughts and ways of being because there is a new reality around us. The earth goes around the sun, State and religion have tried to separate themselves.

New government structures surround us, new ways of worshipping God are encountered. New thoughts on morality are in play.

In our age we are exposed to more advertising and more information and more ideas than any other age before us.

As the body of Christ... which is what this is here today... you have received something from God in your calling to be in this church body - either as a long time member, or as someone joining us for one day.

You have received directly and from others the experiences and all the reasons why you might have bothered to wake up and come here today.

Through a strong Lutheran Heritage and sometimes through correctives offered by different traditions, we are worshipping the way we are... we tell stories about God the way we do - we believe that this is Christ’s body gathered and formed around God’s gifts of bread and wine. This is right now.

Each of us here for a different reason. Each valuable for your story of coming today... each being formed by your experience today.

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Sometimes it was as simple as marriage that presented you with a context that demanded a new choice be made on what you do with Sunday morning and consequently how you live the rest of your life is also challenged. Athiests, Agnostics, Christisans, Buddists etc... when we marry we have to figure out what to do... this is a simple reason. This is a simple reason of why one might be coming.

Sometimes it’s more complex... it was an experience that demanded you come and hear more about God... or come to a place to tell your story. Or... maybe to at least be surrounded by people who think you aren’t crazy...

And so we are called and so we gather today... our thoughts and stories are shared... , listening and receiving what has been given directly from God and indirectly through the community... this is our vital task.

And so we gather to speak and listen.

Hymns and liturgies telling us what God has done. Sermons... like this one... are incarnations of God among us... words that pull out meaning and Good news from the text so that we can all add to our collective story telling and decision making for the purpose of hearing who we are.

Church is about telling us who we are.

Church is about forming us into who we will be.

So together we have to figure out what to do with thisrevelation. How do we respond to this God who comes to us before we even imagine coming to God?

Thus the power of the words...

I don’t know... what do you think?

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1 Thessalonians, Chapter 1 - Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy write to the people who they have spent some time with. People they grew to love. People who received the message that they were carrying. And it has caused all sorts of problems not inside the Christian community, but in determining how to live within the greater Thessalonian community.

First, Thesselonika is a Greek city... about 50,000 people. It’s very diverse in people and practice and belief. This letter is written to what was likely a community of 25-30 Christians. People following this new way of life... meeting in shops after work or on Sundays for a communal feast. It’s a new way of being before God and their community.

They have questions of how to live just like we do. The status quo will not do... they have a new message and belief that they did not have before.

They are monotheists... no longer polytheists.

They respect men AND women AND children as created beings that are made in the image of God... and thus respected...

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Every family has had this experience... a niece or nephew or reletive gets into some new product that is supposed to change your life forever and before you know it you are all sitting through a 2 hour presentation on the miracles of the fruit juice or vacuum system. Perhaps you have had that conversation with the zealous young man or woman who has discovered God or a new way to be in life. Food, vacuums, religion, exercise programs... All these things cause a disruption in the family system. Listening and understanding need be applied for the system to adapt or reject the new thought, idea, way of being.

An example from Paul’s time would be this. For 40 years your neighbor has always provided the pig that is ritually slaughtered and offered up to the God Baal before the annual chariot races can begin. But now your neighbor is a Christian and doesn’t want to give the pig any more because this is false worship. So the community must make adjustments because of what way to be has been received.

A contemporary example is the acknowledgement of God in youth organizations of our day. The cub scouts have as a core their duty to God and the Queen. The Queen is simply the laws of the land and doing one’s best... but I asked what this meant by duty to God and was told that it means “You need to have a higher power that you abide by the principles of”... this is a generic god of one’s own choosing. I was told it could quote “Even be a tree...”.

Now... I imagine if we went back to the United Kingdom and interviewed the Scouting founder Lt. Gen. Robert Baden-Powell, he had a much more specific idea of what duty to God meant. In fact... the whole culture in England at that time would have had a very specific idea of what duty to God meant but now... 100 and some years later... there has been a movement culturally to detach scouting and Girl Scouts away from these roots to be more accessible by all. Some applaud, some are appalled.

So the Christians in Thessolonika gather around what has been revealed to them. They tell the stories of Paul, Sylvanus, and Timothy. They tell the stories of Jesus and Moses and all those people who make up the story of faith.

They have received a new way of being by hearing what God has done, and seeing it enacted among them. The Holy Spirit has moved in the Word of God proclaimed among them.

This is the great promise of the Christian church... that God the Holy Spirit is calling and enlightening and making us new. More than a new philosophy, more than just stories of how to be, the church is a community that is gathered around the hope and promise of the work of God, the work of the Holy Spirit is being accomplished inside, outside, with and inspite of all human allegiance. Sins forgiven, lives transformed.

The letter to the Thesselonians thanks them for what they have done and how they are being heard throughout the region. The Word of God was never sent to them for them to keep and hold as some sort of precious personal mystery. But it was in fact sent and received so that it could be shared with their community and the whole world.

This community receives from God the Holy Spirit, and from the stories it tells itself about what has happend. What is really real.

This community gathers and listens.

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We only know what we have received.

We have received thoughts and opinions from family and friends. Our way of being human... in relations to one another... does not exist on it’s own... nothing is happening in a vacuum.

We have received from God this church - Grace Lutheran Edson. I’m speaking of the church as people now, not the building... the church is the people.

This church has been and is a vessel that embodies Christ and His teachings through sermons and hymns and words of who God is and what God is doing.

This is a place that proclaims an open table of forgiveness for all who come. Confession and forgiveness and acceptance... Grace... to live life and trust that God is bigger than all sins and even death itself.

That is the great revelation of Jesus that our Lutheran heritage forces us to hold central. You are the body of Christ... the image of God... the gathered ones... right now.

This is place where God’s promise of acceptance through Baptism and Water and Word is embraced and how to live into that is discussed.

This is place where each of us come to discover that the bible really meant it when it said we were made in the image of God. And God does not turn away God’s image. God names you beloved... claims you as a child... and longs for you to know it.

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This all happens because we receive... and we share with each other what we have received. And we go out of this place to live lives and tell stories and do jobs that let the whole world know what we have received.

The Holy Spirit works here... as we tell stories and sing songs, we break bread and pour water, and we talk and share how the Holy Spirit is also working everywhere.

This is what it is to live as one who has received the Word of the Lord from others and from the Holy Spirit. This is what and who we are.

The Word tells us the church who we are.

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What does this look like?
What does this feel like?
What does this do? How shall we live?

I have a strong guess....

But... here is my hope that you will share.

I don’t know... what do you think?

Amen.

Sermon - Matthew 22:1-14

Matthew 22:1-14
1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, "Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.' 5 But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, "The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12 and he said to him, "Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, "Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14 For many are called, but few are chosen."


Today is all about dress code...

Let me know if you know this one:
Blame it all on my roots,
I showed up in boots,
And ruined your black tie affair.

The last one to know,
The last one to show,
I was the last one you thought you'd see there.

And I saw a surprise,
And the fear in his eyes,
When I took his glass of champange,

I toasted you,
Said honey we may be through,
But you'll never hear me complain,

(Chorus)
'Cause I got friends in low places,
Where the Whiskey drowns,
And the Beer chases my blues away,
But I'll be okay,
Now I'm not big on social graces,
Think I'll slip on down to the oasis,
Oh I got friends,
In low places.


God bless Garth Brooks he wrote a country song about the Kingdom of God.

And it’s all about dress code.
Of course there probably was no real party... no real glass of champagne... but Garth uses this story to connect to that part of his audience that doesn’t feel so high class... he speaks of a place where everybody is welcome...

Well... everybody that is willing to not be pretentious... Garth brooks is inviting everybody to a wonderful party... it’s a free invitation to good times with great friends.... The only way out of this party is to self exclude. You could probably even show up in a tux and as long as you were willing to talk about it, they would make room for it. But if you think your tux is making you better than everybody else in the room you are grossly mislead.

I saw Garth in a live performance music award ceremony of this song where everybody starts the song in very formal attire for the first verse and Garth is there with hat and cowboy shirt, but by the end of the song all the people of shed their formal clothes and underneath they are all wearing festive colours and cowboy hats appear and the real festival is found at the end of the song. By the end they all have the right clothes on (According to Garth that is.)

So today is all about dress code... Dress code Sunday we’ll call it.

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Many are called but few are chosen.
Sounds like a coffee bean commercial.
Many are picked but few are chosen. Nabob.

Of course... it’s not about the beans not being good enough...

Truly I tell you this... this story is all about the beans inability to accept that it has been accepted as is.

(Not a great way to run a coffee company... but this is how Jesus says the Kingdom is arranged.)

---

The story Jesus tells smacks of judgement... and it’s a much needed judgement. Judgement is not a bad thing. We do have to make judgements in life to survive.

We long for judgement and justice when oil spills destroy livlihoods, or flooding is routed to wipe our Manitoba farms, or someone is found to be knocking over street signs in Edson we demand judgement. Law and Gospel. Judgement and Grace. We like all these things... and they live in paradox with each other.

But the judgement of this text is not against people who have done something wrong... it is against the ones who will not receive an invitation... it is against the man who came to the party and refused to wear the garments provided.

---

Our text speaks of the place of weeping and Gnashing of teeth which is an emotional place of sadness and deep anger and isolation.

But it is visited upon not those who are unworthy... The King rounded up everybody and they all came to the feast and enjoy the Kings hospitality. Judgment falls upon the man who refuses to accept the his acceptedness.

---

What is the dress code of the festival that God is inviting us to?

Well... not a literal dress code... if we were into literal dress codes you would all be dressed like me (((and Sylvie...))) We are both wearing albs! We both wear the garment and symbol of baptism... the pure white garment that speaks of being washed clean and clothed and covered in God’s righteousness. This is God’s invitation to all.

This is the white wedding dress that the bride of Christ, the church, is wearing.

Metaphorically, we are all wearing albs.

I wear it as a symbol for the whole community... Sylvie wears it as a sign of her baptism... convention prevents us from all dressing this way... but what a powerful symbol that would be...

and how weird...

if we all wore albs every Sunday to remind ourselves of the baptism that we have received it might not fit into modern convention.

Perhaps if you had to choose between dipping a finger in the font and tracing a cross on our forehead to remind yourself that even in your sinfulness, God has called an accepted you as promised in the sacrament of baptism, or wear an alb... we’d have lineup at the font every Sunday to remember our baptism. To remember what God has done.

Luther’s catechism says in the third article of the creed “I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me though the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true faith.

I cannot go up... God comes down...
So it’s not literally about dress code... it’s a metaphor.

(((This))) isn’t literally the garment of righteousness... it is a symbol.

And this is of course... what Jesus is doing in the story... he is using an allegory to make a point.

There is no real “King”... or “Banquet”... these are illustrations.
We can’t get bogged down in the details of the illustration. Jesus like any good preacher is using a story to get attention to the greater reality.

We don’t need to worry about how the King manages to set a banquet, invite the guests, get angry, destroy some cities, invite EVERYONE else to some magic banquet hall that can hold this all inclusive party, and then somehow the food is warm and places are properly set and the feast continues...

In fact... the King isn’t even literally God - but in the Kings actions we see something of God.

There isn’t literally a man who has failed to dress properly and who is bound and thrown out... again... it’s an allegory.

Jesus is proving a point. Jesus used this story to unseat the people who were misusing power in God’s name - Jesus is undermining the conventional wisdom that some are bad and to be excluded and somehow others are good and to be included.

God is the Judge of these things... and God invited everyone...

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If you are like me, you will unfortunately be thinking of heaven and hell, in and out right now. To be one cast out  of the party is not exciting to think about.

If you are like me you will unfortunately wonder whether you have the garment of salvation at all. Have I earned it? Do I deserve to wear this?

And in fact... asking the question is a good first start. But it goes the wrong way...

My legalistic brain works hard to make this about me. I read the first part where those who think they are worthy of coming don’t even bother to come. Well, that’s not me... I showed up.

I read the second part and balk at the idea that I would be rounded up in the ‘everybody’ who is invited to come in the second round... surely I earned it a little right? I’m not really inclueded with the second round draft picks...  Surely there is something special about me that makes my invitation to be something about me...

Which lands me squarely with the man who is not wearing the wedding garment.

We have to assume that of all the rounded up to attend this feast that the King wants to celebrate are not exactly the right kind of people. In fact, Jesus makes it clear that all are rounded up, the good and the bad have come to fill the banquet hall.

And now the only one getting into trouble is perhaps the one who thinks that he deserves to be there. All the guests are rounded up and seated and given the proper attire... but this one man refuses the attire. He refuses further to even speak to the King. He will not have anything to do with the Kings generosity.

The king wants to celebrate but this one man won’t accept that he is accepted like the others...

He’s like a man given a free car that won’t take it unless he can pay for it... or add something to it... he can’t accept the free car if his neighbor whom he knows to be worse than he will get a better free car.

He is thrown out of the party because he can’t accept his acceptedness.

And many are called... you are called... can you accept this?

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Let today’s worship be your grace.
Let the song of confession and forgiveness we sang at the beginning define you as the notes and words play in your ears and remind you that where we are at our best, we are still fully in need of God’s grace and forgiveness.

In a few moments, watch as the waters of baptism cleanse and make Righteous Nate and Sylvie - the promises of God poured out upon them - Everybody makes promises to attempt to live in the baptismal covenant... but centrally we will give thanks to God who constantly renews the covenant. Let the metaphor of garments of salvation transform your mind.

Come to the meal and experience a foretaste of the feast that all are invited to. Swallow the truth of God’s grace and forgiveness that comes to you in the promise of bread and wine... the meal where Christ accepts you. It is all done for you.

Remember your garment of salvation.
Metaphorically... it’s all about dress code - the God who accepts and clothes you in righteousness.

Live as if, like Sylvie and I in our garments of salvation... live as if you are always wearing an alb. Thanks be to God!

Amen.