The Greening of the Gospel
Sermon
THE GREENING OF THE GOSPEL
SERMONS FOR ADVENT, CHRISTMAS AND EPIPHANY SUNDAYS 1-8 IN ORDINARY TIME)
Jesus was deeply committed to the basic teachings of the Jewish religion. Frequently, he quoted from the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms. By his own personal declaration, he came to "fulfill" not "destroy" the revealed word of God. (Matthew 5:17) Time after time his words and actions emphasized this point.
At the beginning of the twenty-first chapter of Luke, the author describes a scene in the temple at Jerusalem on a day when Jesus and his disciples were present. A certain rich man entered. He tarried at the collection box, attracting considerable attention. Dipping into his purse, he gathered up a handful of large, shining, gold coins. Raising his arm high above the receptacle, he dropped his money in, one piece at a time. The resounding jingle caused heads to turn and murmuring lips to marvel at the rich man's generosity.
A few moments later, a poor widow humbly sidled up to the gift box and soundlessly deposited two copper coins. She was unnoticed by the crowd. But Jesus saw her. "See," the Master exclaimed to his disciples, "this poor woman has given more than all the rest; because she gave all that she had." It was his way of alerting his followers to a fundamental of good stewardship. A gift is not to be measured by its quantity; but by what the giver has left after the gift is given. The rich man's prosperity was unaffected by his monetary display. But the widow's mite was a real sacrifice. But even more important, Jesus meant to point out the difference between genuine devotion and superficial demonstration. I am not sure that the disciples got the message.
Shortly thereafter, one of them audibly began to admire the ornate beauty of the temple. He had missed the Master's object lesson. Somberly, Jesus responded to the disciple's comment with a shocking word of prophecy: "This temple will be destroyed." The disciples were astonished. With faltering voices they inquired, "When will this come to pass?" Then Jesus began to expound the awful prediction of impending judgment.
As much as he loved the traditions of his people, there was something pretentious and hypocritical in the Judaism of his day that Jesus despised. The pomposity of the rich and the wretchedness of the poor disturbed him. The superficiality of worship, with all of its ostentatious trappings, seemed to obscure the genuinely sacred act of divine adoration. The preoccupation of the Pharisees with the jot and the tittle of the law, while neglecting true justice and compassion, distressed him. The gaudy temple, with its retinue of ritualistic priests, meticulously attentive to liturgical detail, but insensitive to the needs of the people, seemed to contradict the Mosaic model of true servanthood.
Jesus came to change all of this. Expressing the outrage of God, he predicted that before the "Son of Man," the Messiah, returns in glorious victory, to establish the Kingdom of God, wars and persecutions will plague the earth. But out of these times of travail divine victory would emerge. Then to illustrate his message he used an example from nature.
"When you see the fig tree greening," said Jesus, "you know that summer is almost here." (v. 29) However, Jesus was using this illustration inversely. The season of calamity signals the imminent triumph of truth. Clouds of disagreement were already gathering. Jesus was experiencing resistance. He felt his critics closing in. His disciples and intimate friends were aware of the conspiracy to silence him. The Pharisees, who opposed him, were determined. Furthermore, Jesus understood that the bitterness he felt would also be visited upon his followers.
There is a double dimension to the Master's prediction of judgment. It is consistent with a long standing emphasis of the Hebrew prophets. He and his followers would endure persecution. Then the retributive judgment of God, in the form of awful calamities, would fall upon the earth. Out of this maze of confusion, in a mighty display of divine power, the new heaven and the new earth wherein dwelleth unabrogated righteousness, would be established for all eternity.
Jesus understood the nature of athe human condition. He knew that disappointment and delay could depress even the strongest of his devotees. In an effort to shield them against the pain of personal despair, the Master recommended a reviving spiritual formula: Watch and pray and work! The thirtieth verse reads: "Watch and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy" on the day of the Lord's coming.
My reference to "work" is gleaned from the phrase: "Be accounted worthy." This equation of work and worthiness does not endanger the theology of grace. On the contrary, it complements that family of Christian teaching which takes seriously the admonition in the Epistle of James: "Faith without works is dead." (James 2:20)
I was visiting the office of a lawyer friend some time ago. I noticed, on the wall, an interesting sign within sight of his desk. It read:
All good things come to those who wait; if you are willing to work like heaven, while you're waiting.
For the contemplative, conscientious Christian, watching, praying and working is a moment by moment reality. These are the inseparable elements of good religion. And good religion is good living.
Karl Marx had visions of a society of equals governed by the axiom: "From each according to his ability and to each according to his need." But in recent months the ingenious Chinese Marxists have revised the phrase to read: "... and to each according to his work." So, it appears, the sacred and secular are of one mind in this instance. The degree of the true believer's commitment is measured by his or her willingness to work. The actualization of that willingness is made manifest in the unfinished task of justice, love, and peace.
But to work and pray without ceasing requires a continuing spiritual vision. Much is being said these days about the need for spiritual formation in the life of the believer. Each of us needs to recover the personal poise that accompanies one's awareness of the presence and power of God. Without this assurance, every unyielding situation we face or any deep personal disappointment, tends to provoke a perpetual panic in the soul. Assurance is the outgrowth of a genuine sense of companionship with the One "in whom we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28)
True Christianity, revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ, flowers and grows in the faith-soil which affirms that the God whom we know and serve is not a dispassionate and passive potentate. God is the working Creator/Sustainer of the universe. The Kingdom of God is the ceaseless action of God.
Recently a politician commenting on the defeat of a candidate who seemed uniquely prepared for the office he was seeking, said: "His failing was that he forgot that people want to hear good news." Instead, this highly-qualified political prospect, gave his energies to pointing out the flaws in the system and the frightening possibilities in the future. No matter how dismal a present situation might be, people want to hear about the light on the other end of the tunnel. That's why the Advent season generates so much excitement. It is a time of hope, of happiness, of helpfulness.
Advent means "the anticipated arrival of an important event or person." Remembering the birth of Christ is recalling over and over again the fact that he came to us as the infant babe of Bethlehem! He lives with us, as the risen Christ! He is coming again, as the Lord of history! Drowsy Christians and slovenly congregations, trim your lamps, decorate your trees, fill your. lives and your churches with love. Prepare the way. Jesus is coming again!
Authentic Christianity is Adventist Christianity - our watching, praying, and working, an act of anticipation on our journey toward Bethlehem's manger. There, with the wise men and the shepherds, we will lay our meager gifts of labor and love before him. Kneeling, with proper humility, we will offer again our deepest gratitude to, God for love's saving power, revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let every heart prepare him room;
Let heaven and nature sing,
Let heaven and nature sing!
At the beginning of the twenty-first chapter of Luke, the author describes a scene in the temple at Jerusalem on a day when Jesus and his disciples were present. A certain rich man entered. He tarried at the collection box, attracting considerable attention. Dipping into his purse, he gathered up a handful of large, shining, gold coins. Raising his arm high above the receptacle, he dropped his money in, one piece at a time. The resounding jingle caused heads to turn and murmuring lips to marvel at the rich man's generosity.
A few moments later, a poor widow humbly sidled up to the gift box and soundlessly deposited two copper coins. She was unnoticed by the crowd. But Jesus saw her. "See," the Master exclaimed to his disciples, "this poor woman has given more than all the rest; because she gave all that she had." It was his way of alerting his followers to a fundamental of good stewardship. A gift is not to be measured by its quantity; but by what the giver has left after the gift is given. The rich man's prosperity was unaffected by his monetary display. But the widow's mite was a real sacrifice. But even more important, Jesus meant to point out the difference between genuine devotion and superficial demonstration. I am not sure that the disciples got the message.
Shortly thereafter, one of them audibly began to admire the ornate beauty of the temple. He had missed the Master's object lesson. Somberly, Jesus responded to the disciple's comment with a shocking word of prophecy: "This temple will be destroyed." The disciples were astonished. With faltering voices they inquired, "When will this come to pass?" Then Jesus began to expound the awful prediction of impending judgment.
As much as he loved the traditions of his people, there was something pretentious and hypocritical in the Judaism of his day that Jesus despised. The pomposity of the rich and the wretchedness of the poor disturbed him. The superficiality of worship, with all of its ostentatious trappings, seemed to obscure the genuinely sacred act of divine adoration. The preoccupation of the Pharisees with the jot and the tittle of the law, while neglecting true justice and compassion, distressed him. The gaudy temple, with its retinue of ritualistic priests, meticulously attentive to liturgical detail, but insensitive to the needs of the people, seemed to contradict the Mosaic model of true servanthood.
Jesus came to change all of this. Expressing the outrage of God, he predicted that before the "Son of Man," the Messiah, returns in glorious victory, to establish the Kingdom of God, wars and persecutions will plague the earth. But out of these times of travail divine victory would emerge. Then to illustrate his message he used an example from nature.
"When you see the fig tree greening," said Jesus, "you know that summer is almost here." (v. 29) However, Jesus was using this illustration inversely. The season of calamity signals the imminent triumph of truth. Clouds of disagreement were already gathering. Jesus was experiencing resistance. He felt his critics closing in. His disciples and intimate friends were aware of the conspiracy to silence him. The Pharisees, who opposed him, were determined. Furthermore, Jesus understood that the bitterness he felt would also be visited upon his followers.
There is a double dimension to the Master's prediction of judgment. It is consistent with a long standing emphasis of the Hebrew prophets. He and his followers would endure persecution. Then the retributive judgment of God, in the form of awful calamities, would fall upon the earth. Out of this maze of confusion, in a mighty display of divine power, the new heaven and the new earth wherein dwelleth unabrogated righteousness, would be established for all eternity.
Jesus understood the nature of athe human condition. He knew that disappointment and delay could depress even the strongest of his devotees. In an effort to shield them against the pain of personal despair, the Master recommended a reviving spiritual formula: Watch and pray and work! The thirtieth verse reads: "Watch and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy" on the day of the Lord's coming.
My reference to "work" is gleaned from the phrase: "Be accounted worthy." This equation of work and worthiness does not endanger the theology of grace. On the contrary, it complements that family of Christian teaching which takes seriously the admonition in the Epistle of James: "Faith without works is dead." (James 2:20)
I was visiting the office of a lawyer friend some time ago. I noticed, on the wall, an interesting sign within sight of his desk. It read:
All good things come to those who wait; if you are willing to work like heaven, while you're waiting.
For the contemplative, conscientious Christian, watching, praying and working is a moment by moment reality. These are the inseparable elements of good religion. And good religion is good living.
Karl Marx had visions of a society of equals governed by the axiom: "From each according to his ability and to each according to his need." But in recent months the ingenious Chinese Marxists have revised the phrase to read: "... and to each according to his work." So, it appears, the sacred and secular are of one mind in this instance. The degree of the true believer's commitment is measured by his or her willingness to work. The actualization of that willingness is made manifest in the unfinished task of justice, love, and peace.
But to work and pray without ceasing requires a continuing spiritual vision. Much is being said these days about the need for spiritual formation in the life of the believer. Each of us needs to recover the personal poise that accompanies one's awareness of the presence and power of God. Without this assurance, every unyielding situation we face or any deep personal disappointment, tends to provoke a perpetual panic in the soul. Assurance is the outgrowth of a genuine sense of companionship with the One "in whom we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28)
True Christianity, revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ, flowers and grows in the faith-soil which affirms that the God whom we know and serve is not a dispassionate and passive potentate. God is the working Creator/Sustainer of the universe. The Kingdom of God is the ceaseless action of God.
Recently a politician commenting on the defeat of a candidate who seemed uniquely prepared for the office he was seeking, said: "His failing was that he forgot that people want to hear good news." Instead, this highly-qualified political prospect, gave his energies to pointing out the flaws in the system and the frightening possibilities in the future. No matter how dismal a present situation might be, people want to hear about the light on the other end of the tunnel. That's why the Advent season generates so much excitement. It is a time of hope, of happiness, of helpfulness.
Advent means "the anticipated arrival of an important event or person." Remembering the birth of Christ is recalling over and over again the fact that he came to us as the infant babe of Bethlehem! He lives with us, as the risen Christ! He is coming again, as the Lord of history! Drowsy Christians and slovenly congregations, trim your lamps, decorate your trees, fill your. lives and your churches with love. Prepare the way. Jesus is coming again!
Authentic Christianity is Adventist Christianity - our watching, praying, and working, an act of anticipation on our journey toward Bethlehem's manger. There, with the wise men and the shepherds, we will lay our meager gifts of labor and love before him. Kneeling, with proper humility, we will offer again our deepest gratitude to, God for love's saving power, revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let every heart prepare him room;
Let heaven and nature sing,
Let heaven and nature sing!
