3rd SUNDAY OF ADVENT 2010

December 12, 2010

the Rev. Ken Kroohs

(Isaiah 32:1-10 Psalm 146:4-9; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11)

TURN AROUND! YOU ARE MISSING THE GREAT BANQUET IN HEAVEN.

St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, High Point, NC

MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH ... AND THE MEDITATIONS OF ALL OUR HEARTS ... BE ALWAYS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU --- OUR STRENGTH AND OUR REDEEMER AMEN

Fascinatingly John the Baptist got more attention in non-Christian writings than Jesus did! Jesus is hardly mentioned by the Romans but John gets, a little, press. Last week and this week we heard the beginning and the end of the John the Baptist ministry.

Last week we heard what was essentially the beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry, and today we heard the end. Scripture does recount a little before and after these passages: his birth and death. But as far as his ministry .. these are the key points.

Last week’s gospel began: John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea ... notice the sense of him coming out of no where ... just appearing on the scene.

Last week’s gospel went on to say that John’s ministry began with him proclaiming: REPENT!

My suspicion is that when virtually all of us hear “repent” we cringe. However repent only means to turn\ around. In essence it means we acknowledge we have been going the wrong way and NEED to turn around.

Unfortunately we tend to hear the word “repent” as a negative ... stop sinning so badly !! You will burn in hell if you don’t stop!! ... for most of us it is more about ‘things left undone’ so we might hear ‘repent’ as God demanding we give more, we do more.

All of those can be valid ... and certainly are for me at times. But look what John ACTUALLY said, “repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near”. True, that can still mean “God knows when you have been naughty or nice” ... or “here come the judge”.

So I fear we miss the other meaning. We are walking through the convention center and someone proclaims – “repent! The banquet is in the other direction!!”

Ok, unlikely someone would shout “repent” but they might shout “turn around” and that is the meaning I want us to focus on today. “Turn around – you are missing the great banquet of heaven.” Not that we are missing it in the next life, but we are missing it in this life.

And I particularly think this was at least part of John’s message because of today’s gospel. John’s in prison, waiting to die. He has dedicated his life to announcing the coming of God’s chosen one, the messiah. Now he will die for that proclamation and he is worried ... worried he made a mistake. Worried that all he has done has been a waste.

John asks if Jesus is God’s chosen one so Jesus’ answer is very important. Jesus tells John that “yes, the kingdom of God has come near and you can tell that because of what is happening: the blind see, the deaf hear, the sick are cured, the poor hear the good news.” Jesus says you can tell the kingdom of God has come near BECAUSE of good things happening, not because of judgment.

BUT, we argue, there are still blind, deaf, sick, and poor people. So how can we believe the kingdom of God is near?

Notice that Jesus does not say that ALL are cured. Jesus knows that ALL have not be cured or fed or freed. And I sometimes wonder why Jesus did not cure, feed, free everyone rather than just a few.

I now believe the answer is that the kingdom of God has come near — not totally arrived.

A phrase which helps me is that we live in the “between times”. The times between the beginning of the kingdom of heaven and its full arrival. Yes — that is a difficult time to live in. And no, I do not understand why God choose to do this in two steps rather than all at once. I lean toward the explanation that God is so merciful human beings are constantly being given more time to learn and do better.

So I invite us today to focus on the idea that the kingdom of God is near to us and we can know that by looking around and seeing God’s work in the world about us.

This next point can startle people ... I believe altruism proves the existence of God. .... Altruism – being nice to people, is not a survival trait. In fact, it is the opposite of a survival trait. If I give money to someone else that leaves less money to protect my survival. If I spend time helping another person there is less time I can spend on my survival.

It can be argued, and is argued based on animal studies that tribal altruism ... helping someone close to me ... can be a survival trait. My survival and success is impacted by the survival and success of those close to me so being kind to a family member or business partner is a survival trait.

BUT, helping someone I have never seen and am unlikely to ever see? Helping the child in Haiti, or the unknown person who receives the food pantry bag does not help me in any material way. That form of altruism is not a survival trait. That form of altruism can only occur because there is something which influences us beyond simply survival. That form of altruism I argue, proves God’s involvement in our life and world.

If so, if this helps us believe in the existence of and influence by God then it helps us understand what it means that the kingdom of God has come near. It helps us understand what we will receive as the result of that altruism even if it is not improved survival chances.

As Jesus told John to see and hear, let us see and hear the evidence that the kingdom of God has come near. Most of these examples will be things we have seen and heard because they happen in and through this community ... in and through St. Christopher’s. But I am certain all of you can think of other examples.

When Jesus spoke about the blind seeing and the deaf hearing I am fairly sure He was referring to the physical cures He had caused. And we will get back to that in a minute but first let’s consider a more symbolic understanding.

The reason Jesus did not cure everyone immediately is that He did not come to cure physical aliments. He came to cure the separation between God and people. If we examine all the miracles Jesus did we discover every one of them was meant primarily as a sign .... a way to teach people about God’s love — and power.

When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead for example. When Jesus is informed that Lazarus has died He gives a surprising answer: “I am glad I was not there, so you can believe”. He later tells them, “I am resurrection and I am life”. The miracle was to teach.

So when we speak about the blind seeing and the deaf hearing that should not be limited to physical conditions but should include spiritual blindness and deafness. It should include those of us separated from God ... that is, all of us.

And one of the reasons we can believe the kingdom of God has come near is that people do learn about God. Not just here of course, but in many places including St. Christopher’s people grow closer to God.

I am more and more convinced that is the primary ministry for a church: to help people grow closer to God. Everything else derives from that ministry. So when we see someone who has been turned off to God by another church or a life experience get re-connected to God, that is a sign of the kingdom. When we see someone who never really knew God, or someone who had become bored with God connect more closely with God, that is a sign of the kingdom.

And yes the physical cures also point to the kingdom. I firmly believe that the medical knowledge; the doctors, the nurses, the therapists, the equipment, the medicines ultimately are all a gift from God. Ultimately these all are an indication that the kingdom of God has grown near.

And the poor being fed ... the meals for Open Door ministry or the homeless families at IHN. The poor are being fed. Much like Jesus’ ministry we are not claiming that all who need medical care are receiving it. Or that all who need food or shelter are receiving it. Those conditions would say the kingdom has fully arrived!! But we can claim that some who need medical care, food, and shelter are receiving it through the efforts of God’s ministers. And that is a sign the kingdom of God has come near.

Every year the Christmas party for the angel tree recipients is a sign that the kingdom of God has come near. And not just because these people with many emotional, intellectual, and physical limitations are happy. No, the real reason that Christmas party demonstrates God’s love is the people who care for those recipients. The people who care for each of those badly wounded children of God. Caring for someone like that is clearly not a survival trait. Caring for someone like that is accepting God’s call.

We could go on with the list. It is a long list. But I don’t want to ignore the other half of the equation. I have mentioned those who learn, are fed, are housed, are cared for. The other half of the equation is those who mentor, teach, feed, house and care for people. When John said the kingdom of God has come near he meant it is accessible to us. Again, not full time but in brief glimpses. When we have that, “I did the right thing” feeling after helping a person we would not otherwise know ... that is a glimpse of the kingdom of heaven. That is a foretaste of our next life. That is the joy of truly being a Christian.

Let’s hear John’s message. Let’s make sure we turn and go in the correction direction. Let us join more fully in the joy of Christian action.

AMEN

We have previous sermons on our website. To read an earlier recent sermon just enter: www.st-christopher.org/sermon.html.

CLICK HERE TO RESPOND: I would enjoy reading your comments about this sermon. Please feel free to discuss content or presentation. (If you wish to use another email system send your comments to: ken@st-christopher.com)