Service Type: Sunday

Bible Text: John 9: 1-41 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

Mr. Robinson was born in September, 1930 in Albany, Georgia but was soon moved to Greenville, Florida. After a tragic accident when his younger brother drowned. Mr. Robinson ended up blind by the age of 7. He was sent to a state-sponsored boarding school in St. Augustine, Florida. The school ended up being the best thing that happened to him because it was there that he not only learned to read and write Braille but he also learned to arrange music in Braille and excelled in playing the piano, saxophone, clarinet and trumpet. His love for and of music led him into an amazing career in music. In fact, through his blend of gospel, blues and jazz he is thought to have pioneered the genre of soul music. He is called the “Father of Soul” by many people. Now, Mr. Robinson did decide early on that using his full name was not really appropriate and so instead he decided to be known by his first and middle name, Ray Charles. In 1960 Ray Charles won his first Grammy for “Georgia on My Mind.” In many ways, without the loss of his eye sight Ray Charles would not be the Ray Charles we know today. In fact, without the loss of his eyesight Soul music may not exist! This is not to rejoice in any tragedy that Ray’s life had but rather to acknowledge that sometimes suffering has a purpose much greater than we realize. I once heard a story about a certain now infamous comedian who went to visit Ray. As this comedian entered the hotel room all the lights were out and it was pitch black. He asked, “Ray, where are you?” and Ray responded, “I’m in the bathroom shaving.” The comedian than said, “Why are you shaving with the lights out? You’re going to cut yourself!” “Brother,” Ray replied, “I’ve been shaving in the dark all my life.” I use Ray Charles’ story not to compare Ray to the blind man in the Bible but rather to explain that even in darkness there is hope and teaching. It is also important to note that even in suffering- transformation is possible.

In this two part passage from John we hear the ever common images of light and darkness. In fact, John really sets the tone right off the bat in his first chapter when he says, “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.” In our passage the most amazing thing is that Jesus, the light of the world, gives light to someone who has lived in darkness for his entire life. But there are some key conversations that happen in the process.

Within our world today there is still a strong belief that bad things happen to people because, they deserve it. When a tragedy hits us we ask, “Why is God doing this to me?” When a family member is suffering we cry out, “What is the purpose of all this?” When we see a world that is being shaped by hatred we wonder, “Is God punishing us?” I can remember when the AIDS epidemic hit in the mid-80s and it was coined, “the gay disease” and many within the church vocally declared that they were just getting what they deserved. Or, what about when we see once strong, active members in our congregation who are struggling with memory loss or major physical deterioration, we wonder, “Why doesn’t God just take them home?” But this passage from John is very clear. Jesus says his blindness has nothing to do with his or his parent’s sins; rather God uses these types of situations to show glory.  Like last week, Jesus saves not souls but rather saves a blind beggar by showing compassion, healing, and being a companion to someone who apparently the whole village knew but about whom they did nothing. Jesus sees someone in need, not someone being punished for sin. Also, Jesus does not even come close to answering the question: why is this man suffering, or the wider question: where is God in human suffering? Or why does God let bad things happen? There is no easy answer. However, it is implied that even in suffering God is able to be glorified- we just might need to take the blinders off to see it.

Jesus’ instructions to this blind man are also important. Unlike other healing stories Jesus instructs this man to wash himself off in the pool of Siloam. No one is really a witness to this healing nor is Jesus present when it actually happens and yet, the blind man, and perhaps others are convinced that Jesus is the one who healed. You will notice that in our translation it makes a note that Siloam means Sent. John is clear from the get go that he understands Jesus as the one who is sent by God. But there is also a familiar image to this man washing himself in a pool and being transformed. In early frescoes in the catacombs of the early church this image of the blind man in the pool was used to depict baptism. Through his “baptism” this blind man becomes a great advocate and missionary.

Within a contemporary interpretation of this story the blind man demonstrates that people have access to this light of God by first acknowledging their own blindness. That becomes even more the case as the story transitions from the blind man to the Pharisees. For the blind man as soon as he is able to see- he also sees the healing power of God, he sees who Jesus really is, he becomes a witness to Jesus Christ. But the Pharisees are so incredibly blinded by their rules, righteousness, and scepticism that they do not see much beyond a strange story of a guy who claims he was born blind but can now see. It is the great irony of the Gospels; the blind man sees what the religious authority does not.

The Pharisees go to great lengths to try and disprove this miraculous story. They approach the man and question his previous blindness. They go to this man’s house and ask the parents whether this man was truly born blind or not. More than once everyone tries to explain to them that this is a true miracle that could only come from God. Not only are the Pharisees blind to what is right in front of them but they are deaf to the words being spoken. The astonishing thing is that this previously blind beggar then begins to teach the Pharisees. That in itself would have been a miracle because we can presume that as a child this blind man did not have an education, did not read or write, did not study the Scriptures as the Pharisees had and yet, here he is saying to them, “This is the craziest thing that you do not know where he comes from, and yet he did this miraculous thing, and the only way this could be explained is that he comes from God, and still you are missing the point!” The Pharisees are less than pleased to be taught by this man, whom they still believe is blind due to sin.

Jesus hears this and then re-enters the story and makes the comment that they, the Pharisees are sinners, for they are unable to see the truth. This is one of the great juxtaposition in the Gospel of John. The chapter opened with the disciples asking what kind of sin the blind man could have done to be born that way and it closes with Jesus pointing out who the real sinners are. The Reverend Margaret Whyte, a minister in the church of Scotland wrote, “There are none so blind as those who cannot see. Often we cannot see what is under our noses- or like the Pharisees, do not want to see…do we really see and act where God wants us to act and reach out with healing, helping touch.” We still blame sin for illnesses; we still react with scepticism when someone, perhaps a little less educated than ourselves, tries to tell us about the role of God in his or her life, we still ignore the needs in our community, and certainly the needs abroad. And yet, Jesus still reaches down and shines light in and through the world in many ways. This is not about shaving in the dark but about finding the music of the soul in those dark places and shining a light upon them. Amen

Bible Text: Exodus 17:1-7, John 4:4-42 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

Scientists have recently discovered that 75% of North Americans are chronically dehydrated, meaning, they do not drink enough water. I heard once that you need to drink 8 glasses of water a day. I tried it and mostly discovered that I had a small bladder. However, the science encourages us to drink 8-12 glasses a day. In fact, nutritionists suggest that the best way to find out how much water you should drink is by splitting your weight in half and then drinking that amount in ounces. The article did not say whether that was in pounds or kilograms- all I can say is that I really hope they meant kilograms, otherwise it would mean a whole lot more water for me.  Preliminary research indicates that drinking water can significantly ease back and joint pain, and did you know that lack of water is the number one trigger of daytime fatigue? I suppose I already knew that water can be a powerful thing, but there is good reason to remind ourselves of that every once in a while.  It ties in to last week’s message from Dan Bowen. Perhaps it takes a walk in a desert to realize just how important water is. I remember the Rev. Ian Victor telling me upon returning from a trip in Nevada that along every trail there are signs that say, “Drink Water. You are thirsty even if you don’t know it.” Staying hydrated in the desert makes sense but we too can be in need of water- without even knowing it. Clearly the Israelites understood literal thirst but even the Samaritan woman at the well who was also thirsty for real water was, unbeknownst to her, thirsty for allegorical water.

Throughout Exodus, while the people of Israel are in the desert, the Israelites appear to be grumpy, critical, angry, bitter, dissatisfied people. They are constantly telling Moses how much they wished they were back in Egypt. It doesn’t matter that their oppressors were cruel or that the work was difficult and back breaking. It doesn’t matter that they were treated as animals. Yet, I have come to realize something about the Israelites: they are just being human. We all know how stressful moving can be; imagine being in transition without a proper home for a generation or two. We all know how frightening changing jobs can be. Even when you are really glad to leave a terrible boss, if you don’t know what the next job will be or where it will come from, then one can be under a lot of stress. In all their issues and complaining perhaps the Israelites were just really scared. Their faith was being tested in an incredible way, in fact, it had been tested for hundreds of years while they lived as slaves and now here they are travelling in the desert where food and water are scarce. While we may not be able to live by bread alone, we cannot live without food or water.

As I mentioned this is one of the early wilderness stories. Their adventure is just beginning and their freedom is a mixed blessing in part due to the fact that while they are no longer enslaved they are still without country. This means that the Israelites are still at risk- while they might have been slaves in Egypt they had some form of security, they knew where their next meal was coming from, they knew where they stood in the hierarchy, but now they are in the wilderness- with none of that to help them navigate the land or explain who they are within it. As one commentator put it, “Their new enslavement becomes all too clear when the water runs out in the midst of the desert.” Despite the fact that they were slaves in Egypt, they are about to experience a crisis in the desert. And so they ask the question so many of us have asked before: “Is God in our midst or not!?” But water can be a powerful thing.

I actually have sympathy for the Israelites. They are barely finished their song of celebration in Exodus 15 and are confronted with the unknown risks, wonders and fears of the desert. And let’s be honest, as the story continues Moses is kind of useless. At first he tells them to quit their complaining. It is only once they start to get aggressive that Moses turns to God with his hands up in the air and asks, “What am I supposed to do?” While God doesn’t say as much, other stories would tell us that if Moses had turned to God in the first place than perhaps water would have become apparent a little earlier. It is a good reminder to me and likely for all of us, more often than not, we try to resolve a situation by our own means rather than turning to God in prayer. It is only after we have tried everything else that we ask God for help. Prayer should be our first response, not our last resort, but I know it happens to me all the time and I suspect it happens to others.

The miracle of water from the rock says a lot about who God is; for example, when asked, God does respond, or God does care for the needs of God’s people. However, this miracle also demonstrates a major shift that most of us don’t catch on a first reading. Israel’s dependency is transferred from Egypt to God. Yes, a compassionate God met the needs of the people even as they found themselves in the wilderness, but also that salvation is not independent or brought on by our own power; rather it is dependent upon and brought on by God.

This leads us well into the Gospel story. We often refer to Jesus’ salvific ability as being one that saves souls, but over and over throughout the Gospel Jesus demonstrates very practical concerns for others: for the well-being of friends and strangers, wealthy or marginalized, healing physical illness or granting spiritual relief. In this passage Jesus saves both through his actions and his words. We have discussed in the past just how shocking Jesus’ request would have been to this Samaritan woman. It is important to remind ourselves that Jesus overcomes exclusivity by becoming vulnerable. Jesus’ first words are “Give me a drink.” What is powerful about these words and Jesus’ vulnerability is that he gives the woman the upper hand. He allows the woman to exercise power- it is up to her whether she feels like giving him a drink or not. Water can be a powerful thing.

Jesus changes this woman’s life just by asking for a drink of water. While the woman doesn’t quite understand the allegorical speak that Jesus spouts, Jesus eventually takes the initiative to reveal himself and he does it by stating who she is. Yet, in the way he does it, it does not seem like Jesus has much interest in her sordid past- he does it to demonstrate his divine capacities. Rightly, the woman perceives his abilities, and the dialogue continues.

At our book study on Grace a couple of weeks ago Philip Yancey referred to this story as he discussed how to be grace-filled with someone even when you disagree with their behaviour or opinion. He said that in this story Jesus does not start out by pointing out this woman’s immorality but instead in affect says, “I sense you’re thirsty, the water that you have been drinking, does it satisfy you?” “Oh no, she replies.  “Would you like to learn about a different kind of water? A living water that will never run dry?” and then this unlikely woman becomes Jesus’ very first missionary- taking the story of Christ to her village.  Yancey said that whenever he meets people with whom he disagrees he says this prayer, “Lord, help me not to see, “What a repulsive person. What an immoral person.” Rather, help me to see, “What a thirsty person.”” We are all thirsty and we may not even know it but water can be a powerful thing.

As we continue our Lenten project to support Project Watershed, this seems all the more true. Both literal and figurative water is needed to quench our thirst, to trust that God responds to our needs, that Jesus offers living water, that we are all equally thirsty people. Amen

Bible Text: Genesis 3:1-7, Matthew 4:1-11 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

I have always enjoyed following Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year.  While it has only been going on since 2004, usually they are quite correct that the word of the year becomes part of our regular vernacular. The word for 2016 was no exception. The word was, “post-truth” and while we may not use it in our regular vocabulary, yet, it is closely related to another new term that seems to be taking the world by storm, fake news. Post- truth is an adjective “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion or personal belief.” It is believed that three things have contributed to post-truth: the 24-hr news cycle, the false balance in news reporting, and social media.  That makes it sound like a new phenomenon but there is a part of me that sees the story in Genesis as an example of post-truth. In that there is one character that uses emotions and misinformation to trick or manipulate the situation, and while I believe that it is a story that is used to teach us some valuable lessons about ourselves and who God is, it is also a complex and crafty story.

Ellen Davis, author of “The Soil That Is Scripture”, encourages us to read the Bible with patience and suggests that instead of reading the Bible like we would fiction or non-fiction, we should read it like we would poetry. She suggests, “slowing down to ponder each phrase, to wonder why this word was chosen and not another, how this line or paragraph or story builds on what precedes and leads into what follows.” The story of Eve and Adam, the Serpent and the forbidden fruit is a great one to use as we look carefully at the truth within the pages and the post-truth that our world has come to believe. This can be a challenging task because most of us want clear, straightforward answers, with black and white examples and instructions, but that is not the case for most of Scripture. I remember being about 10 years old and asking my Mom a tough “faith question.”  I believe my question was, “If God created the world then who created God?” My Mother, was baking at the time and she paused before mixing the ingredients and thought. Then she replied with something that has stuck with me for decades. She said, “You see this recipe right here? Well this recipe gives you all the ingredients and instructions but it does not tell you how good it will taste, you have to bake it to find out. The Bible is like that; it gives the ingredients and instructions but it does not give you all the answers. It’s up to you to find those out.” The story in Genesis likely creates more questions than answers, but with patience, wonder, curiosity and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can glean some important facts about the text.

Within the first verse it says that the serpent was very crafty. It seems like a strange word to use- almost modern. I can think of world leaders or corporate CEOs who I might call “crafty” and mean it as an insult. However, the author was quite deliberate because in the original Hebrew the word crafty is ‘arum and it is the root to the word ‘arummim which is the Hebrew word for naked. When we hear that the serpent is crafty it is supposed to trigger a link between the serpent and the naked, innocent humans in the garden.

Then, as the serpent tries to persuade Eve it says, “You will not die, for God knows that when you eat of this fruit your eyes will be opened and you will be like God.”  Here is a fine example of how the Serpent is using post-truth, trying to convince Eve that her innocence is worthless when compared to God’s knowledge.  Now, the creation story in Genesis is complicated, in part because there are two stories. There is “the God created the world in seven days and created both men and women together story” as found in chapter 1 and then there is the other account of creation as found in chapter 2 in which God creates, roughly in the same order, until it gets to Adam, who God creates first and after a while creates Eve, because Adam is lonely. It is in the second creation story in which we find the warning about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In the first creation story God says that every plant, animal and fruit is for humanity to enjoy. In the second creation story God warns Adam, not Eve, about the tree. We couldn’t even argue that Eve misheard God because Eve wasn’t created yet. And so, to blame Eve for biting into the fruit is rather unfair and perhaps the serpent knew that. But also note that it says that while the serpent only addressed Eve, Adam was there, standing right there with her, HE could have warned her, but instead he is silent. Then when they consume this forbidden fruit it says their eyes were opened. And all of a sudden it appears that the serpent was telling the truth all along, and God was the one who lied, because Adam and Eve did not die as God had predicted, but their eyes were opened as the serpent had said would happen. But then again, their innocence did die, their close relationship of walking in the garden with God died, they were no longer the same people they once were. I could go on, but I want us to compare the story in Genesis 3 with our story from Matthew’s Gospel.

Jesus manages to demonstrate a much stronger resistance to post-truth. The devil takes advantage of Jesus’ hunger and attempts to trick Jesus into following his commands. The devil states that even if Jesus threw himself off the top of the temple that angels would come to his rescue.  The devil claimed that he was capable of giving Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if only Jesus fell down to worship the devil. Jesus’ strength really is a foreshadowing of what will happen in that great mystery of death when Jesus rises on Easter morning.

For Jesus, this is really a preparation for his public and earthly ministry. While it says at the close of our Gospel reading that the devil left him, Jesus will endure many examples of being tested and tempted. Think of all the times that it says religious leaders asked questions in hopes of tricking him, or the various ways they criticized him, or even the way his followers struggled to understand him. But Jesus overcomes all of that so that he himself is known as the way, the truth, and the life.

We are faced with a time in history in which post-truth tempts us, and we struggle to understand what is real and what is fake. Crafty leaders manipulate and trick us into believing them over truth. But Lent provides us with this time of reflection, and an opportunity to rebuild, even resurrect broken relationships, with each other and with God. Even the Bible does not always give us clear answers, and stories are often more complicated than they first appear but the Word of God is not fake rather full of truth, Amen

Bible Text: Exodus 24:12-18, Matthew 17:1-9 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

Growing up, my Grandma and Grandpa Geddes had a cottage on the shores of Lake Huron close to the town of Goderich, Ontario. I have fond memories of spending summer weeks there. There was a guy who worked for the Opeechee candy factory and so we called him the candy man. There were the Culbert’s who owned a bakery in town and made delicious donuts. (Likely where my love of donuts came from). And there were black flies and noseeums that were just as much a part of the cottage community as any of the human beings who own property there. While the trees were nothing like the ones found in Cathedral grove, as kids these trees were huge. To pass the time we would play a game using these big trees, a baseball and gloves. One person would stand on the opposite side of the tree, throw up the ball as high as he or she could, arching it just so that it would fall near the middle of the tree. As the ball fell, and hit each branch, it would bounce unpredictably and randomly in a variety of directions. The idea of the game was to simply catch the ball as it came down. But one never knew where its final drop would occur.  So, you just stood there, glove in hand, looking up, watching and listening. Of course, there was always a point in the game when the ball would land squarely on someone’s head, bringing a yelp from the victim and howls of laughter from everyone else. The game taught us a very valuable lesson, what goes up must come down, and sometimes the fall is unpredictable.

Today both Moses and Jesus have mountain top experiences, both literally and figuratively. They both go up and they both must come down to a reality that is chaotic and unpredictable. They will hit a few branches on the way down, so to speak.  It is necessary that we look at what happens to them while they are on top of the mountain, but we often get too focused on what happens at the top and forget that what goes up must come down.  These mountaintop experiences are not the end of the story; they don’t even mark the beginning of the story, but rather serve as a stop along the way on a much bigger journey.

There are a few similarities between Moses and Jesus’ experiences, more than we might think. First of all, Moses goes up the mountain initially with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and 70 of the elders of Israel, one of whom was named Joshua. Moses does not make the journey alone and even when God asks that Moses climb a little higher, Moses takes Joshua with him. The two of them were there for a week and then it seems as though Joshua is left behind while Moses enters a cloud and spends the next forty days and forty nights there. I want to pause for a moment while Moses is on the mountain to touch upon a common theme. Throughout scripture the term forty days and nights is used. It is not to be taken literally, although there is nothing wrong with that, but rather it was used as a statement to demonstrate, “a long time”. Perhaps a modern version of forty days and forty nights would be, “I was up on that mountain forever and a day”.  What is also unique about the use of the term in this passage in Exodus is that in almost every other situation the term is used to describe a long period of hardship or trial. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights in the story of the flood, Goliath taunted Saul’s army for 40 days before David showed up and as Lent approaches it is appropriate to remember that Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days and nights. All of these examples, and many more, use the number 40 to demonstrate a long period of adversity. And yet, in our story of Moses it doesn’t strike me that they are experiencing any major trials at that very moment, aside from the fact that they are wandering the wilderness for the next 40 years. Perhaps it is not that the dispersion of the law was cause for adversity, but that it was foreshadowing the fact that the Israelites, and the people of God, will struggle to maintain and keep the law for the rest of history.

Yet what goes up must come down and Moses is no different. But think about this for a moment, Moses is literally on top of the world, communing with God. I have to believe that Moses did not want to come down! He probably wanted to stay up there as long as possible, taking in the view, enjoying the solitude, happy to be away from the mob of stinky, needy, whiny people below. Like Peter on the mountain with Jesus’ transfiguration, Moses must have wanted to say, “God, why don’t I build a hut here and just stay with you”. But instead, Moses must come down and bounce into every branch along the way,  to the chaos of the Israelite people; and it will be chaotic- in fact, those two tablets that God’s finger wrote upon, will be destroyed as soon as Moses makes his way down the mountain because the people are busy worshipping a golden calf! You never know which way the ball will go, nor do you know who will drop the ball.

We call this Sunday transfiguration Sunday because of the story we hear in Matthew in which Jesus’ form is changed. The Greek word for transfiguration is metamorfosi, so really a more literal term and better understood term would be metamorphosis Sunday- but it doesn’t really have the same ring to it. Like Moses, Jesus takes a few of the disciples up the mountain with him, Peter, James and John.  As the version of the story in The Message says then, “Jesus’ appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes filled with light. Then they realized that Moses and Elijah were also there in deep conversation with him.” Moses, as demonstrated in our Exodus passage, came to symbolize the law and Elijah served as the representative for the prophets. We have to remember that we heard Jesus say just a few weeks ago that he did not come to abolish the law and prophets but to fulfil them. Peter then makes a pretty obvious statement that it is good these disciples are there to witness to this event. Then he follows it up with his brilliant plan to build booths or memorials for these three prestigious characters. Of course, this request is not only denied but completely ignored and God responds with a reiteration of what was said at Jesus’ baptism, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.” What goes up must come down, but where it will fall, no one knows.  As Warren Carter states, “Every Mountaintop experience has this element of the story, the part where the people come down from the mountain and move forward with their lives. The part where people acknowledge that, while it is good for us to be on the mountain, it is also good for us not to stay, it is good to move on to other terrain, to the valleys and plains of life and perhaps to other mountains. The spiritual life is one of mountains and hills and valleys and plains.”

When Jesus and Peter, James and John made their way down the mountain they were heading back down to the road that led to the cross. On Wednesday we mark the beginning of the long valley journey for ourselves as we begin Lent. It is a season of deep reflection on our mortality, on our frailty, on the chaos that is our lives. While it can be wonderfully solitary, peaceful, calm, and yet still exciting up there on the mountain, we need to walk those valleys too.  We have to come down the mountain to where it is unpredictable, especially as we face an unpredictable future for our church.  Imagine the one on the other side of the tree being like the many great prophets, encouraging us to grab our gloves and get ready. We don’t know where the ball will fall and so we feel like we are back under the tree, baseball glove in hand hoping to catch the ball, or just catch on. We are never too sure we are standing in the right spot, but it is a risk we have to take because sometimes we might not only be lucky enough to catch the ball, but to have God’s inspiration and wisdom to hit us squarely on the head.  Amen

Bible Text: Leviticus 19:9-18, Matthew 5:38-48 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

As one commentary put it, the book of  “Leviticus is a minefield full of topics that nobody wants to talk about in church.” If you have ever attempted to read the entire book you know that often either the laws are so monotonous that you can’t get through them without deep motivation, or they are so ridiculous that they are completely out of date or out of touch with reality. So many of us break many of the laws in Leviticus without even realizing it. This made me think of some of our own laws, and I discovered that there are some pretty interesting laws around this country. For example, one federal law states that vendors can say no to any purchase made over $5 using only nickels or any purchase made over $25 with only loonies. Just in case you were saving up for something big in your piggy bank. It is also an offence to make, print, publish, distribute, sell or have in possession for the purpose of publication, distribution or circulation….a crime comic, as in a comic book that deals with a crime series. So anyone collecting Spider-Man, Superman, or Wonder Woman comics and planning on selling them at some point better have a good hiding place. It is also illegal to scare the queen- but I get the impression she’s a pretty tough woman and would be hard to scare. In Toronto, it’s illegal to swear in a public park. I’ve been to parks in Toronto…and there are a lot of people breaking that law. In Windsor, it’s illegal to play an instrument in a park. Speaking of instruments, in Petrolia, Ontario, “Yelling, shouting, hooting, whistling or singing in public places is prohibited at all times.” I get the yelling or shouting…but who knew that whistling and singing could cause such a disturbance. Basically, having fun is illegal in Petrolia. Based on some of those laws, I can say with confidence that I have broken the law once or twice. In fact, I spent a week one summer in Petrolia, and I know we sang our VBS songs outside and I have indeed been in possession of a Superman comic, which I sold at a garage sale. The situation gets a little more concerning when we look at many of the laws in the Book of Leviticus. I enjoy my shellfish, my hamburger with cheese, and I’m pretty sure that even this morning I am wearing a blend of fabrics, all of which are forbidden in the Book of Leviticus.

Yet, before we write off the Book of Leviticus altogether, we come across these clear, succinct, compassionate laws as read this morning. We also have to understand the context from which the book comes. As I mentioned this book was for both the priests and the people but it gains its name from the Levites, the ones charged with looking after the spiritual well-being of the people. As late prominent Jewish scholar Jacob Milgrom once said regarding the law, “Israel attains it and priests sustain it.” The first 10 chapters are laws regarding worship and ritual. They particularly touch upon sacrifices and include such laws as, “When anyone presents a grain offering to the Lord, the offering shall be of choice flour; the worshipper shall pour oil and frankincense on it and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests (Lev. 2:1)”. Then in the following 5 chapters, Leviticus 11-16, is the section that is most likely going to make us blush as it deals with human bodies and sexuality and cleanliness. It deals with everything from childbirth to symptoms of leprosy, as well as what to eat and when. Then the remaining ten chapters, 17-27, are called the “Holiness Code” and they deal with not only what the priests should do, but what all people should do to remain set apart.

We have to remember that these laws were established to set the Israelites apart from the Canaanites, whose land they were not only entering but conquering. These laws make sure that they do not participate in any of the cultic, morally ambiguous, or different behaviours of the Canaanite people. While some of these laws seem outdated and strange to us, they were written to help establish who the Israelite people were and, sometimes more importantly, who they were not.  The level of holiness was not only something for the temple on the Sabbath but also something that separated them from the other people in the land.

The passage we heard this morning is all about this holiness but it is not about the behaviour within the temple but rather within the land. For the Israelite community the land tied them to God, and so it is no surprise that there are laws regarding the land and its people in Leviticus. To be holy was to have a mark of distinction as God’s people, and this mark went beyond rituals. It seeped into ethical behaviour as well. Like most of our federal, provincial and local laws, these ones make sense and for the majority of us are somewhat easy to maintain. “Don’t steal, don’t swear falsely using God’s name, don’t exploit or rob a friend, don’t put a stumbling block in front of the blind.” But then they get a lot more complicated. “Don’t spread gossip or rumours. Don’t stand by when your neighbour’s life is in danger. Don’t seek revenge or carry a grudge against any of your people. Love your neighbour as yourself.” The book of Leviticus not only deals with unclean bodies but unclean behaviour and sometimes the rules about behaviour are the hardest rules to adhere to. The book of Leviticus is at the heart of defining who the Israelites and early Jews were, and therefore are at the heart of who Jesus was.

It doesn’t get any easier when Jesus turns around and uses these laws from Leviticus in his sermon on the mount. He even takes it further and says forget trying to be set apart from other people, try being set apart like God! If we were to consider the Sermon on the Mount, (which isn’t actually over, but which our reading of it is, as we celebrate the last Sunday in Epiphany this morning,) if we consider the sermon in parts, it began with Jesus bestowing knowledge, telling the people what to expect. Then Jesus gave instructions to the disciples on what to do about it and then on how to act. Now Jesus tells them what it is to be disciples to the world. In the context of our Leviticus passage we are now able to understand a little of what Jesus meant when he said he came to fulfil the law, not abolish it. For Jesus builds upon the holiness code and takes it a little further. Jesus implies that not only are we to care for the poor and the alien, but we are to love our enemies. Not only are we not supposed to hold on to grudges, but we are to let those who want to sue us to take us for everything we’ve got. Not only are we to love our neighbour as ourselves but to be perfect as God is perfect.  You know what, I love these rules; I think they are good rules, but I have broken those rules time and time again. I have definitely not prayed for my enemy. I have definitely fought back if accused of something. I am not perfect. But while there are some rules in Leviticus that no longer seem to apply to our daily life, these laws spoken by Jesus are timeless. Jesus is not only speaking to his disciples of the 1st century, but the church of the 21st century.

In a couple of weeks we head into the season of Lent, a time of reflection based on our mortality and mistakes. Perhaps this is a great passage to help us launch into lent. Jesus was given the awful responsibility of truly practising what he preached. He was arrested, crucified and killed by people that were clearly his enemies. But what about what his friends did, as they betrayed, abandoned, denied, and doubted him.  Karoline Lewis reminds me, “Love your enemies is an important message going into Lent, when those you hoped would walk alongside you end up abandoning you. Our enemies are not always those we deem our opposites, our detractors, our challengers or resisters. Our enemies are all too often those whom we do indeed love.” Nobody is perfect, not even the disciples. However, just as we humans tend to seek for truth, so too should we seek perfection. Because, in a perfect world we wouldn’t have the need for outdated rules, and  we wouldn’t have enemies, only friends. Amen

Bible Text: Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Matthew 5:21-30 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

I recently did an online survey to find out, “what hit 1980’s song I would be”.  Meaning what song best represents me from that decade of synthesizers and big hair. No, it wasn’t a slow day in the office, it was just one of those late evening web surfing activities.  There was a disclaimer on the survey that said “this was not a scientific study”…no kidding! It asked thirty difficult questions like, how do you feel about black eyeliner to how long does it take you to recover from a minor disappointment. They were all multiple choice with the average of three options per question. But some were tougher than others, like the question- which would you rather grow in your backyard? Flowers, fruit, vegetables, berries or a big tree- what this has to do with an 80’s song, I have yet to figure out.  Something you may not know is that I actually love doing surveys- be it over the phone, online or my personal favourite: in the mail. I don’t know what it is, maybe it’s that I like to bestow my wisdom, or am curious to find out more about myself in the process. Often surveys have results and sometimes I disagree with those results, but it’s always fun to find out. I also really enjoy having options- like for example, would you rather write  a novel, a film, a collection of poetry, a song, a graphic novel or an important article?  I like to choose, and I like to think about that choice. And I bet, you are all wondering, what kind of hit 80’s song I am. Well, the results are in, I’m Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration”.

The book of Deuteronomy is a complicated book because there is great debate on when it was written and why. The book is essentially reiterations of the law, and reminders of what to do once the people of Israel have entered the land.  So, let’s presume that it was spoken to a people who were just about to enter the Promised Land. Moses decides that now would be a good time to give a lengthy speech. This part always makes me laugh for two reasons. As you might recall Moses told God that he could not lead the people because he had a stutter and because he was not a good orator. That seems to have disappeared now that Moses has spent well over 40 years leading these people. It also makes me wonder what the people must have been thinking. Here they are, ready to walk into the land that God has said is theirs! All they have to do is cross the river, and Moses decides that now is the time to give a speech that likely took hours to say. In fact he doesn’t just give a speech he delivers a speech that lasts 30 lengthy chapters! Lucky for you, instead of hearing all 30 chapters, this morning we get 6 verses that are essentially the rousing round up of the entire speech. Moses summarizes it all by ignoring nuance and saying, you have but two choices, life or death, blessing or curse, good or evil. Essentially these 6 verses are a survey to the people to say- have you been paying attention these last 40 years? Are you ready to live in this Promised Land? Are you ready to make the right choice? Will you tick off the right box? And that’s the amazing thing in all this, while Moses lays out all the realities of either choice,  that choice is still left up to the people.

This is no multiple choice, nor is it a trivial survey, but it is one that will tell us a lot about the people of Israel, and perhaps a lot about ourselves.  The very basis for their faith hinges on Moses stating, “God says, look at what I’ve done for you today; I’ve placed in front of you, Life and Good or Death and Evil. And I command you today, Love God, your God. Walk in God’s ways.  Keep God’s commandments, so that you will live, really live, live exuberantly, blessed by God, your God, in the land you are about to enter and possess.”  Perhaps you remember from a couple weeks ago when we talked about the beatitudes that to be blessed means to be fully satisfied regardless of situation. Moses is asking them- do you want to be blessed in this Promised Land? Perhaps they were shouting out, “Yes! Of Course!” But perhaps they were also just antsy to cross that river.

Luckily we know that the choice given to the people right at that very moment is not a completed decision, and it will come up again and again. While it sounds like the option is obvious, it is one thing to say yes and it is another to be yes. You see, the Israelites will stray from this covenant and will choose things other than life in God, over and over and over again.  Moses essentially explains to them what all the rest of the prophets will touch upon in their ministry. This short section in Deuteronomy is the foundation upon which ALL the prophets build their prophecies. These six verses are at the heart of every single prophet’s words. Prophecy was not future casting, but rather looking at this statement and saying, “SEE! If you don’t change your ways the covenant curses will be upon you. Things will get bad!” Cameron Howard points out, “Centuries of prophets will stand in the tradition of Moses, helping the people see that the consequences of idolatry are deadly, but that striving to live in relationship with God yields life.” She calls it covenant fidelity and continues, “covenant fidelity is a set of lived practices, and ongoing orientation toward love of God and neighbour.”

Idolatry is a tough thing, and before you think, those foolish Israelites, how could they not see how great it is to be in the light and life of God, we should take a long hard look at what we often choose to idolize. Be it our things, our collections, our buildings, our celebrities, our goods, our teams, our time, our money. There is likely not a day that goes by that I don’t serve some form of consumption- meaning I will choose to purchase something or think about purchasing something over thinking about God. There is likely not a day that goes by that I don’t covet something that someone else has. There is likely not a day that goes by that I don’t think of myself before thinking of anyone else.  And idolatry is sneaky because sometimes we can idolize being righteous or our sacrifices.

In fact, I think we even idolize our emotions, which is something that Jesus touches upon in this Matthew passage. I think we often idolize anger, meaning we choose to be angry, we like harbouring resentment, we hold on to grudges. We don’t want to reconcile with our brother and sister because we like feeling like we are more righteous. We don’t want to apologize or admit that we were wrong- especially if it wasn’t our fault. But Jesus tells us that if we enter God’s place of worship and are about to make an offering, and we remember that a friend has a grudge against us, we are to abandon our offering and make things right. Sure we can choose to hold on to that anger but then we are choosing to idolize an emotion that will only get in the way of our worship.

We come together as a community, as a people, and we do that in part because God wants us to worship together, but there is also an accountability. We are completing this survey not on our own but together. While we come as individuals that faith actually affects and matters to the individuals sitting next to you and we have the choice to live as people of God, of life, light and blessing or as people for ourselves, of death, darkness and curses. It’s up to you. Which box will you tick? Which one will you choose? But like the people of Israel this is not a done deal- throughout history we have discovered that God gives us this option not once, not twice, but every time we choose idols over God. Amen

 

 

Bible Text: Isaiah 58:1-9, Matthew 5:13-20 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

Before every game the former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher had quite a specific pregame ritual. You would think that for a football player it would involve some intense adrenaline-rushing, machismo-establishing hyper-activity, which is the case for many a football player in the NFL. However, Urlacher was different. He prepared for each game by unwinding for an hour and watching his favourite fishing show. Then, upon arrival at the stadium he listened to music and enjoyed a pregame snack- two cookies, most often chocolate chip. Rituals are all part of the game- regardless of the sport. One of the strangest comes from the Detroit Red Wings.  In 1952 during a playoff game, a fan threw an octopus out onto the ice. It was to represent the eight wins needed to win the Stanley Cup, back when eight wins were needed. What’s strange is that after this one incident the Red Wings swept the playoffs and as a result any time the Red Wings make it to a playoff…well, it gets a bit messy. If you think that’s weird, Richie Ashburn, Baseball Hall of Famer, would not only use the same bat following a particularly good streak, but he didn’t trust the equipment managers to keep his bat separate and thus would not only take it home but sleep with it in his bed. Whether it’s growing a playoff beard, or rubbing a bald head, or perhaps like Wayne Gretzky who always put baby powder on his hockey stick before a game, there are certain rituals that seem to improve someone’s game. At the very least it improves their confidence. But we all know how foolish these rituals are. We all know these are empty rituals. We all know that what one does before a game does not influence whether they win or lose, but rather it is how one plays the game, and perhaps how the others play.  Maybe this is as much a message for the Patriots or Falcons this afternoon as it is for us. It’s not about the rituals but about how the rituals make you feel and act.

Isaiah was basically warning the Israelites of this very fact, although it did not have to do with something so trivial as playing a game but rather how they enacted their very relationship with God. In the passage from Matthew we hear Jesus say, “Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”  As a result we would do well to pay some attention to what Isaiah is saying. In order for us to understand Jesus’ context we should learn more about all of the Old Testament prophets. But what Isaiah and Jesus both reference today is the importance between knowledge of God and being in relationship with God. They are not the same thing, but both are vital.

As we have discussed, the Book of Isaiah spoke to a specific context within the Israelite history. In fact, the Book is often put into three parts, part one being pre-exile, part two being during exile and part three being post-exile. Isaiah 58 likely dates to the post-exilic era. The Israelites have started to return, but their institutions, both religious and political, have not been rebuilt. This is in part because their leaders and the highly educated were not only the first to be deported but they were the last to return- if they were not wiped out. The Israelites are not only rebuilding their nation, they are rebuilding their society and culture. What we have in this morning’s passage is a people who are uncertain about their future and which direction to take. They are also at odds with their rituals to versus their relationship with God. We hear that in this passage as they ask God in verse 3, “Why have we fasted, and you have not seen it?” The Israelites are frustrated that they have participated in this ritual with zero improvement to their situation. What’s the point of inflicting this personal discomfort if God doesn’t seem to care, or notice, or do anything about it. God, through the Book of Isaiah, is quick to respond.

God gives two succinct responses to the Israelites’ complaint. First, while they might fast, the rest of their behaviour is as they please. I appreciate that in verse four it says, “Your fasting ends in quarrelling and strife.” For the record, if I haven’t eaten for 24 hrs you can guarantee that I am not going to be very polite, and likely any of my conversations will end in quarrelling and strife. But the point God is making is that they cannot expect that their pious behaviour of fasting will be heard if the fast is just for fasting’s sake. Religious rituals are supposed to lead them to be better people, but instead this fasting is causing them to exploit their workers and fight with each other. There is nothing pious about it.

Secondly, God asks some rhetorical questions, “Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself?” It is the final rhetorical question that is of great import, for in asking it, God gives the Israelites their answer, “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen, to loose the chains of injustice and untie the chords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter?” I have to admit that I appreciate this redefining of fasting. What I infer in these questions is that fasting- giving up food for a day- is not actually what God is asking but rather, fasting by eating less and sharing the rest with those in need is. Earlier I explained that the Israelites are trying to rebuild their society. This brief passage gives them a clue as to how they are to organize themselves. Old Testament scholar and Presbyterian, Tyler Mayfield says, “The passage portrays a people seeking to understand how to worship God truly and rightly, but failing to integrate the various aspects of their spiritual lives. They are fasting, but their fasting does not seem to affect their actions toward others. Religious ritual when unaccompanied by social action is self-serving.” The rituals of the past are all fine and good, but if they do not improve on the relationship with God and with others then they are empty rituals.

Jesus essentially touches upon this as well. Remember that Jesus has just preached his famous beatitudes, and what we hear this morning is just a continuation of that sermon. Immediately after giving the “blessed are they” statements, Jesus then tells the disciples what to do with them. The key piece is that the sermon moves from knowledge to action. Basically Jesus says, “now you know who is going to go to heaven, here’s what you can do about it.” I suppose that’s why I have a bit of a pet peeve around the evangelical questions, “Do you know the Lord?” Of course all of us have the capacity to know the Lord and it is an important step but it is not enough to know. If all we do is say we have accepted the Lord and know the Lord is in our hearts than it strikes me as being just as empty as fasting for fasting’s sake. Jesus says, knowing is not enough, we have to BE salt and light. I know this is a challenging thing to say from a reformed perspective. We believe that it is by faith alone that we are saved by grace. I’m not arguing that, but rather faith is a lot more than just belief, faith involves actions.

Faith is about sharing what we have with others- even if it means we end up with a little less. Faith is about responding to the needs in this world- be it social justice or environmental awareness. Faith is about asking people if they’d like to learn more about God. Faith is coming to church. Faith is about some of those rituals that give us the confidence and spiritual strength so that we can have the courage to engage in all of those things. Faith is about giving life flavour and shining lights on dark places. Faith is about me and about you and most importantly about God. Amen

Bible Text: Isaiah 49:1-7, John 1:29-42 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of seeing a documentary entitled, Life, Animated. It is about a young man, Owen Suskind, who at an early age was diagnosed with non-communicative autism. The family was devastated. As he grew up his condition worsened until they felt they had lost their little boy who would or could not speak or make eye contact. Until one day when they realized he had memorized the entire plot to the Disney movie, Aladdin and they could reach him not only by watching but by expressing emotions through the movies. Some of the first words he said to his parents where to express that his big brother was sad, just like Peter Pan because he didn’t want to grow up.  Suddenly they were able to make sense of life by communicating through these animated movies. Owen was able to attend a school that specialized in not only teaching the usual subjects, but also skills for being and living independently. In the documentary we are able to watch him develop as a teenager to an adult and living on his own, something the family never thought possible. There is a recognition that it was through this creative discovery of communicating through animated films that Owen was then able to develop his speech and express himself, but it also happened because there was an entire community supporting him, rooting for him, being patient with him and allowing him to work with his autism, not against it. He overcame adversity through community, but it also means letting go of our own needs to point and share with someone greater.  We too have the opportunity to help a young boy become stronger together. This is the sentiment expressed in Isaiah’s passage, and also something John expresses as he points beyond himself to someone greater.

While the passage from Isaiah comes from a series that is traditionally called “The Servant Songs”, there has been much scholarly debate regarding the identity of the servant in this song. Clearly we can draw connections to Jesus who is often called the suffering servant. However, you will note that in our little passage it transitions repeatedly between an individual and a people. The individual says things like, “The Lord called me before I was born.” but then the passage also says, “You are my servant Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” On one hand this is about a faithful servant and on another it is about the people of Israel who, as a community in covenant with God, will make God’s blessings to all nations known. Here is where I am going with this. I think it is both about an individual and a community. For we are called as individuals to be disciples, but we work together as disciples in community. Each one of us has our own personal reasons for being here today but it is made manifest through our actions as a church- as a whole. And so it matters  little to me about whether this is a song by one person or many people. The final goal is the same, a call to service.

Regardless of whether it is meant to be an individual or a people who are singing this song it was indeed sung to a people who were fragmented and living in exile. Yet, this gives them a new goal. The Israelites felt that their original purpose was to be God’s people, living in God’s land and worshipping in God’s temple. When the land and temple are stripped of them they loose a major part of their identity. What are they to do now that they have been traumatized and scattered by a conquering super power? If they are no longer living in God’s land or worshipping in God’s temple are they still God’s people? This is the question at the heart of much of The Book of Isaiah and  responds with yes, you are still my people and you have a responsibility to fulfil  regardless of land and temple. Old Testament scholar Juliana Claassens brings this home, regarding the Israelites she says, “They have been greatly traumatized by the unbridled display of imperial power when the mighty Babylonian army destroyed their homes and holy place, and forcefully removed thousands of people from their city, taking them into chains to Babylon…The text assumes the reality of the exiles and provides them with a new purpose in life, looking beyond their own self-interest and seeing their role as being of service to the many foreigners [who now cross their path].”

Perhaps we have all heard the phrase, there is always someone having a worse day than you. It’s not a phrase I like nor is it one I would use pastorally when assisting someone who has received some bad news. However, imagine that you have just had the worst day- there was never a day like this- and you are told it’s not about you but about others. It is not the most helpful thing and yet, that is what Isaiah is doing. Isaiah is saying, you can wallow in your own pain and suffering, mourning your loss of land, sure you can feel sorry for yourself and get nothing done because you have no place of worship, you can claim to be the victim and refuse to help others out but God is telling us to overcome that adversity so that we can help others overcome their own. The Israelites could not have undergone a more terrible experience being stripped of everything that defined them and yet God, through Isaiah, is telling them to brush themselves off and serve foreigners. In part, I believe it is because as exiles themselves they are gifted with the empathy to understand what other foreigners under Babylonian rule are going through.  Expose your vulnerabilities in community and you as well as the community become stronger together.

In some way John, the Baptist is responding in a similar fashion. John lives it out by saying, “This story of repentance and reconciliation is not about me, but someone greater than me.” John was not the messiah or Elijah or a great prophet but rather a messenger who pointed beyond himself so that others could see and hear that the Messiah was among them. John’s response is counter-intuitive to our modern ears. If someone congratulated me on being the amazing person that I am, would I really say, well, actually I’m not that great….really the greater person is my husband. OK, maybe I would, but John refuses to be given a status that in many ways he deserves. John is a great leader, John has disciples, John is teaching and spreading the good news of the Gospel, John’s ministry is relatively successful and yet John continues to say don’t follow me, follow him.

When Jesus sees John’s disciples turning to follow him, Jesus says, “What are you looking for?” I want to point out something here, in John’s Gospel, those are Jesus’ first words, “What are you looking for?” It is a question directed to us as individuals but also as a community. What are you looking for? What are we looking for? If we are looking for someone to take the blame, if we are looking for an audience to listen to our self-pity, if we are looking for a way to feel good about who we are already. Then Jesus would likely say, “go look somewhere else.” But the disciples answer Jesus by saying, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” The disciples are not asking where is your place of rest? They are asking where is it that you dwell? And Jesus responds, “come and see.”

We are still in the season of Epiphany when we are called to seek the light of Christ in community but imagine if we lost all that defined us. Would we be able to turn to Jesus and say, wherever you dwell, we want to dwell too and would we be able to hear the words of Isaiah saying, “be a light not to yourselves but to the outsiders.” Would we be able to overcome adversity in community? Amen

Bible Text: Matthew 2:1-12 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

In 1806 Jane Taylor and her sister Ann wrote and published a collection of poems entitled Rhymes for the Nursery. It included one little poem called “The Star” and it was suggested that the tune used to sing said poem was a melody titled, “Ah! Vous Dirai-Je, Maman” meaning, Shall I tell you, Mother. While this French tune is often attributed to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart the tune is actually older than that. He did, however, compose a set of 12 improvisations based on that tune and it is from these variations that we get the tune for our ABCs and Baa, Baa, Black Sheep.  Jane Taylor’s poem and this tune have been intricately linked for centuries now.  Mind you, the  poem’s title has changed. The song was in fact the first song I ever learned on the violin and likely the only song I ever mastered on the violin.  Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky, Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are. While many songs and carols will place the wise men as the main characters of our Gospel passage and while it is Herod (whom we discussed last week as being the embodiment of the world’s hatred) who plays the central villain in the story, the true central feature is the star, twinkling up above the world so high.  The star is what drives the plot, what gives motivation to the Magi as well as fear to Herod. It is the star that changes the course for everyone involved. The star, up above the world so high, signals God’s grace to the Gentiles as  part of Jesus’ role on earth while also being the King of the Jews. Yet, it is not entirely a welcome symbol or sign or turn of events. While hindsight teaches us that the star is a good sign, for many in the ancient world a new star was the symbol of impending devastation and violence.

Matthew writes that when King Herod heard of this new star he was frightened and all Jerusalem with him. Now in previous sermons I have shared that one reason why Jerusalem was frightened was because past actions had dictated that Herod would respond with violence, and that still remained a very possible reality. However, I have since learned that for the ancient world- in fact even for the modern world- a new star is bad news. For example, ancient historian Josephus noted that a star stood over the city of Jerusalem in 70CE, just before its siege and fall. For years most believed that the eruption of Mount Vesuvius was caused by a comet. There was apparently an appearance of a new star over England in 1066, just before the Battle of Hastings. And before we begin to think that this is something that only happened in the old world, apparently a star appeared in the sky in 1835 just before the battle of the Alamo.[1] Many of us may even remember some of the social-religious movements or cults that based some of their suicidal activity on comets. A new star in the sky or strange astrological behaviour is cause for concern.  Therefore when Herod is frightened, and all Jerusalem with him, it makes absolute sense.  Let’s be honest, if a star or some astrological shift happened in our sky would we really sit back and think nothing of it? Wouldn’t our scientists be doing research to try and figure out the cause? Wouldn’t our journalists be predicting what will happen next? Wouldn’t we be a little concerned, maybe even frightened? And so we should be; we have come to believe that nature is predictable. Yet, God is not always predictable, thankfully, and we should be frightened when God is shifting because we have to ask ourselves if we would stand up to the challenge.

The prophecy from our passage in Isaiah plays into the star a little.  The Message translates it as such, “The whole earth is wrapped in darkness, all people sunk in deep darkness, but God rises on you, sunrise glory breaks over you. Nations will come to your light, kings to your sunburst brightness. Look up! Look around! Watch as they gather; watch as they approach.” What Isaiah is describing is that Gentile nations will heap incredible wealth upon Israel. For this portion of Isaiah the prophet is describing what it will be like when the Israelites return to their land. He is not really describing what we have come to interpret as the prophecy predicting the wise men.  However, Isaiah is certainly describing a shift in God’s plan.

God has also demonstrated that God is to be feared, revered, and followed. Once God is in our lives, while unpredictable, God is reliable. The star is revelatory but also reliable. The star discloses to the Magi where Jesus is to be found. Yet they do the logical thing and approach the ruling authority for direction. After all with such a major sign in the sky shouldn’t the King be aware of the star and know why it has appeared? Yet of course, Herod is quick to respond to his fear, and confronts the Magi with deceit and lies. The star however, continues to blaze and does not let the Magi down. It remains so that it can lead them to their final destination. It is upon finding Jesus (likely in humble estate) that they respond with overwhelming joy. Even as Gentiles they have been graced by God, and then the star disappears.

You might think our focus on the star ends there, but in truth this star is symbolic of Jesus’ scope. While the Hebrews in Roman occupied Israel were waiting for a Messiah, the prophets could not have predicted just how wide the Messiah’s role would become. The trajectory of the star is so broad that it does not remain only on Bethlehem, but also reaches the keen eyes of the Magi who come from afar, somewhere in the East. They are not the people the prophet expected would come looking for the Messiah. We don’t know much about them but the wise men are the first to ask, where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? They know who Jesus is, but the rest of Jerusalem is silent. This great and frightening and awe-inspiring shift was revealed to wise men from a foreign country, and it is they who taught Herod. It makes me wonder; if the star’s trajectory is symbolic of Jesus’ all-encompassing scope, then who might the wise men of our time be? The Comox Valley has welcomed and is waiting to welcome some new refugee families. I am sure they have many things they could teach us.  The Presbyterian Church in Canada will likely see some transformation in this New Year. I wonder if it will be cause for fear or celebration. Perhaps it will be a mix of both fear and overwhelming joy. The next time something strange or unpredictable, something out of the ordinary happens at CVPC we would likely gain from remembering the star over Bethlehem. May we be bearers of joy rather than fear and may we present ourselves ready to worship Christ. Amen

 

 

Bible Text: Matthew 2:13-23 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes

William Kurelek was a prolific Canadian painter. He was well known for his immigrant prairie pictures that often included mundane, everyday activities in bright colours and interesting frames. In 1976 he received the order of Canada. He also suffered from mental illness and depression but through his difficult journey he found faith and became a devout Roman Catholic. In fact, he painted 160 panels of the Passion of Christ. His artwork is inspiring, challenging, sometimes frightening, and often moving. He published a semi-children’s book entitled “A Northern Nativity” in which he depicts the holy family in various locations typical of a 1930s Northern Canadian experience. While many are not typical pictures of the nativity they remind us of how diverse the interpretation of the story can be.  He includes writings, based on dreams, with each picture and he always asks the question, “If it happened there, why not here? If it happened then, why not now?” One of his nativity scenes is of Mary, Joseph and Jesus tucked into a box car at the Winnipeg Freight yards during the depression. Kurelek writes, “It is the wrong time to be young, ambitious and full of hope.” For the last couple of weeks I have included reflections on how the nativity story is not quite as sweet as we interpret it. The focus on Matthew’s Gospel does that to us. Kurelek reminds me even more so how that is true, that in amongst the scene of angels announcing and wise men offering, there are still realities of human hardship, human anger, human fear and human hatred. That is the world that Jesus entered, a world in which rulers oppressed and people suffered. On this Sunday, that is called the first Sunday of Christmas in our lectionary year and on this first day of the year of our Lord, two-thousand and seventeen, we hear a story about a serious warning of coming peril. It isn’t a happy ending and it is difficult for us to move from the lights and wrapping paper to these stark images. It is difficult to reflect on the joy and hope expressed at New Year’s Eve celebrations to these words of fear and flight. It’s difficult to preach on them! But then again it is difficult to feel joyous on the occasion of the New Year when we hear news of attacks in Aleppo and around the world. I’m kind of glad to see 2016 leave us.

In our passage from Matthew we read that Joseph received a message and heeded a warning immediately. Joseph’s obedience is saintly. He never seems to question but rather gets up and goes. The flight to Egypt was unexpected in so many ways. What a change in circumstances in such a short period of time! The story of Jesus’ birth has just occurred both in the readings and in our liturgical calendar. But the chronology is a little off because we have yet to celebrate epiphany, the recognition and gifts from the magi, which our passage this morning follows, and which in our calendar year we celebrate next week.  However, Jesus has just received some symbolic and important gifts from some pretty unusual visitors and then the family must run for their lives, fleeing Herod, who wants to destroy this young child’s life and it is their only option.  We know that some time has probably passed since the birth. It was not a week like we celebrate, but probably a couple of years. Even then, this trip must have been fraught with fear and danger as they looked over their shoulders and tried to remain calm for their toddler son.

The problem of course is that fleeing to Egypt saved Jesus’ life but it did not stop violence back home. The most difficult part of the entire story comes up when it says that the loss of these innocent lives was a fulfilment of Scripture. We have to be very clear about something. The fulfilment of the Hebrew text is limited at best. It comes from Jeremiah 31:15 and it is regarding the restoration of Israel and Judah. When Jeremiah wrote this both the Northern and Southern kingdoms were in exile and God had promised that they would be brought out of captivity and restored to their land. To connect this sentence from Jeremiah with the events following Jesus’ birth is a stretch. However, that is how Matthew understood it and tackled the harsh events. It is also a reflection on the history of the Israelites. God has already led the nation of Israel out of bondage, in Egypt. The child Jesus is reliving God’s past dealings with Israel and then living out God’s future plans for all people.

It was Boxing Day 2004 when this passage was to be preached as part of the lectionary. I remember it well. I was doing pulpit supply at West Flamborough Presbyterian Church- a church that was enduring a modestly lengthy vacancy. It was also the morning that the Boxing Day earthquake and tsunami hit the Indian Ocean. It always struck me that on the very day after Christmas, the world and many families on vacation were hit by a massive tragedy. It is the realities of our world and it can always bring into question the very existence of a God who is love. How could this happen to innocent people if God loves us. I know, it is a morose thought for the first day of the year but I am sure it is one you are asking yourselves.

What the text does make clear is that the event of the flight to Egypt was not ordained by God. It was ordered by Herod. It may be understood as fulfilment of Scripture but it was not a fulfilment of God’s desire but rather examples of human power and anger. It is this part of the Christmas story that is more real to us, to refugees in Syria, to victims of cruelty, terrorism, exclusion or racism than that of the manager scene. And therein lies the problem.

Too easily we switch from the decorations on the tree to storage boxes. What a difference a day makes from opening thoughtful gifts to line ups for Boxing Day sales, from welcoming the new day brought by a small baby to the celebration of a new year with champagne and over consumption. The month leading up to Dec. 25th is filled with kettle drives, turkey dinners for those in need, extra special thought for those less fortunate in our community but then too quickly we switch off the charm, joy, good will and transition back into routine. I am not suggesting that our own post-Christmas lethargy can be compared to physical loss of homeland through warfare as the holy family experienced. That is a pretty terrible example of “first world problems”. I am suggesting, however, that more people can connect with the story of the flight to Egypt in some way or another than with the Nativity and being visited by wise men and that’s a terrible truth.

What is clear is that God is at work and does intervene in all this human made anger, fear and hatred by creating new journeys. Matthew tells us that God is at work. The powers in this world can be terrible and often align themselves in opposition, just as Herod did when he learned of the birth of Jesus. But God is also faithful in fulfilling promises and purposes. Most importantly, God can be counted on to act to bring divine plans to fruition. Throughout history we can see- through the lens of faith- God’s work, human opposition, and God’s faithfulness despite the opposition. The world in which Jesus entered was full of pain, but it is at this time that we remember that God’s promise was so intimate that God, in Christ, suffers with us.

William Kurelek’s final image in his Northern Nativity is of the family hurrying off in a horse and buggy. In his dream William runs after them and yells, “Please don’t go!” He is heard and the compassionate response comes floating on the wind, “We will return one day- when you are ready to receive us with undivided love.” Kurelek asks, if it happened there, why not here, if it happened then, why not now? But he also has the profound insight that if it did happen here and happen now, would we notice?  Amen