January 29: Expectancy vs. Expectations

A week or so ago, a good friend of mine said that when it comes to God, she likes to think along the lines of “expectancy” vs. “expectations.”  She said that expectations put limits on God because there are specifics.  For example, we don’t just pray that we have a healthy baby whom we love; we pray it’s a girl.  Or we tell God (very reverently, of course) how our problem should be solved by praying for one (and only one) specific outcome to the situtation.

Expectancy, on the other hand, goes along with the prayer: Let your will be done.  We see Mary answer the angel Gabriel with expectancy rather than expectations.  We see Simeon and Anna live in expectancy---believing God’s promise to them will come true; believing that they will see and know salvation and redemption in their lifetime.

Expectations puts limits on answers and a box around God’s work.
Expectancy leaves it all up to God, but with hope-filled faith that God keeps God’s promises.

Let’s live with expectancy as God declares:

Look! I’m doing a new thing;
    now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it?
I’m making a way in the desert,
    paths in the wilderness.    Isaiah 43:19

January 23: Just some thoughts that have been swimming in my head

Sometimes we want our relationship with Jesus to be like putting on our “soft clothes”---you know a comfy sweatshirt and pants that we can just relax into.

But living our lives with Jesus as the Way is much more like putting on a wetsuit.  It pinches us and is too tight in some places; it’s hard to put on---a challenge to even get into.

But, it protects us from the outside elements and allows us to survive our environment.  It allows us to dive deeper and experience depths of this vast ocean we’d never see on our own.

Jesus didn’t come to help us settle into the status quo.
Jesus came to change the world---including the little corner that is our own life.
Expect to be challenged.

January 19: Sermon for Second Sunday after Epiphany

Isaiah 49:1-7;  1 Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42; Psalm 40:1-12

“Behold the Lamb of God!”

A great listener

A healer

A person of deep prayer

One who feeds the hungry

One who helps those without water to quench their thirst

Drawing in the marginalized

Welcoming in strangers

Blessing, teaching, and forming children

Walking the road with others

Breaking bread with sinners

Patient

Loving

Forgiving

Filled with Grace.

Who am I describing? 

I am describing you---all of you---this Intercession Family—the Living Body of Christ.

Now, you may be thinking: Wait a minute!  I’m not a healer.  And hey, he’s not very patient, and frankly, she doesn’t listen very well.  True.  We all have our shortcomings.  We all fall short.  None of us possesses this entire list of attributes, but together we possess the characteristics of Jesus—the gifts of Jesus---all so we can accomplish the ongoing ministry of Jesus.  As St. Paul reminds the church of Corinth—and us today—“For in every way you have been enriched in him……so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift….”

The “you” in this passage is in 2^nd person plural---all y’all---because it is together, as the church, as the Body of Christ that we have everything that is needed to continue the redeeming and sanctifying ministry of Jesus.

Today’s Gospel follows the Baptism of Jesus—which we celebrated last week.  And what follows Baptism?  Ministry.  Today we see Jesus prepare to live out his ministry on earth.  So, what does Jesus do first?  He invites others to join him.  “Come and see,” Jesus says.  “Come and see.”

Here is our first charge as well.  Like John the Baptist, we are to notice God, and God’s working, in our midst and then proclaim it---pointing others to what God is doing among us.  We do not need to threaten or coerce; no need to intimidate, woo, or wheedle---we are simply to see God in our presence and then to share God with those we meet.  Invite others to know---through our words, our actions, our presence---the experience of God.

All so that those with whom we share God can then share God with others.  John shares with Andrew who shares with Peter….and we know what happened next, right?  The Church was born.  Because church isn’t a building.  If this beautiful and sacred space burned to the ground---the Church of the Intercession would still exist.  Because we are the Church of the Intercession.  This building is a beautiful gift to us and to the community as a place to meet God---but in itself, it isn’t the church.  Jesus didn’t call and gather buildings and meeting places; Jesus called and gathered people---disciples---to continue his ministry in the world.

Jesus called and gathered people into community because community shapes us.  Because community makes us who we are and strengthens us for our work.  Our faith community is where we practice living our faith.  Here we are strengthened through sacrament, study and service. This doesn’t change the fact that living in community is messy.  And challenging.  But it is by these very challenges that we are re-formed and re-shaped into the Body of Christ.

When the going gets tough or we get annoyed or offended or bothered by living in community---this isn’t the time to walk away.  Instead, it is the time to reflect and consider what is going on within us.  What is the Holy Spirit calling us to change or turn from?  What is the Holy Spirit calling us to turn to or to begin? When living in community gets messy and becomes difficult, our human nature tells us to distance ourselves.  Our divine nature, on the other hand--the imago dei within us-- would have us stay and do the hard work of reconciliation, so that transformation can happen.

This is the season of Epiphany---of revelation.  The revelation of God to the world.  It begins in Christmas, the incarnation, God made flesh.  And it continues as we reveal Emmanuel---God with us---to the world.  Christmas doesn’t end---it continues as we reveal to the world this God who loves us with steadfast grace and mercy by loving one another with steadfast grace and mercy .

Howard Thurman, an influential African American author, philosopher, theologian, educator and civil rights leader, wrote a poem entitled “The Mood of Christmas.” It goes like this:

"When the song of the angels is stilled,


When the star in the sky is gone,


When the kings and princes are home,


When the shepherds are back with their flock,


The work of Christmas begins:


To find the lost,


To heal the broken,


To feed the hungry,


To release the prisoner,


To rebuild the nations,


To bring peace among people,


To make music in the heart."

My friends, we are named; we are formed; we are called to become servants.  Servants of God.

What will our invitation be, Intercession family?  How will we notice God in our midst?  How will we point to God’s redeeming work in the world?  How will we share God’s love and mercy?  And most importantly, how will we invite others---and their gifts---into this Body of Christ which gathers in this sacred space?  Let’s not wait for them to come to us.  Let’s go and find them.  And bring them home.  Because we are all rightful heirs to God’s kingdom. 

During this season of God’s work being revealed through the ministry of Jesus, let us see God, share God, and invite others to know God.  Let us be the living members of the Body of Christ.

January 13th

From Daily Office Readings:
“This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh....” (Genesis 2:23)

Here in the second Creation story of the Bible (which doesn’t entirely match up with the first story in Genesis 1), we have man’s response to the creation of woman.  First of all, let’s remember the whole purpose is to find a helper---a partner---for man.  Right away at the beginning of our story, it is clear that we are made to be in relationship.

So often, the description of woman coming from Adam’s side (not technically a “rib” in Hebrew) gets hijacked to somehow legitimize the idea that women are naturally subservient to men.  But let’s take a look at this and return to Adam’s response when God reveals woman:

This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh....”

Basically he declares: Hey!  Here’s one who is made of the same stuff I am!  Yep, this is the one.

Yes, we are all made of the same stuff.  There are certainly differences (Thank you, God) between genders, among races, among cultures and socio-economic statuses---but, each one of us is made of the same stuff.  God blows the breath of life into each one of us, making all of us equally worthy, equally deserving, and equally beloved of God.

What will this Truth mean for us today?

January 6th

Happy Epiphany----God revealed to the world through Christ.  This is exactly how we, too, are defined.  We are to be the revelation of God to the world.  Scary stuff. Big stuff.  But, as Scripture constantly reminds us: Be not afraid.  Christ is with us; the Holy Spirit dwells in us.  We can do this big thing---together---small piece by small piece.

This Christmas vacation I was reminded of a pretty important small piece:  We are called to live for joy. Living is not about winning; it’s about creating and experiencing joy.

I found myself at the dining room table with various family members playing a card game.  This could be dangerous territory.  I was born with quite the competitive gene, and not even a simple card game is safe.  So often, I play these kinds of game with one purpose only:  Win!  And win big!

This, of course, means that my goal is to make sure my family and friends who are at table with me lose and lose big!

So, on this night, I decided to try to play for fun....simply to enjoy the activity and the people.  It was hard at first to push away my every inclination to “go for the throat,” but I was very intentional and mindful about playing differently.

And, I had a great time.  Lots of fun.  I lost big, but it didn’t matter.

About a week later, same place, some new faces, same card game.  My intentionality to choose joy was nowhere to be found and I played to win.  So, I found myself tense, speaking unkind words, and not having any fun at all.  None at all.

When you play/live to win----goodness is limited to winning.  When you live for joy---goodness abounds.  It abounds.  And life is so much more wonderful.  And intentional.  Now, if I can just remember this lesson...........

"And there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.”
Matthew 2:9-10