Valois United Church

Sermon - November 18, 2007

Isaiah 65:17-25
Luke 21:5-19

I love some of the wonderful, uplifting readings that we find in scripture.
Today we heard wonderful words from Isaiah - words of hope, words of comfort.

These words were written after the people of Israel returned from exile and slavery in Babylon. We might thing that would be a wonderful period, but it was a huge let-down.

Can you imagine, coming back after a couple of generations to the promised land, coming back home with such great and wonderful hope, coming across the wilderness with anticipation... and instead of seeing the wonderful places that your parents and grandparents spoke of, you see cities and towns that have been torn down? Ruins. Lands that produced so well - overgrown.

And then Isaiah’s message coming to you, with God’s words of hope:
“For I about to create new heavens and a new earth....
New heavens and a new earth... and then examples of what this will be like are piled up, one by one, to create an idyllic scene, far removed from the wretched reality.

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox.... They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord.

Word added upon word, until the glimmering flame of hope nourished the people: God would bring a new kingdom.

We do not face the great devastations of the post-exilic period. And yet our world can bring an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. Our world can bring a sense of paralysis, and sense that we can’t do anything and that the world is going to you-know-where in a handbasket.

Wars and disasters, violence and hatred, absolute irresponsibility and indifference – far, and near, the daily news brings us down.And when we’ve hit bottom, we need to hear Isaiah proclaiming God’s message.
For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. Be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating.....

Let Isaiah’s words speak to you.
Let God’s message settle into you.

God is with us, in our own age.
And God has a vision for a kingdom far different, far better.
And, as Isaiah assures us,
God knows our concerns even before we voice them.

---
Bring comfort to the afflicted.
And afflict the comfortable.
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I think it is one of the contradictions of our age and place

Up to now, it has been words of comfort.
But now we turn to the Gospel.
Often we find comfort in the Gospel.
Often we find comfort in the words of Jesus.

But if that is all that we find, we are reading pretty selectively....
Leaving out anything that might “afflict” us, anything that might disrupt our comfortable existence.

Today, in the Gospel, some folk challenge Jesus. They are considering the temple, all beautiful. And Jesus says that it will all be gone.

We would not want to hear that about our places of worship. The temple had an even greater significance that our church buildings.

But Jesus was not concerned about the end of the temple. Jesus was not concerned with material stuff.

And we’re not very good at being unconcerned about the material.
We can think about this in many ways, but as the stores fill up with Christmas displays, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of the one who was not greatly upset by the coming destruction of the temple, we need to think about our patterns of consumption over the Christmas period.

What gifts are we buying? Could we buy some living gifts - like a goat for a family in Africa, or a fruit tree for a village, to give in the name of someone. Or we could buy gifts like sponsoring an environmental project....

I will be trying to give you more ideas in this direction over the next couple of weeks, as we move toward Advent, so that we can take a step back from all the stuff, and move toward celebrating our faith.

And that is the beginning of a challenge - one that can make us a little uncomfortable, as for many it is uncharted, unfamiliar territory.

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But finally, Jesus message is more about what life will be like for those who choose to participate in the coming of the new kingdom. Isaiah tells us what a wonderful kingdom it will be. Jesus tells us what the journey toward that kingdom will be like.

And it’s not a pretty picture.
He speaks of arrests and betrayals.
He says “You will be hated by all because of my name.”

And I stop and think.
Are we paying full price for the journey to the kingdom,
or do we figure we get in free?

Are we paying full price
or do we figure we get in free?

It is true that we make many efforts.
No, my question is wrong.
For you donate generously.
For you work hard, giving your time.
Many beyond limit
- such that I have been singing your praises to other church folk in the region.

But Jesus’ words challenge you and I beyond that.
“You will be hated because of my name.”

Now, I don’t think we risk that very often.
I don’t think that we risk being hated very often.

No, to risk being hated means that we have to push some limits.
To be reviled means that we have to take a stand
that some might disagree with.
That means that when we hear about injustice,
we need to respond.
That means when we encounter bigoted attitudes,
we need to speak up.
That means that when we encounter intolerance,
we need to risk by spreading wide our arms
and showing that we are ready to love the stranger.

I am delighted that the United Church in the Province of Quebec is going to be in Quebec City in early December, presenting a brief to the commission on accommodation. I will print copies of the brief, and they’ll be available next Sunday to you. And I would be happy to get together to discuss this document, and this action.

We’re taking a stand.

As the United Church, we’re taking a stand.
But we also need to be ready to do so
locally
individually.

For Jesus expected the faithful followers to take a stand,
and take risks to be faithful.
And we need to
respond to injustice
speak up in the face of bigotry
show our love for the stranger.