18 Dec 2005

God's Unstoppable Purpose Invites

Luke 1:39-56

Matthew Rogers writes, "A little boy and a little girl were singing their favorite Christmas carol in church the Sunday before Christmas. The boy concluded "Silent Night" with the words, "sleep in heavenly beans."

His sister elbowed him, and said, "No. Not beans, peas!"

Rogers comments further by saying, "The way many of us feel by the time we are ready for Christmas, the song might just as well end with beans or peas instead of peace. Because sometimes in the frantic rush to get everything done the peace, of the season seems to elude us."

I do not know about you, but I find Rogers' comments sad. "In the frantic rush to get everything done the peace of the season seems to elude us." It is sad. It is sad, that on the day we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace, we have no peace. In a few days we will have family over for Christmas. My younger brother and his wife are coming. My sister, her husband and their daughter are coming. My aunt and my cousin are coming from Mexico. And, my father will also be here. He will be returning to Houston from his travels. And, slowly my wife and I are becoming aware of the work involved in hosting so many people. We are feeling the stress. We are slowly losing the "peace of the season."

Yet, when I read the Magnificat, Mary's song, I do not sense that there will be peace on earth, at least not peace for those who are proud and hold positions of power. Her song seems to be a song about social justice and reordering the fabric of society where those who are rich are send empty handed, and those who are hungry are fed. In her song, the proud are scattered and the lowly are lifted up.

It is, in fact, difficult to fully understand the images we have of the coming of Jesus the Christ, especially in the book of Luke. In Luke we find the angles before the shepherds signing, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors" (2:14). Peace does not seem to come to everyone, but only to those God favors. It is also in Luke that we find old Simeon telling Mary and Joseph that their baby "is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed" (2:34b-35). Far from being a time of joy, celebration and peace for everyone, the birth of Jesus in the book of Luke alludes to a time of trouble and civil unrest.

As much as we want to talk about peace on earth and joy to the world, and believe that the birth of Jesus has made everyone happy, we know better. The birth of Jesus created conflict. King Herod killed hundreds of children trying to get rid of him. Later we read of both political and religious leaders opposing Jesus, and eventually sending him to the cross. Jesus did not bring peace. He brought the Kingdom of God. And when we speak about the kingdom, when we do kingdom things, there is opposition.

Five Christians, who are members of the Christian Peacemaker Team in Iraq, find themselves captured for what they believe. You see, when you talk about peace on earth and when you work toward peace on earth, you find opposition. You will find opposition from those who do not share your beliefs, those who do not care for your views of a more just world. It is threatening for the powerful and the proud to talk about a Gospel that seeks to bring down the powerful from their thrones, send the rich away empty, and fill the hungry with good things.

It is threatening to demand that our government stops violating the human rights of so many foreign detainees. It is threatening to demand that our government give the captured in Afghanistan and Iraq a just and fair trial. It is threatening to demand that our government abide by the Geneva Treaty and bring to trial those Americans that break it. It is threatening to ask that our government recognize the humanity and the rights of the poor who cross our borders looking for work and to stop criminalizing them. It is threatening to ask our government to bring fairness to the healthcare system, to provide healthcare for those who work, make an honest living, abide by the rules, but yet can not pay for insurance. It is threatening to talk about the Kingdom of God and kingdom values, especially when these kingdom values do not match well with what the powerful want to do.

Having a God that seeks the well-being of the least in society is, however, not unusual. The Old Testament is full of verses where we find God demanding that the rights of the poor are protected, that the least in society are taken care of. The Prophets in particular ask that God's people do what is right and just before bringing offerings to Him in the Temple. God has always wanted a just and fair world. What is surprising is how God chose to bring about His Kingdom.

Jesus (Joshua), The Savior, was not born in a palace, did not have a silver spoon in his mouth. He did not come from a powerful military or political family. In fact, he was neither wealthy nor powerful at all. There was no Hummer in his driveway. His parents did not go shopping at the Galleria for Rolex watches and leather coats. On the contrary, he was born as an immigrant away from home in the laundry room of a motel, because there were no rooms available. The Messiah, this person that was to bring salvation to all of us, was born to a teenager who, most likely, could not read or write, had no rights and was engaged to a man twice her age.

When the radio talk show celebrity Rush Limbaugh learned about the capture of the five Christian Peacemakers in Iraq he said, "Here's why I like it any time a bunch of people that walk around with their head in the sand practicing a bunch of irresponsible, idiotic theory confront reality, I'm kind of happy about it." As I read the Christmas story, I too find my self thinking "this is crazy." It is crazy to think that the Creator of the universe, the One who formed every cell in our bodies, the One who has no beginning and no end, the One who knows everything and can do everything, came to us as a baby, born to a poor, illiterate Palestinian girl. It is crazy to think that the son of this teenager would be the one who touches millions of lives, confronts governments, and changes social and political patterns. It is crazy to think that this child born to an unwed woman would be one who brought us closer to our Maker. It is crazy to think that this irresponsible, idiotic group of Jewish peasants (Mary and Joseph) would bring to us the Kingdom of God. No doubt Mr. Rush Limbaugh has the same problem believing the Christmas story as he does believing that the Christian Peacemakers in Iraq are making a difference.

Although I too see the craziness of the Christmas story, I believe it is from God and it is effective. A God that teaches us to "overcome evil with good" will also send the Messiah to the powerless to overcome the powerful. A God that teaches us to "love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us" will also send a Suffering Messiah that has come to serve not to be served. A God that teaches us that "those who humble themselves will be exalted and those who exalt themselves will be humbled" will also send the King of kings and Lord of lords to wash our feet and touch our unclean bodies.

I do not know about you, but I have no doubts that the Christmas story is real and it is powerful, however crazy it might sound. I have no doubts that the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ, is real and it is powerful, however powerless it seem. I have no doubts that God can use the least in our society to bring about social and political change. I have no doubts that God can use any of us to bring about His Kingdom and His values. I have no doubts that we, Houston Mennonite Church, can make a significant difference in the city of Houston if we simply allow God to use us. If we dare to believe that the Christmas story is real and that the Son of God was born to a poor, illiterate, unwed peasant girl from Palestine, we have to believe that we can also be used by God and make a difference.

This morning, the Sunday before Christmas, let me invite you to believe in Jesus Christ. I invite you to believe that the Son of God came to us in the flesh. I invite you to believe that the Son of God, the Maker of the universe, the One who has no beginning and no end, was born to a poor, illiterate, unwed peasant girl from Palestine. Let me invite you to believe that the message of this Suffering Messiah is indeed Good News and His Kingdom has come and His Kingdom values are for today. Let me invite you to believe that God will use the irresponsible and idiotic of the world to bring about change to our world. Let me invite you to believe that you and I can make a difference in our society, that money and power and strength have little to do with being transformed by God to transform the world. I invite you to believe if we, like Mary, allow ourselves to be used by God, incredible crazy things can happen.

Deena and I are somewhat stressed about our visitors this Christmas. However, when I think of my aunt going through a painful marriage separation, I begin to see her visit, not as a burden, but as an opportunity to show her the God I serve, the Christ who loves her and cares for her more than I can ever imagine. When I think about the fact that I have not spent Christmas together with my family in years, I no longer see their visit as a burden, but a time to celebrate the work that God has done in our lives. No, Christmas is more than peace on earth. It is about believing the foolishness of the Gospel, it is believing in Mary and her story. It is about believing God has come to make a difference in the world. And, although there will be oppositions to His message and His will, Christmas is believing His message is worth sharing, is worth dying for, is worth living for.

Let us therefore, on this Advent morning, rejoice for the Prince of Peace has come.

Let us therefore, choose to believe in Mary and her story, in the Son of God born to a poor, illiterate, unwed peasant girl from Palestine.

Let us therefore, choose to believe God has come to change the world and He has chosen the foolishness of the world to transform it.

Let us therefore, choose to believe God can make a difference in our lives and a difference in the world through you and me.

AMEN