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We’re into Epiphany, the season of signs that God is not only in charge, but especially that Jesus is Lord.  Epiphany is like a light-bulb in a drawing, when the searching individual suddenly gets it.   We began with the WiseMen story, when the seekers from the Ends of the Earth got it.   Last week we dealt with Jesus’ Baptism, when a few of the onlookers got it.  Right through Transfiguration, the Ultimate getting-it, we’ll hear stories about how the Holy breaks in so that we ALL may get it.

The Old Testament for this week is from Isaiah’s oracles (62:1-5).   Here the perceived rejection of Israel has become vindicated, “shining like the dawn”, and salvation becomes “like a burning torch”.   God’s Creative purposes are once again to be seen, for God’s People have become  “a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord”.   Whoever reads this passage aloud needs to express the imagery with rolling r’s and flashing eyes!

St. Paul addresses us about spiritual gifts, and he names a few: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, ecstatic speech and other miraculous signs of Grace. (I Corinthians 12:1-11)  These are f’r- instances, not meant to be The List of Who’s OK (and Who’s not…)!  The verses that jump out at me are nos.4 & 5, about the many varieties of gifts, services and activities –and all instigated by the same Spirit, the same Lord, the same God….”all of them, in everyone” !!  Great Calvin’s Ghost!   

The Gospel is John’s familiar story about Jesus and his friends at a wedding (2:1-11).  But this isn’t a story about a wedding as much as it is a story about wine!  (I know:  Heaven & Earth, holiness & secularity, salvation & sin all in Holy Wedlock.  And that’s not a bad sermon.)  Yet it seems to me that this “first miracle” is the change that Jesus brings:  what was Just Water has become the Finest Wine!   What does this imply for my washed-out life, for your routine busy-ness?

This is also the weekend that we remember Martin Luther King, Jr., and others who have stood boldly for social justice.  Somewhere in our preaching we need to recognize the diversity all around us — gender understandings, language, names & cultures, regional imprintings  — and also that we’re all driven by the same Creator-Redeemer-Sustainer who is the Author of all!

God Bless Us Every One!         H   B    King

To begin with, I’m always reluctant to preach on the day of The Baptism of the Lord.  Somehow the Gospel always takes second place to those who quibble about Baptism’s “correct” form.  As a United Methodist, I believe that Baptism is a sacrament, thus initiated by God’s Grace.  It’s form is irrelevant, since we’re speaking of a holy in-breaking and not of a human faith-response. 

We need to remember that Old Testament (Jewish) people didn’t much like water.  They had many cleanliness rituals, of course, and groups like the Essenes were pretty obsessive about washing away the dust of a sinful world.   But these were people of the highlands and the plains, and they were suspicious of the seafaring life.  Many Psalms show this hydro-  phobia in reference to Leviathan the Sea-Monster and storms at sea.  Jonah went to sea (away from God’s dry land) and was brought back only by Divine Intervention….is this a baptismal story?

Isaiah 43:1-2 is a message to the exiles (aren’t we all?) at Babylon:  “I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.”   The holy-history tells about crossing the sea and the Jordan on the way to the Promised Land; why not expect it again?  There’s new life on the Other Side….

Luke’s account of the early church (Acts 8:14-17) gives a minimal reference to the giving of the Holy Spirit through laying on hands–interestingly enough, AFTER Baptism!  This was Samaria, of course, and indicates that the Gospel was for the whole world.  (If God can love those Samaritans, God must love EVERYbody!  Even me?)

John the Baptizer — the ultimate forerunner of the Christ — acknowledges that his water baptism isn’t the last word: “[Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:16)  To me, the importance here is that Jesus is living out his humanity by being baptized just as you and I have been.  “When the line of downtrodden and sin-sick people formed in hopes of new beginnings through a return to God, Jesus joined them.  At his baptism, he identified with the damaged and broken people who needed God.” (Robert M. Brearley, in Feasting on the Word) 

So we observe the metaphor of Water on Sunday with many  reminders:  maybe a filled font just inside the sanctuary doors, or a loudly-trickling fountain…. this last could be counter-productive…  Though water can drown us, it can also buoy and support us!  And there’s Life on the Other Side.

God Bless Us, Every One           H   B   King

I had well-meaning relatives who, probably at the instigation of my mother, would give me socks for Christmas.   What, you too?   I really would have preferred a game, or a truck!  To my best recollection, I never got a pink sleeper with bunny ears and slippers.  This year (so far) Santa brought me two pair of slacks and a nice pullover.

On this First Sunday after Christmas, many of you will hear an account of the boy Samuel serving in God’s Sanctuary (I Samuel 1:18-20).   His proud mother would bring him a new robe, every year, just the right size; she wanted him to look clean and at his best before the Lord.  Church-clothes have been a part of culture for a long time, now.

The Letter to the Colossians  refers to the New Threads we get from the ChristChild (l3:12-17).  “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience….Above all, clothe yourselves with love.”   The amazing thing is that these are God’s gifts to US, we who have recently traveled to the Manger!  I have several tee shirts which were gift souvenirs of participating in a Handbell Festival, or a CHOW walk.  Although the event is now over, I wear them to say, “I was there!”  What do your clothes say about you?

The Gospel Lesson is unique to St. Luke’s account, that of the boy Jesus hanging out in the Jerusalem Temple until his earthly parents come for him (2:41-52).   Recalling the earlier story about Samuel, it’s a remembrance (Mary’s?)  of the transformation initiated by God.  This is the only tale we have of anything about Jesus’ boyhood, and we cling to it to celebrate his divinity speaking through his humanity.

The Birth of Christ is a signal that Something New, Something Further has now come to be.  Beyond the stable, we wear the markings of that Holy Night, burned into our souls, in the clothing of Community Perfection and Personal Holiness.   WARNING!  These Christmas Clothes may well not be fashionable!  People may look at you….like THAT!   But you and the Baby will have to iron that out.

God Bless Us Every One!             H   B    King

One of the best parts of fatherhood is getting to read all those fun kids’ books!  One of my favorites was a Richard Scarry series with Ali Cat, Pickles Pig & friends.  One of those friends was Mr. Fixit Fox, the neighborhood handiman who was always rushing off to repair a fender or a washer or a gutter.   Something had always been broken!  Mr. Fixit’s job was never done.

Scriptures for the Fourth Sunday in Advent talk about our less-than-perfected world, and especially about  God’s Big Attempt to make it right.  We begin with the prophet Micah, who’s audience was the Kingdom of Judah about 700 years before Jesus’ birth.   Things were pretty broken, then:  Sennacherib of Assyria had smashed Israel, the Northern Kingdom, and his army was knocking on Jerusalem’s gates.  The people had given up hope, and were acting out their survival instincts of “Gimme!”  “I want it!” and “I don’t care about anybody!”  And Micah has the audacity to announce a new ruler, from Bethlehem of all places, who “shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord….and they shall live secure…and he shall be the one of peace.” (5:4-5)    Oh, Micah, really!

MUCH later — almost 800 years later — the unknown writer of the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that “it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (10:10)   Sanctified!  Made Holy?  Is there hope for perfection in my twisted mind, our gun-ridden & selfish culture?  Dare we speak of Holiness to our fearful cities and farms?  Will “this holy tide of Christmas all others now embrace”?  Only by God’s will…

And the final Good News before the Evangel of Christmas Eve is the Song of Mary (Luke1:46 ff).   She names the Mighty One as holy, and spells out some of the repairs:  he has scattered the proud, brought down the powerful and lifted the lowly, filled the hungry yet turned away the rich — what a change from Business as Usual!  Will he do this?  Are we to let Messiah take over our impotent lives?

I like what Steven P. Eason, a Presbyterian minister, has to offer:   “If we could fix ourselves, we would not need a savior.  The hope that the church holds out for the world on this Fourth Sunday of Advent is that God has done something for us that we cannot do for ourselves.  Jesus came on a mission to retrieve us.”

God Bless Us, Every One!  (Christmas says that indeed God has!)

          H   B    King

You probably remember the story of a little girl who attended Church,  one Sunday, with her grandma.   When she returned home, her parents asked her what the sermon was about.  “Don’t be scared, here’s your blanket!”, she answered.   Totally puzzled, they phoned grandma:  “What did the minister preach about, today?”    “Let’s see…. oh, yes, it was “Fear not; your Comforter is near!”

I love the Hebrew scriptures, especially at Advent!  The first one to come at us this week is from Zephaniah:  “The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more….do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak.” (3:15-16)   Some will be hearing from Isaiah of Jerusalem:  “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid” (12:2)  Here, in the dreary cellar of the year, post-election and pre-fiscal cliff, we need some words to dispel our fear.

As you may suppose, St. Paul has some words, as well:  “The Lord is near.  Do not worry about anything…”  (Philippians 4:5-6)   I inherited a worry-gene from my mother.  A little sound-byte in my head keeps playing, “You’re not good enough.  It’ll never work.  Something will go wrong.  They’re out to get ya.”   If Jesus is near, what’s to worry?

The Gospel continues Luke’s narrative of John the Baptizer (3:7-18).   “Bear fruits worthy of repentance,” he said, and then goes on to suggest what these fruits might look like.  If you have enough coats and food, give some to someone who has none.  Don’t charge more than a fair price.  Don’t ruin someone through lies or blackmail or gossip,  Be content with what you have.   Don’t be scared!

For me,  the Advent challenge of getting ready for Jesus involves letting go of being afraid. This is easier to say than to do!   The Evangel reminds me that terrors by day and things that go bump in the night turn to dust and ashes in the Face of the ChristChild.  May that which was and that which is to come bring us Peace.

Don’t be scared; here’s your blanket!  Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

God Bless Us,Every One…..          H   B   King

Preparations.   Each evening, more homes on our street show outside lights on bushes and wreaths on the doors.  My own house now has a festive runner on the dining room table — which Lucy the Cat thinks is just for her.  The radiator-shelf in the front window has a nice tapestry of red ‘n’ green; and pictures of the chancels of churches we have served, laden with poinsettias and greenery.   A newly-cleared mantle awaits my creativity in building our miniature village.   When younger,  Steve & Jon would observe their mom cleaning, and ask, “Is someone coming?”   Must be.

Scriptures for Sunday announce this Advent:   the prophet Malachi writes (3:1-4), “I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me….indeed he is coming.”  And then the Messiah is likened to the metal refiner, who turns up the heat to separate the silver from the slag.   Sometimes we’ve gotten so used to the everyday stuff that it’s too hard to give it up, even for the Holy.  How pure must we get?

If I were creating a sermon for this week, I’d probably let the Philippians passage choose me:  “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.” (1:6)  Advent is looking ahead to “the day of Jesus Christ”  AND observing that God has already begun a perfect work in us!  Although we’re works in progress, there’s that understanding that we are indeed “going on to perfection”, as John Wesley would remind us!

Luke’s Gospel remembers John the Baptizer (3:1-6).  His ministry was to prepare the way for the immanent coming of the Messiah:  the valleys shall be filled, the mountains leveled, the crooked straightened, the rough road made smooth.  In Binghamton, major highways come near and through the city.  We grumble about construction delays.   But in some nations, only stony tracks lead through jungles and over marshlands.  How to help?  Or, what roads have YOU paved lately??

My  dad always had a reluctance about housework, but when company was coming, he spent much time straightening every picture-frame in the place!  This was his contribution to the preparations; and one not to be taken lightly.  The weekend’s readings challenge the faithful ones to do what needs to be done to welcome the One Who Brings the Kingdom of God.

God Bless Us, Every One             H    B   King

The T-shirt read, “Jesus is coming soon:  look busy!”  I’ve seen some variations on this.  But here we are, rising upon the first Sunday in Advent.  Twenty-first Century folks are so far removed from “Bible Days” that most either have given up hope, or don’t really believe in the Day of the Lord….    Scriptures many of us will hear in worship this weekend will again confront us and goad us into at least  thinking about this Coming.

I love to preach on the Old Testament during Advent,  and if I were creating a sermon this week it would center on Jeremiah 33:14-16.   The usually gloomy prophet says that “the days are surely coming” — to fulfill the ancient promise, to bring back the kingly line of David, and “to execute justice and righteousness in the land”.  This can get lost in nostalgia, a dead-end.   The Promised One isn’t a purveyor of the Good Old Days, but a renewer of the Future.

St. Paul’s affectionate letter to the Thessalonians seems to expect the Lord Jesus to come quickly, and so he urges his flock to “increase and abound in love for one another and for all”.  Seems to agree with the tidings of comfort and joy in our Christmas cards and carols.
Part of Being Ready is our embrace of holiness — in our investments of money & energy even when Santa Claws.

The physician came into the ER and asked, “How’s the kid who swallowed the dollar bill?”  The nurse replied, “There’s no change yet.”

When are those moments that separate time?  Those that say, “That was Old, this is New.”  Where are life’s watersheds, the knife-edges which divide what used to be from that which is now (and forever?)?   The Scripture readings many of you will hear on Sunday address this sometimes puzzling and frustrating phenomenon of change….

The beginnings of the story of Samuel tell of his mama, Hannah, who as yet had no children.  She thought she was being punished by God, so she poured her heart out in prayer.  After some confusion, old Eli the priest promised her an answer to her prayer.  Shortly thereafter, Samuel — Sought of the Lord — was born.  Things would never be the same again, either for Hannah, or Eli, or Israel!  (I Samuel 1:4-20)

“Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; earth’s joys grow dim, its glories fade away;                            Change and decay in all around I see — O Thou, who changest not, abide with me.”                                 –Henry F. Lyte

The Writer to the Hebrews speaks of a Divine Patience, now that in the High Priesthood of Christ all things have become accomplished.   God evidently is content to wait it out while Creation changes!  “[Christ] sat down at the right hand of God, and since then has been waiting until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.” (Hebrews 10:12-13)

Q: How many Christians does it take to change a lightbulb?                                                                    A: Change?  Who needs change?!

Mark’s Gospel is a set-up for Jesus’ resurrection — and also for our Advent anticipations of the Incarnation which changes Before into After.  “Do you see these great buildings?” he said.  “Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”   Be careful what you count on!  There are always Romans waiting in the wings to wreck your temple!  But don”t be alarmed:  despite the wars & earthquakes & famines (and other daily crises), “the end is still to come”.  (Mark 13:1-8)

Change is inevitable, along with death & taxes.  New highways obliterate old landmarks.  Playing cards isn’t the sin that my grandparents thought it was.  Does anyone still remember how to dial a telephone?  How do we live as Believers in Christ while “time makes ancient good uncouth”?  Not to curl up & groan, fer sure!  Hannah prayed; Barnabas encouraged; saints through the ages have seized the day for faithful acts of mercy and devotion….  How do you wait?

“Time, like an ever-flowing stream, bears all her sons (sic) away;                                                          they fly forgotten, as a dream dies at the break of day…

O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come,                                                                    be thou our guide while life shall last, and our eternal home.”

God Bless Us, Every One                      H   B   King