"Seeing That Everyone is Fed"
A sermon preached during The First Week of Advent at our Lessons, Carols, Communion and Candlelight service on Thursday, December 6 at Edgemont Chrsitian Church (Disciples of Christ), by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp. The sermon is based on Matthew 24:32-44.
More than anything else, food plays a major role in any celebration. Whether it be a secular or religious holiday, it seems that food is usually a major ingredient. In fact, if we were to look at all the Jewish feasts and festivals, we would see that all of them incorporate food into their celebration and remembrance. Jesus even based his ministry around food - he literally fed the hungry and dined with sinners. He used analogies of food - such as bread and water to refer to himself as the Bread from heaven and Living Water. And we can’t forget that it was through the Passover Seder that Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper - that meal which is a memorial of his life, death and resurrection. The bread and wine, which become for us his body and blood given for us and for our salvation. Each time we celebrate communion we hear that wonderful promise; "For as often as you eat the bread and drink from the cup you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes again." And certainly there’s something powerful about those words. Each time you and I receive the bread and the wine we are nourished and fed, that we might nourish and feed others. That is our calling! That is our challenge! That is our responsibility as the Church. Yes, we are to eat but we are also to feed a hungry world.
For centuries Christians have speculated and even made predictions as to when Jesus’ parousia - his second advent would be. In fact, no topic or subject in all of Christianity has received as much publicity as that one. There have been books, movies and even songs written about it. Some help to capture the wonder of such a promise and hope. While others have totally distorted and fabricated it. Matthew presents Jesus as both a cultivator of such expectation and a naysayer against it. On one hand, Jesus says; "From the fig tree learn its lesson." But on the other hand, Jesus says; "About the day and hour no one knows." Jesus clearly encourages a certain forward-leaning attitude toward God’s coming reign. Yet, there is also an equally clear heed not to go off the deep in with speculations and predictions. It is as if Jesus is saying; "Look toward the future, but stay in the present."
And so, many are left wondering, how are we to balance the "then" and the "now," the sense of leaning forward with the sense of being grounded in the present? Walden Pond gave the poet and writer, Henry David Thoreau much to ponder, explore and write about over the course of his career. In one journal entry he made this observation of that beautiful body of water: "Walden is blue at one time and green at another, even from the same point of view. Lying between the earth and the heavens, it partakes of the color of both." Blue and green, partaking of the heavens and of the earth – all in the same place. That’s a pretty good metaphor for the Church. We, like Walden Pond are to live both expectant and grounded, hopeful and helpful. We are blue and we are green, we partake of both heaven and earth, Christ’s promises for the future and his mandates for the present.
One of my favorite quotes is by Henri De LuBac, who wrote; "Eternal life isn’t a life for the future. By love we start eternity right here below." And how true that is!
If anything, our faith challenges us to discover the presence, and power, and ministry of God arriving and unfolding through us and in us, as well as around us and for us.
Advent is a reminder that God has come to us, and God is with us! God is in us and God can touch others through us. Advent is a reminder that God’s light has come to us and that light shines in us and it is be shone through us. Because we have received love, we have the responsibility and the opportunity to love. Because grace has touched us, we have the call and the potential to touch others. Because we have been given worth, we have the commission and the capacity to impart worth. Because we belong to the Prince of Peace, we have the call and the potential to be and to become peacemakers. Because the God we claim and who lays claim to us loves justice and kindness, we have the responsibility and the opportunity to defend the innocent and protect the powerless. Because our God shows no partiality, we have the commission and the capacity to confront prejudice and oppression. Because weekly we come to the table as beggars and are fed with the life-giving bread and the saving cup, we have the mission and the possibility of preparing the way for other beggars to be fed. The message of Advent and of Jesus in Matthew’s gospel is clear; "Keep awake!" Perhaps our churches do not ask enough of us. Sadly, we have become too lacksidasical and complacent.
The season of Advent, as well as this text seeks not only to awaken us to our call and potential, but also to open our eyes to what God does in our midst. As Larry Jones and Jerry Sumney write in their book, Preaching Apocalyptic Texts; "Sometimes the earth quakes and the heavens rumble, but most of our experiences of God are not that dramatic. God doesn’t just move mountains; God moves hearts. God doesn’t just part the waves of the sea; God crushes the barriers that keep neighbors apart. God doesn’t just raise the dead; God enlivens the living."
Paul Escamilla writes; "Jesus has a most rudimentary and unglamorous prescription for keeping ourselves prepared for the coming of Christ in glory and judgment, and that is: to be sure everybody is fed!" He goes on to write; "It’s worth remembering at this point that 'the other great commission' of Matthew’s Gospel is found just a chapter beyond these apocalyptic pages, in Matthew 25: 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you?' Seeing that the hungry are fed seems to be very much on Jesus’ mind, and he wishes it to be very much on ours as well, particularly when we think about the end times."
For centuries Christians have speculated and even made predictions as to when Jesus’ parousia - his second advent would be. In fact, no topic or subject in all of Christianity has received as much publicity as that one. There have been books, movies and even songs written about it. Some help to capture the wonder of such a promise and hope. While others have totally distorted and fabricated it. Matthew presents Jesus as both a cultivator of such expectation and a naysayer against it. On one hand, Jesus says; "From the fig tree learn its lesson." But on the other hand, Jesus says; "About the day and hour no one knows." Jesus clearly encourages a certain forward-leaning attitude toward God’s coming reign. Yet, there is also an equally clear heed not to go off the deep in with speculations and predictions. It is as if Jesus is saying; "Look toward the future, but stay in the present."
And so, many are left wondering, how are we to balance the "then" and the "now," the sense of leaning forward with the sense of being grounded in the present? Walden Pond gave the poet and writer, Henry David Thoreau much to ponder, explore and write about over the course of his career. In one journal entry he made this observation of that beautiful body of water: "Walden is blue at one time and green at another, even from the same point of view. Lying between the earth and the heavens, it partakes of the color of both." Blue and green, partaking of the heavens and of the earth – all in the same place. That’s a pretty good metaphor for the Church. We, like Walden Pond are to live both expectant and grounded, hopeful and helpful. We are blue and we are green, we partake of both heaven and earth, Christ’s promises for the future and his mandates for the present.
One of my favorite quotes is by Henri De LuBac, who wrote; "Eternal life isn’t a life for the future. By love we start eternity right here below." And how true that is!
If anything, our faith challenges us to discover the presence, and power, and ministry of God arriving and unfolding through us and in us, as well as around us and for us.
Advent is a reminder that God has come to us, and God is with us! God is in us and God can touch others through us. Advent is a reminder that God’s light has come to us and that light shines in us and it is be shone through us. Because we have received love, we have the responsibility and the opportunity to love. Because grace has touched us, we have the call and the potential to touch others. Because we have been given worth, we have the commission and the capacity to impart worth. Because we belong to the Prince of Peace, we have the call and the potential to be and to become peacemakers. Because the God we claim and who lays claim to us loves justice and kindness, we have the responsibility and the opportunity to defend the innocent and protect the powerless. Because our God shows no partiality, we have the commission and the capacity to confront prejudice and oppression. Because weekly we come to the table as beggars and are fed with the life-giving bread and the saving cup, we have the mission and the possibility of preparing the way for other beggars to be fed. The message of Advent and of Jesus in Matthew’s gospel is clear; "Keep awake!" Perhaps our churches do not ask enough of us. Sadly, we have become too lacksidasical and complacent.
The season of Advent, as well as this text seeks not only to awaken us to our call and potential, but also to open our eyes to what God does in our midst. As Larry Jones and Jerry Sumney write in their book, Preaching Apocalyptic Texts; "Sometimes the earth quakes and the heavens rumble, but most of our experiences of God are not that dramatic. God doesn’t just move mountains; God moves hearts. God doesn’t just part the waves of the sea; God crushes the barriers that keep neighbors apart. God doesn’t just raise the dead; God enlivens the living."
Paul Escamilla writes; "Jesus has a most rudimentary and unglamorous prescription for keeping ourselves prepared for the coming of Christ in glory and judgment, and that is: to be sure everybody is fed!" He goes on to write; "It’s worth remembering at this point that 'the other great commission' of Matthew’s Gospel is found just a chapter beyond these apocalyptic pages, in Matthew 25: 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you?' Seeing that the hungry are fed seems to be very much on Jesus’ mind, and he wishes it to be very much on ours as well, particularly when we think about the end times."
The gospel challenges us to not to get so caught up in the when and how of Jesus’ coming that we forget about now. In fact, the question that is more relevant to ask, according to the gospels, is not, "When or How is Jesus coming?" But rather, "Is everyone being fed?" And more importantly, we should ask ourselves; "Who am I feeding?" One of my favorite mission statements reads: "Warmed with a blanket! Cheered with a Visit! Remembered with a card! Clothed! Hugged! Delivered from danger! And loved! That is our mission because it was our Lord’s mission as well!"
I want to close with a story that is told by the renown Disciples author and preacher, Fred Craddock of Dr. Oswald Golter. Dr. Golter was a missionary to China more than 60 years ago. After World War II he was asked to leave China and return to the states. So his missionary society wired him a ticket and Dr. Golter made his way to India to catch a ship home. While he was there he noticed that there were many Jews living in the area - they were living in attics and sheds and barns. They were there because India was one of the few countries in the world that welcomed the Jews following World War II. Dr. Golter was excited to see them and went around and greeted them. It was Christmas time and he said to them; "Merry Christmas to you!" Obviously shocked by his greeting, they replied; "We’re Jews." "Well, I know," said Dr. Golter, "but Merry Christmas anyway." Once again, they replied; "we’re Jews. We don’t celebrate Christmas." "I know" he said, "but if you did, what would you want for Christmas?" "Well if we did," they replied, "then we would probably want some fine German pastries." With that in mind, Dr. Golter found a shop that sold fine German pastries, cashed in his ticket home and purchased boxes and boxes of pastry. He took it back to the barns and attics and sheds and handed it out to the Jews saying, "Merry Christmas to you. Merry Christmas." That story was told many years later in the presence of Dr. Golter at a seminary where he was invited to speak. As he got up to the microphone a young seminarian stood up and said to Dr. Golter, "I can’t believe you did that. Those people aren’t Christians. They don’t even believe in Jesus Christ!" Dr. Golter nodded his head and said, "I know." Then he added, "But I do!" We celebrate that the Light has come into our world in the person of Jesus Christ. And with this season of Advent and Christmas we are called to receive that light anew and afresh, to go from this place to bear witness to the Light until that day comes when the light of Christ lights the entire world.
I want to close with a story that is told by the renown Disciples author and preacher, Fred Craddock of Dr. Oswald Golter. Dr. Golter was a missionary to China more than 60 years ago. After World War II he was asked to leave China and return to the states. So his missionary society wired him a ticket and Dr. Golter made his way to India to catch a ship home. While he was there he noticed that there were many Jews living in the area - they were living in attics and sheds and barns. They were there because India was one of the few countries in the world that welcomed the Jews following World War II. Dr. Golter was excited to see them and went around and greeted them. It was Christmas time and he said to them; "Merry Christmas to you!" Obviously shocked by his greeting, they replied; "We’re Jews." "Well, I know," said Dr. Golter, "but Merry Christmas anyway." Once again, they replied; "we’re Jews. We don’t celebrate Christmas." "I know" he said, "but if you did, what would you want for Christmas?" "Well if we did," they replied, "then we would probably want some fine German pastries." With that in mind, Dr. Golter found a shop that sold fine German pastries, cashed in his ticket home and purchased boxes and boxes of pastry. He took it back to the barns and attics and sheds and handed it out to the Jews saying, "Merry Christmas to you. Merry Christmas." That story was told many years later in the presence of Dr. Golter at a seminary where he was invited to speak. As he got up to the microphone a young seminarian stood up and said to Dr. Golter, "I can’t believe you did that. Those people aren’t Christians. They don’t even believe in Jesus Christ!" Dr. Golter nodded his head and said, "I know." Then he added, "But I do!" We celebrate that the Light has come into our world in the person of Jesus Christ. And with this season of Advent and Christmas we are called to receive that light anew and afresh, to go from this place to bear witness to the Light until that day comes when the light of Christ lights the entire world.
posted by Pastor Christopher @ 4:07 PM
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