"Show and Tell"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Deuteronomy 18:15-20 and Mark 1:21-28.

Anyone who has ever been around small children for any length of time knows that whatever they see or hear will inevitably get repeated. Those of you who are parents know exactly what I’m talking about. I can think of several occasions in which Miriam repeated things that we didn’t necessarily want repeated.
Perhaps you can relate to the father who was driving his five year son to a friend’s house when another car cuts them off and nearly causes them to wreck. The father yells, “You idiot!” A moment later he realizes what he said and quickly pulls the car over. He turns to face his son and says, “Now son, your father just said a not-so-nice word and I know that I shouldn’t have, but I was angry at that driver. Still, there’s no excuse for what I said. It was wrong. But just because I said it, doesn’t make it right, and I don’t want to hear you saying it. Do you understand?” His son looks at him and says, “Whatever you say, you idiot!”
Maybe, that’s one of the reasons why “show and tell” is such a sacred time among kindergarten and first grade classes, because every teacher knows that there’s no way to prevent their students from telling everything they know. And so, teachers try to structure it in such a way that it becomes a learning experience.
For starters, “show and tell” gives children experience in public speaking. It is also a great method in teaching children the connection between seeing and hearing, and verbally relating what they see to others. I can recall, as a child, being excited about “show and tell,” because I was eager to share something that was important to me with my friends and classmates.
Miriam always enjoys “show and tell” day at her preschool. She takes great pride in picking out what she is going to show and rehearses what she will tell about it.
I heard of a kindergarten teacher who always made a bargain with the parents of her students at the beginning of every school year. She would say, “If you don’t believe everything you hear about what happens in class, then I won’t believe everything I hear about what happens at home.”
As many of you know, Shel Silverstein is my favorite children’s poets. I remember reading such books of his as, Where the Sidewalk Ends and Falling Up as child. To this day, Amber and I will occasionally read his poetry as a way of getting in touch with our inner child. He has written a poem entitled, "Show and Smell" which reads:

“I found a flounder and I thought, ‘Swell,
I’ll take it to school for show and tell.’
But I forgot, for quite a spell,
To take it to school for show and tell,
And now it’s two weeks later… Well…
I’ll take it to school for show and smell.”

In our Gospel Lesson this morning, and really the entire first chapter of Mark’s gospel, is full of “show and tell.” Jesus was beginning his ministry at a synagogue in Capernaum. And I think it is important to note that Capernaum was really the “headquarters” of Christ ministry. In fact, it is mentioned twenty-two times in the Gospels. And the ruins of a synagogue at Capernaum can still be seen to this day, dating back to the second to fourth century C.E.
This chapter depicts Jesus speaking four times. First, he said; “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.” His next words were to Simon and Andrew: “Follow me,” says Jesus, “and I will make you fishers of people.” Third, he taught those gathered for worship, and the people were amazed because he taught with authority. And finally, he rebuked the unclean spirit that was tormenting a man in the synagogue, by saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And not only did Jesus’ words tell who he was, but his actions showed it.
But this “show and tell” isn’t limited to Jesus in the first chapter of Mark’s gospel. In fact, we see that other characters are quick to “show and tell” the reader who Jesus is. In fact, the gospel writer begins his book in chapter 1 by proclaiming, “the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” And then John the Baptist describes Jesus as one who is “mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie,” who will “baptize with the Holy Spirit.” And then the Spirit is shown descending like a dove at Jesus’ baptism, and a voice from heaven announces, “You are my beloved Son; in whom I am well pleased.” And then the unclean spirit confesses that Jesus is “the Holy One of God,” and finally the crowd at the synagogue is astonished by Jesus’ power and the authority in which he speaks.
Those of you who are interested in astrology, know that tomorrow is a significant day, it is what is considered a cross-quarter day. February the 2nd is the mid-point between a solstice and an equinox. It means that we are nearly halfway through winter. And you thought that tomorrow was just Groundhog Day. But the cross-quarter day means, in effect, the gradual return of light and warmth; and in ancient times, this was worth celebrating. Many of you can remember when we use to have a winter. When the ground would literally freeze, and be snow covered all winter long. When snow would be measured not in inches but in feet. Some of you can remember having to venture out in this winter weather to draw water, feed animals, and do many of the other daily chores. Many of you can remember not having the luxury of turning on the heat, you had to cut wood, build fires, and do whatever possible to stay warm. Pagan and Celtic cultures marked this cross-quarter day with a festival and with great bonfires as a way to welcome back the sun from its winter sabbatical. People could once again start thinking about spring planting and summer growth.
The Church, as it began to spread throughout the world and encountered these pagan cultures and rituals, often played off their traditions and gave them religious and spiritual meaning. And so, the Church, without missing a beat, appropriated the concept and designated the winter cross-quarter day as the day to celebrate the gradual return of the sun’s light by blessing and lighting candles. It became known as the Feast of Candlemas, and was and is a reminder that Christ is the light who brings salvation and who brings the warmth of God’s love.
And, while few of us give little thought to this cross-quarter day, other than looking to a groundhog to predict the forecast for the remainder of winter, still, the gradual shift from winter to spring provides an wonderful metaphor for our own spiritual journey, and certainly it is a beautiful reminder of what was going on in our First Reading from the Book of Deuteronomy. Here, we also see a journey and transformation. The Book of Deuteronomy addresses the distance between the exile in Egypt and life in the Promised Land. And so, in chapter 18 they are passing through Moab on virtually the last leg of their long and strenuous journey - they were almost there. And like the people of old, who were desperately waiting for spring, so the people of Israel had become tired and were ready to settle down. And so they said as one, “If I hear the voice of the Lord my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die.”
That “great fire,” of course, was not the fire of our pagan ancestors, in which they lit to ward off the evil spirits, but it was the fire of God’s Presence, that dwelt with them in the wilderness. Like a beacon in the night, that fire was a sign and a reassurance to the people that God was with them through their wilderness wandering. But now that time of journey and exile was coming to an end. Change was at hand. As the people were about to enter the land given to them, God promised a prophet who would speak the word of the Lord with authority and authenticity after Moses was gone. ‘I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet who shall speak … everything that I command,’ said the Lord.” And, of course, God would raise up many who would fulfill this prophecy throughout Israel’s history, beginning with Joshua who would succeed Moses. But it was Christ who was the ultimate fulfillment of that prophecy. Christ is for us the prophet who now speaks “with authority.” He brings light and life to our cold world. As the Israelites in the wilderness longed to settle in the Promised Land, so we long for the full manifestation of God’s kingdom.
For Christians, transformation must become a way of life. Christ has changed everything. He has brought reconciliation and hope to a world darkened by the consequences of sin and death.
For it is in the cross of Christ that this new life is possible. And certainly this gives a whole new meaning and understanding to the term “cross-quarter day.” Like all living things, we turn to the Light – to Christ for life. The tradition in the Church of blessing and lighting candles may not be as popular today as it was centuries ago, yet it was and is a reminder that we are those candles and we are go forth to show and tell the world about the Light of Christ.
Our Gospel Lesson shows and tells us that no one who encountered Jesus was unaffected. There was always a reaction. Lives were changed and people showed it both by their reaction and by telling others.
An old gospel song expresses well a Christian’s aspiration to show and tell others who Jesus is:

“Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.
All his wonderful passion and purity.
O, Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine
Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.
Let the fruit of the Spirit be seen in me;
Grant me grace all sufficient that I may be
True and faithful every day, every step of the way,
Pointing souls to the Savior on Calvary.”

And so, may this song be true of our lives as we revert back to our childhood and “show and tell” others of Christ.

"Can Anything Good Come Out From Edgemont?"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on John 1:43-51.

I like the story of the young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she came to the question on the college application which asked; “Are you a leader?” Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, “No,” and returned the application, expecting the worst. To her surprise, she received this letter from the college; “Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveal that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower.”
In our Gospel Lesson this morning, Phillip comes to Nathanael and proclaims that he has found the one whom Moses wrote about. He is Jesus of Nazareth. While we do not know what expression Nathanael had on his face, I think that it is safe to say that his expression must have revealed the cynical tone of his response; “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” And Phillip answered; “Come and see.”
For some reason, January is the month for every “Ten Best” and “Ten Worst” list imaginable. January editions of magazines, television, and news media find it necessary to include a feature on some “Ten Worst” or “Ten Best” list. The ten best movies, the ten worst videos, the ten best books, the ten worst dressed, the ten best trends, the ten worst investments, the ten best colleges, the ten worst places to live, and the list goes on and on.
And this morning we see that even this “worst list” has made its way into our Gospel Lesson. Nathanael, upon hearing that Jesus’ hometown is that of Nazareth, asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” I think it is interesting that historically, Nazareth was not perceived in such a way. Yet, Nathanael’s statement has forever tarnished this small, dusty, insignificant village of stone homes struggling to stay solvent. While Nazareth was, indeed, unremarkable, undistinguished, and unconsidered, it didn’t have such the negative image that Nathanael paints. Just like many of those “Ten Best” and “Ten Worst” lists, it was a matter of perception.
But in many ways, we are a lot like Nathanael. In many respects we take on this cynical attitude when it comes to the church. It is easy for us to sit back in our pews and ask, “Can anything good come from Edgemont? But, this is a good question for us to ask ourselves as we embark on a new year of ministry? Minus the cynicism, “Can anything good come from Edgemont?” Sure we can look at our average weekly attendance and our offering, we can look at the amount of participation at worship services and in church programs, we even look around at the spirit and enthusiasm of the people to help us answer that question, but we must not fail to look at ourselves before we can truly answer that question. “Can anything good come from Edgemont?” each of us determines the answer to that question.
Oftentimes, to measure the psychology of a church it’s leaders will compare its quality to its quantity. That is to say, they will take the qualitative features of the church such as worship, fellowship, missions, education, and activities for children, youth and adults and measure them against the church’s quantitative response such as stewardship, participation, attitude and overall level of support. Certainly, this is a good exercise for any church. But I can’t help but think how do we measure up in terms of quality verses quantity? “Can anything good come from Edgemont?”
Keep in mind, John and Andrew were originally disciples of John the Baptist. He had introduced them to Jesus, and, in time, they would become two of Jesus’ closest disciples. From that moment that John had declared that Jesus was the Lamb of God and baptized him in the River Jordan, John and Andrew followed Jesus. I love how the gospel writer records that Jesus turned, saw them following and asked; “What are you looking for?” I mean, it must have startled them, but I love their response, they responded to Jesus’ question with a question; “Where are you staying?” And Jesus answered them; “Come and see.”
Jesus said; “Come and see!” And they went with him and spent all day with him. At the end of the day, they returned convinced that Jesus was the Christ - the Messiah. And then we see evangelism at work, we are told that Andrew found his brother Peter and said to him; “We have found the Messiah!”
And then our Gospel Lesson picks up with the next day, when Jesus is in Galilee and calls Phillip to come and follow him and he does. And then once again, we see evangelism at work as Phillip goes to Nathanael and says; “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” And Nathanael said to him; “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” And Philip said to him, “Come and see!” I love those words; “Come and see!”
Lakeside Wesleyan Church once did a survey in which they asked, “How does the church grow?” And this is what they discovered; 6% just walk in and join on their own, 10% join because the church has a good program for children, youth, and adults, 6% join because the church has a good pastor, 3% join because of some special or unique need, 2% join because of the general visitation by the pastor or a member of the church, 7% join because of a good church school, 1% join because of a revival, and 65% join because they are invited by friends, relatives, or a church member! “Come and see!” When was the last time you said that?
Nathan Williams told of two men who had been business partners for over twenty years. They met one Sunday morning as they were leaving a restaurant. One of them asked, “Where are you going this morning?” He said; “Well, I’m going to go play golf. What about you?” The first man responded rather apologetically, “Well, I’m going to church.” The other man said, “Why don't you give up that church stuff? What’s the point of it all?” The man asked, “What do you mean?” “Well, we have been partners for over twenty years. We have worked together, attended board meetings together, and had lunch together, and in all of these twenty years you have never asked me once about going to church. You have never invited me to go with you. Obviously, it doesn't mean that much to you.”
Rich Mullins who was a renown Christian artist and, in some ways, a great theologian said, “I asked my dad once how he knew he was ready to get married.” And he said; “Oh, I didn’t, in fact, the only reason I got married was because I wasn’t ready. If I had known what I was in for I would have run screaming from the church.” So Rich, rather confused said; “Are you sorry that you did it?” And his father said, “No, I am not sorry at all.” He said, “I didn’t understand at the time what I meant when I said, ‘I do,’ but I am so glad I did. I had no idea that my wife was going to live this long or what a glorious life she would give me.” Certainly, John and Andrew, Phillip and Nathanael didn’t realize what it fully meant when they said, “Yes,” that day to Jesus’ call. But, I can imagine that they were glad they did. And the same is true for us.
Bill Gates once said, “In terms of allocation of time and resources, religion is not very efficient.” He went on to say, “There’s a lot more I could be doing on Sunday morning then sitting in church waiting on God.” And, certainly, he’s right. There is a lot more you and I could be doing with our time then sitting here on Sunday morning. Why do we come to church? For what purpose? You see, that business partner was right, Bill Gates was right, if all we do is come to church each Sunday morning and walk out the doors unchanged, untouched, and unresponsive, we are wasting our time, there are a lot of other more useful things we could be doing. But, if in coming to church, we experience the life-giving power and presence of God; if we find ourselves uplifted and strengthened for daily living; if we are compelled to go forth as evangelist, like John, Andrew, and Phillip then we haven’t wasted our time and something good is indeed coming from Edgemont, and that something good is you and me living out our faith. Can anything good come from Edgemont? My response is, “Yes, I am looking at it!” Amen.

"We Rejoice in God, Maker of Heaven and Earth"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Genesis 1:1-4 and Mark 1:4-11.

Perhaps you heard about the argument that the doctor, the architect, and the lawyer had over which one had the oldest profession. The doctor said, “Well the first operation was performed on Adam, so the medical profession is, without a doubt, the oldest.” “I’m afraid you are mistaken,” said the architect, “Architectural planning and design was needed to create the earth and the universe out of chaos, so I represent the oldest profession.” “Both of you are wronged” said the lawyer, “Where do you think the chaos came from?”
In the first chapter of book of Genesis we are given the beautiful litany of creation. And, without a doubt, these words have caused a great deal of controversy in light of modern science. However, we should recognize the fact that the author was not concerned with science as we understand it. He knew nothing of our scientific approach or method, nor was not concerned with it. He certainly was not attempting to produce a detailed account which centuries later might be said to be correct or incorrect, judged by the scientific method. His concern was not merely the scientific, but the religious emphasis. He was interested in God’s part in the creation of the universe. In the first chapter of Genesis the expression “and God” is found some thirty times. In fact, almost every sentence in the chapter is a statement of what God did or said. The writer does not specify the method or even the process used in the creation of the world. To him the important fact is that the eternal God is the sole creator. Matter is not eternal, God alone is eternal. God is not confined to the universe; God is over all and in all.
As Disciples, we do not adhere to any set creed. In fact, we affirm; “No Creed but Christ.” While we feel that creeds are somewhat restricting and limiting when it comes to matters of faith, we do understand the value and the significance creeds can play on faith. In fact, the late Colbert Cartwright wrote in his book; People of the Chalice: Disciples of Christ in Faith and Practice, that “in recent years we, as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have recognized the significance of creedal statements… the continuing value of creeds lies not in their containing the essence of faith, for that lies in a living relationship to Christ. Rather, they remind us that the gospel does have a basic shape which is lost at our peril. They have stood at different points in history to guide, guard and keep us faithful to the biblical story. For it is important that we be reminded by historic creeds that God is the Creator, the Redeemer and the Sustainer of all life.”
Since the fourth century the church has professed through the Nicene Creed:

“We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ...
Through him all things were made.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life.”

As Disciples we affirm through our Preamble of Design, “We rejoice in God, maker of heaven and earth.” The story is told that Sir Isaac Newton, who had a model of the solar system in his office, had a friend and colleague, who was an atheist, stop by his office one day. The fellow scientist upon seeing this model said; “My! What an exquisite thing this is! Who made it?” Sir Isaac Newton replied, “Nobody.” The scientist looked amazed as he said skeptically, “You must think I’m a fool. Of course someone made it, and whoever that person is, is a genius.” Sir Isaac Newton got up, walked around his desk, put his hand on the shoulder of his friend and said earnestly, “This thing is but a puny imitation of a much grander system whose laws you and I know. I am not able to convince you that this mere toy is without a designer and maker; yet you profess to believe that the great original from which the design is taken has come into being without a designer or maker. Now tell me, by what sort of reasoning do you reach such an absurd conclusion?”
Within the opening verses of Genesis we are told that God calls the universe into existence, and all of creation responds to God’s call. Creation has order and structure. It is transfigured and reveals God’s presence, but it is natural, not divine. It is dependent upon God.
We can’t help but notice the beautiful parallelism and connection between our First Reading from Genesis and our Gospel Lesson this morning. Both stories incorporate water, the ruah, which is to say the wind or Spirit of God, and creation. The image of the Spirit of God moving over the waters at creation, remind us of Jesus’ baptism. The only difference is one speaks of Creation and the other speaks of Re-creation. Theologically speaking, baptism as new creation can be seen against the backdrop of the original creation, in that, just as the original act of God inaugurated the first creation, so the baptism of Jesus inaugurated re-creation. In Genesis it is creation that is being born, in Mark it’s creation that is being re-born in Jesus.
Some of you may remember an episode from the old Andy Griffith television show in which the Women’s Historical Society discovered that a living descendant of a Revolutionary War hero was living right in Mayberry. The news generated excitement and curiosity throughout the town as people made plans for recognizing the hero’s relative. Barney Fife, of course, twisted his own family tree to the point that he put himself in line for the honor. The rest of the townspeople felt special just because someone among them was related to a hero.
However, everyone was shocked when the person was finally revealed. A careful analysis of the records determined that the hero’s descendent was none other than, Otis Campbell, the town drunk. Despite suggestions to find a “substitute Otis” for the presentation, the real Otis showed up for the ceremony true to form. When the ladies finally give him the plaque, Otis holds it in his hands for a moment, and then decides instead to give the plaque to the town. He tells them, “Just because you’re the descendent of a hero doesn’t make you one too. So I would like to present this plaque to the town of Mayberry, to which I am just proud to belong.”
The same God who called creation into existence, who descended on Jesus in the waters of the Jordan River and affirmed “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well-pleased,” is the same God who meets us in the waters of baptism and affirms that we are God’s beloved children, that we belong to God’s family - to God’s kingdom.
The creation story is not over - it’s not finished. God is still creating and has declared us as co-creators. In the words of that hymn we sang this morning by Jane Parker Huber:

“Creator God, creating still, by will and word and deed,
Create a new humanity to meet the present need.
Redeemer God, redeeming still, with overflowing grace,
Pour out your love on us, through us, make this a holy place.
Sustaining God, sustaining still, with strength for every day,
Empower us now to do your will. Correct us when we stray.
Great Trinity, for this new day we need your presence still.
Create, redeem and sustain us now to do your work and will.”

The description found in Genesis of the earth as it existed in the beginning was similar to our own lives - formless, with no shape or matter, void of meaning, joy or satisfaction, empty and dark. But through water and word, God created us into a new creation. As Paul writes in II Corinthians chapter 5; “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
And so, as we begin a new year and look at the mostly empty calendar in front of us, our Scripture Lessons this morning invite us to allow the Spirit of God to invade our lives; that God may fill our emptiness with purpose and meaning. God will bring order out of the chaos and God will illuminate the darkness with light!
And so, may we affirm:

“We rejoice in God,
maker of heaven and earth,
and in God’s covenant of love
which binds us to God and to one another.
Through baptism into Christ
we enter into newness of life
and are made one with the whole people of God.
In the communion of the Holy Spirit
we are joined together in discipleship
and in obedience to Christ.
At the Table of the Lord
we celebrate with thanksgiving
the saving acts and presence of Christ.
Within the universal church
we receive the gift of ministry
and the light of scripture.
In the bonds of Christian faith
we yield ourselves to God
that we may serve the One
whose kingdom has no end.
Blessing, glory, and honor
be to God forever. Amen.”

"Becoming a Seeker"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Matthew 2:1-12.

I just finished reading William Young’s book entitled: The Shack. The book tells the story of an Oregon man whose young daughter is kidnapped. Her bloody dress is discovered in a shack in the forest, but not her body. Obviously, the girl’s father, Mack, is filled with anger, doubt and questions. God invites Mack to go to the shack where he spends several days with God who shows up in various forms. Mack has many questions for God and, by the end of the book, he has grown at ease with speaking his mind.
I found the book to be both interesting, as well as reassuring in matters of faith. I mean, after all, who among us has not struggled with doubts and questions? And this book invites us to bring those questions to God and, it reassures us, that God welcomes our questions, our doubts, our fears, our uncertainties; for it is in such circumstances that our faith can become stronger and more resilient, as it does for Mack.
But there’s one part of the book that I found very interesting. The opening lines are from Jesus who says: “'Christian? Who said anything about being a Christian? I am not a Christian.’ The idea struck Mack as odd and unexpected, and he couldn’t keep from grinning. ‘No,’ he said, ‘I suppose you aren’t.’ They arrived at the door of the workshop. Again, Jesus stopped. ‘Those who love me,’ he said to Mack, ‘come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims, Democrats, Republicans and many of whom don’t even vote or are not a part of any Sunday morning or religious institutions. I have followers who were murderers and many who were self-righteous. Some are bankers and bookies, Americans and Iraqis, Jews and Palestinians. I have no desire to make them Christian, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters…’ ‘Does that mean,’ asked Mack, ‘that all roads lead to you?’ ‘Not at all,’ smiled Jesus as he reached for the door handle to the shop… ‘What it means is that I will travel any road to find you.’” What a powerful reminder for us on this Epiphany Sunday. “I will travel any road to find you.” Those words become real in the story of the Magi.
Now, while it is true that Epiphany isn’t really celebrated until January the 6th, which happens to be on Tuesday this year, many churches will observe it on the Sunday prior, as we are today. Epiphany commemorates the arrival of the Magi to the Christ-child and is the celebration of God’s love reaching out to all people - both Jews and Gentiles.
You know, anyone who has ever done a cross-reference of Matthew and Luke’s birth narratives knows that there is very little in common with these two interpretations. In fact, trying to put the two stories together can be a bit confusing and complicating. While many would claim that they contradict one another, I think it is important to understand that they do offer two different interpretations and perspectives on the birth of Christ. Each gospel writer presents Jesus in a different light, to a different audience.
But no doubt, the shift between Luke and Matthew’s accounts are dramatic: exit shepherds, enter wise men; exit stable, enter palace; exit poverty, enter wealth; exit angels, enter dreams; exit Mary’s lullaby, enter Rachel’s crying. But one of the few things that the two gospel writers do have in common is an emphasis on traveling. The story is about people making trips: from Nazareth to Bethlehem; from the fields to the manger; from Judea to Egypt. And, of course, the best known and longest of these trips, is the journey from Persia to Palestine, a trip for which even MapQuest wouldn’t give directions for.
The Magi were astrologers, likely from the area of modern-day Iraq or Iran. They spent most of their time star-gazing. They were professional scholars, schooled in the science of astrology, not to mention very educated in religion and philosophy. They were rich, respected and wise men. They were on speaking terms with the king.
I think it is interesting to point out that the word “magi” is the root word from which we get our word “magician” from. I love John Welwood’s definition for “magic”. He defines it as: “[the] sudden opening of the mind to the wonder of existence. It is a sense that there is much more to life than we usually recognize… that life contains many dimensions, depths, textures and meanings extending far beyond our familiar beliefs and concepts.” And certainly we see this at play here in the story of the Magi - through the star God opens their eyes, their minds to the wonder of God’s existence in the person of a child.
Certainly, Matthew wants us to see something beyond the familiar. He wants us to open our hearts and our minds to the wonder of God’s love and presence in the person of Jesus Christ. Every one of us has a longing for God deep within us. We don’t always recognize this desire for what it is, but we feel it. Our spirits hunger for meaning, our souls long for hope, and our hearts yearn for love. That’s what compels us to come to church. Sure, we come here with mixed emotions and motives, but at least part of our reason for being here is the faint hope that we will feel God’s presence. We are here in response to a longing. We have been called forth like the magi, led by the light of a star. We have felt the pull of God’s love. The Magi represent that noble spirit of curiosity that is within all of us, that searches for truth and goes the distance to find it - and having found it embraces it.
With the new year, comes reflection. Oftentimes, we find ourselves looking back upon the road they have traveled and looking ahead on where we going. Interestingly enough, the month of January is named for Janus, one of the few Roman gods without a Greek counterpart. Janus was depicted as having a double face. One face looked to the past for wisdom and the other looked ahead to the future.
The Christian faith isn’t a set of beliefs, but a willingness to travel - a willingness to pursue God’s gentle light and presence. Christianity is not a place to stand, but a direction in which we move. God invites us to follow the star, to seek him, to draw near him. And so, let’s seek to find avenues to travel that we draw us closer to God.
As I read Young’s book, The Shack, I couldn’t help but think of Jeremiah, who God called not to a shack but to a potter’s house. It was there that that God reassured Jeremiah that he and all of Israel were in the hands of God - the Master Potter.
And so, on this first Sunday of the New Year, on this Epiphany Sunday and throughout this season, let us seek to truly experience the epiphany, the revelation and manifestation of God’s love and light; let us allow God to shape and mold our lives, our church, and, more importantly, let us also seek to be an epiphany of God’s love to one others.

"Do You See What I See?"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Luke 2:22-33.

One of my favorite aspects of Christmas is the Christmas carols. In fact, long before the Advent and Christmas season begins, I will start listening to Christmas carols; in the car, in the office and even at home. Carols such as “O Holy Night,” “Silent Night,” “Away in a Manger” are all favorites of mine. But perhaps, one that we don’t tend to think of much or give too much attention to is the carol; “Do You See What I See?” Probably one of the reasons we don’t think about this carol too much is because it is a fairly new carol. Considering that many of the carols we sing were written in the early 1800’s and some come to us from as early as the 13th century. But the carol; “Do You See What I See?” was written in 1962, only forty-six years ago.
The story of the carol begins with the night wind, and the night wind sees what Christmas is all about. And so the night wind tells the little lamb, and then the little lamb sees what Christmas is all about. And so the little lamb tells the shepherd body and the shepherd boy sees what Christmas is all about, and he goes to the mighty king and he says to the mighty king; “Do you know what I know?” And so, after listening to the shepherd boy, the mighty king says to everyone, everywhere; “Listen to what I say?” and the king announces to his kingdom: “The child, the child, sleeping in the night. He will bring you goodness and light.”
The carol forces us to ask; “Do you see what I see?” It forces us to ask ourselves what does Christmas mean to me. What do I see?
And it is with this mood that we approach the story of Simeon in our Gospel Lesson this morning. Oftentimes, in the church, we have a tendency to jump right over this story. We move from the nativity, right to Jesus’ baptism, without ever pausing to consider, what scholars refer to as the lost years of Jesus’ life. Keep in mind, Simeon had been promised by God that he would see the Messiah, the promised one of God, before he died.
According to Hebrew tradition, eight days after Jesus was born, he was circumcised, and then about 33 days after Jesus’ circumcision, or 40 days after His birth, His parents took Him to Jerusalem to be dedicated to the Lord. According to Leviticus chapter 12, every male child was to be brought to the temple in Jerusalem for dedication to the Lord at the completion of a mother’s purification. Not only would they have brought Jesus with them, but also a sacrifice and in this case it was either a lamb or, in the case of Mary and Joseph who were poor, they could offer two turtle doves or two pigeons. The offering was an atonement for Mary’s purification. This sacrifice also was symbolic of their devotion and the covenant that they were making with God in dedicating themselves and their child to God.
This would have been a very sacred moment for the family, filled with awe and reverence. As it is for any parent who brings their baby to the church to dedicate him or her to God.
The temple was a magnificent structure, one hundred and fifty feet high. It had been built by Herod the Great and it was fairly new, only about thirty years old and it was certainly the most elaborate and magnificent structure in all of Israel. And so Mary and Joseph came to this temple to dedicate their first-born son to God.
And, Simeon, upon seeing this baby, affirms; “Lord, now let your servant can depart in peace. Now let your servant die, for my eyes have seen. I have seen your salvation that you have prepared for all people, for those who are Jews and for those who are not Jews. Lord God, I can depart in peace for my eyes have finally seen.” Do you see what I see, said the night wind to the little lamb?”
When Simeon look at this baby Jesus, he didn’t just see a dark haired, brown eyes and brown skin little baby. He didn’t see just a man and a woman with a baby child. He saw! He saw that this child was going to be the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world.
Certainly, Simeon forces us to ask ourselves; “What do we see?” “Do we see what Simeon saw?”
There are two words in the Greek language for the word “to see”. The first word is the word, blepo. Which is the word for that which is literally seen by the eye. But there is a second word in the Greek language for the word, “to see,” and it is the word, horao, which means “to see deeply,” It is more than sight, it is insight.
Perhaps some of you have seen the comedy: Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby. If you saw the movie, one of the most unforgettable scenes is when Ricky Bobby, his family, and his best friend are all gathered around the table about to eat. Ricky Bobby offers to say grace and he begins his prayer with the words; “Dear tiny infant Jesus…”, before he can continue his prayer, he is interrupted by his wife who says; “Um, honey, you do know that Jesus grew up, right? You don’t have to call him ‘baby’. To which, Ricky Bobby replies; “Well, I’m more comfortable with the Christmas Jesus, and I'm saying grace. When you say grace, you can say it to grown up Jesus, or teenage Jesus, or bearded Jesus, or whatever you want.” And so, Ricky Bobby starts his prayer again and says; “Dear tiny, 8 pound, 6 ounce baby Jesus…”
We have traveled to Bethlehem’s manger to welcome, once again, the birth of Christ into our world, but more importantly, into our hearts and lives. But when we look into the manger what do we see? Do we see only a baby? Or do we see more than a baby? Do we see what Simeon saw? Do we see the Word made flesh who dwells among us? Do we see Emmanuel - God with us? Do we see the Savior and Redeemer of our lives? What do you see?
Perhaps you’ve heard the story of the proud parents who brought their firstborn home from the hospital and placed him in a beautiful wooden cradle. Over the months and years as he grew, the cradle that had once swallowed him could no longer contain him. He began to look like a giant in a baby’s bed. His parents, though, kept the cradle as a symbol of their son’s birth; but the boy could not stay in the cradle forever. He outgrew it!
And the same is true of Christmas. Certainly, we cannot have Christmas without the cradle; but the fact remains, Jesus did not stay in the manger - he outgrew the cradle and eventually became a man who would become the Savior of the world! Do you see what Simeon saw?

“Said the king to the people everywhere,
‘Listen to what I say!
Pray for peace, people, everywhere,
Listen to what I say!
The Child, the Child sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light,
And he will bring us goodness and light.’”

"Making Christmas Last!"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Titus 2:11-14.

Rev. Barrington Bates recalls walking down Eleventh Street in New York’s Greenwich Village on Christmas morning couple of years ago. She was headed to church, to prepare for the 11:00 a.m. service. To her disappointment, she said that there, at the curb, was someone’s Christmas tree laid out for the trash truck to carry off. She said; “It was 9:30 on Christmas morning and one of the neighbors, had already taken down the decorations and the lights; and carried one of the central symbols of Christmas to the curb for the Department of Sanitation.
A cartoon in the New Yorker magazine says it all. In the middle of the floor is a dried up, withered, Christmas tree. The calendar on the wall reads December the 26th. Dad is sitting in his chair with an ice pack on his head. Mom is in a bathrobe and her hair in rollers. The floor is a virtual mountain of torn wrappings, boxes, and bows. Junior is reaching in his stocking to be sure that there is no more candy. In the background we see a table with a thoroughly picked turkey still sitting there. The caption on the cartoon reads simply: “The morning after.”
Well, perhaps we feel a little that way. Perhaps we fell somewhat let down. If you feel that way it is quite understandable. Over the past weeks our emotions have been wound tighter than a toy doll. Our festivities have led up to near fever pitch. And then, suddenly, it is all over. Is it any wonder that it is somewhat of a let down. .
A number of years ago, when Lou Holtz was at the University of Arkansas, he was taking his team to play a bowl game in Tempe, Arizona. The game was to be played on Christmas day. He was asked how he felt about playing a game on Christmas, rather than being with his family. The coach answered candidly: "I would rather be in Tempe. After all, once you have been to church, had Christmas dinner, and opened the presents, Christmas is the most boring day of the year."
Is it possible to lose the spirit of Christmas that quickly? Let us be candid that as we take down the decorations for another year, there is a sinking emptiness and an emotional let down. Amber and I, several years ago gave up purchasing a live Christian tree everywhere. I mean, we tried all of the tricks to keep the tree green and alive. We put aspirins in the water, then we would try sugar, and other solutions, but regardless of our efforts, the tree would always wither and dry out. Why? because it had been cut off from its roots.
And maybe that is our problem this morning. Maybe we have trouble making Christmas last because we have become cut off from our roots. Or, to put it another way, maybe our celebration of Christmas is not deeply rooted enough.
Howard Thurman wrote:

"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 the flocks,
then the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal those broken in spirit,
to feed the hungry,
to release the oppressed,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among all peoples,
to make a little music with the heart…
And to radiate the Light of Christ,
every day, in every way, in all that we do and in all that we say.
Then the work of Christmas begins."

In the church, the season of Advent ends on Christmas Eve, and then we begin the season of Christmas or Christmastide. We celebrate the season of Christmas for 12 days, until January the 6th, which is Epiphany Day. During those twelve days the church invites us contemplate the mystery of God’s love taking on flesh and living among us. Someone has written: “The church has given us…

"Twelve days, to see behind the sense of obligation the underlying love that each gift given represents.
Twelve days, to realize how much we are loved by God.
Twelve days, to appreciate how little we deserve that love.
Twelve days, to comprehend that we have done nothing to earn that love.
Twelve days, to believe that God loves us unconditionally.
Twelve days, to revel in this good news of great joy.
Twelve days, to understand what it is to worship, Emmanuel - God with us.
Twelve days, to feast on the joy of our redemption.
Twelve days, to spread the word, as tidings of comfort and joy.
Twelve days, to sing, with one accord, our praises to our heavenly Lord.
Twelve days, to let the flames of love lead us to the joys of heaven.
Twelve days, to comprehend how much we, each of us, are capable of giving and receiving the one gift that endures: love."

Merry Christmas to each of you!

"You Can Stay At My House"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Luke 2:1-7.

Marian Edelman tells of her friend and mentor the late Rev. William Coffin, Jr., and the best sermon he “never” preached at the Riverside Church in New York City where he was the pastor. It was Christmas Eve night and the pews of the church were packed. The Christmas pageant was underway and had come to the pivotal point at which the innkeeper was to turn away Mary and Joseph with the resounding line, “There’s no room at the inn!” Although the character of the innkeeper never appears in scripture, we’ve all imagined him delivering the message of “no room at the inn” to Mary and Joseph. This part was played by Tim, a warm and affectionate teenager of the congregation who had Down Syndrome. Only one line to remember: “There’s no room at the inn!” He had practiced it again and again with his parents and with the pageant director. He seemed to have mastered it. So there he stood at the altar of the sanctuary, in costume, as Mary and Joseph made their way down the center aisle. They approached him, said their lines as rehearsed and waited for his reply. Tim’s parents, the pageant director, and the whole congregation almost leaned forward as if willing him to remember his line. “There’s no room at the inn!” Tim recited, just as rehearsed. But then, as Mary and Joseph turned on cue to travel further, Tim suddenly yelled; “Wait!” They turned back, startled, along with the entire congregation, and looked at him in surprise. “You can stay at my house!” he said. Tim had effectively preached the sermon at Riverside Church that Christmas Eve and so, as Rev. Coffin walked to the pulpit, he looked out at the congregation, all of whom had tears in their eyes and said, “Amen,” and then he sat down. It was the best sermon he never preached.
Probably the most familiar and recognizable words of the Christmas story are those that read; “And she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). These resounding words have echoed throughout the course of time and they challenge us to ask ourselves is there any room for the Christ of Christmas in our celebration, in our lives? Sadly, many have answered, “NO!” Perhaps, not deliberately; but unintentionally. Perhaps, they have allowed all of the commotion and confusion, all of the hype and excitement, all of the hustle and bustle of this season to crowd Christ out. Perhaps these words are so familiar to us because they ring true not only in our society today, but also in our own lives. “And she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).
We have spent the last four weeks remodeling our hearts to make room for this child, and preparing our homes for the celebrations that honor his birth. We knew he was coming all along. In the weeks leading up to Christmas we rehearsed the hope of the prophets; we prayed for a lasting peace; we contemplated the joy of our salvation; and we reveled in the gift of God’s brilliant love to us in the person of Jesus Christ. Just as Mary knew she would bear the child after nine months of pregnancy, so we knew that we would gather on this night to celebrate his birth. The joy of Christmas is inevitable, for a Savior was born to us long ago. But the question is, where does that Savior live now? Does he live in your heart? Is he a part of your life?
We are told that after making that required trip of about 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph find no lodging. Now, one would assume, given Joseph’s ancestral connections to Bethlehem, he would have been able to obtain lodging. Yet, Luke tells us that “there was no place for them in the inn.” The Greek word kataluma, translated “inn” can also mean the guest room of a house. Thus, this was probably a reference to a guest room in a private home, perhaps the home of one of Joseph or Mary’s relatives. And so, there only shelter was in a room on the bottom floor of the home, or connected to the house that was used to house and fed the family’s livestock.
Now, friends, I think it is important to realize that that scene in Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago would have looked much different then that familiar scene we have become so accustomed too. For starters, it would not have been constructed of wood. You see, keep in mind, in biblical times, stables or stalls were usually connected to the house, rather than being a separate building, and mangers in biblical times were made of clay mixed with straw or from stones cemented with mud. Mangers were, a lot of times, just carved or hewed into natural rock. And so the holy family’s only shelter was the room where animals were kept, and Christ’s bed was a manger, or better yet, a feeding trough. But isn’t this a foreshadowing of that life this one would live. Later in Jesus’ ministry he told his disciples; “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He was born in humility, as one who came to serve and not be served.
Jesus’ birth emulated his life. We are also told that when Jesus was born Mary wrapped him in swaddling clothes, which is significant, and mirrors his death. The swaddling clothes Mary would have used, were the same cloths used in wrapping the bodies of the dead. The fact that Jesus was born to die is apparent, even in his birth and especially evident in the gift of Myrrh that the Magi would later present to the Christ-child.
Now friends, it is true that Jesus wasn’t actually born on December the 25th. In fact, most of the evidence gathered points to a time other than that date. In fact, we are told in the Lukan account of the Christmas story that the shepherds were “out in the fields” when they received the angel’s message. And so, this would have placed Jesus’ birth sometime between March and September, since sheep graze only during the spring and summer months in that part of the country. Some scholars determine that Jesus’ birth probably took place in the latter part of September, and probably occurred around 4 B.C. But, of course, we observe December the 25th as the birthday of Christ because of what has been passed down to us by the traditions of the 3rd century church, to at least the time of Constantine. Originally, December the 25th was the date of the pagan festival Saturnalia, which honored the sun – it was, in a sense, the birthday of the sun. But the Church, seeking to put an end to such pagan festivals replaced it with honoring a different “son” – not s-u-n, but s-o-n - the son of God!
Joseph Pennel, Jr., wrote: "The Church could not have found a more fitting day to celebrate the birth of Christ, …at the very moment when the days are the shortest and darkness seems to have conquered light, the sun passes its nadir. Days grow longer, and although the cold will increase [it will only be short lived], the ultimate conquest of winter is sure. This astronomical process is [symbolic of the light and warmth God’s coming in the person of Jesus has brought to our lives and to our world].” And we are invited to bask in the light of God’s presence and bath in the warmth of God’s love.
Perhaps some of you have seen the commercial for Kohler, a brand of kitchen and bathroom facets and fixtures. The commercial features a couple who meet with architect. The architect graciously shows this couple his work and in the end, when he asks the couple what he can do for them, the wife takes out a Kohler facet, sits on his desk and says; “Can you design a house around this!” Christmas is the invitation for us to design our lives around Christ.
And so, as we celebrate the birth of Christ, may we respond with Tim and say; “You can stay at my house.” May the Christ of Christmas be, not only be born anew and afresh in each of us this night, but may he also live in us and may his light and presence shine through us all year around. Amen.

"Dancing With the Lord!"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on John 1:1-14.

We gather on this Fourth Sunday of Advent - the Sunday prior to Christmas. Many churches will call this “Christmas Sunday,” for obvious reasons. While many churches, including Edgemont, offer Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services, many Christians will not attend those services. And so, for many of you, today is Christmas Sunday, in the sense that this will be the last time you will gather for worship in church prior to Christmas. For the rest of us, it is the Fourth Sunday of Advent - the final Sunday in this season of preparation. We are moving toward the climax, when we will once again celebrate the coming of God into our world in the person of Jesus Christ. Throughout this season, we have prepared our hearts, as we prepare our homes for guests and family, making room for Christ to be born anew and afresh in us.
Edward Hays writes; “Advent, like its cousin Lent, is a season for prayer and reformation of our hearts. Since it comes at winter time, fire is a fitting sign to help us celebrate Advent… If Christ is to come more fully into our lives this Christmas, if God is to become really incarnate for us, then fire will have to be present our lives. Our worship and devotion will have to stoke the kind of fire in our souls that can truly change our hearts. Ours is a great responsibility not to waste this Advent time,” but to allow the fire of God’s Spirit to birth in us God’s hope and peace, joy and love.
As Pope John Paul II said in his 2002 Christmas address; “The [season] of Advent [and Christmas]… helps us to understand [more] fully the value and meaning of the mystery of Christmas. It is not just about commemorating the historical event, which occurred some 2,000 years ago in a little Judean village. Instead, it is necessary to understand that the whole of our life must be an ‘advent,’ a vigilant awaiting of the final coming of Christ. Therefore, Advent is, so to speak, an intense training that directs us decisively toward him who already came, who will come, and who comes continuously.”
On this Fourth Sunday of Advent we’ve heard a reading from the very opening chapter of John’s gospel - a familiar reading, one, perhaps, some of you may have memorized. But what exactly does it mean; “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God… The Word became flesh, dwelling among us.” In the original Greek manuscripts the term used for “word” was logos. This is typically translated as “word,” but it didn’t simply mean that which was spoken or written to the Greeks. Instead, it means “reason.”
Scholars have suggested that John chose this multifaceted term because he wanted to communicate with a diverse audience. Jews, he knew, would interpret it as a reference to God. While the Greeks would understand it in a more abstract sense: in the beginning was the logos - the very principle or reasoning that governs the universe. In this way, John was telling both Jews and Gentiles that in Jesus, God becomes flesh, God becomes tangible, and visible and real to us, and now we can more fully know God because in Christ, God is Emmanuel - God with us, dwelling with us.
No doubt, these words written in the Gospel of John would have awaken the senses and sparked the interests of both Jew and Greek. To those raised in the Jewish tradition, when hearing those words would have quickly called to mind their ancient scriptures which declared that by the Word of the Lord an unformed and chaotic universe was transformed into an ordered, structured and beautiful reflection of the Creator. And, of course, they would have recalled the words of the psalmist who affirmed that by the Word of the Lord the heavens were made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. You see, the prophets and psalmists, the teachers and philosophers of Israel’s tradition had declared this Word to be the powerful instrument of divine activity in the life of creation, and in the life of their people.
The word “Incarnation” is the theological term used to describe this idea that John gives us in our Gospel Lesson this morning of, the “Word becoming flesh.” The Incarnation is the essence of the Christmas story. “The Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us.” You may remember from my sermon on the First Sunday of Advent that I said that the best way to send an idea into the world is to wrap it up in a person. This is why companies will pay large amounts of money for famous actors to endorse their products. And so, in a sense, this is what God has done. God had a Logos - an “idea,“ a “Word,” in which God wanted to convey to humanity and that “idea,” that “Word” was God’s divine love and grace. And it is a Word of hope and peace, joy and love. In God’s infinite wisdom, God took this “idea,” in which God was so eager to communicate to humanity, wrapped it up in the person of Jesus Christ, and laid it in a feeding trough. The babe of Bethlehem is the Word of God Incarnate. He is the message of God to humanity.
There is a rather cute and somewhat powerful story told about a little girl who, one night as she was being put to bed by her parents, became a little frightened. It was one of those nights when the shadows in the bedroom assumed strange shapes, and she was scared. Just as soon as they had put her to bed, she got out of bed and came into her parents’ bedroom seeking to be comforted. They told her to go back to bed and to remember that God was with her. And so, she returned to her darkened bedroom, only to find the shadows even more frightening and terrifying. So, she once again sought her parents and said; “I know that God is with me, but could you come too, because I need someone with skin on.” And, you know, that’s the message of Christmas, isn’t it?
Peggy Lee wrote and sang a song entitled; “Is That All There Is?” Oftentimes, this the question that children will think or ask as they look up from their mound of opened gifts and shreds of wrapping paper strung out all over the living room. “Is that all there is? Is this it?” This is the question that adults will ask when Christmas Day draws to an end; “Is that all there is? Is this it?” So much time and effort, so much preparation and work, and it’s all over with! There is such a thing as Post-Christmas Depression. And, I must admit, I too have found myself slipping into such a depression after the holidays, with all of the time and energy, the preparation and work that went into the Advent and Christmas season, and to have it come, to what appears to be, an abrupt ending. But there’s a line in Peggy Lee’s song that I really like. After asking “Is that all there is?” She says; “… let’s keep dancing.”
To ask the question “Is that all there is? Is that it?” means you are celebrating Christmas wrongly. It means you are celebrating Christmas as the world - your celebration is centered around the gifts and commercialism of Christmas, which goes as fast as it comes. During the season of Advent, we’ve been doing a study in the Sunday School Class I teach, from a book written by James Harnish, entitled; Rejoicing in Hope. In it, Harnish tells of a rather unique Christmas card he received on Christmas from a clergy friend. He said that it was just a plain, white card with the words: “Blessed are those who celebrate Christmas as a way of life” printed on it. Certainly, if we celebrate Christmas correctly, we realize that it isn’t just a once-a-year event. Instead, it launches us into a new way of living that lasts our whole life long. It challenges us to practice living in what God has done and is doing in the person of Christ. When we celebrate Christmas the way it should be, it forces us to “keep dancing.”
One of my favorite hymns is the hymn our choir sang this morning, Lord of the Dance, not to be mistaken for the popular Celtic dancers. The hymn’s words were written by Sydney Carter in 1963 and he adapted it to the popular American Shaker tune. It definitely has an old Celtic flair to it. But the hymn also has a powerful message that corresponds well with our Gospel Lesson this morning. The hymn reminds us that:

"The one who danced in the morning
when the world was begun
And danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,
Is the one who came down from heaven
And danced on the earth,
At Bethlehem he had his birth."

And so, may we join the dance of the Lord who dances in all of creation. Won’t you embrace this one who has made himself known to us in the person of Jesus Christ. That you might become a dancer in the Lord of the Dance that we might in turn reveal the God of hope and peace, joy and love to the world. What an awesome privilege to join in the dance of the Lord of the Dance. Won’t you get out of your pew, and dance. “Dance, then, wherever you may be, I am the Lord of the Dance, said he, and I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be, and I’ll lead you all in the Dance, said he.”

"Mary, Mary, Not Contrary"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Luke 1:47-55.

No anthology of nursery rhymes is complete, without:

“Mary, Mary, quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row.”

I am always amazed at the origin behind such nursery rhymes, many of which are disturbing and grueling. We learn them as children, never fully understanding their meaning. Their rhythmic words make them easy for us to grasp and learn. But while Mary, Mary was quite contrary, in our Gospel Lesson this morning we learn of another Mary who wasn’t so contrary.
To this Mary the ancient church offers its own nursery rhyme, or perhaps I should say prayer:

“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

On this Third Sunday of Advent, also known as "The Sunday of Joy" or from its Latin word Gaudete, the church encourages us to focus on Mary’s song or, as it is better known, the Magnificat, which is a Latin word coming from Mary’s words in verse 46; “My soul magnifies the Lord!” Certainly, through these words one can feel the joy and the excitement, the wonder and the anticipation, along with the fear and uncertainty that Mary must have felt when she received this news.
I am always amazed at how Mary is perceived. Many of these perceptions overlook Mary’s dilemma. Mary has so much to teach us about real faith and hope. When we see her so beautifully portrayed in Christmas pageants, or on Christmas cards or in Nativity scenes, she looks so serene and so lovely, as if the whole matter appears to be so simple and easy for her to bear. But think realistically about her lot for a moment. Consider, for just a moment, what Mary must went through. It must have been incredibly difficult; the gossip, the pointing fingers, the accusations, the raised eyebrows, the questions and criticism. Not to mention the family pressures, the crude jokes, the cruel laughter, the poverty, the heavy taxes and, don’t forget, thar long hard journey mandated at a time when an expectant mother should have been bedridden. And then, there was the birth in that cavern or stable in Bethlehem, with no doctor or no midwife, no medicine or no anesthetic - only a profound faith and hope in a God who promised through her would come the Messiah! Mary was just a teenager, probably no older than 13 or 14 years old. But what a strong woman indeed! What a courageous and faithful woman! Indeed, she is called “blessed“. No wonder our Catholic brothers and sisters pray: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.”
Presbyterian author, Kathleen Norris makes the cynical observation that Protestants have a limited attention span for Mary, the mother of Jesus. She says; “We unpack her from the box at Christmastime, and then tuck her away with all of the other decorations once the holidays are over.”
One reason we Protestants hold Mary at arm's length is because we associate her with our own vague discomfort about the role of saints in Christian spirituality. As Protestants we remember that Luther and Calvin criticized the Roman church of the 16th century for compromising, in their understandings of Mary, on the basic Christian conviction that Jesus Christ is the one Mediator between God and humanity. Not wanting to make the same mistake, however, we inadvertently make another: we move Mary to the sidelines.
Now, while I am sure among some groups Mary maybe worshiped, just as in some sects angels are worshiped. But Roman Catholicism doesn’t teach or demand the worship of Mary as part of their faith practice. Rather, according to the Catechism, Mary is a model for the Christian believer, and a symbol of the church in its relationship to God.
Consistent with this belief, Christmas sermons often lift Mary up as one of the “great cloud of witnesses” who respond faithfully to what God calls them to do. But these messages are incomplete. Certainly Mary is one among many people of faith the Scripture bears witness to and we celebrate. But she is also the only one who is identified as the Theotokos, which is a Greek word ascribed to Mary by the Church, which literally means “God-bearer.” And it is in this distinctive vocation that she serves as a model for the church in relationship to God. She reveals what it means for us to, in turn, bear God to the world.
We most not forget Mary’s example of faith. P. T. Forsythe, decades ago in his book on creative theology said that; "faith is not something that we process. [Rather] faith possesses us." And in many ways that is true. That’s why we remember Mary. Her song declares the grace of God that came to her, that embraced and possessed her. Now, true, she had to respond to that grace and embody it, which she does as expressed in her song. But Mary encourages us to say "yes" to God, to respond to God, to embody God.
Peter Gomes writes; "Mary’s song declares that God’s work gets done when ordinary people hear God’s voice and obey. She sang; 'God has regarded the low estate of God's handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth, all generations will call me blessed for God has done mighty things for me.' Let us not dare pack up Mary once the celebration of Advent and Christmas is over.
I think it is interesting that in the preceding story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, Luke tells of that couple’s religious virtue, but we have none of that here. Nothing is said of Mary’s faith or character. Nor do we find an explanation as to why God might have chosen her. And that is, of course, the point; God chooses because God chooses. Mary is not chosen because she deserves favor, just as none of us deserve God’s favor or blessing but rather, Mary is favored because she was chosen. Raymond Brown says that Mary’s response qualifies her as Jesus’ first disciples. I like that!
A lady who had a small house on the seashore of Ireland at the turn of the century was quite wealthy but also quite frugal. The people were surprised, then, when she decided to be among the first to have electricity in her home. Several weeks after the installation, a meter reader appeared at her door. He asked if her electricity was working well, and she assured him it was. “I’m wondering if you can explain something to me,” he said. “Your meter shows scarcely any usage. Are you using your power?” “Certainly,” she answered. “Each evening when the sun sets, I turn on my lights just long enough to light my candles; then I turn them off.” She tapped into power but did not us it.
True faith is not about words or laws or even liturgies, it's about revelation. God revealing God's self to us and it's about us responding to God. And so, God’s Spirit has come to us and proclaimed that we too are favored, blessed of God; for we are God’s chosen people, we are God’s saints. For you and I possess and embody the very Spirit of God. Therefore, may we proclaim, along with Mary when the angel announced to her that in her womb was the very Son of God; "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." That is the kind of response God is looking for and that is the kind of response that we should have when we realize that we embody the very Spirit of Christ and we must become the incarnations of Christ. May we become textbooks’ - God-bearers, revealing to the world God’s hope, peace, joy and love found in this one we embody.

"From Traveler to Tourist"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Isaiah 35:1-10.

I came across an interesting book not too long ago entitled; The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America. The book was written in 1961 by Daniel Boorstein and is a critique of American life. The third chapter is really what caught my attention, it is titled; “From Traveler to Tourist: The Lost Art of Travel.” Boorstein suggests that taking a journey has changed in the last hundred years. And certainly that is true! Even in some of your own lifetime, you have seen the change that has occurred in travel.
I had never realized that our word “travel” comes from the same root word as “travail”. “Travail,” of course, indicates or “intense labor” or “hardship,” or “work.” When we think of “traveling,” in today’s standards, more than likely those words do not come to mind. Rather, we think of convenience or ease, or even comfort. That is, of course, if we are not traveling with small children or waiting in lines at the airport. But more than likely, travel in 21st century doesn’t cause us to think of travail. But, keep in mind, before the middle of the nineteenth century, travel was not a pleasant experience. It was a kind of a torture, if you will. It was difficult, to say the least, and full of troubles. Ocean voyages took several weeks. There were no Hiltons or Holiday Inns. Comforts were left behind. There were many risks involved and dangers to confront. But the traveler who risked the pain was rewarded with a great adventure and perhaps even a new discovery. The traveler experienced the people and ways of a difficult culture, unlike his or her own. The traveler’s horizon’s were expanded.
But all of that has changed over the years, as travel has become easier and more convenient. Air flight gets us where we want to go quickly and efficiently. Once there, we can reside in nice hotels with all of the conveniences of home. Most of the risks involved in traveling have been removed. But as Boorstein reminds us, with the advent of such ease in travel, one thing is lacking: the true “experience” of travel. It has become more of what Boorstein calls: “pseudo adventure.”
Amber has said to me, on more than one occasion when we travel, I wish I could simply snap my fingers and we would be at our destination. And I would tell her that so much of the vacation, so much of the trip itself is the adventure and experience of the travel - the between time, from beginning to the destination. Now, maybe she says this because she doesn’t necessarily enjoy traveling with me or, maybe, because she doesn’t like my driving. I am not sure, but without a doubt, much of the adventure, much of the experience of the travel is what takes place between the time we start out and we arrive at our destination. And certainly that is true when it comes to life and especially our faith - our faith is a great adventure.
And sadly, too many of us treat is as a “pseudo adventure.” Something that is pseudo gives a false appearance of being real or genuine. To say that our faith is a pseudo adventure, is to say that, a lot of times we miss out on the great adventure of our faith - the travel, the experiences, the growing, the pains, the struggles, the trails, and the joys. All of which, makes our faith adventurous and complete. Sadly, many Christians treat their faith as they do life. They hurry through it. They don’t take time to savor or experience it fully. We barely commit to an our on Sunday morning. And certainly we do this during the season of Advent. We are so fixated on our destination - Christmas, that we lose sight of the preparation and joy of the Advent season itself. And yes, it’s easy to do. As I mentioned in my newsletter message this month, I have a tendency to do it as well with all of my pastoral preparations and sermonizing and planning.
The other evening, while I was driving back home from Christiansburg I was listening to a rather interesting interview with Joe Tennis NPR. Tennis is the author of a book entitled; Beach to Bluegrass: Places to Break on Virginia‘s Longest Road. That road, if you didn’t know, is Route 58.
Joe Tennis, who is a Radford University graduate, published his first book, Southwest Virginia Crossroads, in 2004, which showcases major attractions in the region. However, he said, “Just a few months after Crossroads was published, I was ready to start something new. As I went along, I noticed that I had this big interest in things on the coast where I'd grown up and things back in Southwest Virginia that I had just written about.”
And so, while he was visiting his parents in Virginia Beach in 2005, he got the idea to connect these two places with a road. He decided to drive Route 58 the whole way back to Bristol to gain inspiration for his book. His book offers a collection of historical stories that have all taken place along Route 58 from the beach to the bluegrass and points in-between. Now, I haven’t read the book, but it does sounds interesting.
And as I listened to that interview I couldn’t help but think of our Scripture Lesson this morning, where Isaiah speaks of an even greater road or highway than that of Route 58. The highway Isaiah was speaking about has been prepared by God. Isaiah paints a beautiful picture of hope for the people of Israel - a people whose lives had become as dry and as barren as a desert. Here, Isaiah promises one who is living water, who will come and quench the land and the thirsty souls of the people. “The wilderness and the dry land,” Isaiah says, “shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom.” The people of Israel had waited 800 years for such a promise to be fulfilled. And Isaiah reminds them that it is not only a time of peace and prosperity, but a time of healing, as well. “Strengthen the weak hands,” announces Isaiah, “and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God… He will come and save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongues of the speechless shall sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert…” What beautiful poetic words!
In Christ, we find these words being fulfilled. You remember when Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth and, while in the synagogue reading that scroll of the prophet Isaiah which affirmed; “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the years of the Lord’s favor.” And Jesus, when he finished reading those words, roll the scroll back up, and gave it to the attendant, and sitting down he said to the people; “Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus was announcing, that day in the synagogue, the reign of the Messiah - that his kingdom was at hand.
And you remember in the 11th chapter Matthew, John was imprisoned, his death impending, was beginning to feel hopeless and he needed reassuring, and so he sent word to Jesus and said; “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” And Jesus said; “Go and tell John what you have heard and seen: the blind have received their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” I love the New Living Bible’s paraphrasing of verse 6: “Happy are those who do not doubt me, but join me!”
This “highway” that Isaiah is speaking of is Christ. For it is Christ who links our hearts to the heart of God. And we who were once crippled and lame, have been healed; we, who were once dry and barren as a desert now have the spring of living water flowing from our very lives. That is what God’s coming in the person and presence of Christ has done to our lives. And Jesus says to us; “Happy are those who do not doubt me, but join me” in making the highway of God assessable for the world - inviting others to travel on it.
The season of Advent is a reminder that the Savior has come and that we must welcome him anew and afresh in our hearts and lives; that we must walk on that highway of God and invite others to join us and to travel with us unto that place God has prepared for us, for it is then that we move from being travelers to tourist!

"Panis Angelicus"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Exodus 16:4-16 and John 6:35-51.

I have shared with you before that one of my favorite words is the word “companion.” When we think of a companion we may think of a caregiver, or a friend or someone who accompanies us on life’s journey. But the reason I like this word so much is because of its Latin origin and meaning. The word “companion” comes from two Latin words cum and panis, which literally means; “with bread.” It is a reminder that the one who is our companion, is the one who shares his or her bread with us.
In Jesus we find our spiritual companion - our spiritual cum panis - the one who provides us with the bread of life. And certainly this idea, this image is portrayed in the beautiful hymn entitled; Panis Angelicus. The hymn is translated:

“Bread of Angels,
made the bread of men;
The Bread of heaven
puts an end to all symbols:
A thing wonderful!
The Lord becomes our food:
poor, a servant, and humble.
We beseech Thee,
Godhead One in Three
That Thou wilt visit us,
as we worship Thee,
lead us through Thy ways,
We who wish to reach the light
in which Thou dwellest. Amen.”

The hymn, written by St. Thomas Aquinas before the year 1274, contemplates the great mystery of becoming one with God through Christ. And it is in Christ - the Bread of Heaven, that God feeds, nourishes and sustains us.
There's nothing more enticing than the smell of fresh baked bread. In fact, bread has become an essential ingredient in just about every culture - no meal is complete without it! And so it was no wonder Jesus choose to refer to himself as the “Bread of Life.” But in doing so, Jesus was using an image more profound than a staple of the diet. You see, he was drawing on a rich symbol of Jewish life. Bread was not only a necessity when it came to the Jewish diet, but it also played an important role in Jewish worship and history. For instance, the feasts of Pentecost and Passover all used bread as the main ingredient. Also, as we heard in our First Reading, it was manna - “bread from heaven” that God provided for the Israelites while they were in the wilderness. That “bread from heaven” played a vital role in Israel’s survival.
During the season of Advent and Christmas, we can’t help but turn our attention to the tiny village of Bethlehem, for it was there that Christ was born. It was there that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And interestingly enough, Bethlehem in Hebrew means “house of bread.” Now, the name refers to the fact that the village was situated in a fruitful and fertile place, where with work its soil would yield food and harvest to the faithful. Grain and fruit could be grown there and there was an abundance of fresh water in the wells. Bethlehem was not a flourishing place in the sense of a economy or commerce, but it was a special place where favorable circumstances stimulated by effort could produce refreshment for its people. Bethlehem was not the Holy City, it was not Jerusalem, the great capital, the center of worship, and ritual and influence. Rather, Bethlehem was a modest village favored not so much in riches as in opportunity, and it was dear to the hearts of the Jews.
In Bethlehem was to be found the monument of Rachael, for it was there that she, the wife of the patriarch Jacob died and was buried. Bethlehem was also the city of Ruth, who lived there with her husband, Boaz, and who was the great-grandmother of Bethlehem’s most distinguished son, David; and it was there that David himself was born, and thus it was considered the “City of David.” But it was also the birth place of Jesus. For in the “house of bread” was born the “Bread of Life” - the one who would satisfy every spiritual hunger and craving.
Who is Jesus? That the question I want us to focus on during this Advent season, especially as we gather on Thursday nights. In our Gospel Lesson this evening, Jesus declared; “I am the bread of life.” Bread is a basic staple of life - without bread we die! Now, obviously, Jesus is more than physical bread: he is the bread that nourishes our relationship with God. Someone once said; “Bread is the to the physical body as Jesus is to spiritual body.” And certainly that’s true!
In this world many voices compete for our ear. Our faith reminds us to listen to the voice of God. John begins his gospel in a rather unique way, unlike the other gospel writers, John takes us back to the origins of Christ - not in Bethlehem, but as one co-existing with God. His magnificent prologue begins with: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus is the ultimate expression of God, the incarnation of God.
As I reminded you on Sunday, the best way to send an idea into the world is to wrap it up in a person. This is why companies will pay large amounts of money for famous actors to endorse their product. And so, in a sense, this is what God has done. God had an “idea” - God had a “Word,” in which God wanted to convey to humanity and that message was God’s divine love and grace. And it is a Word of hope and peace, joy and love. In God’s infinite wisdom, God took this “idea,” in which God was so eager to communicate to humanity, wrapped it up in the person of Jesus Christ, and laid it in a feeding trough. The babe of Bethlehem is the Word of God Incarnate. He is the message of God to humanity.
In the sixteenth century the emperor of Germany received a very expensive piece of pie. He owed an international banker a million dollars, but one Christmas the banker put a canceled debt note in a Christmas pie. When the emperor ate the pie, a million-dollar liability was canceled. The birth of Christ is God’s Christmas pie to us. In Christ, God says to us that we are forgiven, loved and free.
In our Gospel Lesson, Jesus had just finished feeding the multitudes and then he turn the image of bread to himself and said; “if you eat of my flesh you will have life.” And without a doubt, Jesus words would have seemed ludicrous. Eating flesh and drinking blood was unheard of in the Levitical Law, it was considered unclean, not to mention a direct violation of the Law itself. In fact, if you came into contact with blood, much less drink it, you were considered unclean and impure. But, of course, Jesus wasn’t speaking literally but spiritually!
Partaking Holy Communion is not cannibalism, but rather it is symbolism. The image of eating Christ’s body and drinking his blood grows out of a world in which animals were sacrificed to false gods but not all of the animal was consumed on the altar. Part of it was kept by the priest and part was returned to the worshiper, who then ate it, believing that he had literally eaten of his god - that he was god-filled, in a sense. Though we do not practice this type of ritual, against the backdrop, we are invited, symbolically to eat of Christ’s body and to drink of his blood that we might be God-filled and that union between us and God strengthened.
In these most ordinary, in these most tangible gifts of bread and wine, we become at one with God, who for us became one of us. Someone once said that every time we celebrate Holy Communion we experience once again the Incarnation. And how true that is! God becomes flesh in us as we receive God. What is the miracle of Christmas? Is it the star? Is it the singing angels? Is it the wondering shepherds? Is it the Mary or Joseph? Or is it the exotic magi? No! Rather, the miracle of Christmas is that God cared enough to send the very best, and that he continues to do so in the gifts now given to us in one another. No wonder God choose the simple, modest and humble town of Bethlehem for the Incarnation of himself. Therefore, let us be fed by the one who is the Bread of Life, and who was born in the Bethlehem - the House of Bread!

"The Perfect Pre-Christmas Sale"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Jeremiah 33:14-19.

A woman and her daughter were out doing some Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving. As was expected, the crowds were simply awful. They had to skip lunch because they were on such a tight schedule. Toward the end of the day, Mom was hungry, tired and her feet were killing her. And she was getting more and more irritable as the day went on. As they left the last store, she turned to her daughter and asked, “Did you see that nasty look the salesman gave me?” Her daughter answered, “Oh, mom, he didn't give it to you. You had it when you walked into the store.”
Well, the countdown has begun. The malls and the stores are filled with shoppers. Many stores, during the holidays will extend their shopping hours to accommodate all of the Christmas shoppers. Needless to say, we can expect the crowds all the way through to Christmas Eve. But hopefully, you all survived Black Friday if you were brave enough to venture out and take advantage of the sales.
Without a doubt, to some, Christmas is about the shopping frenzy. It’s about hustle and bustle of the crowds, picking the perfect gift and finding the best bargains. Sadly, Christmas to them is something that is bought or purchased, wrapped in paper or stuffed in a stocking. Now, I am not saying that we should do away with this long-standing tradition of gift-giving at Christmas. I mean, after all, I like to receive gifts as much as anyone, but we must not allow this tradition to crowd out our understanding of the true “Reason for the Season.”
I always found it interesting that my great-grandfather, Silas, did not like to receive gifts. I guess I found this interesting because I have never met anyone who didn’t like to receive a gift. He would literally get angry if you bought him a gift and it didn’t matter if it was for Christmas or some other day you typically exchanged or received a gift.
I remember in a Sociology class that I took in college we had to a report to do and I chose to do mine on the affects of gift-exchanging in different societies. One of my resources was an essay that Marcel Mauss, a French sociologist, wrote entitled, The Gift. Mauss’ essay focused on the form and reason of exchange in archaic societies.
Without a doubt, gift-exchanging is an essential part to our Christmas celebration. Advent is a time of personal preparation. It is a reminder that just as we prepare our homes, so we must spiritually prepare our hearts for the birth of God’s gift to us - Christ.
Soon, our Christmas trees will be loaded with gifts underneath - gifts for family and friends. You know, I can remember as a child shaking those gifts with my name on them, trying to figure out what was being concealed by the wrapping paper. Very seldom would my guess or assumption be correct. We spend a great deal of time and energy and money shopping for the perfect gift to give to the special people in our lives. But what would that gift be, if the recipient didn’t open it or utilize it? The gift would serve no purpose, it would be useless and meaningless. And the same is true with the gifts and the Gift that God gives us.
Philosopher and historian Hannah Arendt was a German Jew who lived through the rise and fall of the Nazi party and the horrors of the holocaust. She advocated that the philosophies or even theologies we live by should be based as much on formative powers of natality as on the finalizing powers of mortality. You see, she argued that our stories of birth should define us even more than our stories of death. Arendt realized that if you begin with the power of birth instead of mortality you take philosophy in a whole different direction! And that’s what the Church does. The liturgical calendar begins with Advent - today begins a new year for Christians. Advent focuses on natality - on birth whereas Lent focuses on mortality.
Typically, during this season of Advent, the church turns its attention to the prophecies concerning the coming Messiah and his kingdom. And we have heard several readings this morning from the prophets in relation to Christ and his kingdom. Our Scripture Lesson for this morning is taken from the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah lived seven centuries before Christ was born. His ministry spanned four decades from about 627 to 586 BC. Jeremiah’s message focused repentance and a sincere commitment to God.
In our Scripture Lesson this morning, we see that Jeremiah offers words of hope and promise as he speaks of hope and peace and salvation all wrapped in the one who is coming from the David’s line - who, like a branch will sprout up and whose fruit will bring justice and righteousness, hope and salvation to our lives and to our world.
Someone once said; “The best way to send an idea into the world is to wrap it up in a person.” In a sense, infinitely more sublime of course, that is what God has done. God had an “idea” - had a “Word” - Logos, in which God wanted to convey to humanity and that message was God’s divine love and grace. And it is a Word of hope and peace, joy and love. In God’s infinite wisdom God took this “idea,” which God was so eager to communicate to humanity, wrapped it up in the person of Jesus Christ, and laid it in a feeding trough. The babe of Bethlehem is the Word of God Incarnate. He is the message of God to humanity.
This one has come and is coming, and we are invited to once again allow him to be born in us - to receive his gifts of hope and peace, joy and love. We are invited to envision his kingdom and to become a partner in “executing righteousness and justice,” that his kingdom and realm may be birthed in and among us.
The church’s season of Advent is, without a doubt, the greatest Pre-Christmas Sale. It is an opportunity for us to envision God’s kingdom and to become a partner in establishing it.
When Amber and I were expecting Miriam, Marita gave me a book entitled; What to Expect When You’re Expecting. The book is a popular book among expectant parents. But you know, we too are expecting and Advent is Church’s What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Jeremiah offered the people of Israel a message of hope. The Hebrew word “hope” is yachal and it literally means “to wait with expectation.” That pretty well sums up what we do during Advent, doesn’t it?
One of the things that Marcel Mauss determined from his research and study was that gift-giving builds relationships. He argued that giving an object creates an inherent obligation on the one who receives to in turn give a gift. And so, may we receive God’s Gift of Christ, anew and afresh this Advent season and in return give our lives to God and to God’s kingdom.

"A True Remedy for Thanksgiving"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on I Chronicles 16:1-6.

In 1815 President James Madison declared that Thanksgiving be celebrated twice. He did this as an attempt to boost America’s happiness and sense of giving thanks. You know, while I believe that Madison had a good point, still it is hard to ignore reality. Adding another day of celebration to the calendar is hardly a remedy for “thanksgiving.” And perhaps it will be a little more difficult this year for you give thanks. Perhaps this year there’s a little less cause for giving thanks. I mean, after all, it is difficult to ignore the problems facing our country: a weak economy, an unstable market, poverty, foreclosures, loss of jobs, disease, famine, terror, war and the list could go on and on. Not to mention the concerns we face every day of raising children and keeping them safe, schools, marriages, health, death, and personal finances. With all of these problems, with all of these concerns it is difficult sometimes to give thanks.
M. Scott Peck in The Road Less Traveled reminds us that life is difficult. In fact, he writes; “This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it… Most do not fully see this truth that life is difficult. Instead, they moan more or less continuously, noisily or subtly, about the enormity of their problems, their burdens, and their difficulties, as if life should be easy…”
In our Scripture Lesson this evening we permitted to take part in the liturgy or worship service that David had planned to commemorate the Ark of the Covenant’s return to Jerusalem. We are told that David had the Levites, that priestly tribe of Israel, form a choir and we are told that he divided them into three sections or groups, one “to record,” another “to thank,” and a third “to praise.” And certainly, this three-fold formula should be applied to our lives if we truly want to live a life of thanksgiving.
David had instructed the first group of Levites “to record.” The Hebrew word there is zakar, which is better translated “to remember.” One of my favorite stories is told by Dr. David McLennon of his first job in a small town general store. This was in the days before malls and supermarkets. At age of 13 he was hired as a handy boy. He would sweep the flour, bag items for customers and put up stock. On one particular Saturday, he recalled, he overheard the owner say to one of the clerks “Well, it’s about that time of the year for us to take inventory.” Dr. McLennon wrote, “Unaware of what an inventory was I asked the owner, who was an older man; ‘Sir, what is an inventory?’ Patiently the owner explained that it was a time when you made a list of everything that you had in the store.’” Dr. McLennon went on to say; “Still somewhat puzzled, I then asked; ‘Why?’ ‘Well,’ said the owner, ‘it’s easy to forget exactly how much you have each year. And so, every now and then you have to take an inventory just to see what all you have.’” Dr. McLennon said; “That story pretty well sums up what thanksgiving is all about. It’s a time when each of us needs to ask ourselves the question; Have I taken inventory of my life lately? Have I made an effort to count all the things that I do have in life instead of complaining about the things that I don’t have.” What a good exercise for all of us! Have you taken inventory lately? Thanksgiving from a biblical perspective offers a very similar picture. In fact, the Bible’s definition of thanksgiving usually begins with an inventory.
David had instructed the second group of Levites “to thank”. I read of a church in London that has a sign above the entry into its sanctuary which bears three words: “THINK AND THANK.” The meaning is obvious. If we truly stop to think more, surely we would stop to thank more.
Perhaps some of you are familiar with Kenny Rogers’ song; The Gambler. The song offers a metaphor: life is a card game and certainly it is a reminder that none of us can determine the hand life will deal us, all we can do is play our hands to the best of our abilities.
And certainly the question we should ask ourselves is, “How does our faith in God help us in playing our hands?” You see, some people view God as the Divine Dealer, who doles out the good cards to some and the bad cards to others. But you know, I think this view of God is absolutely wrong. This makes God seem arbitrary and unfair. Rather, I see God has the Divine Guide, who gently guides us in playing our hands.
Hopefully, you won’t chastise me for using the metaphor of playing cards with life. But it offers a wonderful metaphor. When we’re in the middle of the game, it’s difficult to fully know which cards are good and which are bad. The cards that bring suffering and adversity often strengthen us and build character and compassion. At the time, suffering seems harmful and unfair. But, at the end of the game we can see that we were really playing a winning hand.
We must remember that “in all things, God works for the good of those who love God.” And this alone should fill our hearts with “thanksgiving.”
And finally, the third group of Levites had the responsibility of praising God. One of the Hebrew words for “thanksgiving” is the word huyyedot - his not only implies praising God with voice but also with our lives. It is more than just thanksgiving, it’s thanks living. This three-fold liturgy that David used really applies the lyrics to the traditional Thanksgiving Hymn; “Now thank we all our God with heart or mind, voices and hands. As our Scripture Lesson this evening, along with the hymn; “Now Thank We All Our God” reminds us, there is a three-fold expression to our thanksgiving. Thanksgiving should involve our hearts, our hands and our voices - it should imply remembering, thanking and praising. For this is truly live a life of thanksgiving!