Author: Mark Mong

3 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, ³ for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

If you have travelled for work or vacation, you could have taken a ride in an airplane.  You probably have also packed a bag or bags with clothes, a toothbrush or even equipment necessary to finish your job.  But those luggage bags don’t sit with you on the airplane, they are placed into the hold underneath the airplane.  The luggage goes with you on your trip, but it is placed and kept in the hold with all the other luggage.  When you transfer to another plane, the luggage goes with you.  You cannot see the luggage, but the luggage is in the hold of the plane (most of the time).

Perhaps then we can understand the idea of being hidden in Christ.  If the plane takes off, the luggage takes off with the plane.  If the plane lands, the luggage lands with the plane.  If we are hidden in Christ, like luggage in the plane, then we have been raised with Christ and seated with him at the right hand of God.  We are the luggage hidden in Christ and Christ has been raised and seated in the highest heavens; and we are where he is: above.

But the whole point Paul is trying to make to the Colossians is that if we have been raised and seated with Christ above, then we should be seeking and setting our minds on above things and not below things.  Things like passion, lust and greed are the things below and things like compassion, kindness, humility, and patience are the things above.  Since we have been hidden in Christ above, we should pay attention to above things and let go of the things below. 

But Paul reminds them and us that the only reason we can do these things, is not because of our ability to be moral or because of our commitment to being good.  The only reason this transformation is possible is because the “sinner” in us has died and the “saint” in us has been resurrected.  Only because we are hidden in Christ can we even answer the call for the things above and avoid the things below.  This isn’t an achievement we push hard for, nor a success or accomplishment of our wills and strengths.  This is the gift from God to us, something we receive and not achieve.

But the more important element is that we are now hidden with Christ.  Christ will be revealed and us with him, but now who we are is hidden in Christ.  This quite simply means that we must wait, and we must wait a long time, suffering until we get there.  We will be revealed along with Christ, but now we are hidden in Christ.  And this is a good thing, because it means that every hour of every day, every season of trial and difficulty, every period of spiritual drought and physical infirmities, we are surrounded by Jesus Christ.  Even while we must deal and suffer with and from the things below, we are also surrounded by the grace and power of Jesus Christ.  Even when surrounded by difficult crisis and difficult people, we are hidden in Christ, we are safe and secure in Him.

But if our only comfort in this world is that God has hidden us in Jesus Christ, then as disciples we must learn that we have already died to sin and have been resurrected to God.  The challenge of the Gospel is that we can live a new life, here and now.  The life of Christ now lives in us his body.  We can live in humility, forgiveness, and justice.  This is who we are because we have been hidden in Christ; let us let it out of us and share it with those around us.  If God has hidden us in Christ, then let us live Christ-like lives, because God can do so, we can do so.  Amen. 

Matthew 21 When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord needs them.” And he will send them immediately.’ ⁴ This took place to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, ⁵ ‘Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you,   humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ⁶ The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; ⁷ they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ ¹⁰ When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ ¹¹ The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’

My first car was the family Mustard Yellow Chevette with Bright Red vinyl interior.  Please don’t misunderstand me, I was grateful at sixteen to have a car to drive to school, work, and play.  Many young people my age were not able to have a car; so, I was thankful to have a car.  But, the bright yellow color of the Chevette stood out among all the other cars in the school parking lot.  While some were driving more expensive, cooler cars, I was driving a humble one and at times ashamed to claim it as mine.

Perhaps then we can understand the story of Palm Sunday a little more when we realize the significance of Jesus riding a donkey.  When armies return to the capital city to celebrate the victories of conquest, the general rides in on a chariot or perhaps a warhorse.  Jesus is riding a donkey.  Donkeys were beasts of burden, to carry supplies from place to place.  They were neither glorious like the highly decorated chariots nor imposing like the finest horses bred for war.  Jesus enters Jerusalem in humility.

But the significance of Palm Sunday lies not just in the donkey but in the armies he leads.  Jesus does not enter with the Roman Legions, or the Greek Hoplites, or Persian Immortals, or Scythian Cavalry.  Jesus enters Jerusalem with crowds of people, perhaps too poor to throw flowers, so they cut branches from the trees and place them on the road.  They throw their cloaks, perhaps not able to afford cloth.  Jesus leads a victory parade of poor, weak, and ordinary people, shouting Hosanna or “save us.” Not an army coming in victory or conquest, but crowds of people needing freedom and power.  Jesus enters Jerusalem in humility.

But of all the details we are familiar with this story, the most important is that the crowds believe Jesus to be the Son of David.  Now David was the great king of Israel after God’s own heart.  To be a Son of David is to be a blood descendent and heir to the throne of David.  The crowds believe Jesus to be King, protector, provider and shepherd of the people; and he is.  But he arrives on a donkey, among an army of needy people, to save and deliver, to be crowned with thorns and to ascend to a tree as a throne.  Jesus enters to be coronated as king: in humility.

And here is what scandals us; we stumble over that humility.  Thankful for a savior, but why did it have to be a donkey and not a Abrams Tank?  Grateful for mercy, but why an army of needy, poor people and not an army of Marines?  Appreciative for grace and freedom, but why a Cross for a Throne?  Not a Son of Man and Son of God that we can be proud of, but one that comes in humility to destroy the power of vanity and arrogance.  This is why the world and many people cannot accept Jesus as King and Lord, because He does not dominate, conquer, or compete.  He is dominated, destroyed in total Crucified failure.  And that makes all the difference in the world.  Jesus enters in humility to serve and by this obedience creation is forgiven and all things can now be made new.

Friends, as we once again hear the story of Holy Week, may we look at the story through a new perspective.  Not a piece of our history to be ashamed of as a Mustard Yellow Chevette with Bright Red interior.  Not a scandal to hide and be ashamed of, but as the one perfect act of the one perfect person to procure our freedom and our life.  Let us not be ashamed of the Crucified Jesus, but let us come to bear witness in public of His Cross and His Victory: in humility.  Amen. 

Psalm 121
Assurance of God’s Protection
A Song of Ascents.

¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills—
    from where will my help come?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ He who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
⁸ The Lord will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time on and for evermore.

When you live in the country, you must drive to get anywhere.  On one particular trip to the grocery store, about a 30 minute drive away, the battery light came on my Ford Explorer.  The light meant that the alternator had stopped working and our battery was going to slowly die.  But I did not know this at the time.  After calling my mechanic, who informed me of my dead alternator and soon to be dead battery, I drove my Explorer to his garage with just enough power in the battery to coast into the parking lot.  He was able to replace the alternator and battery and get us back on the road.

Just as I needed help with my car while making the journey to town for groceries, so too did the pilgrims of Israel need help to make the journey to Jerusalem for the great festivals.  Psalm 121 is a Song of Ascents, what the pilgrims sing while climbing the hills and mountains to God’s sanctuary. For many the first verse is quite familiar and begins, I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come?  Driving a car for any distance brings risks associated with making that journey, make the journey to Jerusalem also brings risks associated with such a pilgrimage: bandits, injury, exhaustion.  Our Psalm begins with pilgrims making such a journey and lifting their eyes to the Sanctuary of God enshrined in the hills of Judea for the help necessary to complete such a journey.

We too are pilgrims, but our pilgrimage is far different then the pilgrims of Israel three thousand years ago.  They had to make the journey through the environments surrounding Jerusalem, but our journey is not through space but instead through time.  Our journey is not about miles or meters, but instead about days and seasons.  Just as your car can break down on such a journey from city to city, so too can we break down on such a journey from today to tomorrow and from year to year.  We can find ourselves needing help from a broken alternator.

But the psalmist reminds us of where our help truly comes from; My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.  God is with us not just with mercy and steadfast love, but because our God is YHWH, who made heaven and earth, God is with us with power.  Power to create out of nothing, power to bring order by subduing chaos, power to bring life out nothingness.  This is why the Psalmist looks to the hills on their journey, this is why we look to God on our daily journeys.  God is not only with us, but God is for us, with omnipotence, that cannot be rivalled or overcome by bandit or crisis.

This is why the Psalmist speaks of he will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.  And the sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  For the pilgrim is protected by YHWH, who keeps and protects the pilgrim making such a journey.  And if God keeps us, who can bring threat or injury upon us?  If God does not sleep in protecting us, then what opportunity exists for someone to bring ruin against us?  To lead calamity or catastrophe upon the pilgrims of God, the bandit or crisis must be able to overcome God; and who can overwhelm the one who can create out of nothing?

So, friends, as we find ourselves in the season of Lent, the season of Jesus’ pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  Let us be reminded of our daily pilgrimage in time.  As the Psalmist who found their journey under the protection of God, let us remember that our journeys fall under the grace and protection of the same God.  And if we are kept by God, we can finish our journeys, faithfully.  If God does not slumber, we can keep travelling.  If we can look up to the hills, then we can understand that our help comes from God.  If we can understand that God is our help, then nothing can stop us from finishing our journeys, in faith.  And if nothing can move us, we can keep going, we can keep faith.  We can reach the destination, because the Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and for evermore.  Amen. 

Matthew 5: 13-16 ¹³ ‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.¹⁴ ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

If you have a headache, you can take a pain medication to relieve it.  Whether you prefer Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen, you ingest the pills, and the medicine works to relieve the symptoms you suffer from.  Does it make any sense to leave the medication in the cabinet when you need them?  The point of the medication is to be taken when you need them, you would not purchase them and then ignore them, keeping them in the linen closet.  When you need them, you take them, so that they may do what they were created to do.  The pills were created to relieve symptoms of the human body.  They have a connection and purpose to affect the human body.

Perhaps then we can understand when Jesus says, you are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world.  Salt is used to affect things, whether to season or to preserve or to heal.  Salt on a shelf is useless, salt must be salted on things.  Light is used to affect things, specifically to banish darkness.  A light under a bed fails to shine into the living room.  The church is connected to the earth and to the world. Tylenol is useless unless a body ingests it.   The Church is useless without the earth and the world.

But the daily struggle among people in a community of faith is that connection with others.  We could have many reasons why we withdraw from others.  Perhaps we are afraid of being injured or abused in the many ways one could be traumatized and so we withdraw from others.  Perhaps we have different goals and agendas for our limited resources, which include time, and to connect with others would mean interference or interruption of those goals and agendas.  Perhaps we are just lazy and idle and to build relationships with other people requires too much from us.  Perhaps people have the worst personalities and grate on our last nerve.  Whatever the reason, when it comes to salt the earth or to shine in the world, we escape, we withdraw, we perform our best turtle impersonation and pull our heads inside our shells.  When it comes time to fulfill our callings and purposes, we don’t.  The salt loses its saltiness, and the light is thrown under the bed.

Let your light shine before others, Jesus commands in his Sermon on the Mount.  The before others seems to be the more demanding piece of this Word.  We have no problem shining our lights in the safety of our sanctuaries, surrounded by the security of likeminded brothers and sisters, or the protection of our private spaces.  Whether reading our bibles or saying our prayers or giving praise, or serving our neighbors, we shine our light all too well.  But we could stand to shine a little bit better-before others.  Who needs to be salted or to be enlightened in our communities?  Will you ever do so from your sanctuaries, from your flower beds or from your easy chairs?  Tylenol is useless on the kitchen window sill, salt is useless in the pantry, and light is useless under a blanket.  Let you light shine, but let it shine before others.

Whether we can admit it or not, the community of faith live in glass houses.  The whole purpose of the church is to be those who live together before others.  When we choose to be a community that escapes, withdraws, and/or retreats from our sacred calling, people will see us one way or the other, and what will they see; a community that loves God and neighbors, or a community that isolates from and abandons the community.  The Church lives in glass houses, the community around will always be watching.  They will see our self-giving love to that community, or they will see us flee and hide from that community.  They will see one or the other: selfish-ness or selfless-ness. 

Friends, we might not be able to choose whether other people see or not, but we can choose what people see from us.  But what we must never do, is avoid our calling to be responsible with what people see at all.  People will always see the glass house and even if we put up curtains, they will still see that we don’t want them to see anything.  We are the salt of the earth and we are the light of the world.  This day and every time, choose to be salt and light.  Not salt in the pantry, nor light under the bed, but salt in the earth and light in the world.  Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.  Amen.

Jeremiah 29:10-14

¹⁰ For thus says the Lord: Only when Babylon’s seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfil to you my promise and bring you back to this place. ¹¹ For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. ¹² Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. ¹³ When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, ¹⁴ I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words.  This picture is not the exception.  From the expression of the young boy, to his hair on end, to the rapture of the young woman and her holding his hand, this picture invokes many things and the comments added make several important comparisons.  But, I think I could summarize the thoughts of the young man with a single word; whether the roller coaster or the plans of God, the typical human reaction is “OOF.”

God’s plans don’t always appear obvious and at times might be hidden.  After losing a job, what am I supposed to do now?  “OOF.”  Amid a time of personal loss and grief, how do I carry on without that someone?  “OOF.”  God’s plans might certainly push or drag us out of our comfort zones.  You are asking me to what; that intimidates me. “OOF.” God’s plans might be highs and lows; times of blessings followed by times of crisis.  “OOF.”  But perhaps the most difficult, is that God’s plans might ask us to change, or to re-learn a new attitude or behavior; and we are threatened by the vulnerability needed to be transformed.  “OOF.”

While we can all relate to the young boy when asked to follow Jesus Christ, we can take comfort in the presence of the Holy Spirit.  The young girl is not phased by fear but seems to enjoy a new excitement and energy.  The young girl also shares that presence of control and peace with the young boy and his “OOF.”  The Holy Spirit does the same to us.  No hiddenness, no emotional turmoil, no insecurity, no crisis, and no threat disturb the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is secure in the Spirit’s connection with the Father and the Son.  And the good news for us, that present security is imparted to those who are open to it.  The Holy Spirit holds our hands, never letting go, but being the foundation and security on which we can rely.  Even in an “OOF” moment, the Spirit is at Peace and there to give Peace.

Perhaps then we can understand, as Jeremiah reminded Israel, that even when God’s plan is challenging and difficult, we have hope for surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. God’s plans are not to injure or destroy us but plans for our welfare.  Not to cut us off or throw us into catastrophe, but to give us a future with hope.  Even when our discipleship in the moment is the terror of a roller coaster we can be at peace because the Spirit is Peace and there to give us Peace.  Even in our “OOF” moments, we can have peace, because we are held, and we are held in Peace.

So, friends, we will all have times when God’s plan is both terrifying and overwhelming, but we also have the Spirit of Jesus Christ; to be present in Peace and to impart Peace to us.  If you are now in one of those “OOF” moments, with whatever name and face you which to name it, remember that when you search for me, you will find me, if you seek me with all your heart. I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.  We might now have difficult moments following God’s plans, but we also have the Spirit of Jesus Christ.  That means that our “OOF” moments can become “Peace” moments through the Holy Spirit; and all this to the glory of God.  Amen. 

¹⁸ As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ ²⁰ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. ²¹ As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. ²² Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Matthew 4:18-22

Snow Day.  Nothing inspires more students to joy and trepidation to parents than when the Superintendent informs families that school is not in session due to the weather.  While children enjoy in the interruption into their schedules, no longer having to take tests, study new ideas and complete homework, parents have a far greater response.  Snow Days are an unwelcome interruption because work schedules must be changed because students need supervision.  Parents must make changes to appointments and driving schedules, parents have to make sure they have enough milk and bread for kids who would normally be at school.  Snow days can be a welcome and an unwelcome interruption into our lives. 

Imagine the interruption in the lives of Simon and Andrew, James and John, when Jesus approaches their boats around the Sea of Galilee.  To fish as a profession means to keep schedules, times when the repairs need to be finished, times when sailing out to sea needs to happen, times to throw the nets and times to pull them in.  While amid the daily fishing routine, Jesus interrupts, follow me, I will make you fishers of men.  Stop that work and start my work.  Leave this place and follow me to another.  The 4 fishermen certainly did not expect an encounter with Jesus, nor allow time in their day for a jaunt elsewhere, yet nonetheless, Jesus interrupts their schedules, routines, and lives with His call to follow.  Would it be welcome or unwelcome?

What happens when Jesus interrupts our days?  What happens when Jesus interrupts our plans and our schedules, with an unexpected encounter, or an unexpected chore, or an unexpected mission moment, or an unexpected possibility to love an unknown neighbor?  Would Jesus’ call be welcome or unwelcome?  We do have moments of God-awareness when we hear the call, see the opportunity and obey the direction of Christ.  But we also have those moments, when out of our aggravations, and in our self-interest, we miss the call, we fail to see, we disobey the direction of Christ.  We have moments when we follow the impulses of the Holy Spirit and allow Christ’s plan to interrupt our plans, but we also have times when perhaps we resist and end up interrupting Christ’s plan, insisting on our own.

The good news of the Gospel is that wrapped up inside the Call of Jesus is not only the power to recognize who is calling us, when that happens; but also, the power to obey it.  Jesus is not just the Son of God with the authority to demand obedience.  Jesus is also the Son of Man with the faith to give it.  Who better to help us accept God’s Call upon us, whenever God may give it, that the one who is also the new and perfect Adam who chooses to perfectly follow the direction of God?  Jesus is not just God commanding us, but Jesus is also the perfect human able and willing to follow.  Jesus is not just God, but also our Brother.  This is why the 4 fishers can follow.  Most would have blown Jesus off, but these 4 follow, because He has something not seen before.  Not just another teacher, with ideas and directives, but with the authority of God.  So, the 4 leave behind boats, nets and families and follow Jesus, even amid the enormous interruption to their lives.

Friends, we find ourselves in a few short moments once again in the time of Lent, the season of introspection and transformation.  Perhaps what we can do thanks to the Spirit of Jesus Christ, is learn to allow the many interruptions of God into our lives instead of resisting and insisting on our own plans and schedules.  Perhaps what we could do this Lent is to step into a time and place where we, without ceasing, follow the direction of God over and in our lives, by giving up our times into the hands of God; instead of following our own directions, by taking our times into our own hands.  Perhaps this Lent, we can be more like the 4 fishermen who followed the Call of Christ which interrupts, instead of the 4 who stayed by the Lake.  Amen. 

Matthew 3:13-17

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ ¹⁵ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he consented. ¹⁶ And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. ¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’

Shoveling snow is hard when you don’t have a snow blower.  My son was born during a snow/ice storm and trying to shovel a foot of ice encrusted snow is challenging at best.  I was only able to shovel a tiny fraction before quitting in frustration.  I returned the next day with some help to shovel, only to find that my driveway had been completely cleared.  My neighbor had seen me struggling and sent over her husband with a snow blower to clear it for us, knowing that we were in the hospital.  Someone else did the work for us.

Perhaps, this explains why Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan, under John the Baptist for the forgiveness of sins.  Not having any sins of his own, why is he submitting to a confession of sin?  Not being sinful but in perfect communion with his Father through the Holy Spirit, why is he repenting or turning back to God?  Not being guilty of crossing any laws, or missing any marks, or falling short of any expectations, why is he asking for forgiveness?  John even asks, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?  Quite simply, Jesus is doing the work for us.  He doesn’t need to confess, but we do, and we won’t do so.  He doesn’t need to repent, but we do, and we won’t do so.  He doesn’t need to ask for forgiveness, but we do, and we won’t do so.  Jesus is baptized for the forgiveness of sins, confessing and begging for forgiveness for us, because we wouldn’t nor couldn’t do so for ourselves.  He did the work for us.

Perhaps then this explains why Jesus answered John as he did, let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.  The word for fulfill in a quite literal sense means to fill up.  This creates a provocative image of Jesus filling our confessions with his own, knowing how empty they could be, if we offer them at all; Jesus filling our repentance with his own knowing how meager our repentance could be, if we repent at all; Jesus filling our requests for forgiveness with his own, knowing how shallow and imperfect ours could be, if we ask at all.  Jesus fills what is lacking in us, a human returning to God and seeking reconciliation.  Jesus does the work for us, because our work of atonement never could be full, even if we ever wanted to try.  Jesus does the work for us.

But the good news is not just what Jesus does for us, but also what is given to Jesus to give to us.  It is after Jesus’ baptism that the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.  Jesus doesn’t just do the work on our behalf, but also does the work of God on God’s behalf.  The Spirit comes upon him so that He might give the Spirit to us.  He gave our sins to God; He now gives God’s Spirit to us.  The very Spirit which creates, forgives and gives life to Jesus, which we seen witnessed in Scripture, is given to Jesus to give to us, who need re-created, re-forgiven and re-surrected.  Jesus is filled with the Spirit to fulfill righteousness, by filling us with Holy Spirit.  Jesus does the human work for us, but also does God’s work to us. 

But perhaps the most needed and most powerful aspect of Jesus’ work Jesus for us and to us is found in the words spoken to Jesus from heaven, this is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.  Does Jesus not know who He is and how much He is loved and how much He pleases His Father?  But what if we need to hear this?  Jesus does the work of repentance for us, Jesus does the work of God to us, but this results with us becoming what we need so desperately need, we are well-pleasing children of God.  Jesus works for us, Jesus works for God, that we might be part of the Divine Family; that we might be covenant people; that we might become children of God.  Jesus works to reconcile us and all things to God; to reconcile the Creator with the Creation.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, as we enter the season of our life together between the seasons of Christmas and Easter, we are reminded of all that Jesus came to do.  Work for us to God.  Work to us from God.  But, if we live under this work and in the power of the Holy Spirit, then as children of God, we have work to do for others and for God.  As the Body of Christ, our sacred calling is the witnessing to what Jesus has done for us and to us.  By being the family of God together, together we can be agents of reconciliation to a weary world.  Jesus works for us; we can work for Jesus.  Jesus works for God, we can work for God.  As agents of reconciliation, we can be a collective witness for God.  Because of Jesus, yes, we can shovel snow without a snow blower.  Let us be reconciled to God and to each other.  Amen. 

Lamentations 3:22-24

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
    his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,
    ‘therefore I will hope in him.’

Another holiday season is over.  We have taken down the trees with the ornaments that took much time to hang.  The wreaths, snowmen and angels are in their boxes for another long wait.  The pies, cookies and candies have been eaten.  The football games have been played, won, or lost.  The cards, wrapping paper, and boxes have been recycled.  The kids and grandkids are back in school.  The holiday season is over, and we are settling in for another long winter season.

But while the holidays are over, we do have one thing that never ceases or comes to an end.  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end.  God’s covenant with God’s people never ceases and never comes to an end.  We might enjoy the end of the Christmas music on the radio station, but we will never have a time when the steadfast love of God stops loving and creating.  We might struggle with the sadness of an end to the joyous season, but we will never have a time when the mercies of God cease.  The holidays may fade from view, but the good news of the Gospel is that the Grace of God never fades, cease, or stops.

But the Gospel is not just that God never ceases, but also that they are new every morning.  We have a portion for each day that is refreshed daily.  Steadfast love for today.  Mercy for today.  Another chance to be faithful to God.  Another opportunity to act as a covenant community.  While we might enjoy the forgiveness of yesterday and last year, we also enjoy the portion for today and 2023.  Love and mercy for today and this year, fresh for this day and fresh for every day to come.  Daily bread and daily forgiveness but also daily calling, daily mission, daily prayer, daily service, and daily faith.  God’s grace is new every morning, and so must our faithful response be new every day.

Perhaps this response is what is written, ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’  We can live this day with today’s portion granted by God.  Fresh and new is what God gives us for today, but do we responsibly use that portion to hope and live in God for today?  What about our attitudes, do we have hope and joy, the portion of God, or cynicism and despair?  What about our thoughts, do we think on love and righteousness, the portion of God, or selfishness and self-absorption?  What about our actions, do we act in truth and justice, the portion of God, or are we consumed by inaction and wrongdoing?  What about our re-actions, do we respond with grace and blessing, the portion of God, or do we respond to others with hate and suspicion, knee-jerk reactions?  We are graciously given a fresh portion of God every day, to what end and in what responsibility do we use them?

My friends, as we begin a new year and new day, the Gospel reminds us that while the holidays and all the special traditions they convey are over, God is never over, never ceases and never runs out.  That love and mercy is fresh every day with a fresh portion of Grace.  But the Gospel also challenges us that we can respond to what is given to us daily, by daily giving faithfulness and obedience to God.  What will you do today with what God gives you today?  What will you do with 2023?  Great is your faithfulness, O God; by your Word and Spirit, may our faithfulness be just as great.  Amen.     

¹¹ Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; ¹² the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; ¹³ let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. ¹⁴ Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

If you ever needed to wake up at a certain time, you set an alarm.  Many years ago, that was a mechanical device which you had to wind and then a bell rang at the correct time.  Then we had the electronic device which was programmed to turn on the radio or a very annoying beeping sound.  The problem with this was if the power went out, so did your alarm.  Now we have phones with a clock app, which we can set for an almost unlimited number, to remind us to wake up or to do something at a certain time.  But we all have alarms to wake us up or remind us to do something. 

Just as our alarms alert us to wake up from sleep, Paul is giving the Romans, and us, a spiritual alarm to wake us up from unbelief and disobedience.  Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep.  A spiritual sleep can take many faces and names, but perhaps a few call our attention.  Spiritually sleeping could be ungratefulness and presumption for all of God’s many blessings.  Spiritually sleeping could be despair and anxiety about the state of our communities or futures.  Spiritually sleeping could be apathy and indifference to our neighbors in a time of inflation and recession.  The church in Rome had these struggles, as does the church in Ashtabula; and for this purpose, Paul wanted to sound the alarm on them, and us.  Because none of these things, and the many more ways one could be spiritually asleep, are a life living in the light of Jesus Christ. 

Paul reminds the Romans, and us, that the Advent or Coming of Christ was closer, for salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near.   Days have passed, time has come and gone and the glorious coming of Christ is closer now than then.  We are ever moving forward in time and therefore closer to the Day of Lord, and the Advent of Jesus Christ.  The dawn is growing brighter, and the darkness is shrinking smaller.  We should not therefore be hitting the snooze button and falling back asleep spiritually but becoming more and more spiritually awake. 

One lives an “awake” life by putting off one’s pajamas and putting on the work clothes.    Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy.  The clothes to be taken off are deeds of wickedness and unrighteousness like for the Romans uncontrolled drinking and constant conflict.  When we fall asleep these, and many more, are the things that we fall back into.  When we wake up, we start doing the things of Christ, like self-control and mutuality. 

This Advent season what do we need to take off and put on, if now is the time to awaken?  Perhaps the things of the light could be a hopeful outlook and choices or a reconciliation between yourself and an adversary or a peacemaking between enemies.  Perhaps it could be a joyous attitude and encouraging others.  But perhaps most assuredly, the greatest thing of the light is to love God and to love each other sacrificially.  This is what putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires means.  The greatest light to put on is Christ and that means putting on self-sacrificing love.  This advent season we all could use less of our self-interested, sinful ways and we all could use more self-giving ways of Christ.  The alarm is now sounding, now is the time to wake up, now is the time to put on Christ and live in the light.  Now is the time for hope, peace, joy and most importantly, love.  Amen. 

Yet even now, says the Lord,
    return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
¹³ rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
    for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
    and relents from punishing.  Joel 2: 12-13

Growing up, I had two dogs.  When I was working late, I had the responsibility to let them outside before we went to sleep for the night.  One evening I came home as usual and let the dogs out.  After fifteen minutes or so, I went to let them back in and I could not find them.  Usually, they were waiting by the door when they were done.  I called and nothing happened.  I took a flashlight and scanned the yard thinking they couldn’t hear me, but I couldn’t find them.   I went back inside with the full conviction of leaving them outside the entire evening for wandering away.  I waited about an hour or so and checked outside the back door and both dogs were sleeping in the flower bed.  They wandered off but eventually returned to be let in.

Just as my dogs wandered off from me, so too do we wander off from God.  They caught the smell of a deer and ran off and when they came to themselves, they came back home.  We do the same thing; something catches our attention or desires, and we wander off from God and from our Covenant community.  In the prophet Joel, the Covenant People of God, Israel has wandered off from faithfulness and obedience to God.  Just as I called out for my dogs to come home God calls out to his people who have wandered off with Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me.  We might be tempted to think that God has wandered away from us, but the truth is that we are the ones who wander off from God and need to return to God.

But how do we do that?  How do we make a sincere returning to God despite everything we have done to God and against God by wandering off.  Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.  It is not our physical bodies that have wandered off from God but our hearts and minds.  So, a mental and spiritual return to Christ needs to involve those things.  So, we return with all our heart, not just a fraction or trace but all our heart needs to come back to God.  Fasting, weeping, and mourning are all signs of remorse and regret.  We return with God with a broken and contrite heart convicted of breaking God’s heart by leaving. 

Many among church people believe and understand that remorse involves a bodily sign: a rending of clothes, sackcloth, and ashes.  We are embodied souls with a complete unity of our inner and outer selves.  We are not two, body and soul, but one, embodied souls.  So, whatever we do in one we do in the other, or at least that is the hope.  For many, remorse is an outer display, but nothing ever changes in their hearts.  The prophet reminds us that whatever we do we must do as a whole person, rend your hearts and not your clothing.  Doing something with our outer person but neglecting the matters of heart, mind and soul are useless.  True remorse is a soul and body endeavor, and the more important element is not what we do with our clothes but the transformation and repentance from the Heart. 

We have understood how we are to return to God, but do we truly understand what we are coming back to.  The text says, Return to the Lord, your God.  The LORD is the covenant name of God.  We are not just returning to God, but we are returning to the life and lifestyle of being in Covenant with God.  We return to a connection and binding of ourselves and God.  We are re-newing our vows made in Baptism to turn away from sin, to turn toward Jesus Christ and to be his faithful disciple.  This simply means that we return to following Christ, our sins are forgiven, and we are made new.  Or simply stated, we commit to wander away no longer. 

But the good news of the Gospel or why we can return is because of the character of our God.  Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.  God is gracious and merciful and our wandering off is forgiven.  God is slow to anger in loyal and unmovable love.  God does not want to punish but to correct and discipline.  The Gospel is that we can return because we are loved, forgiven, and made new by the Grace and Love of God given in Jesus Christ. 

Friends, we will wander off as we each struggle with our natures.  But God has opened God’s-self up to always accept a returning sinner.  But we need to return to God with all our heart in signs of inner remorse.  We are also returning to our covenant life together following the was of Jesus Christ.  Perhaps then through Christ and the Holy Spirit we can learn to stop wandering off and learning to stay with Christ.  But if we do, Christ promises to always take us back, if we return to him with our whole heart.  Amen.