December 24, 2011 - The Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, (Christmas Eve)

12/25/2011

 
Sermon Transcript:   The Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Christmas Eve)                  The Rev. R. Allan McCaslin
December 24, 2011                                                                                                                        
Readings: Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20

 From Luke’s Gospel,  “(and the angel said) ‘Do not be afraid; for see I am bringing you good news of great joy for all … people: to you is born this day … a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’” I speak to you in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

      One of the things that has struck me throughout these past four weeks leading up to Christmas, these four weeks we call the Season of Advent: that time when we reflect on our lives and prepare our hearts and minds for Christ’s birth at Bethlehem just as we prepare for and await his promised second coming, has been how our scriptures and readings have focused our attention not on the past or our future, but rather, on the presence of God in and around us today; to look for and to see God; to slow down in order that we might hear and listen to what God is saying to us in fresh ways. All of this has been in preparation for tonight’s celebration of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth: the Messiah, Christ, the Lord. 
 
      And so we have arrived at Christmas. This parish church is bedecked in elegance. Trees are decorated, our homes – well, maybe most of them – are prepared for gatherings of friends and family. Some of us are still scurrying around and yet, Christmas is here and for the next twelve days we will celebrate "Emmanuel:" God with us; Christ is born. Yet, I look around and I wonder what this birth means to us today. Our world continues its downward spiral in political and economic chaos. Nations continue to war with each other and here at home our own people seem even more divided politically, economically, racially, and in so many other ways.

     The Prophet Isaiah, from whom we read this evening, promised that the arrival of the Christ would usher in a new kingdom of peace and prosperity: that this kingdom would continue to grow until it embraced the four corners of the earth. St. Paul, in his letter to Titus, a portion of which we also read this evening, tells us that the birth of Christ brought salvation to all people and that Christ taught us how to live in love and unity with God and each other. But, where is that promised peace and unity? If Jesus Christ did not bring that which was promised then, what did  he bring?
 

December 18, 2011 The Fourth Sunday of Advent

12/18/2011

 
Sermon  Transcript:    The Fourth Sunday of Advent,  December 18, 2011                                      The Rev. R. Allan McCaslin
Readings: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38

 From this morning’s gospel,  "'Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be…?’” I speak to you in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. 
 
      If I asked you a question this morning, “Do you believe that God is still active in this world?” I wonder how you might respond. Theologian Walter Bruegemann expressed fear at a recent Conference saying, “Few of us imagine God to be an active character in the story of our lives.” I think his comment is true for many in the Church and throughout the world. It’s not that people don’t believe  in God or think of God as supportive and encouraging, but rather, in the hubbub and frustration of everyday life, some may think that God has, somehow, become passive and moved into the background watching and waiting. Like the words from that song from a few years ago, some believe, “God is watching us, God is watching us, God is watching us … from a distance.”

      The Blessed Virgin Mary may have felt the same way before Gabriel appeared to her as Luke tells us in today’s gospel reading. Luke tells us that Mary was perplexed at Gabriel’s greeting. After all, it had been over five hundred years since the people of Israel had seen any miraculous interventions of God like those witnessed by their ancestors. Oh sure, the people continued to practice their faith saying their daily prayers, attending Temple on the Sabbath day. They and their children, and their children’s children had learned the great stories of their past. They could read the Torah scrolls and they knew the words of the Prophets by heart. But everything was either about past glory days or a promise for the future. Most people in Israel, like many people today, never thought that God might actually do something in their own lifetime. 

     So, when Luke tells us that Mary responded to Gabriel saying, “How can this be?” I think we understand. In fact, if I began this sermon saying to you, “Greetings favored ones! The Lord is with you and intends to do something new and exciting through you here in West Memphis.”You might respond like Mary saying, “How can this be? We are just ordinary people.” But, my friends, that is exactly what Gabriel and God is telling us in this story of the Annunciation to Mary. God is  very much active in this world through the lives of God’s people. God still interrupts our daily routines and calls us just as we are to embrace new and exciting mission and ministry in this world.
 

December 11, 2011, The Third Sunday of Advent

12/12/2011

 
Sermon:             The Third Sunday of Advent, December 11, 2011                                                The Rev. R. Allan McCaslin
Readings: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; I Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28

From this morning’s gospel,  “And the (priests and Levites) asked (John), ‘Who are you?’” I speak to you in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. 
 
      We have an expression in New England that is used when we find ourselves on the losing end of an argument or something catches us off guard. New Englander’s say, “Well, not to worry,” and then carry on with what they were doing. Southerners, on the other hand might say, “Well, alright then” and that expression can end an argument, close a telephone conversation, or even call the family to dinner. I’ve learned that here in the Delta the catchall expression is, “Okay den.” But, there is one expression that I think is understood regardless of where you live in this country and it is especially appropriate when we are confronted by an unpleasant surprise. (No, not that  one!) It is the classic,“Uh-oh!” I said that several times when reading this week’s lessons. 
 
      On this, the third Sunday in our time of preparation and reflection on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ within us as we await his return and as we prepare to celebrate the anniversary of his birth, our lessons this morning seem like a repeat of last week’s lessons. We have a prophecy from Isaiah about the role of the Messiah and we have a letter from St. Paul encouraging us to keep faith in spite of Christ’s delay in returning. But, we have a gospel reading that seems to contradict everything Luke said in last week’s lesson (and what I said in the sermon!)  about the identity of John the Baptizer: the new Elijah whom the prophets said would precede the arrival of the Messiah. In today’s reading, from John’s own mouth, we hear him say, “I am not  Elijah.” Uh-oh!

 

December 4, 2011 The Second Sunday of Advent

12/04/2011

 
Sermon: The Second Sunday of Advent,                 December 4, 2011,                                          The Rev. R. Allan McCaslin
Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; 2 Peter 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8

 From Isaiah,  “Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low, the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.” I speak to you in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. 
 
      If there ever was a Sunday where I am tempted to preach on one scripture lesson only, this is it and that lesson would be from Isaiah. But, this is only the second of our four week Advent journey of preparation for the coming of the Christ at Bethlehem and searching our hearts and minds as we await his second Coming. Besides, we have these timely words from Peter’s second letter and the dramatic scene of John the Baptizer in Mark’s gospel. All of today’s lessons warrant close study. This is not the day to pick and choose.    

      Written during the latter half of the Babylonian exile, a dreadful time in the history of Israel, Isaiah proclaimed that the people had suffered long enough; God is willing to wipe the slate clean; it is time to get on with life and live into their Covenant with God and prepare for the arrival of their Messiah. Using almost poetic language, Isaiah speaks about valleys being lifted up and hills leveled, crooked paths being made straight or, as our Revised Standard Version puts it, “the uneven ground … become(s) level” and the rough places are smoothed out. Yet, as pleasant and beautiful as these images of smoothed roads and leveled ground are, they hold significant meaning for the people of Israel and for us as well.