What Exactly Is the Good News?

Luke 4:38-44
The nature of God’s reign is inherently good. That’s one message we find in today’s gospel reading: “But [Jesus] said to them, ‘I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.’ So he continued proclaiming the message in the synagogues of Judea” (Luke 4:43-44). But what constitutes “good news”? The definition we choose will go a long way in determining how we understand God’s work within human history and beyond. Actually, this term is used a number of times in Luke, from the appearance of the angel Gabriel to Zechariah announcing the “good news” of the birth of John (1:19), to the angel’s sharing “good news of great joy” with shepherds guarding their flocks near Bethlehem (2:10). Jesus himself quotes the prophet Isaiah in claiming that his ministry includes bringing “good news to the poor” (4:18), a theme he returns to in his conversation with the disciples of John (7:22). This “good news” then is bound up in the work of Jesus Christ and those, like John, who point toward him.

But as joyous and profound as this “good news” is, it can not be isolated from the reality of the world as we know it. After all, much of Jesus’ time was dedicated to healing illnesses and casting out demons, to calming fears and announcing God’s judgment, to feeding the hungry and restoring the lost. These conditions and needs existed within the created order, plaguing many and making life more difficult. But the hunger and illness and fear in no way preclude the goodness of what God is doing in and through Jesus Christ. To all such cases Jesus brings good news in the form of the coming reign of God. Like a beam of light that ejects all darkness before it, the validity of God’s new creation opens a passage forward. Now lives lived in turmoil have a chance at redemption. Now hurt and anger can be set aside and reconciliation claimed. Angry voices can now be tuned to praise and sharp words to the work of building community.

Jesus shared good news wherever he went. That same good news remains a potent, indeed, all-consuming force for goodness and mercy. When we accept what God is doing now and what God has promised in the future, we prepare ourselves to do our part in changing the world.

Prayer: Almighty God, may we live as messengers of good news and as agents of your gospel until your kingdom arrives in it fullness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Which Way?

Luke 1:67-80
Maybe it's the season. Maybe it's because my stress level is running too high. Maybe it's the litany of events that have washed over the United States in the past month. Maybe it's all of these. Whatever the reason, I find myself embracing the words of Luke today, and especially one promise in particular. "By the tender mercy of our God," we read, "the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1:78-79). I want to walk in the way of peace, the sort of peace that redefines life, that makes sense of this world, that builds community and overcomes injustice. I want that kind of peace.

But the good news of Luke's gospel for today is not without its challenges. God's chosen one may guide our feet into the way of peace, but we are going to have to do some walking. We are going to have to shoulder the responsibility that comes with being the community of faith, the people of God. We are going to have to do the work of the coming kingdom, follow the will of God, embrace God's call for justice and righteousness. We are going to have to look beyond ourselves and our needs and our wants and "rights" and be willing to do things God's way, mindful of the least among us, the lost and the lonely, those who, like us, are longing for a better world. Perhaps this is what it means to "take the necessary steps." Perhaps it means that we must stand up and begin to exercise our faith muscles once again.

This may not sound much like peace, at least not the peace we are looking for at present. But here is our hope, that by God's grace we can and will find the strength and the courage we need for the living of these days and will, by God's grace, someday find ourselves awash in the true peace that only God can offer. Until then, until that day when Luke's words like those of the prophets come to fruition, we live in the knowledge that we are not alone and that the steps we take, no matter how faltering, will
 lead us in time to the right place. 

On this Christmas Eve, may our lives be filled with love and light, and may our living be directed by and toward the will of God. 

Prayer: Gracious God, guide our feet and open our hearts to your love and grace that in your time we may find the true peace that passes all understanding. In the name of the one we await. Amen.

An Honest Woman

Luke 1:26-38
I admire Luke’s portrayal of Mary when he writes, “But she was much perplexed by (the angel’s) words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be” (Luke 1:29). The conversation between Gabriel and Mary should not be passed by hurriedly. It is one of the most transforming moments in all of scripture through which the work of God unfolds. This is as much a call story as is Exodus 3, or Isaiah 6, or Jeremiah 1 and in each of those cases the men in question hem and haw with fear and trepidation. Why should Mary, called to bear God’s Son, be any different? Why should she not be perplexed? Why should she not wonder how this could be true of a virgin? Her questions are honest and straightforward. Her concern is natural. This is a real person dealing with really surprising news. By the time Mary says, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word,” we know that she means it.

May all of us strive for the honesty of Mary, allowing our questions to rise and our concerns to be expressed. God seeks the best that each of us can offer and honesty is high on that list. When we say, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord,” may it be with true conviction. May we know that we mean it.

Prayer: Lord, may our minds be active and our hearts alive during this season as we welcome your word into our world and accept the challenges that you give us. In the name of your Son our Lord. Amen.

When Familiarity Breeds Blindness

John 9:18-41

"Jesus said, 'I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind'" (John 9:39). Most of us are used to such sayings by now. We've read words like these from Jesus any number of times. We have heard (or preached) countless sermons on the subject. We know that Jesus has come to turn things upside down. The gospels use different terms for expressing the same phenomenon. For instance in Luke Mary offers thanks to God for feeding the hungry and sending the rich away without food (Luke 1:46-55). This is old news for us, right?

But we need to be careful. Once we get to the point where "we've heard it all before" we may have become the ones who think they see but who have actually become blind. Resisting the power of the gospel is akin to ignoring it all together. We may think we have it all figured out when in fact we keep missing the point. For example, I have eaten a lot of meals in my life, but I don't let that stop me from having lunch or dinner one more time. In fact there are are a number of dishes that I like so much that I eat them over and over again. We must treat Jesus' words–and the teachings of scripture as a whole–the same way, returning to them again and again for what they have to say to us and the nourishment they offer.

Jesus came into the world bringing a radically new perspective and a completely new understanding of God. The truth of Jesus' words has not been exhausted, nor have we managed to fully comprehend their meaning. We need to keep trying. We need to live like those who are blind to the full truth, but who are striving to see.

Prayer: Gracious God, help us to hear and see you word anew each time we are encountered by it. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Lover Of God

Luke 1:1-25

“Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed” (Luke 1:1-4).

This is how Luke begins his account of the gospel of Jesus Christ, addressing “Theophilus,” a name that means “Lover of God.” There are days when I almost wish I could forget everything I know about Jesus. Then perhaps I could read the gospel of Luke in the spirit in which it was written, as an “orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us…,” as late-breaking news about God’s activity, something fresh and surprising, something the likes of which I had never heard but about which I would certainly want to know more.

While I can’t really forget the gospel, I can treat it with the same excitement that Theophilus must have, with the same hunger to know more. I can be drawn deeper into the story, listening for the voices of “eyewitnesses and servants of the word…investigating everything carefully from the very first…” Indeed, the gospel is too vital to be taken lightly or set aside for long periods. It deserves our attention on a regular and on-going basis. When we open ourselves to its power I believe we can more readily feel the excitement of what God is doing in our world still.

Luke’s words, written hundreds of years ago, are no longer current, and yet by the Holy Spirit they remain as relevant as ever, telling a story that remains fresh and profound. If we let them, Luke’s words will pick us up and carry us along until we feel a closer bond to Theophilus, until our love for God becomes more and more integral to our identity.

Prayer: Lord, help us to hear your word as though it were new to us so that we may feel again their power to change lives, including our own. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Expect the Unexpected

Amos 7:10-17

The book of Amos offers only a brief description of the prophet’s call from God. “Then Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel”'” (Amos 7:14-15). This is not a unique story in scripture. Moses was herding the flocks of his father-in-law when God called him (Exodus 3). Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-8) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1) were minding their own business when the presence of the Lord burst upon them with work to be done. In the New Testament Mary was surprised to learn that she would bear God’s Son (Luke 1:26-38); Simon, Andrew, James and John were interrupted in their daily activities when Jesus called them to follow (Matthew 4:18-22); and Paul was stunned by Jesus’ appearance to him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-9). These are just a few of the examples that scripture gives us.

Advent is a time for listening to God’s voice in our lives, for following where God leads us, for doing the unexpected. Few of us herd livestock, prune sycamore trees, or fish for a living. Even fewer—I suspect—are in the habit of persecuting Christians. That’s not the point of these stories. What we need to understand it that God sees in us gifts and skills that we may not readily see in ourselves, and God seeks to use those skills to serve God’s will. The tasks we find ourselves doing may be small or large, may cause us little discomfort or force us to completely change our way of life. Whatever the case, God’s people must always “expect the unexpected.” That may seem difficult during Advent when we think we know pretty well what is going on, but if we are really listening, really paying attention, then we will learn all sorts of things about God, about ourselves, and about the world around us.

Advent is a time for expectations, some of which are very unexpected. Be ready.

Prayer: Lord, keep us focused on what you are doing in our world, and give us the strength to respond when you call. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

First Things First

Luke 1:39-56

One of the reasons that I so appreciate the gospel of Luke is its inclusiveness. People of all sorts play an important role in Luke’s story. Woman, men, children, the poor, the sick, the working class, none are considered unworthy just because of their social standing. (This attitude carries over even further in the book of Acts where Luke will include Gentiles among those who are found acceptable by God.)

Our reading from Luke for today is a good example. As soon as Mary discovers that she is pregnant by the Holy Spirit she goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Luke tells us, “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in (Elizabeth’s) womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb’” (Luke 1:41-42). Here is the first recognition of the nature of Mary’s child and it comes to us from a pregnant woman, one in seclusion no less. Shepherds watching their flocks will be the first to worship the newborn Jesus, but the first one to give praise to God for the coming Christ child is Elizabeth. It has to be significant because Luke places what we call the Magnificat, Mary’s declaration of God’s greatness, after Elizabeth’s pronouncement. The supposedly barren wife of a priest, a man who had himself doubted the message he had received from an angel (and who was now unable to speak because of that doubt), this woman is the one God allows to perceive what is happening before anyone else and to share that news with us.

I wonder who else God has chosen to proclaim the message of hope and joy to the world. I wonder what other news God is revealing through unlikely folk. And I wonder if we are willing to listen. Or do we judge the person before dismissing what they say as not worthy of our attention? That would not be Luke’s way, and it shouldn’t be ours either. What the world needs now is a willingness to listen for God’s word no matter what accent is used to speak it.

Prayer: God of Advent, help us to hear your good news and to embrace it and those who share it with us, so that together we may live as your people in a community of faith. Amen.

Mission Possible

Isaiah 29:9-24

Luke 1:26-38

I wonder how seriously most of us take the words of the angel to Mary: “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). We might pass them off as a sort of catchphrase, an advertising slogan like “No one beats our prices, no one!” Or we might consider them on a par with the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team and their amazing consecutive wins streak. How do they do that? we ask before moving on to another topic. Or we might go so far as to confine God’s works to a Star Wars-like domain, “long ago in a galaxy far away.” Even at Christmas time, the season of miracles, we find the angel’s words better suited for pageants or services of lessons and carols than for “real life.” So perhaps one of the great challenges of being God’s people is accepting the them as bedrock truth, and then repeating them with a straight face.

Our reading from Isaiah today offers this bit of insight: “All those who err in spirit will come to understanding, and those who grumble will accept instruction” (Isaiah 29:24). I’ve never thought of it in these terms before, but perhaps the prophet is speaking as much to you and me as to anyone else. Maybe our jaded view of things, our hesitancy to accept God’s actions as exactly what they claim to be is the erring in spirit, the grumbling that God corrects with understanding and instruction. Personally, I need a little instructing and understanding this time of year. I need my heart opened to allow God’s truth to come in. I need my very human cynicism blasted away so that the birth of Immanuel—God with us can touch me once again and give me the hope I need for the living of these days. Maybe you do as well. If so, remember the good news, that nothing is impossible with God.

Prayer: God of the miraculous, make yourself known to us so that we may live more closely attuned to your will, at Christmas and throughout the year. In Jesus’ name. Amen.