Godspeak

Amos 1:1-5, 1:13-2:8

Luke 21:5-19

The word of God is of utmost importance for people of faith. But when is the word of God not the word of God? Our reading from the prophet Amos for today uses the phrase “says the Lord” no less than eight times. Amos wants us to fully understand that the words of woe which he is sharing do in fact originate with God. According to our gospel reading for today, however, Jesus offered a word of warning to his followers. “Beware that you are not led astray;” he said, “for many will come in my name and say, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is near!' Do not go after them" (Luke 21:8). So there is a difference – a profound difference – between what God says and what others would have us to believe that God has said. How do we know which is which?

I know of no clear and easy answer to that question. The church itself is made up of faithful believers, those who seek earnestly to discern God’s message, but who can not always agree on the true meaning of scripture. What seems perfectly clear to me may strike you as completely false, even though we both affirm our faith in God with sincerity. What can we do? We can trust God. We can continually wrestle with God’s word, question it, challenge it, see what we can make of it, and count on God to speak to us through that struggle. We can trust one another and accept each other as ones who struggle toward a common purpose. Standing on the threshold of our shared belief we can seek to serve the God who created us and who continues to bless us.

Advent begins this Sunday. There is no better time to renew our commitment to this effort, to open ourselves to the voice of God.

Prayer: Lord of all, bless our willingness to hear your word and guide us all the days of our lives. In the name of your Word made flesh. Amen.

The Advent of Ricky Bobby

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Luke 21:20-28

In the film “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” Will Ferrell plays a man with a particular view of Jesus, one which his wife Carley questions:

Ricky: Dear Tiny, Infant, Jesus...

Carley: Hey, um, sweetie, Jesus did grow up. You don't always have to call him baby. It's a bit odd and off-puttin' to pray to a baby.

Ricky: Look, I like the Christmas Jesus best, and I'm sayin' grace. When you say grace, you can say it to Grownup Jesus or Teenage Jesus or Bearded Jesus or whoever you want.

If we’re not careful we can let the season of Advent become only about the “Christmas Jesus” and forget that we are also waiting for Jesus’ second coming and the fulfillment of God’s reign. And it’s no wonder. The “Christmas Jesus” is sweet and innocent and we know about his life, what will happen and when. But the Jesus of the second coming is…well, we don’t know what he’s like and we don’t really know what to expect. So we, like Ricky Bobby, would probably prefer to think about the “Christmas Jesus”, especially at this time of year.

But Paul and Jesus himself want us to keep the second coming very much in mind. “Now concerning the times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you,” says Paul. “For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2). According to Luke, Jesus told his followers, “Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). Something that comes like “a thief in the night” may be less pleasant to think about than a birth celebrated shepherds and wise men, but Advent is just as much about Jesus’ second coming as his first. Unless we keep that in mind we are only engaged in half of the season.

Prayer: Lord, help us to live with expectation and hope, not only as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, but as we look for the Son’s return as well. In Jesus’ name. Amen.