January 4, 2009

John 1:1-5; 9-14

 

Back to the Beginning

 

            We’ve been to the mountaintop in our celebration of the birth of our savior. Now as we come down we just have an empty manger. No angels or shepherds, even the Wise men snuck in and left. We love the story of baby Jesus. Even though it provokes powerful emotions, we have romanticized it so that sometimes it seems trivialized and just sweet. I heard wonderful accounts of Emma as fussy Mary and Max as the crying Joseph during the children’s pageant. A crying Joseph is probably an accurate reflection of the real Joseph. How did I get here and whose baby is this?

          The Gospel of John helps us to understand the significance of the Incarnation by painting a picture on a cosmic scale. Think of this opening of John as an overture to a ballet.

 

Read John. 1:1-5; 9-14 

God ordered creation and his Word is there at the beginning of it all. God so loved the world that he became flesh and dwelt among us.  The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. God enters our time and space. He comes to us so that we can be connected with him and one another. This is a story about God becoming flesh. Our physical bodies are the means by which God enters our time and space. God wants us to have a relationship with Him and share in his eternal life. He has made and confirmed us His children. It is God who does this. It is not accomplished by us. All the teachings and stories of Jesus point to God’s love for all humanity and how this love is to be shared with one another. Love goes all directions. This is the vision of Jesus – to love without preconditions. John takes us back to the truth of God’s incarnation. He takes us back to the beginning…”For God so loved the world that He gave His only son…” 

As I was lying in my bed in the ICU at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston on Christmas Eve, I was feeling a little bit blue. What a way to spend Christmas. I was supposed to be doing something else this evening - remembering and celebrating with my church the birth of our Savior. But I remembered that we go nowhere by accident and that God has something for us to do through us wherever we are. I’ve been many places on Christmas Eve but never in an ICU. I had lots of time to reflect on what was happening to me and what was going on here with this congregation on Christmas Eve. In the middle of the night I heard/felt God say to me, “You are my child and I love you.” And I felt that I was rolled up in a ball and turned over.  I am not going to make anything more of this subjective experience, but I did have an epiphany.  

We are asked the question by our contemporary religion “Do you love God?”  And then we go into all the “Are you saved” issues. “Do you love God is not the right question. In fact, it is the absolute wrong question for us to first ask. The direction and focus of the question reverses. When we focus religion on ourselves we are lost, because we make religion about what we do or don’t do. That is no different than any other religion on this planet. When we focus on what God is doing with us, we are saved. God is loving you and seeking a relationship with you. Do you believe God loves you?  If you do, then you will live as if you are loved by God.  

Sometimes I think we fall into the trap of practicing a religion about Jesus rather than following the religious way of Jesus. Throughout the coming year of sermons, I am going to pay attention to these questions in our scriptures, “Is our religion about Jesus” or “Is our faith about the religion of Jesus?” If it is of Jesus, then we are to follow His light and to love God and each other. Knowing God’s love for you liberates you. Do not trust any theology or ethics of our faith that causes you to judge others. or restrict others from coming to the loving arms of God, or makes you better in God’s eyes. If there is some truth of yours that is not united in God’s love, then throw it away.  If you are judging other people’s sins, then you are on the wrong way. You are part of God’s love and truth when His love has taken a hold of you and made you free of yourself and your judgments of others.  

There's a story I came across is my study to which some of you may be able to relate about a woman's remembrances of her grandmother, Gagi.  “At the time of her grandfather's death, at 90 years of age, her grandparents had been married for over 50 years.  Gagi felt the loss deeply.  The central focus had been taken from her life; and she retreated from the world, entering into an extended period of mourning.  Her grieving lasted nearly five years, and during that time, her granddaughter visited her every week or two. 

One day she visited Gagi expecting to find her in her usual state of despair. Instead, she found her sitting in her wheelchair beaming. When she didn't comment quickly enough about the obvious change in her demeanor, Gagi confronted her:  "Don't you want to know why I'm so happy. Aren't you even curious?"  She went on to explain: "Last night I got an answer.  I finally know why God took my husband and left me behind to live without him.  Your grandfather knew that the secret of life is love, and he lived it every day.  He had become unconditional love in action.  I have known about unconditional love, but I haven't fully lived it.  That's why he got to go first, and I had to stay behind.  All this time I thought I was being punished for something, but last night I found out that I was left behind as a gift from God.  He let me stay so that I, too, could turn my life into love.  You see, you can't learn the lesson after you die.  Love has to be lived here on earth.  Once you leave it's too late.  So I was given the gift of life so that I can learn to live love here and now."  

On one of her subsequent visits, Gagi told her of something that had happened to her that day. "This morning your uncle was upset and angry with me over something I had done.  I didn't even flinch.  I received his anger, wrapped it in love, and returned it with joy."  Her eyes twinkled as she added, "It was even kind of fun, and his anger dissolved." 

Though age continued on its course, Gagi's life was vigorously renewed.  In the last days of her life, the granddaughter visited her often in the hospital.  As she walked toward her room one day, the nurse on duty looked into her eyes and said, "Your grandmother is a very special lady, you know...she's a light."  Yes, love and joy lit up her life and she became a light for others until the end.” 

The way of our Lord Jesus Christ is not where we are going; it is about what we are becoming.