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| Moreton Bay Fig Tree |
From Prayers for Sunday and Seasons, Year C, Peter J. Scagnelli, LTP, 1992.
Some Thoughts on Luke 21:25-36
"...this week’s passage is peculiar and hard and odd and wonderful because it announces to us a promise that itself is peculiar and hard and odd and wonderful, a promise, that is, that is big enough to save us."
"A Promise Big Enough to Save Us," David Lose, Working Preacher, 2012.
"We turn the page to start the new calendar of our church year, whisper a prayer of thanks and hope, roll up our sleeves and get back to work."
"Raise up your heads," Melissa Bane Sevier, Contemplative Viewfinder, 2012.
Oremus Online NRSV Gospel Text
Stay awake and be alert. This is the message of Advent, and this is Jesus' message to his followers in Luke's Gospel reading this Sunday. This week we begin Advent a season of preparation wherein Christians globally make themselves ready for the coming of the incarnation of God in Christ Jesus. We also begin a new year of new readings and this year we will be focusing upon Luke's Gospel; as always peppered intermitantly with Acts and John.
So we might begin in the beginning. Luke begins his story in the first chapter telling us he is writing to help the reader understand the life and work of Jesus and what it will mean to follow him. In the first part of the Gospel Luke tells the story of Jesus in relationship to those things that have already happened. They have been foretold, and come true in the incarnation and in the events of Jesus’ life.
But here, this week, we move to the latter part of Luke to a time of speaking about the signs. Luke draws our attention in the words of Jesus to understand how the past shows us the reality of Jesus Christ in the present - to the reader. Just as the Jews received signs before their deliverance so the Gentiles receive signs for their inclusion. We know that Jesus’ kingdom became a partial reality in his ministry as it was expanding and growing, it is about to become a full reality and as his followers we should be looking for the signs. This is the point of this section of Luke's Gospel.
For example the fig tree comes as a sign and is offered as a witness that those who follow Jesus will know by looking at the sings around them. He says, "Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near." So, see for yourselves. As they, and we, wait and watch we must be diligent and careful so as to be prepared.
If they are prepared, both in watchfulness, prayerfulness, and in their work on behalf of others then they will have nothing to fear in the presence of the Son of Man. In fact they will be able to stand up straight, unbound from dwelling in this world, and for they are fully participate in the kingdom of God.
“Those who endure, who bear witness, who remain alert in prayer, have nothing to fear from the coming of the Son of Man. For them there is not distress or confusion or dread. For them it is the time of ‘liberation.’ And they can therefore stand up straight, hold their heads high in happy anticipation before the Son of Man.” (LTJ, Luke, 330)
“Be awake in every season, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” V 36.
So it is that we in this season begin to think of a new kingdom conspiracy. As Christians we dare to do a counter cultural thing - to prepare not for a passing season - but for the coming of an eternal season of God. In Advent we are to be watchful. See the moments of the kingdom and see the face of Jesus present in our midst. Dietrich Bonhoeffer in one of his Advent sermons would say to us: see the poor the humbled and the oppressed and there you will see Jesus.
Christians challenge themselves to wait and be prayerful instead of scurrying around. This is an important time to be contemplative. To whisper the words of Jesus and his followers in the quiet time of prayer. "God is with us." "Christ the savior is here."
Christians in their seeing and in their praying in Advent chose to conspire against the powers and so we are attentive to our ministry wherein we act on behalf of others. As we recognize Christ in our brothers and sisters, the poor and those in need, we chose to act on their behalf. This is the diligent work of Advent, this is the work that Jesus says brings us liberation from the coming of God.
"...this week’s passage is peculiar and hard and odd and wonderful because it announces to us a promise that itself is peculiar and hard and odd and wonderful, a promise, that is, that is big enough to save us."
"A Promise Big Enough to Save Us," David Lose, Working Preacher, 2012.
"We turn the page to start the new calendar of our church year, whisper a prayer of thanks and hope, roll up our sleeves and get back to work."
"Raise up your heads," Melissa Bane Sevier, Contemplative Viewfinder, 2012.
Oremus Online NRSV Gospel Text
Stay awake and be alert. This is the message of Advent, and this is Jesus' message to his followers in Luke's Gospel reading this Sunday. This week we begin Advent a season of preparation wherein Christians globally make themselves ready for the coming of the incarnation of God in Christ Jesus. We also begin a new year of new readings and this year we will be focusing upon Luke's Gospel; as always peppered intermitantly with Acts and John.
So we might begin in the beginning. Luke begins his story in the first chapter telling us he is writing to help the reader understand the life and work of Jesus and what it will mean to follow him. In the first part of the Gospel Luke tells the story of Jesus in relationship to those things that have already happened. They have been foretold, and come true in the incarnation and in the events of Jesus’ life.
But here, this week, we move to the latter part of Luke to a time of speaking about the signs. Luke draws our attention in the words of Jesus to understand how the past shows us the reality of Jesus Christ in the present - to the reader. Just as the Jews received signs before their deliverance so the Gentiles receive signs for their inclusion. We know that Jesus’ kingdom became a partial reality in his ministry as it was expanding and growing, it is about to become a full reality and as his followers we should be looking for the signs. This is the point of this section of Luke's Gospel.
For example the fig tree comes as a sign and is offered as a witness that those who follow Jesus will know by looking at the sings around them. He says, "Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near." So, see for yourselves. As they, and we, wait and watch we must be diligent and careful so as to be prepared.
If they are prepared, both in watchfulness, prayerfulness, and in their work on behalf of others then they will have nothing to fear in the presence of the Son of Man. In fact they will be able to stand up straight, unbound from dwelling in this world, and for they are fully participate in the kingdom of God.
“Those who endure, who bear witness, who remain alert in prayer, have nothing to fear from the coming of the Son of Man. For them there is not distress or confusion or dread. For them it is the time of ‘liberation.’ And they can therefore stand up straight, hold their heads high in happy anticipation before the Son of Man.” (LTJ, Luke, 330)
“Be awake in every season, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” V 36.
So it is that we in this season begin to think of a new kingdom conspiracy. As Christians we dare to do a counter cultural thing - to prepare not for a passing season - but for the coming of an eternal season of God. In Advent we are to be watchful. See the moments of the kingdom and see the face of Jesus present in our midst. Dietrich Bonhoeffer in one of his Advent sermons would say to us: see the poor the humbled and the oppressed and there you will see Jesus.
Christians challenge themselves to wait and be prayerful instead of scurrying around. This is an important time to be contemplative. To whisper the words of Jesus and his followers in the quiet time of prayer. "God is with us." "Christ the savior is here."
Christians in their seeing and in their praying in Advent chose to conspire against the powers and so we are attentive to our ministry wherein we act on behalf of others. As we recognize Christ in our brothers and sisters, the poor and those in need, we chose to act on their behalf. This is the diligent work of Advent, this is the work that Jesus says brings us liberation from the coming of God.
Some Thoughts on 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
"Paul's letters have a way of engaging us and inviting to be part of sensitive and transformative relationships, full of joy and pain. When we hear his letters as part of his human story, they are never just words; and they are never just his story."
"First Thoughts on Passages on Year C Epistle Passages in the Lectionary," Advent 1, William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia."Paul's letters have a way of engaging us and inviting to be part of sensitive and transformative relationships, full of joy and pain. When we hear his letters as part of his human story, they are never just words; and they are never just his story."
Oremus Online NRSV Epistle Text
Paul's visit to Thessalonica proves to be a long one (much longer than the short preaching tour described in Acts). Moreover, he seems from his letters to spend a great deal of time with the gentile community there.
This is important and perhaps Paul's excitement about this new evolving community of God's people (where Gentiles are included) is part of what we hear in his voice as we read today's Epistle.
In the letter that we read this Sunday Paul is offering a vision of hope to those who are still waiting the Lord's return. What seems essential here are several points which Leander Keck makes plain in his text on Paul and his letters. That Christ is still working in the world. Christ our Lord is directing us, and directing our ways; even in the meantime as we wait for his return. That our life together is marked with love for one another and for all as an outpouring of the love God has for the world. And finally, that we are to be focused upon our work and not worried about what will come. (This is an interesting correlation with the Gospel for Sunday.) Paul offers the Thessalonians this notion that they are to be marked by holiness, by their work which flows out of love received from God and which encapsulates their love for the others. This is the obedience, the vulnerability, and weakness that marked Jesus' life and is to mark our own as disciples and followers of the Christ. (47,48)
So we might ask the preacher, as you stare out into the congregation from the high and lofty perch, are you looking upon them with joy? Does that joy pour out of the prayers for each whose face you have kept before you? Do you see in them the way God looks upon them? Do you see how they have tried to be faithful? Do you love them?
As we read and think about our place in the midst of our office, our family, our friendship circle - is our place marked by joy and love? Are we holding one another up in prayer and seeking to see them face to face? Are we at work in the world? Are we vulnerable to Christ's presence? to Christ's presence in the other? Are we weak and making way for the other?
This Advent One Epistle selection offers an opportunity for the Christian community to begin a season of Advent where we start with a pause. In that pause we look and we see the beloved in the other and we see our own beloved nature. In that pause we see the face of Christ in our brother and sister. In that pause we give way for the other. For it is there that the Lord Jesus comes with all his saints. IT is in that meeting where the divine and the human become one - a community bound in love.
Some Thoughts on Jeremiah 33:14-16
"The same proclamation is given today to us, inheritors of Jeremiah's task. We are called to speak a word of hope and promise in a world often filled with fear and uncertainty, even despair."
Commentary, Jeremiah 33:14-16, Kathryn Schifferdecker, Preaching This Week,WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
Oremus NRSV online Text
One would do well to remember that the majority of Jeremiah is not particularly good news if you are in Judah or Jerusalem. The powers of the empires of north and south are taken to task by this troubled prophet. The book itself is a collection of oracles and prophecies against the mishandling of God's community.
However, the passage we have today is good news. In the midst of how bad everything is, there is good news for the people of God. Despite the poor conditions God does dream again of a land redeemed. God dreams for the wastelands of Israel that one day they will be green again, pastures, and sheep and shepherds will walk the land. There will be a rebirth of the land and of the people - for these are intimately tied.
And, the prophet goes on to say, God will bring forth new shoots from the tree of David. Not only will there be a successor there will be a succession! God will bring about justice and peace - and the house of Israel will be restored.
Christian's read this prophecy as not only meaning the fruit of God's blessing will fall upon the ancient people of Israel but that the successor is himself Jesus the Christ. God in Christ Jesus will bring about, and is bringing about, this new restoration of a kingdom. This reign of God is quite different from the Christian perspective as it is the ultimate building up of a kingdom of priests and people who will themselves take their places as a reborn Israel.
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