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"REJOICE" A Sermon By Rev. Philip A. C. Clarke Park Avenue United Methodist Church 106 East 86th Street New York, New York 10028 June 2, 1983
"REJOICE"
A Sermon By
Rev. Philip A. C. Clarke
Park Avenue United Methodist Church 106 East 86th Street New York, New York 10028 June 2, 1983
"REJOICE"
TEXT: "Rejoice in the Lord always, again, I will say, rejoice!"
(Philippians 4: 4)
INTRODUCTION Paul's Letter to the Philippians happens to be one of my favorite books in the New Testament. From reading it, one
picks up the feeling that Philippi was Paul's favorite Church. One wonders why. He had problems with the other churches, but apparently it was different with Philippi. He had a special feeling for the people there ••• an affect~on that flows through this Letter. We've seen glimpses of it in recent weeks in the first three chapters as we have used some of the passages for sermon springboards.
We see it again in the fourth chapter, but we see something else there as well, and frankly it comes as a bit of a surprise. It's revealed that even Philippi had problems. It seems that two women, Euodia and Syntyche, aren't speaking to each other. I suppose they have worked it out by one of them going to the 9:30 service and the other to the 11:00 o'clock service. But they can't hide it ••• everyboqy knows about it, and it's an embarrassment. It's worse than that. The body of Christ has a wound that refuses to be healed. Paul wrote in his other letter that if the Church is not "one" the whole body suffers. Well, Euodia and Syntyche aren't speaking to each other.
I point this out to you with some delight and some relief. Old Paul had problems just like you and I do. He didn't win them all; he had a problem at Philippi. So, it wasn't a perfect Church after all. I've never known one that was. This Church comes close, but there are times when even it falls short. That 's a source of frustration to me, for. I love it so much. I'm supposed to be the "pastor", that's one of the titles given me. The image of the pastor is that of the shepherd who is guarding the sheep and taking them safely home. The Bishop sent me here years ago to be the pastor and frankly I had trouble finding all the sheep, and still ao. I've lost a few along the way; they wander off. I have a friend who is a Navy Chaplain; he suggests the proper way to speak of the minister is as the "captain" of the ship, but nobody ever salutes me!
DEVELOPMENT I'm sure you have that frustration, too, in whatever you do. The plans you make don't come to pass; you give a clear command
and nobody moves. You expect one thing and you get another. Things don't work out the way they're supposed to. The old problems keep coming back. You brag about the church at Philippi and take pride in the fact that at least you've got one success in your career - Philippi. And then comes the upsetting word that Euodia and Syntyche are at it again. Oh, heck ••• why? "Why can't they grot-1 up?
I received a note in the mail this week. It had a little message across the top of the paper •• .,printed ••• which said, "How can I fly like an eagle when I have ·to work with turkeys?" That's how Paul must have felt. I was glad in a way to read that the "perfect" church had its own problems. Yes, not even Paul, the great one, was able to escape the human condition. So I was eager to see how Paul handled this. He's our example. How did he meet this challenge of failure in Philippi? Now his advice to us is "Rejoice ! 11 That 1 s what he says. He says, "Look, if things don't go the way you want them to go, then - rejoice1"
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What kind of advice is that, for crying out loud? After a bad day, I de want to rejoice. I want to go home and feel sorry for ~self, tell me wife n troubles. Maybe she'll listen and say, "Oh ••• poor boy" and I'll feel better a result. And maybe she won't listen.
I like Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. "The Mikado" has long been one c my favorites. In the "Mikado", Koko, the Lord High Executioner, is the protc type of all frustrated bureaucrats. Nothing goes according to his plans. So sings, "I have a little list". And on the list are all of those who irk him. Actually, they're the people who irked Gilbert and Sullivan. And he sings, "And they'll none of them be missed, they'll none of them be missed." I have list too ••• and you probably have one as well. I wait for somebody to ask me, "How's your day been?" And then I let them have it. "This has been a terrib day". And I read them the list. I'm that way sometimes ••• so I 1m a bit confused by Paul's advice. He learns that Euodia and Syntyche are at it again and he says, "rejoice"!
WHAT'S HIS SECRET? And then you make your way down to the tenth verse in this fourth chapter and he's talking about his being j
prison; he's trying to put them at ease. He's in prison and they wa~ted a lo time to communicate their concern to him, and one senses that they're a bit embarrassed about that. They send their apologies and he responds:
"Don't worry about it •••• I'm not complaining, for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know about to be a.based, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. I can do all things in Him who strengthens me."
How does he do that? What's his secret? I read the passage more carefu and noticed he doesn 1 t merely say, "Rejoice". He says, "Rejoice in the Lord. He's not simply talking about having a cheery disposition all the time; he's talking about putting your faith to work. This is the key to it. "Rejoice i the Lord" means practice what you believe in. Rejoice in what you believe Christ has done for you. He's turned defeat into victory. He's turned what 1
the worst thing that could ever possibly happen into the most wonderful thing that could ever happen. He turned the cross into a resurrection. So, rejoic1 in the Lord. That is, rejoice that what He has done is available to you.
We're not to pretend that the world is not the way it really is. We're not to live in some Pollyanna world. We are to trust that what Christ ha,s do: makes a difference in this world. So, if He's won a victory, so can you. If He's turned evil into something good, so can you. If He's overcome defeat, s1 can you. You're not merely to rejoice, you are to rejoice in the Lord. That means that if you think you have a problem, remember the Lord. And that ough to enable you to rejoice, knowing that because He lives it will turn out to b1 OK for you. And so,
"Neither height nor depth nor angels nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us •••• from that love that God showed us in Jesus Christ."
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That's the way Paul explained it to the Roman. And to the Philippians he said the same thing, this time confessionally, "I know how to be abased, I know how to abound in plenty and hunger, in abundance and want. I am content. I can do all things in Him who strenthens me". And that's why he's able to rejoice.
Have you ever met someone like Paul? You dreaded going to see them because something terrible has happened to them. You don't know what to say to them. You're afraid what you say is going to be trivial. But either duty or compassion compels you to go, so you go. And when you get there you find them beautiful and brave, and concerned about you ••• asking about you. You receive back from them more than you give. They're not complaining; they're rejoicing. That's the way Paul was. He 1 s telling the Philippians and us, "Now ••• imitate me. Rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say, rejoice".
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A REJOICING LIFE The Christian life ought to be a rejoicing life. To say that you are
a Christian ought to mean that you are able to rejoice. You should be able to sing which reminds me of the story of the person who one Saturday morning was vacuuming her apartment here in the city. She accidentally vacuumed up her pet canary. Someone the canary lived through the experience, but when a friend asked her about the canary she said, "Oh, poor thing ••• she seems so sad.. She doesn't sing much any more ••• just sort of sits and stares."
Many Christians seem to have forgotten how to rejoice. They just seem to sit and stare. We have a book of hymns in the church; we're supposed to sing. We're supposed to be praising the Lord because of what He has done for us. So many Christians sit quietly and mumble, more inclined to think about their religion than sing about it. Respectable people, they wait till they get to a Yankee game or what have you before they whoop it up. Earlier in Philippians Paul says this, "Have this mind in you which you have in Christ Jesus. That's Paul's way of saying that what happened at Pentecost to the disciples ought to happen to you. At Pentecost the resurrection ceased being a problem that troubled them and became a spirit that empow·ered them. Tt changed the way they looked upon the world and their own lives. "Have this mind in you" •• ethe mind which you saw in Christ Jesus.
AN AMAZING STORY I came across an amazing story this week about an old man who is 118 years old, if you can believe that. It's a
lovely story and I think it comes close to illustrating what "rejoicing in the Lord" might be like for us. This man was really old - 118 years old ••• at least he said he was and he said this,
"You could say that I was a slorT learner. I woke up a few years ago, even though I'd been on my feet for over a century. I finally learned that it was all right to be ridiculous once in awhile •••• to stick your neck out for the sake of a little joy in your life." (He confessed) "I had been a quiet, steady and somewhat boring individual up to that point.u
His day centered around playing chess with a friend, J. B. Sangamoro. He said, "J. B. will tell you that I never whistled a day in my life. Not only didn't I whistle, but I hadn't sung a song since Teddy Roosevelt was in the White House. Now thid kind of silence makes a person dry inside. You laugh and you may cry, but if you deny the music of the inner world you lose out on the flmT of spiritual melody that has your name on it ••• "
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Then something unusual happened to him. He said:
"One night very late I heard a woman's voice singing. It was a young and beautiful voice, and she was singing a song that I thought I knew. I sat up in bed, thinking maybe I was dreaming ••• maybe I was imagining something. And then I remembered that there was a Church one block away and I thought that maybe the voice was coming from that Church. I listened and I began to feel a kind of timelessness. I felt neither young nor old. I felt perfectly aligned in existence. I said, 'Wait a minute. Is this death creeping up on me?' 11
Which is probably not an unt1sual thought for a man 118 years old to have. I rememb3r somebody once asked a man who was 100 years old, "How do you feel when you wake up in the morning?" He said, 11 Surprised1 11 So I suppose that if you're 118 years old, you might have that feeling. But he said,
"I knew it wasn't death creeping up on me because I was having such a good time. Then I remember ed the song. It was a song that my older sister used to sing to me when I couldn't go to sleep on those hot, Illinois nights. And I hummed along with the voice and felt a joy and a surprise I hadn 1 t felt in years. I was born a singer that night."
The next morning he told J. B. what had happened and said, "This will be my last day of playing chess with you, because tomorrow I'm going to start taking singing lessons." "Robert" he said, "you can't even whistle. How are you going to keep your teeth in while you sing? 11 "But I fooled him, and the next day I went to Mrs. Collins down the block who gave singing lessons and I signed up to take lessons with her. I won't lie, I don't sing very well, but I am loud and steady, and I pour all my new-found life into the song. And that old desert in me gets ~ooded with water and a lot of good green things started to grow. And you should see the flowers I feel."
After awhile Mrs. Collins had enough of him and got rid of him by suggesting that he try out for a musical that was being put on by one of the amateur theater groups in that town. He got the part, made the newspaper headlines: 11 118 Year Old Man Sings in Musical". They rehearsed for about three weeks and finally had the dress rehearsal. When it came time to put on makeup they said he didn 1 t look old enough, so they put a white beard,· .. on his face.
On opening night the auditorium was filled to capacity. The old man looked down in the second ro'\ot and saw. J. B. Sangamoro starting at him intently. I guess he was waiting to see those teeth fall out when he started to sing. When the show was over, J. B. came backstage and said to him while shaking his hand:
"I really like your singing. It's much better than your chess playing. But I was worried that that beard would fall off and nobody would believe you are 11811 •
"And so today", the old man said, "I sing •••• whenever and wherever I can. And the singing fills what was empty in me or at least silent. And the older I get, the younger I seem to become."
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SOMETHING LIKE THAT I think it was something like that "unexpected joy" that touched the lives of those early Christians at
Pentecost ••• and it's what Paul was talking about when he said to those Christians at Philippi, "Rejoice in the Lord, and again - I say rejoice."
And as you do, you'll find yourself "content in whatever state you're in". You might even learn that it's all right to be ridiculous once in a while ••• to stock your neck out for the sake of a little joy in your lifel And that desert inside of you will be flooded with water and all sorts of good green things may start to grot-T in your life ••• and like that 118 year old man you too will feel a joy and a surprise you haven't felt in yearsl
He heard strange music one night and said "yes" to it. He said, "I was reborn and now I am a singer." I can't help but feel that Paul would have said "Yes ••• I know that experience ••• it once happened to me. And that1 s why no matter what state I am in I find I can rejoice." And hopefully, dear friend, whoever you are, you can and you will, too.
PRAYER Make us sensitivie, 0 God, to your loving spirit and comforting presence in these moments of worship. Fill us with joy, with love,
with peace, knowing that you are Our Father, and that our lives are held by you ••• and that we can never drift beyond that great circle of Your love and Your care.
Nourish our lives with the bread and the wine, that we may depart from here lifted ••• refreshed, renewed, and with a song in our hM.rts. In the name and spirit of Christ, our Lord who long ago turned defeat into vi,cto.ry, and who tured what was the worst thing that could ever possibly happen into the most wonderful thing that could ever happen. In His name we pray.
ANTHEM: "How Lovely Are the Messengers"
"How lovely are the messengers that preach the gospel of peace. To all the nations is gone forth the sound of their words".
ORGAN POSTLUDE
The organ postlude - a final offering of our praise to God - is played after the Benediction. Time permitting, we invite you to share in the beauty of it.
NOTE THE CHANGE
Choir rehearsals from now through the end of June will be held Sunday mornings at ten o'clock instead of Wednesday evenings. Now's a good time to give your voice an opportunity: Come into the sanctuary at ten and join the June Choir in the chancel.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Now is the time to sign up on the list downstairs - Russell Room bulletin board -in connection with the November 19th, 1983 All Church Fair.
Work is soon to begin on ~he Fair and it will continue across the Summer weeks. Take on a job and help ensure its success. Remember, "manv hands make liqht work!".
PICK UP YOUR COPY
Be sure to pick up your copy of the June issue of "A Word In Edgeways". Copies are by the door in the narthex as well as on the table in the Russell Room downstairs.
WORLD HUNGER
The first Sunday of the month is the time to include your world hunger gift in the offering plate. A part of that which is received goes to support the Yorkville Common Pantry and a part goes to the world beyond to help alleviate world hunger.
NEXT SUNDAY
The Second Sunday Brunch Bunch will meet next Sunday at a nearby restaurant following the coffee hour. Lee Myers likes to mention that all are invited, and not just those who are "39 and holding".
EDUCATION COMMITTEE TO MEET
The Education Committee meets Thursday evening, June 9th, at 7:30 pm. All members are urged to attend this meeting to help with plans for Confirmation Sunday, June 12th, as well as the year-end Sunday School celebration and Partv Planned for June 19th.
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY November 11, 1979
ORDER OF WORSHIP 11 A. M.
ORGAN "Rhosymedre" Vaughan Williams CALL TO tiORSHIP HYHN NO. 49 "Now Thank We All Our God" PRAYER OF CONFESSION (seated)
0 God, our Father, who hast set forth the way of life for us in Thy beloved Son; we confess with shame our slownesc to learn of Him, our reluctance to follow Him. Thou hast spoken and called, and we have not ~iven heed; Thy beauty hath shone forth, and we have been llind; Thou hast stretched out Thy hands to us throu~h our fellows, and we have passed by. Forgive us our transgressions; help us to amend our ways and in tline eternal goodness direct what we shall be, in tle name and power of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen .
SILENT .MEDITATION - \'70RDS OF ASSURANCE - LORD'S PRAYER ***
PSALTER "0 Give Thanks" GLORIA PATRI AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
*** ANTHEM SCRIPTURE PASTORAL PRAYER PARISH CONCERNS
"Rejoice in the Lord Alway" I Peter 3: 8 - 17
No. 589 No . 792 No. 740
Anonymous Page 1059
ANTHEr·l "The Old Hundredth Psalm Tune" V. Williams PRESENTATION OF THE CFFERING WITH THE DOXOLOGY DEDICATION OF PLEDGES HYMN NO. 181 "We Give Thee But Thine Own" SERMON "~hy A Methodist?" Mr. Clarke
"We Thank .-Thee, Lord" IIYID! NO. 203 BENEDICTION ORGAN "Hyfrydol" Vaughan Williams
*** Interval for Ushering
LAY READER
We welcome Mr. Michael Hayes as our Lay Reader to-day. A native of Wisconsin and a graduate of Northwestern, with both a BS and an MBA, Mike is a CPA with the firm of Arthur Young and Company. Father of Hilary and Rachel Hayes, he serves as an usher and is also a member of the Membership Committee and Administrative Board.
ALTAR FLOWERS
The flowers on the altar today are given in loving memory of Florence and Walter Frisbee by Janet Frisbee.
AN INVITATION
Coffee and tea will be served in the Russell Room after the service. Members and friends are invited to share in these moments of warmth made possible for us today by Miss Brooks, Mrs. Clements, Mrs. Crist, Mrs. Delson, Miss Ferrington and Miss Jennings.
USHERS
The ushers today are Mr. Barclay, Mr. Hageman, Mr. Hayes, Mr . Heckart, Miss Langley and Mr. Pew.
CHURCH SCHOOL
Sessions of Church School are offered Sunday mornings from eleven to twelve. Classes meet on the upper floors as wel l as in the Russell Room. Nursery care is available on the fourth floor .
CHRISTMAS CARDS
Christmas cards are available again this year through the United Methodist Women. Look over the card selection at the coffee hour. Remember there ' s no sales tax and half the cost is tax deductible.
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PARK. A VENUE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
106 East 86th Street New York. N. Y. 10028
AT 9-6997
CHURCH DIRECTORY
R.ev. Philip A. C. Clarke ............................................................. Minister
Dr. Harold• C. Metzner ..................... Associate Minister. E;merit}ll .
Mr. Lyndon Woodside .................................. Organist·Choir Director
Mrs. Lynn B. Cohen ...................................................................... Secretary
Mrs. Carol Lee Nespole .............................................................. Secretary
Mrs. Judith K~isman ........................................... D.ay School Director
Mr. Abdo Alnaham ................................... ~ .. .............................. Custodian
GENERAL OFFICERS
Lay Member, Annual Conference ............ ..... , ... Mr. David Breien
Lay Leader, The Church ................................. Mr. William Proctor
President. Board of Trustees ........................ Miss Elody Hoelscher
President. United Methodist Women .......... Mrs. Morton Delson
Chairnian, Administrative Board ................. ~ .... Mr. Kenneth Pew
Cliairman, Council on Ministries ..................... Ms. Joyce Veenstra
Chairman. Education Committee .................... Mrs. James Nespole
Chairman. Finance Committee .................... Mr. Edward J. Brown
Chairman. Church Property Committee .............. Mr. Eric Smith
Chairman, Membership Committee .................. Miss Bonnie Bray
Co-Chairmen. D,ay School Committec ...... Mr. and Mrs. Hughes
Chairman. Ushers ................................... ~ ........... Mr. K.enneth Barclay
Coordinator, Adult Fellowship ........................ Miss Doreen Surber
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PARK AVENUE
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
1 I ..
rsa.u n .L ~
*** Interval for Usheri ng
1v1arce.L.Lo ::>esslons o.x: cnurcn ::>cnuu.L .x:or Cnl.Laren ctLe ULLe.x:ea Sunday mornings f r om eleven to twelve . Nurser y care for infants and toddlers is also available on the fourth floor Day School r oom. Both services will continue through the Summer months .
PARK AVENUE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
106 East 86th Street
New York, N.Y. 10028 AT9-6997
CHURCH DIRF:CTORY
Rev. Philip A. C. Clarke ........ . ... . .......... Minister
Mr. Lyndon \ iVoodsidc ............ Organist-Choir Director
Mr. Jack Schmidt . .................... Business Manager
Mrs. Lynn B. Cohen .............. . .......... Secretary
Miss Anna-Liisa Rintala ....................... Secretary
Mrs. Judith Keisman ................. Day School Director
Mr. Abdo Alnaham ................. . ........ Custodian
GENERAL OFFICERS
Lay l\IIembers, Annual Conference ........... Mr. Shiro Oda Mrs. Joyce Gartrell
Lay Leader, The Church ............. Mr. William Proctor
President, Board of Trustees .......... Miss Elody Hoelscher
President, United Methodist Women . .. . . Mrs. John]. Risley
Chairman, Administrative Board ............ Mr. Lee Myers
Chairman, Council on Ministries ......... Mrs. Joyce Gartrell
Chairman, Education Committee .......... Mr. William Bell
Chairman, Finance Committee ......... Mr. Edward J. Brown
Chairman, Church Property Committee .. Mr. Doug Heimbigner
Co-Chairmen, Membership Committee ....... Mr. Frank High Ms. Beverly Limcstall
Co-Chairmen, Day School . . .... Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Hughes
Chairman, Ushers . . ....... . .......... Mr. Larry Morales
Coordinators, Adult Fellowship .. ......... Miss Cathy Syble Mr. David Kilbride
Superintendent, Sunday School ............ Miss Janet Ernst
PARK AVENUE
UNITED METHODIST CHURCI-I
11REJOICE11
A Sermon By
Philip A. C. Clarke
Park Avenue United Methodist Church 106 East 86th Street New York, New York 10028 December 71 1997
"REJOICE"
INTRODUCTION Sometime back there in the last cent~, there was a congrega-tion in England that needed new hymn books for their little
church, but lacked the money to pay for them. Word got around, "And so it was •• " that a large company, a maker of patent medicines, offered to furnish the hymn books at a penny each IF the hymn books could carry some advertising.
The congregation saw no harm in making this minor concession, and so they went ahead and ordered 100 hymn books. And they were thrilled when these new hymnals arrived at the church on the day before Christmas. What a lovely gift, so they thought •••• for this struggling congregation up in Yorkshire. At the service on Christmas Day, the pastor announced "Hymn Number 13811 • The good people turned to this hymn and seconds later were aghast to find themselves singing,
11Hark1 The herald angels sing, Beecham's pills are just the thing; Peace on earth and mercy mild, Two for man and one for child1"
I fear that the commercialization of Christmas is older than we realize<·. · and on that one Charles Wesley must have turned over in his gravel
DEVELOP MEN!' St. Paul, in our lesson for today from his U,tter to the Philippians, writes this word •••
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your renuests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesusl"
Great words! A great text! The words of last Sunday's anthem, sung by our choir. In other words •••• friends, this is a time for rejoicing. Forget about the ringing of cash registers and put to one side for a few moments the burdens and responsibilities you will have when you leave this roam. The Lord is at haad. This is the season for yielding ourselves to His blessed preseBce.
WHAT IS PAUL DRIVING AT - What is it that Paul is driving at when he says, "Rejoice •••• the Lord is at hand"? Now these four
Sundays before Christmas are designated as ADVENT. •• .which literall,y means, "coming to ••• •" During these four Sunday we are to look forward not only to the celebration or the birth of Jesus, but, also to the climax or history when Christ shall return and reign over all.
When Paul tells us to 11Rejoice ••• the Lord is at hand", he is thinking .mdre of the latter than the farmer. He is wanting us to focus on the idea that Christ stands dt)at outside the door of history. He wants us to be aware that the Second Advent i~ "at hand". You and I wonder •••• why should we rejoice that "the Lord is at hand". Let me offer three reasons in answer to this.
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GOD IS IN CONTROL First, it serves to remlnd us that God is ln control. Bill Clinton is not in control. The Republican CoD
gress is not in control. God is in control.
At one time Augustus Caesar ruled over the greatest empire of h.is time. Augustus Caesar thought he was ln control. King Herod ruled over Judea. It was not Rome, but it was obviously important to Herod to be a big fish in a little pond. But Augustus Caesar and Herod were wrong. They were not in control. All it took was a tiny babe to overshadow the .ir empires forever. God is in control. Renember that. And when we acknowledge that God is in control, then we find a genuine reason to rejoice. This season of Advent meminds us that God is in control - not the Mayor, nor the Bishop, nor the District SuperintendeD.t, not even the local pastor. God . has the wheel.
John Killinger tells about a scene in Alan Paton's novel, Cry, The Beleved Country, that refiects this kind of joy. Remember that wonderful book? Raise a hand if you de. An old South African pastor, Stephen Kumalo, has gone to the city of Johannesburg to find his son, Jonathan. When he finds him, Jonathan is in jail for killing a white lawyer by the name of Arthur Jarvis, who was an advocate of black rights and had written a book about the great urgency for justice in that hate-filled country.
Kumalo then goes to the elder Jarvis, the father of the lawyer, to try to apologize for his son's crime. Instead of refusing to see him. or berating him for .. :!~~-~&'·t,:·;.death, Jarvis receives him kindly. He has been reading the manuscript of his son's book and it has spoken to him of what must be done. Learning that Kumalo's little church in the village of Ndotsheni needs a new house of worship, Jarvis vows to build it for them. He also promises to seRd a great earth-moving equipment and build a dam for the village, so that the people will have a year-round supply of water.
The very rumor of what is to be done sends a shock wave of hope through the populace of Ndotsheni. There w.ill be water for irrigation. They will bw able nov to raise cattle. There will be food and milk for the children, so that the young will no longer drift off to the cities to find work. There will be laughter and singing and dancing •••• again. Nothing has hanpened yet, says
/ Alan lPaton:.n.yet it .is as if it has happened.
"Although nothing has happened yet, somethlng is here already. ••• •" Everything is changed,., ••
This is the real joy of Christmas. It is not only the celebration of the birth of Christ, but it is also the announcement that God has started a great work, that God's great earth-moving equipt~ent is in place •••• things are going to happen, ••• and God will not cease worki~ until every heart is open to God's love,
This is the Kingdom that was the very center~ the very heart of the preaching of Jesus •••• the "coming day" when God shall reiga in every heart. And how sad that :rnaDY' Christians have separated Christ's teachings f'rom Christ's person.
Jesus main message was about an event that is yet to come. Let us not overleok that as we celebrate an event which has already taken place. His coming again'
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Some of us •••• indeed, many of us ••• are like a character in a 19th century English novel set in a small Welsh town in which every year for the past 500 years the people all gather in Church on Christmas Eve and pray. Shortly before midnight, they light candle lanters and, singing ca.rols and hym11s, they walk down a country path several miles to an old abandoned stone shack. There they set up a creche, complete with manger. And in simple piety, they all kneel and pray. Their hymns warm the chilly December a 1r. Everyone in that little town capable of walking is there.
There's a ~th in that town, however •••• a belief that if all c~tizens are present on Christmas Eve, and if all are praying with perfect faith ••• THEN AND ONLY THEN, at the stroke of midnight, the Second Coming of Christ will be "at han:i". And for 500 years they've come to that stone ruin and knelt and prayed. Yet the Second Coming has eluded them.
One ef the main characters in this novel is asked,
"Do you believe that He will come again on Christmas Eve in our tOWJa?" "No" he answers, shaking his head sadly,
"No •••• I don't". "Then why do you go each year?" he is asked. "AH" says he smiling •••• "What if I were the only
<oOMh!WhO wasn't there when it happened ••• and He retur~do"
I have the feeling that that's where many of us are. We cherish the child in the manger of Bethlehem and we wouldn't want to miss it for one moment •••• but our faith in the future is tentative 1 weak and wobbly. Jff!J wonder and we waffle. But hear the "Good News" for this day. God is· in, control. For many of. us,
"It's Friday ••• but Sunday•'s coming. ••"
Remember that. "It's Friday •••• the day the child of Bethlehem went to the cross", but remember •••• "Sunday's coming 1"
GOD IS IN CONTROL OF THE PRESENT God is not only in control of the future, He is also in control of the present.
Again, hear these lifting words of St. Paul:
"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And ttie peace of God, which passes all understanding •••• will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
In other words, Paul is saying to us:
"Relax. God is in control. God is in control of our future. God is in control of our present. Cast your worries to one side."
Henr,r Mitchell whom some may recognize as a great African - American / theologian:. -'jold of a time in his life as a child. It was during those terrible
lean years of the depression and his father was 1,,·111 and could not work for weeks.
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He was trying to sleep when he became a'i>Tare of some strange sounds and figuring he had left h.is television on, he got himself out of bed to turn it off ••• but the noise continued. Final~ Bennett opened the door of his room to see what was going on in the ball and there in the hallway stood the entire chorus from The Sacred Concert •••• singing "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever". Knowing that his dear friend was down in the dumps, Duke Ellington had arranged for something of a private serenade. How fortunate ToJV Bennett was to have such a friend who remembered him in his season of distress.
I hope that all of you are remembering this morning that these Christmas hymns and carols we sing this day and in the coming days are God's private serenade to all those who are hurting. God is saying in so many words:
"Relax and rejoice. I am in control. I am in control of the future •• • .I am in control of the present. Rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord, always. Again, I will say rejoicel11
PRAYER Make us sensitive to Your presence and to Your nearness in these moments, 0 God. Wrestle with us in the hidden corners of our
lives where we are hurting •• •• .remind us that You are "in contro~" •••• of the past, the present and the future. And even though it's Friday for many present, let us remember that "Sunday's coming"•••••and let us rejoice in the hope, the peace, the joy and the love of Advent. In the spirit or Him, born in Bethlehem's maner, we pray. Amen.
