Breaking News: Episcopalian says “Evangelism”… Come & See!
January 19, 2014
Christ Church Episcopal, Norcross, GA
2nd Sunday after Epiphany – RCL Year A
Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Cor 1:1-9, John 1:29-42
If you were here on Christmas morning you heard me talk about God breaking into our lives with the coming of Jesus into the world. I shared my own tendencies through the years to keep my life “safe and unchanged” within the comfort of darkness. But Jesus’ presence was God’s way of turning on a new light, and once we are exposed to this light, the world appears differently and we are called to respond differently in it.
Now, with the Christmas season behind us, we face the weeks between Epiphany and Lent. It’s a time in the church year when we focus on the revelation of Jesus as the Messiah. This is a central theme of the Gospel of John, where Jesus is explicitly revealed, right up front, as the one who was sent by God and was with God from the very beginning.
In the first verses of Genesis, when darkness covered the face of the deep, God said, “Let there be light; and there was light.” And now, in John’s gospel the creation story is retold:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God… In Him was life and the life was the Light of all people. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (Jn 1:1-2,4-5, NASB).
Out of the Comfort of Darkness
December 25, 2013
Christ Church Episcopal, Norcross, GA
Christmas Day, Selection III – RCL
Isaiah 52:7-10. Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12), John 1:1-14
When my alarm went off at 6:15 this morning, after hitting the snooze-button a couple of times, it was a long Christmas Eve day, after all, I was lying in bed thinking about how comfortable that dark room and warm bed was – the comfort of darkness.
I realized how easy it is to go through life wanting to stay in those comfortable places when all that is familiar surrounds you. For me, and maybe for most of us, this instinct was automatic.
As a baby in the warmth of the womb, I didn’t seem interested in moving from that place. Even after 24 hours of labor endured by my mother, and with my twin sister by my side, I was still unwilling to leave the comfort of that safe place.
Perhaps it was an instinctive fear of leaving this darkness that caused my heart to quiver, literally. Yet, the heart irregularities prompted the doctor to perform a Caesaria-section – forcing me out of that darkness that had become a very comfortable place to be.
Even as an adult, I tended to navigate the “safe” path. Knowing I needed to find a job after college, I studied accounting instead of religion, which was my desire – go figure!
And on my career path in the banking industry, I moved through my career successfully, but no bold moves, staying with the same company for some twenty years. Yes, there’s something to be said for loyalty, but I think it has more to do with “safety”. Sticking with a boss I knew and worked well with, familiar systems and processes – you get the idea.
On the personal side, I spent a bit of time hiding who I was for fear of what others would say if they found out I was gay. What shame that might bring on my family, who has a prominent presence in Houston, where I lived.
Ultimately I realized that my hiding, was really more about me maintaining the status quo, because my parents, family and co-workers embraced me just as I am. I know everyone isn’t that fortunate…
But I’ve come to realize that when I find myself hesitant to share myself fully, or to take risks, I am falling back on my desire to stay in those warm bed-covers…
The comfort of darkness can be strong. Read the rest of this entry »
Joseph’s Turn Prepares the Way
December 22, 2013
Christ Church Episcopal, Norcross, GA
4th Sunday of Advent – Year A RCL
Isaiah 7:10-16, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25
STILL WAITING… 
But now things are getting interesting!
Today’s gospel lesson begins by saying: “Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.” We’re on the edge of our seats! We want to hear the story; the WHOLE story – because then it will be Christmas! No more waiting!
And although we DO hear the whole story in today’s reading, it isn’t the one we’re used to hearing. It doesn’t mention the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary, or the journey back to Bethlehem. There are no shepherds in the field startled by a multitude of angels announcing the birth of the Messiah. No baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. All of that is in Luke’s Christmas story – in that story, Joseph doesn’t get much attention, instead Mary is at center-stage.
Matthew’s story, though, is very different, where Joseph has the prominent role.
A few words from Jesus, CEO
October 27, 2013
Christ Church Episcopal, Norcross, GA
Proper 25 – Year C RCL
Joel 2:23-32, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, Luke 18:9-14
As many of you know, before attending seminary, I spent twenty years in the banking industry. During my last job there, I was the Business Manager for the Commercial Middle Market of the Southwest Region, working closely with the CEO of that Market. About once a quarter we’d carve out a week or two to travel to each city in our region to touch base. Each day we’d hop on a Southwest Airlines flight (“the company plane”) and head to San Antonio, or Dallas, or El Paso… you get the picture.
David, my boss, liked to use every minute possible to prepare for these meetings. He wanted them to be productive, personal and motivating. So after boarding the plane each morning around 7:00 a.m., David, the finance guy, and I would sit together, pull out a stack of spreadsheets, and begin identifying the talking points for that day’s discussion.
Since most people on the plane just want to get one more hour of sleep before reaching their destination, it’s not surprising that we were greeted with scowls from nearby passengers, but David was oblivious to that. He had a message to deliver, and he wanted to be ready. The comfort of those around him was of no concern.
During those trips, day after day over the course of the week or two, David would share his vision for the business, adding market-specific nuance to fit their needs, but the overall theme was consistent.
I think the writer of Luke’s gospel would have fit well into this corporate communication model. There’s a repetitious theme that runs through the stories, with slight variations based on the audience, not unlike David’s market visits. As I started thinking more about this, I wondered what it might look like if Jesus had crafted and delivered his message in a similar way. Read the rest of this entry »
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