Sermons at Redeemer

Jonah 3: 1-5, 10 and Mark 1: 14-20

I had an unusually full week last week. I’m sure it wasn’t busier than your week, but all of a sudden, on top of the usual stuff of work and familial responsibilities, I had a slew of deadlines, and I’d started a course and the work was way more than I expected. And a big town event that I’d been helping plan for months was about to take place. And on top of that there were some fun, social things that I had foolishly agreed to months ago, but now they seemed like a burden and a waste of time. Why did I say I would go to the Symphony?

You know those times when you’re going full tilt, and you just can’t accommodate people–you can’t do what they ask you to do, whether it’s pleasurable or serious. Everyday I had to say no to somebody: no, I couldn’t go to the movies, no, I couldn’t go for a walk, no, I couldn’t write a reference–how about next week?, no, I couldn’t attend the meeting that all committee chairs are required to go to.

There were phone calls that I didn’t answer and messages on my answering machine that I didn’t get back to.

Which is why, when I read the story of Jonah, the man who famously got a call from God and said no, I thought: I don’t blame you, Jonah. Sometimes you just can’t do it all. Continue reading

Christmas Eve evokes so many childhood memories. I remember how magical it was going to church with my family on Christmas Eve. It was the only time during the year that we went to church at night – and the tree, the lights, and Silent Night made it all so magical. Well, that, and knowing that Christmas morning – and all those presents – was just hours away.

This year, one childhood memory in particular has risen up for me, and although it didn’t happen at Christmas, it was sparked by our Gospel reading for tonight. It was when I was about 5 or 6 years old and learning my address, something my kids are doing now. I remember that this is how I learned it: I lived in…

The Universe – Milky Way Galaxy – Solar System – Earth – United States – Maryland – Baltimore County – City of Arbutus – on Circle Drive – at Number 1132

I remember that this made a deep impression on me. It located me in a specific spot within the vast universe. I was part of this bigger picture and yet inhabited this very particular place.

This all comes to mind because Luke does much the same thing in his telling of the Christmas story. He is careful to locate the birth of Jesus at a specific place and a specific time. He tells us that it happened during the reign of Emperor Augustus (who we know from history reigned between 31BC and 14AD) and when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Luke tells us that the first Christmas happened in The Universe – Milky Way Galaxy – Solar System – Earth – the Roman Empire – Palestine – Bethlehem – A Manger.

Luke locates the birth of Jesus at a real place, at real time, to real people, in a real body. And this is hugely important.

Real Times. Real People. Real Body.
I remember that when I was in college and writing the essay for my Divinity School application, the chaplain there, my advisor, suggested I give it to one of the English professors to proofread. The professor read it over, handed it back to me with his notes. And I will never forget what he wrote at the end of the essay. He wrote, “Remember, God is in the details too.” God is in the details too. Continue reading