mysticism

Immersed (Sermon January 12, 2014)

Scripture: Matthew 3:13-17

We are a nation of rules and laws; everyone knows this and many would point to the Ten Commandments to verify this stand. The fact of the mater is that our nation’s legal system has more in common to the Greeks or Roman cultures than that of the Hebrews. We often think of the Jewish people as being people of the Law. They follow the Torah, or the books of the law, so it is easy to think that, but after the exile to Babylon and the subsequent rule of Persia the Hebrew people were in a state of transition. Their faith was in a sort of evolution. They became people of teaching instead of people of the law. They became a people of various rabbinical teaching or interpretations of what the meaning behind the law was. These teachings or yokes as they were commonly called in the first century were more than just a religious expression but an entire way of life. It was incorporated not only on the day of worship but saturated every facet of the disciple’s existence.

The first century expression of faith among the Jewish people was in a state of transition. It had to change in many ways because the people of Israel were scattered across the known world, to the east they reached into across the Persian Empire and into what we now call Russia, they moved throughout Western Europe into Spain and north into Scandinavian areas. Their settlements are old and their influence in those areas are great. This vast distance posed an interesting dilemma for the faithful, how do we worship without going to the temple? As distance increased it became impossible for the faithful to travel to Jerusalem for the feasts so they developed a proxy type system that eventually morphed into what is seen today.

This is the culture in which Jesus began his ministry. But to really understand the ministry of Jesus we must begin with John the Baptist. Every Gospel speaks of the ministry of John. There are very few things that every Gospel mentions, but each one mentions the ministry of one man John. John is not the only teacher in Israel at that time, but there is something about the ministry of John that uniquely corresponds with the ministry of Jesus. That place they meet is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Both Jesus and John teach this Gospel. And that is the Gospel message. As our own Christian faith has evolved over the years we have focused on different aspects, many would say that the Gospel message is the Cross, but the cross is only a portion of the good news it is not the whole Gospel. The cross is a sign that points to the fulfillment of the gospel and proves that the kingdom is truly at hand. But the Gospel is that the Kingdom of God is near, the rule of God is all around us, and God wants us to participate in it. The kingdom of God is beyond the walls of a building, beyond even the sacred wall of the most holy of holy area of the Temple. The kingdom of God is at Hand, that is good news.

This is a teaching that is emerging in the culture around Jesus. It is something new yet linked to the traditions of ancient days. This message has people curious and is why people are leaving the cities and seeking out a radical teacher out in the wilderness. The Kingdom of God is at hand. If that is true, the people then asked, “What must we do to enter into that kingdom?”

John stood on the banks of the Jordan crying out to the people all around, “Repent and be baptized.” This literally means turn around and wash. This message says a great deal about the evolution of faith in the first century. John’s baptism was more than just the ceremonial cleansing promoted by other rabbinical teachers; those washings needed to be continuously repeated because people were constantly getting themselves dirty again. Meaning sin was all around, the interpretation of the law showed this in great detail, and so to worship one would need to wash to be acceptable. To eat with unclean hands would deem you unfit to worship, so you would wash in a particular way to be clean.  John’s teaching was slightly different. Yes there is a glimmer of similarity but there is something deeper. John’s baptism was literally teaching that to enter into the kingdom you must turn from the other interpretations and wash yourselves of their influence. Turn from a life of sin and walk a different path, cleansed from all unrighteousness.

This is where the foundations of the Christian church are laid. They begin with the teaching of John, the Gospel of the kingdom. The news that God’s rule is all around us and to gain access we must first wash ourselves of the old ways and turn to Him. John did not teach that the law was bad, but that it was not enough. The teaching of John was a lifestyle of sacrifice, putting others before yourself and living in a community of blessing. John’s teachings were just the begin, because John himself said “I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

John in his own words is saying that the Gospel message that he is teaching is yet incomplete, that the water of repentance he is promoting, is just a symbol, a shadow of the true power yet to come. It is here that Jesus comes in. Jesus meets John in the Jordan and John says to his cousin, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

What is John saying? First off he is saying that Jesus is greater, that Jesus is the more powerful one John was speaking about that would bring the Holy Spirit and fire. But secondly he was saying that the next stage of the evolution of faith was upon them. John the Baptizer was about to step back and allow the new day dawn. Jesus answers, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.”

Let it be so now. I want us to contemplate this phrase, really the word now. When we consider the word now, we have certain thoughts that immediately come to mind. This one word could be translated as: at once, for now on, still, again, at last, immediately, in the future, just, just now, this moment, and this very day. Let it be so now, for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness. At once, for now on, still, again, at last, immediately, in the future, just now, this moment, and this very day all righteousness is fulfilled. With that one act Jesus took on the mantel of all humanity turning them around and began to show us the Kingdom of God. That one act connected the traditions and teaching of the past with the emerging teachings and life that Jesus was to show his disciples. With that one phrase and action every theological expression of the Church is covered: Baptist, Catholic, Presbyterian, and Quaker. Because in this one exchange the focus shifts from what man can do to what Christ does for us. As Jesus stepped out of the water, He became the way.

Matthew’s Gospel more than any other Gospel builds connections with the teachings of the Old Testament with Jesus, he shows how Jesus fulfills all righteousness, and he shows the path or the way to the Kingdom. Matthew teaches us the way of the disciple.

The word baptize, is to immerse as to clean. It has roots in the hygienic laws of the Old Testament but is deeper. I have recently began to read a book describing one woman’s quest to live a life of biblical womanhood, why a guy is reading it who knows, but it is very interesting. In this book there is a discussion of the Mikvah, or the ritual bath, and describes how it is to be used. It is to remove all foreign substances from the body and then immerse completely. One is to breath out all the air from your lungs and let the water soak into the pores, allowing the water to carry away all filth, so you emerge from the water clean. This is a great picture; I fully understand why many believe that full immersion baptism is an important sacrament. But I want us to remember that John said the one to come would baptize or wash us with the Holy Spirit and fire.

It is when we immerse ourselves in the Holy Spirit that we entered into the Kingdom. It is when we allow the Spirit of God to soak deep within our being and to carry away the things unclean in our lives that we enter into the kingdom and begin that walk with Jesus. This comes through worship, prayer, and service. Loving God, Embracing the Holy Spirit, and Living the Love of Christ with others. We immerse and are baptized by the Spirit when we turn from the old ways and put ourselves into a place where we can converse with the Spirit.

I speak a lot about a life of prayer, and I have a feeling that I will be speaking about this more deeply throughout the year, because prayer is where the immersion begins. When I speak of prayer, I am speaking of something that incorporates the entirety of our mind and body. It involves the reading and deep study of scripture, the meditation and contemplation on scripture, the interaction and conversation between oneself and God with scripture. I speak of the use of our imagination and our wisdom as we with the Spirit examine our lives and envision the future. To me prayer is more than just lifting words of intercession on behalf of others, or telling God our needs, it is an intense intimate conversation with God. Prayer and a lifestyle of pray builds into worship and service to others. Without that immersion with the Spirit in prayer, worship is just noise, and ministry empty. But with an immersed life of prayer everything changes all things are made new.

When I read this passage. I see the conversation, and I hear the words. I see the bubbles emerging from the nose and mouth of Jesus as John pushes Jesus beneath the water and insures every hair is soaked. As I read I see the passing of a mantel, not ritual. I see John laying down the old guard, and Jesus rising up out of the water to carry on something new. Emerging from the water as the droplets fall to the ground, splashing in the dust I see all righteousness fulfilled in Christ. And he walks out into the wilderness. I see the closing of ritual and the emergence of a new lifestyle a lifestyle focused on God ruling every aspect of our being, immersed.

Repent and be baptized. Let it be so now. Fulfill all righteousness. God is calling us to the Kingdom; the Kingdom is already around us. It has always been, because God has always been working in the lives of mankind. Jesus is calling us to turn from the old and see with new eyes, to listen with new ears, to gain a different perspective, to be immersed in Him. Let each one of us this year strive to be immersed in Him. Let each of us strive to examine every aspect of our lives with Him, to envision a brighter future. Let each of us strive and walk with Christ out in the wilderness of our community, not with answers to the problems of the world but instead going out with teaching and encouragement to everyone we meet. Showing encouragement that they too will want to immerse their lives in the grace, hope, and love of Christ.

Joseph Chose Grace, what do you choose? (Sermon December 22, 2013)

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

The wait is almost over for the day in which salvation was born. The advent season is one of anticipation and reflection on the fulfillment of God’s promise. That promise was to be fulfilled in a child. How often do we really take time to think about that? God’s plan to save humanity began with a child. Of course if we were to be honest the plan began much earlier than that, the story of redemption began with the story of the fall, but through a child God began the work of salvation.

People have often debated what aspect of Jesus’ life is the most important. Some very worthy scholars will say that the cross of Calvary is the main point. Others have focused on Jesus’ ministry, but I think it begins with a child. To be honest it began approximately nine months before the birth as a baby grew within the womb of its mother. It is this time that I feel is the most important aspect of the story of Jesus, and for one reason without the pregnancy there would not be any ministry to learn from, and there would not be Calvary, and there would not be the hope of Easter. It is the conception of hope that begins it all. And for hope to emerge and be born into the world it was necessary to have a man and a woman to be willing to step up and bear that burden.

It is easy to focus on Jesus and Mary during this time of year, I mean Mary had to do all work, but for this all to work Mary needed assistance. The times were different in the first century than today, a child without a father then was a child cursed. For God’s plan to work not only did he have to chose a worthy and willing mother but that mother would have to be supported by a worthy and willing man. We tend to forget the importance of Joseph in our celebrations, rarely are carols sung about Jesus being held in the arms of Joseph. But this man had a very important role to play.

“Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.” Matthew begins his gospel first with a genealogy, which most of us just gloss over and leave for those nights we need help getting to sleep, but the story begins with these words. The genealogy is important because it shows us that this was not just something random coming out of nowhere, but that history was building to this point, the point where a child would come. There is a heritage that goes back to the beginnings of the promise, one that connects this very moment with everything that had proceeded and linking it to everything that will transpire after. And the story begins with a child, Mary, and Joseph.

I want us to just think about the introduction to the story, “Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.” These words are pregnant with hope; I can almost here the dramatic score playing in the background. “When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” Mary was found to be with child, she was found. Matthew begins this story with the scandal, and the dramatic score comes to a crashing halt. She was found with child. There is trouble here. How do we find a girl with child? Her mother probably noticed that Mary was not acting right, her appetite changed and she probably had morning sickness, and then people began to talk. We know that people began to talk because she was found to be with child. This is a scandalous story.

Now enters Joseph, the betrothed, the fiancé. Mary is found with child before they lived together, so the scandal gets even worse. People begin to question not only Mary, but her parents, and Joseph as well. In the first century culture courtship was very different than today. It was not uncommon for a bride and groom to meet for the first time on their wedding night, even today in more traditional expressions of Jewish faith the marriages are arranged and there could be little of no contact between the potential bride and groom. So Mary is found with child, which means that something has been going on out of the public view. Joachim and Anne’s, Mary’s parents, righteousness came into question because their child is with child. People begin to wonder did they allow their daughter to go out unsupervised with a man? And Joseph’s righteousness is questioned because his bride to be is pregnant.

Joseph did not have a clue to how this happened, Joachim and Anne are also clueless. The scandal builds and brews. This pregnancy will cause great trouble in the family. Mary is now labeled as an impure woman, and everyone associated with her are also facing the same future. If Joseph marries her he admits to society that the child is his son, if he does not then Mary faces a life of unwed poverty or death. If Joachim desires both Mary and Joseph could be stoned for adultery so from the very beginning we have scandal. Joseph is faced with a great challenge, Mary’s very future is held in his hands, his future is held in his hands, and the future of all mankind.

Joseph is a righteous man, Matthew assures us. Joseph was respectable in the community. He was established enough in his trade and had enough wealth that he was able to marry in their culture. In ancient times all women married up. They did not marry men their own age but married men older than them. Men had to prove to their future father in laws that they were worthy of supporting their daughter at an equal level. So Joseph was engaged, and established, he was a member of the synagogue and gaining a standing in the community. He followed the law and did all the things a good man would do in their culture. So when Mary was found with child Joseph actually had a major issue. This could change everything. He could lose his name, his standing, and his livelihood.

Joseph in his righteousness decided to divorce Mary. He chose to cut off the engagement. This was the righteous thing to do. The child was not his. If he divorced her then for him nothing would change except that he would need to find a different bride. Joseph was also a kind man loving and respecting his future bride. He did not want to expose her to public disgrace. This is where the importance of Joseph really comes out. But to really tell the story we must go back in time.

Joseph is a very important name in the history of Israel. Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob, the son all the other sons were envious of. He was the youngest at the time, but was the one that had the father’s favor, meaning he was going to have the inheritance. All the other, older sons would have to find their place under him. But Joseph was sold into slavery and taken to Egypt. Joseph through many twists in life became the one through whom the salvation of Israel came. During a famine it was Joseph who rose from a slave to being the second most important man in Egypt, and in that position Joseph controlled who lived, through the distribution of food. Joseph is a strong and noble name. It is not surprising that this name, the name that links back to the salvation of Israel, is linked to the salvation of humanity.

So Jesus’ future, the future of Israel, hangs in the balance of Joseph. He is a righteous man, following the laws of God passed down from Moses, but he is also a man filled with grace and compassion. Joseph could have brought Mary before the council during the divorce where the community could demand her life. But he did not want to disgrace Mary or her family. Righteousness could demand one thing according to the law, mercy another.

Joseph chose a different path, even though he was initially choosing divorce, he was choosing mercy for the future of Mary. Although he was choosing to step out of her life for the sake of his religion and standing he wanted to make the exit out of love and not hate. Joseph is a merciful and gracious man. It is no wonder that God chose this couple to be the central group of his salvation plan. But divorce was not part of that plan so God had to step in. Joseph was making his choice based on his human wisdom, but God had other plans. We could learn a thing or two from Joseph.

Our wisdom is not enough; if we were to only rely on our wisdom we could make devastating choices for the future. Joseph knew the law and was an intelligent man, he was a master craftsman established in the community, so he knew what was required of him. But in all of his wisdom, he was about to make the biggest mistake of his life. Luckily for him, he did not make his decisions quickly. His wisdom pointed him in one direction divorce. His heart and his emotions pointed him in a different direction. He loved Mary and did not want to disgrace her, and so those two things coupled together lead to a quite divorce. Mary would still be unable to marry in the future, but at least she would live. God wanted Joseph to take part in the salvation of Israel so as Joseph slept on his decision before he had a chance to implement his plan; God visited Joseph in a dream.

In that dream God allowed Joseph to see a glimpse of His plan. The angel told Joseph not to be afraid of marriage, because Mary was still pure. That she would give birth to a son and that Joseph was to name him. The name he was to give him was Jesus; which means God is Salvation, or God saves. Joseph in that dream got a glimpse of hope. Hope was growing in the womb of that innocent child that he was about to divorce. Hope was growing and that hope was not only salvation but also God with us.

How would you respond to that dream? In all of Joseph’s wisdom it made absolutely no sense. To take Mary as his wife he was facing a stigma in society, but that did not matter because hope was growing in that womb.

In my opinion Christmas or the birth of Jesus is the greatest event of Jesus’ life because it is where the story of God with us begins. It is prefaced with a long history, and is marked with scandal but the story begins with a child, a mother, and a father. It begins with hope in the most challenging circumstances, and that hope grew to be the salvation of humanity.

I now want to speak about hope. Jesus came through Mary and Joseph. The plan that God had for this family did not make worldly or even religious sense. But hope grew. Jesus was born into a very messy situation, the scandal around his birth was great, whose son is he was a question that plagued Jesus throughout his ministry but he pushed on through it to the joy that was set before him. Joseph and Mary both willingly took on their role in that bright future. That future is still here. The Spirit of God still dwells among mankind if we are willing to seek and find it. That realization is what made George Fox’s heart leap when he began his journey with God. God is with us teaching and guiding today just as He did when Jesus, God incarnate, walked among the disciples. The question is are we going to divorce what God is doing among us or are we going to move forward. Will we let our righteousness lead or will we let God’s grace triumph. Will we rely on our wisdom or God’s?

One night the fate of the world was held in the hands of one man named Joseph. His future wife was found with child, and he was confused and hurt. He did not understand why or what was happening, but he was slow and thoughtful about his reaction. One night. Joseph had to choose, life or death, mercy or justice. We can debate it theologically but experientially he had to make the greatest decision of history. Will Jesus be born? Will God live with us? We live with those decisions as well. Will we allow God to live with us? Will we allow God to live through us? They sound like easy questions to answer but they aren’t. Each and every action and word we say has these questions hanging behind them, “will God live with us and through us?” Each person we meet and conversation we have has those very questions hanging between, “will we let Jesus live through us and with us?” It does not matter if we have correct theology or the right answer in the arguments because if we do not answer these questions in word and deed every moment of every day with every person we met we run the risk of divorcing ourselves and others from the great love of God. But hope grows. It was knitted together as a baby in a womb, it emerged as a boy on that first Christmas morning, it grew to be a man that showed us the holy rhythm of life with God, a life of worship, prayer and service. And that hope took on all of our failures and lifted them up to God’s glory. This Christmas let us choose life, let us choose grace, let us not be afraid to walk forward in God’s plan.

Crazy man in the Wilderness (Sermon December 8, 2013)

James Tissot’s John and the Pharisees (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12

Advent is probably one of my favorite times of the year. It is filled with anticipation in many areas. The reality of winter has set in so as a child I always anticipated snow…ok I will be honest I was really anticipating a snow day where I wouldn’t have to attend school. As December rolled around Sears would send out their catalog the “wish book” and my brother and sisters would go through the pages marking the items we wanted for Christmas. Then there was the anticipation for Christmas in general. We could not wait. I mentioned before that my family really celebrated Thanksgiving and because of that we would not decorate the house for Christmas until December because my parents wanted us to remember to be thankful for what we had before we went into the anticipation of the season. I think this instilled in us a greater sense of anticipation and longing.

Today it is a bit different. I have a new outlook now that I have somewhat matured. I anticipate different aspects in this season than I did before. I anticipate the telling of the birth of Christ by my son James. And I remember the first time he told the story on his own. I anticipate the future of the season with Albert and to see the story come alive in his life. I anticipate the Story of Emmanuel illuminating the lives of those that I have the opportunity to walk with in their journeys of faith.

This season also has a form of darkness in it as well. We do not fully know the exact date of the birth of Jesus; many believe that the actual day was in the spring while tradition has placed the celebration of Christ’s birth in the winter. Some might find that discrepancy disheartening but to me I think it is encouraging. Winter is a dark time of year, the air gets colder, and the plants seem to just die. Winter is a time of scarcity, poverty, and fear. In ancient times it was difficult to survive a winter. Winter usually brings out great amounts of illness, depression, and despair. This time of year we long for the warmth of the sun, the greens of grasses, and the singing of the birds. It is no wonder that in ancient times the celebration of the birth of Christ was set in winter, because it is a time of unknowing and hope in something unseen. It is a time where humanity had to live on faith. We need a time where light can come into the darkness.

The changing seasons have always been a source of spiritual thought. They show us that everything has a time, a place, and that nothing stays the same. In the darkness of winter our lifestyles usually slow down and take a different focus, we spend more time in our homes together, and less time running around. It is in the darker days the things that mean the most to us become more important. This darkness is not only found in winter but can be found when ever we have a trial in life. This is they type of feeling we find an entire nation in as we read of the ministry of John the Baptist.

Israel is in a dark period of their history. It is not the darkest moment but it is not the best either. They look back in their history and they know that at one point in time they were great but on this day they are a nation ruled over by another. They are a province lorded over by an empire, and others are eating the fruits of their labor and they struggle just to survive. They pull together in groups of like-minded people and form basically a tribal system of governance headed up by religious factions that come together on only a few common themes. The only light that they see is that they are at home in the land of their fore fathers and have a temple to worship in, beyond that the economic and political landscape is a wilderness. So they anticipate a new era, a new day, a new kingdom where they can once again live free as the people of God. The problem is that the various factions are at a constant battle between themselves as to what that new day will look like, and how it will emerge. In the struggle to dominate the only area of their life that they can still discuss, they oft forget that they are on the same team, that the end goal of all is the same. The Kingdom, or the restoration of Israel as it was.

Then enters a man, John. He is out in the wilderness, preaching passionately, and living oddly. I want us to sit here for a bit. Matthew gives us a clear image of John, he actually gives us a clearer description of John then he even give to the central figure of the Gospel Jesus. We know what John wears, where he lives, and what he eats this is actually very important.

John wears garments of camel’s hair and a leather belt. His clothing is functional, durable, and simple. It catches attention because it gives little regard to fashion trends and focuses only on utility. John lives a life of simplicity, and as a wonderer. This gives a depiction of his message.

He eats locus and honey. I have heard a couple of versions of what this might mean. The most obvious is that he ate bugs sweetened by honey. The second version of what this might mean is that he ate bread made of the seeds of locus trees, which is very bitter and poor bread. Either way he ate the food of poverty, eating only what could be found in the wilderness. Honey was widely available to all classes of people, and was the only sweetening agent available to the poor. Bugs or locus bread are the food of the desperate. This gives us an image of his message.

John lives and preaches out in the wilderness. He lives on the fringes of society out in the uninhabited and uncultivated areas. We often think that he is out in the desert, but that is not exactly the fullest truth. It is the area that is unfit for the growing of crops and is left for grazing, it is unclaimed because it has little value. It is also a depiction of his message as well.

John lived the life of poverty and simplicity wondering out in the wilderness of unclaimed land, it is almost as if his very life is an image of the Exodus. But we must remember that John was not a poor man. His father was a priest, and John was his only child. John had an inheritance; he had a home and land to live on. He had a ready-made career in the temple by his very linage, yet he chose to live on the fringes of society. Spoke his message there in the Wilderness.

He is the voice crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” He cried out to everyone to, “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven has come near.” This term repent is one we often hear, but the language that John uses is much deeper. In the old testament the word translated as repent means: to turn back, turn to, return, to return, to restore, to be returned, recovered, be brought back. The understanding of repent was about restoration and turning back to the one that we once knew. But this is not what John was preaching. When John cried out in the wilderness he was using a word that was much different it meant: to change any or all of the elements composing one’s life: attitude, thoughts, and behaviors concerning the demands of God for right living. The usage of this word is in essence saying that there is nothing to restore because there is not anything there. John was saying to the people of Israel that they are as far from God as the very Gentile overlords and that there needs to be a total change.

People came from all over Judea to listen to his message, it caused them to change and they confessed and were baptized in the river Jordan. They crossed the waters and entered into a new life the very action was one not used for Jewish people but for Gentile converts to the Jewish religion. And people came, not only Gentiles but also the Jewish people. Even the very ones that lead the various religious factions, the Pharisees and Sadducees, came to be baptized by John. Yet to them he had even harsher words, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee the wrath to come?”

Brood of vipers? I have to admit I did not enjoy researching this passage, because even pictures of snakes can send shivers down my spine. But I spent time reading about this phrase. Vipers of Asia are unique reptiles that can either lay eggs or give birth to living offspring. In ancient times it was believe that vipers would eat their way out of the mother snake while in the process killing their mother. I tried to research this out further to see if this was a fact or just a tradition of history, unfortunately there were too many snake pictures so I cannot confirm or deny this statement. Regardless the phrase stands in history as meaning, “Mother killers.” Who is the mother being killed? John cries out to the religious leaders saying you are killing our faith you have eaten your way out into the world and in the process taken the very life away from everything you stand for. John says you brood of vipers have killed Israel, killed the very thing you claim to protect. Israel is no longer the light of the world but a dead carcass spewing out little venomous snakes.

Darkness surrounds them all. The only hope is found in the words of a crazy man living on the fringe of society, a man that turned from a life of prosperity to hopefully bring people to the God they never knew. The kingdom of Heaven has come near. There is hope in those words. Even though the religious leaders have killed the religion, the kingdom has come near. The kingdom is just ahead the new day is just around the corner. Do not lose hope in this darkness because the light is on the horizon. Repent; change every aspect of you life.

John is calling them and each of us into something greater. He is calling us to repent, to change everything about our lives to align them with God, to become a people that is loving God, embracing the Holy Spirit, and living the love of Christ with other. John is crying out to everyone that will listen, to throw away that old life and the things that bring status and honor in that life and to clothe ourselves in something else. It is very similar to the many cycles within the church. Those in the early church gave all they had to the apostles and everyone’s needs were met even through harsh persecution. This period of time was followed by abundance where the church was in a place of honor and people like St. Anthony left society to live in the wilderness giving up all the wealth the world had to offer to live a life of simplicity in the wilderness, giving rise to a new day in the church. This too was followed by abundance and complacency and St. Francis, a wealthy man, gave up all his wealth and lived a life of simplicity and charity to spark a revival in the church. Again followed by abundance and leaders began to eat through the mother and poison the faith. Then emerged the Lutherans and other various reformations occurred bringing repentance to the church, and these became established and again religion ate the way through the relational aspects of faith. The cycle continued bringing about the Society of Friends and other various denominations and religious orders in Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic expressions of faith each one rising in their own ways and each dying in others. God is continuously at work in His world continuing to call us out of the comfort of society to the margins to build and restore relationships with Himself and humanity. He is calling us each to repentance. The question then is, are we willing to answer that call and step out in faith, step out into the wilderness to cry out to the lost? Or are we going to be a brood of vipers eating our way out into the world in the process killing what was once there?

There is a new day coming near, a new era in the cycle of the church. Some hope that it is the second coming and it is fine to think that, but in the anticipation of that great day let us not become lax and comfortable. Let us instead actively participate in bringing hope and light into the darkness of our world by totally turning to God in mind, body, and spirit. Let us now join together in a time of Holy Expectancy, a time of anticipation as we listen and wait for God to speak to us and through us, and let us become the people God has called us to be.