Reflexion, A Spiritual Community

 Friday our nation observed the tragedies of “9/11" and those we lostMany of us remember the very moment when we first heart of it- for several hours we could hardly breathe• we watched endless reruns of two airliners, smashing into the iconic “Twin Towers” in New York City◦ we didn’t want to see it, but we couldn’t look away◦ we could not avoid the reality of it• and each time we looked, we felt helpless, outrage, and extreme sadness- every disaster of that magnitude, wounds a country’s soul• we don’t just walk away and return to our usual routine◦ it creates a fog of confusion that we feel we must sort out◦ it stirs up insecurities that leave us groping for answers• for sometime after, we remain alert, sensitive, aware◦ for awhile, we’re ready to listen; we’re paying attention and eager to learnThis is the right time for us to approach the prophecies of JoelIsrael was experiencing a catastrophic trauma- it was not localized, but spread across the entire nation• at times in this first chapter, Joel sounds like a newscaster;◦ reporting the wide range of destruction◦ the food source of the entire country was running out• Joel, however, was not merely delivering a report;◦ he was delivering “The word of the LORD”

I’m not going to give a Labor Day talk, but that’s where we’ll startLast year I felt it was important that I read Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations– Smith is sometimes referred to as the Father of Capitalism• he explored the principles of economics that caused some systems of flourish and others to flounder– one concern was the ways that governments interfered with industries and commerce• but something disturbed me as I read through his detailed research and conclusions◦ Smith took for granted that there would always be a huge mass of poor people◦ he saw this as the general pattern of civilizations from ancient history• there were always masters and slaves, emperors and subjects, kings and paupersHere are a few quotes I pulled from his work:Smith, “All for ourselves and nothing for others, seems, in every age of the world, to have been the vile maxim of the masters of mankind. . . . As soon, therefore, as they could find a method of consuming the whole value of their rents for themselves, they had no disposition to share then with any other persons.”– “For one very rich man there must be at least five hundred poor, and the affluence of the few [assumes] the indigence of the many.”– When the economy of a nation is static rather than increasing, wages for the workers are barely enough to raise a family or even continue the “race of laborers.” “. . . there is no order that suffers so cruelly from [a nation’s economic decline as the poor].” However, the voices of the poor were rarely heard, except in when there were public demonstrations.

The Book of Isaiah begins with God’s frustration over Israel; for instance:“Children have I reared and brought up,but they have rebelled against me . . . .Ah, sinful nation,a people laden with iniquity,offspring of evil doers,children who deal corruptly!They have forsaken the LORD,they have despised the Holy One of Israel,they are utterly estranged” (Isa. 1:2-4)Then in chapter 6, Isaiah tells the story of his call from God to be a prophet- at first, he continues in the same stream as the opening• but a little further on, he is given messages of hope◦ God always provides a way back◦ his radiant love always breaks through the dark clouds• by chapter 30, his promises to Israel are fantastic“For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”- God promises his people he will always be speaking to them• they will always hear him nearby, and he will guide them• as long as they were willing to listen to him, and accept his direction,◦ he was willing to constantly communicate with them

Sharing on oppressed lives of Latin Americans

Psalm 25This psalm does not track a central themeWhat I mean, is that we cannot say, “This is a psalm of praise,”- or “Psalm of confession,” or “thanksgiving psalm,” or “supplication psalm”• this doesn’t mean the structure of the poem is random,◦ only that it doesn’t tell a story or develop a specific point• nevertheless, there is a pattern to the psalm,◦ but we don’t find it arranged in an obvious pattern- the first Hebrew letter in the first word of the first verse is alef(like 'A' is the first letter of our alphabet)• the first letter in the first word of the second verse is bet(like 'B' is the second letter of our alphabet)◦ alef and bet are the first two letters in the Hebrew alphabet◦ that’s what the poet used for the outline of the entire psalm• it’s like the nursery rhyme, “A is for apple; B is for ball . . . .”◦ except that two letters from the Hebrew alphabet are missingThere are several psalms that use this acrostic device- Psalm 119 is the most radical example, supplying eight verses (each beginning with the same letter) for every letter of the Hebrew alphabet

The last two weeks I’ve been encouraging you to listen for God’s voiceNow, today, using this spectacular episode of Isaiah’s life is neither practical nor fair– he was chosen by God to be a prophet,• and the prophet’s calling is in most instances very dramatic◦ e.g., Moses and the mysterious flames; Ezekiel’s fantastic vision, impossible to imagine• so if there’s a legitimate reason for us to consider Isaiah’s experience,◦ it’s because in his vision he saw and heard God speak to him◦ that is what defines the prophet– even if we never have a dramatic or spectacular encounter like Isaiah,• we can draw lessons from what he describes, because we want to hear God’s voice◦ and Isaiah’s experience may help us navigate our own less dramatic experiences• let’s see what we can find in this story that will be useful to us

About six years before my dad died,For some reason, that I don’t remember,- I got the idea that it was really important for him to tell his life’s story• there were already a lot of fictional stories regarding his life,◦ and how he came to be the founder of a new church movement• I suppose, that as his son, it was important to me,◦ that people learned how God worked in his life to make him the man he was- however, I knew that though dad was a gifted storyteller,• he was not a writer, and would never find the time to produce an autobiography◦ so I volunteered to be his ghost-writer, and he agreed• I’m telling you this, because there’s something in his book I’m going to read

What are we witnessing in this archetypal story?First, why do I refer to the story as “archetypal”?– archetypes have to do with basic themes planted in the human mind• familiar themes are revealed in the heroes, heroines, and villains of fables, myths, and fairytales◦ these characters represent specific qualities that define human persons and their behavior◦ including: virtuous, courageous, clever, creative, wise or foolish, industrious or lazy• the plot of the stories, and the actors differ from culture to culture,◦ but the qualities are universal, so we recognize when they’re pointed out to us– in this story of Eli and Samuel, the archetypal theme is similar to the “the sorcerer’s apprentice”• it doesn’t follow specific rules, because Eli was a priest and not a prophet◦ but he was familiar with prophecy and could give Samuel basic instructions• so first, after a delayed response, Eli discerns what is happening to Samuel◦ he is able to explain to the boy that God is calling to him◦ and, then he instructs him how to respond to receive God’s message

 Romans 14• A deep story describes a collective, emotionally rooted narrative that individuals and groups use to make sense of their lives and the world, prioritizing feelings and metaphors over cold facts or moral judgments.• The concept was developed by Arlie Russell Hochschild, a sociologist and we will talk about her more in a bit.• Today we will be considering how competing "deep stories" lead to conflict and how we can, in our spheres of influence contribute to understanding, healing and hope.• First we will look at competing deep stories in the New Testament, then we will look at how some deep stories are impacting the Church and society today. 

Some time ago, I took a course in speed-readingWe were required to practice every day for at least an hour- the only drawback–I chose to read books that didn’t interest me, so I wouldn't get distracted by their content• but going fast, I got nothing at all from them – I wasn’t reading, but just looking at words- later on I was exposed to a method of slow-reading• the purpose: to get as much as possible from what I read◦ this applied specifically to reading the Scriptures◦ the benefit is hearing God speak to me clearly and directly• and that is what I want to teach you this morning

Here we are, after several weeks, at the end of JudeThere’s not another letter in the New Testament exactly like it- a small bit of 2 Peter incorporates some of the same lines• but the overall structure and content of Jude are unusual,◦ and his quotations from two non-biblical books is unique• but coming to the end, he closes with a familiar prayer◦ it’s not his exact words that are familiar, but how the words are arranged◦ Jude signs off with a “doxology”- the Greek word doxa, is frequently translated “glory”• and this word usually appears in doxologies, making it easy to identify them• a doxology is a prayer or song in praise of God◦ in many churches doxologies are read, recited, or sung every week

My friend, Clint Freeman, sent me an article this weekIt has to do with Artificial Intelligence and I added it to my “weird news” fileDarin White, “Four in ten Gen-Z and millennial adults say spiritual advice from AI is just as trustworthy as advice from a pastor. One-third of teenagers have talked to an AI companion rather than a human being about serious, personal issues. Thirty-nine percent of Gen Z would skip or delay a doctor’s visit if AI told them their symptoms were low risk . . . . And 26 percent of Gen Z adults have engaged in some form of romantic or companion relationship with an AI chat bot.”- this is either scary or silly, but there is another development that is more serious for usWhite, "[In] April, a tech company . . . launched an AI-generated avatar of Jesus that people can talk to, pray with, and seek spiritual counsel from for $1.99 per minute. The avatar was trained on the King James Bible . . . .”- one of the concerns I have about this, is AI is not bullet-proof• I’ve been reading Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations◦ in chapter 5, he quotes an author without naming him, but claims he was,Adam Smith, “by far the most illustrious philosopher and historian of the present age”◦ I assumed he was referring to David Hume, because he was a friend that Smith admired• when I looked it up, an AI engine immediately popped up and curtly (I felt) reported, "no philosopher is quoted in book 5 of The Wealth of Nations◦ dissatisfied, I searched for the actual quote, and that was in Hume’s writings◦ feeling vindicated, I corrected the snobbish AI bot

A couple weeks ago I got a phone callThe number looked familiar, so I answered – “Hello”- a man’s voice asked, “Is this Charles?”• at that point it was obvious he didn’t know me• so I said, “Maybe”- there are too many scams running in our world for me to take chances• if you respond to a text or call, a fake offer, a warning,◦ or a simple “click” and next thing you discover is that your bank account is emptied,◦ or your credit card is hacked, or your identity is stolen• I appreciate the warnings I receive regarding the con artist who are constantly fishing for personal informationThat is how we are to read Jude's letterWhat he wrote was a “fraud alert” – as he has said,“For certain people have crept in unnoticed”

 I have been reading a book by Bill Elliot, who is a therapistBut it’s not about psychology – it has the unlikely title, Falling Into the Face of God– it’s an autobiography of sorts• Bill felt called by God’s Spirit to go to the Judean desert• and , to spend forty days there like Jesus, only without fasting– on day 17, he was meditating on Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness• then his thoughts went to Jesus and disciples in Philippi, and the moment when he called Peter “Satan”William J. Elliot, “Why did Jesus do that? Especially since Peter was just trying to be helpful? It was because Peter was opposing Jesus’ deeper sense of destiny and Jesus’ deeper sense of God’s will. Satan comes from the Hebrew word for ‘opposer’ or ‘adversary.’ And that’s the point: we each have friends, and even parts of ourselves, that are often opposed to our deeper truth and connection with God. Even though they are trying to be helpful, they are still adversaries. So how do we find the skill and the courage to rebuff those well-meaning adversaries—especially when they love us and have often loved us in the past.”

 We’re going to reenact the story- this is what Jesus meant for us to do“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Cor. 11:26)• in this ritual, there is the potential of a profound encounter• he has given us something:◦ for our eyes to see◦ for our ears to hear◦ for our hands to touch◦ for our mouths to taste◦ for our minds to contemplate◦ for our souls to receive- I am going to present this to you as a devotional thought• what I mean, is something other than a Bible study tracking the literal meaning of each word• instead, this is what I perceive happening in these few verses 

There have been songs, that I loved the first time I heard themThere are others that I had to hear several times to appreciate- but the ones that I've loved at first sight had two qualities:• the sound of music (instruments and vocals) and the lyrics◦ psychologists refer to this response to music as “emotional resonance”◦ the sound waves and meaning of the music find a string that vibrates deep in the soul• for me, one of the songs that instantly moved me was Van Morrison’s When will I ever learn to live in God?“When will I ever learn to live in God? When will I ever learn?He gives me everything I need and more When will I ever learn?”

On the days I spend with three of my grandchildren,I sometimes say to my thirteen year old grandson,“I’m going for a walk, do you want to go with me?”- he has never said, “Sure, Grandpa, let’s go” – never• and I know why – he’s convinced it won’t be fun◦ he’d have to get unnecessary exercise, and◦ it’d be difficult to stay on trail with eyes glued to his cell phone• this morning I’m inviting you to take a walk with me–◦ through the book of Jude – it’s a short walk,◦ and much of it is unpleasant, or confusing, or dark- what I don’t want to do is make this a Bible study• my tendency is to be drawn to technicalities◦ that’s a problem with this letter that was written in haste,◦ so there are several tough technical issues – also,• a lot of its information is crunched together in a short space,◦ entire stories abbreviated in three or four words◦ and there are even references to stories we’ve never seen in the Scriptures

Prior to this moment, Abram was merely a name on a listNow he becomes a person; he’s given an identity- he emerges from the genealogy into space and time• he has a history and he is given a destinywhere he is from and where he is going is what has defined him◦ where he is from: “your birthplace and your father’s house”◦ where he is going: “to the land that I will show you”• God is in the process of redefining Abram’s life◦ he will no longer be the person shaped by family history◦ he will become a person living in a covenant with God- normal course of a person’s life: grow up in family system• each person has there place and is assigned a role◦ this does not happen consciously,◦ it works itself out in interplay of each personality• psychology would encourage us to ask two questions:◦ how did I get were I am?◦ where do I go from here? and this may require that we escape from our family system or the neighborhood where we grew up

What was the primary responsibility Jesus gave to Peter?- if you’re not sure, then listen to what I’m about to read,• because Jesus makes Peter’s assignment absolutely clearWhen they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep” John 21:15–17◦ Peter’s calling was to devote himself to the care of Jesus’ sheep• these are not Peter’s sheep – Jesus refers to them as, “my sheep”◦ the Lord did not tell Peter to use the sheep to make a fortune for himself◦ in fact, from now on, his life wasn’t his own, and it would not be easy or what he would choose for himself“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself ad walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. . . .” “Follow me.” (v. 19)- giving Peter this responsibility, Jesus answers his own prayer in Matthew:

I am going to take a risk this morningAside from whatever ways I’m supposed to help others,- my own life in God has been driven by one passion• that is, to experience everything Jesus promised his disciples• my primary rationale is to take Jesus at his word◦ to be more specific:- what is on the table for me is not that I work miracles• at least, not extraordinary miracles, I’m okay with ordinary miracles◦ like bringing a smile to a baby’s face• I know I’m not called to “signs and wonders”◦ what I’ve longed for is personal, and has been my longing from childhoodIn the scripture I read, Jesus is telling his disciples goodbye

Every week I spend two days in Scotty’s homeI’ve been doing this for years–making meals for my grandchildren:- one breakfast for Calum (and afternoon snacks), one lunch for Adrianna, and three dinners • I’m still taking two of them to and from school• in the lull, while they’re at school, I’ve been taking walks around the undeveloped land near their neighborhood◦ it’s been a good time to practice focusing my awareness on the presence of God's Spirit◦ maybe three months ago, I began sharing moments of my walk on Facebook - from the very first book of the Bible, walking is used as metaphor• it usually refers to the way we live out our days with God in closeness to him• however, in this Easter story, these two disciples (whom otherwise we do not know),◦ find themselves actually walking with Jesus for real!◦ what Jesus shares with them turns their lives around, literally“And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem” (v. 33)

 We’re told this large crowd “had come to the feast”I take that to mean they were not locals, but most likely from the Galilee region where they had followed Jesus' ministry- being visitors to Jerusalem, they “camped” on the mountains around the city• and especially the Mount of Olives,◦ staying in tents, a lean-to, or sleeping under the open sky- a rumor shuttled through the crowd – Jesus was nearJesus spent the previous night in Bethany,• a small village on the backside of the Mt. of Olives◦ there had already been speculation, whether he’d show up◦ many people had been looking for him in and around the temple• a murmur of voices floated down the slopes of the Mount of Olives◦ breathless anticipation hung in the air- someone, not yet clued-in, felt it and asked, “What’s going on?”she was told the rumor, “We think Jesus is here!”“Where?”“We don’t know yet, but he’s close”- then there was some commotion at the crown of the mountain• a man threw his cloak on the worn path, perhaps hoping Jesus would step on it when he arrived• that triggered a wave of people carpeting the road◦ some throwing down their cloaks or a palm branch◦ others cut more branches and preparing to wave them like banners

Passage: Galatians 5The Big Question:When did faith become more about the lines we draw than the love we live?We all do the internal calculus:• Can I be friends with someone who voted differently?• Can I worship with people who read scripture differently?• Can I belong here with my doubts, questions, and messy parts?• Can I still call myself a Christian if I don’t fit the mold?“For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke ofslavery” Galatians 5:1“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thingthat counts is faith working through love.” Galatians 5:6“For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters… through love become enslaved to oneanother. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment: You shall love your neighboras yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14

Samuel enters the Scriptures during a chaotic period of historyThe best way to understand it, is found in a line repeated in Judges“In those days there was no king in Israel” (Jdg. 18:1 and 19:1)- and again at the very end of Judges, with an added explanation“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Jdg. 21:25)- I have a friend who wrote a book on the Kingdom of God• and though I enjoyed reading it and trust him as a serious student of the Bible,◦ I disagree with his take on this verse◦ he suggests that everyone doing what was right in their own eyes was a good thingSteve Gregg, suggests that “. . . liberty of personal conscience prevailed, rather than dominated by a human (and therefore corrupt) earthly ruler.”• but that this isn’t what that line means is proven elsewhere◦ in Moses’ instructions to Israel when they would enter the land, he says,“You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes . . . .” (Deut. 12:8-9)◦ really, all you have to do is read the last three chapters of Judges to see the confusion and tragedy that resulted from everyone doing what they considered the right thing

This morning, we’re going to explore a crucial question:What are we doing here, for heaven’s sake?- answers are scattered through the New Testament,• and it's the focus of Paul’s entire first letter to Timothy• he intended to go over this in person◦ but here he provides only a summary statementPaul explains how we “ought to behave”“Ought” is not one of my favorite words- Christian preachers, youth leaders, and Sunday School teachers have used it to control and manipulate adults and children• so let’s try to get to the heart of Paul’s concern• Francis Schaeffer, wrote an excellent essay entitled, “The Mark of the Christian”◦ for centuries Christians displayed their faith with different symbols◦ “uniforms,” cross necklaces, and annoying bumper stickers

 I’m not convinced we’ve ever truly understood JesusAt least not as deeply or fully as he intended- not “as deeply,” because we tend to stay on the surface• we read the words and verses without penetrating their depth• we grab at interpretations that make immediate sense◦ and we settle for simplistic "commentary" explanations- I don’t think Jesus taught in riddles – sometimes, perhaps• he did not teach in a secret code that required deciphering• but it's possible that his intent was that the meaning of his message would be revealed to us◦ and only then will we be able to live it in truth and deed

 I’ll finish reading the verse in a moment, but first we will pause here- every morning when I open my Bible, I don’t jump into it• but at the entrance to the Scriptures, I take a moment to slow my breath, and focus my attention◦ I bring awareness to God’s presence and let myself hear him say,“at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you to speak to you there" (Ex. 29:42)• so before I even begin reading, I’m already listening to God◦ and there is always something in my reading worth writing◦ (though not necessarily worth sharing with others)- yesterday morning, when I began, I felt a familiar frustration• my desperate longing is to actually hear God,◦ for his voice to be so clearly in my brain, there’s no doubt I'm hearing him◦ anyway, the first words I read yesterday were, “And the LORD spoke to Moses . . . .”• normally, my eyes would have glided over that phrase,◦ especially because what follows is long and repetitious◦ anyway, reading the opening line, I may have felt a twinge of jealousy▫ but then, like from a small inner voice I heard, “See, I do speak to you. Wasn't this what you were just now thinking? Desiring?” 

Friday morning, near the end of a long walk,I passed by a mother and her toddler son- he was on a small four-wheel bike, perfectly fitted to him• he was poised to move from asphalt to a dirt slope◦ I said, “Looks like you’re about to go off-roading,”◦ more for his mom’s sake than his• he looked at me with the most engaging smile◦ it was the loveliest moment of my morning- I kept walking, but he didn’t take his eyes off of me• he turned his head as I passed,◦ so I had to walk backwards to hold his gaze◦ his mom was quiet, but enjoying her son’s response• if cherubs were small, toddler-looking angels,◦ he could have been a model for the prototype

As we make our way back into Hosea this morning,Let’s remember the passion running through the entire book- it isn’t what we’re likely to feel when reading the bare words• what it sounds like, is the ranting of an enraged deity◦ but that is not the correct tone of voice• if God were like one of the pagan deities of mid mid-east or Greece,◦ he wouldn’t bother to rage at his rebellious people,◦ he would just annihilate them- this prophetic book, in fact, is the message of a wounded lover• a husband who’s been disrespected, betrayed, and discarded◦ yet for all that, he continues to try to reason with his wife◦ he is not ready to give up, and he will not let Israel go• so, we are not hearing the voice of anger, but of heartbreak

Imagine you're walking through an art gallery, and standing nearby is the artist whose work you admiring. So you point to an object in one corner of an especially beautiful painting, and ask the artist, "Why did you put this right here? What does it mean?" The artist--if a true artist answers, "Well, if I could explain it, I would not have had to paint it." You would get a similar answer from a poet, a composer, a sculpture, and most any other artist. "If I could explain it, I would not have had to write it, compose it, sculpt it." Their work does not always begin with an idea, but oftentimes with an inspiration.Intro: I’m not trying to avoid jumping into HoseaHowever, I want to enter Hosea's by way of Matthew's gospel“When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt. 9:36-37)- this is a simple observation, the Lord saw something, and it made an impression on him

We are returning to Hosea this morningThe prophet who had to experience in his own life, with his wife, what God had experienced with Israel– a people who were unfaithful to him, not only by adultery,• but prostituting themselves with other gods• you may have guessed that I’m not comfortable with Hosea◦ I’d rather be with Jesus in the New Testament, loving and rescuing sinners◦ instead, Hosea delivers a barrage of condemnations– Israel had a long history of turning their backs on Yahweh• and he repeatedly called them to return to him◦ when they didn’t return , he withdrew from them◦ and there were consequences–enemy invasion and crop failure• this time, they were reaching a point of no return◦ I think it’s okay to say God was desperate to stop them, to reach them and motivate them to return◦ so he used strong language and threats of calamity

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read 1 and 2 TimothyStill, it was only a few years ago that two words snagged me- here in this passage, Paul refers to the Hebrew Scriptures as “the sacred writings”• I had always believed this regarding the Bible, but never in those precise words• the effect they had was to motivate me to meditate on them◦ eventually, I spent nine weeks sharing with you what I learned- I’ve decided to tell you what these have done worked in my life since then• what I hope, is to inspire your reading of the sacred writings◦ and enhance your experience with God’s word in the new year

 The Advent theme for today is LOVEI’ve never heard anyone argue whether that theme is appropriate- the words of the previous themes–hope, peace, and joy–are all found in the biblical text• but love doesn’t appear in the details of the Christmas story◦ it feels right that love should be another theme, but is it right?• does love add a sentimental tone that wasn’t there?◦ our culture is certainly attached to an “ideal” Christmas◦ a “Hallmark special” with smooth edges and a soft glow- the initial reaction to the early announcements of Christ’s birth,• given to Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, shepherds, generated confusion and fear◦ but love isn’t right there on the surface of the page• love only comes in after much theological reflection◦ the gospels tell the story, theology identifies its meaning--which is:“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (Jn. 3:167-17)

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Luke 2:10Intro: So here we are again, with the angels and the shepherdsI chose to read only these three verses, because the story is so well known- but when we circle back to it every year at this time,• we run the risk of treating it as if it only exists for this season◦ like the tree, and the lights, and the nativity scene with its little figures◦ the heavenly choir shows up every year for their Christmas cantata• they announce the arrival of Jesus, and with him, joy and peace◦ the theme for the third Sunday of Advent is joy- who am I to talk about returning to this theme only one day a year?• how often do my Sunday morning talks return to joy?◦ we weren’t hearing much joy in Hosea!• if anyone needs to be reminded of joy all year round, I’m that guyFor my own sake, I decided to explore JOY

The Liturgical Calendar is a sequence of seasons, that organizes the year around the life of Jesus.Liturgical seasons Invite us to take our place in the great drama of the Gospel To take the time to experience God’s love and redemption through Spiritual rhythms and traditions shared across generations and cultures and faith communities.Practicing the liturgical calendar allows a lot of room for variety of expression,  and differences between church traditions, but its beauty is to help Christians of diverse backgrounds participate--collectively and individually  in observances, prayers and Scriptures that focus on the life and message of Jesus Christ.Advent is the first of the seasons; it is the beginning of Church Calendar year.It’s interesting to me that the beginning of the liturgical year comes as the end of our calendar year,  and that its traditions and vibe are so different than the Western New Year. The beginning of January looks forward and is filled with resolutions, plans, goals and energy.  It’s new exercise routines and new diets, at least for a few weeks. It screams - Don’t look back, yesterday is done, stay future focused for success.

I think you most likely know that I love the ScripturesThe more I read them, the more I get from them,- and the deeper I go, the richer my experience• however, the journey is not always pleasant, and◦ some parts of the Bible are not as easy to digest as others◦ Hosea is not one of my favorite books• still, there are verses in it that are among my favorites◦ other than those few, working my way through Hosea,is like crawling through a long, dark tunnel◦ but the Bible doesn’t have to please me; I only need to let it speak to me- in chapter 4, Hosea continues to hammer theme of spiritual adultery• it’s like he can’t let go of it–perhaps God won’t allow him to let it go◦ or maybe his own painful experience haunts him• so far, it’s been the central metaphor of his prophecies◦ he will move on to other more pleasant analogies, but not yet

Years ago, I was engaged in a conversation with two friendsIn making a point, one of them quoted a famous evangelist,“People change–but not that much”- okay–so I reacted immediately, but kept my mouth shut• this same person stood in front of large crowds,◦ promising them that Jesus would transform their lives◦ that in Christ, they would become a new creation• that is the essence of the evangelical message◦ it’s what we’ve been singing for the past 250 years“I once was lost, but now I’m found; was blind but now I see”◦ could we regard the scope of these changes "not that much"?- what good is my Christian faith if it it isn't thorough? If it doesn’t make me a better person?

Since it has been a couple of weeks, let me remind you . . .The book of Hosea is a love story – but not like a romance novel- it was never meant to entertain• God’s message came to Israel in a graphic illustration,◦ played out in the life of his prophet• first, God told Hosea to marry a prostitute◦ the point was to give Israel a living re-enactment of◦ their history with God – deserting him for another god or other gods- Hosea and his wife had three children who were placed onto the stage with their parents• each of their names revealed an aspect of the unfolding crisis◦ Jezreel – a place where God would render a verdict, to bring closure◦ Lo-Ruhamah – No Mercy – God would leave them to their fate◦ Lo-Ami – Not Mine – God rejected them from being his people• so up till now, the unfolding drama has been harsh

Kelsey Kappauf speaking at Reflexion

 If what I read doesn’t match your Bible, there are two reasonsFirst, I’m reading from Robert Alter’s translation of the Old Testament– so obviously that is different from other standard translations• but another reason is that Alter worked from the Hebrew Bible,◦ and in that version, chapter 1 has only nine verses◦ in our English Bibles there are eleven verses in chapter 1• so those two verses missing in chapter 1 are the beginning of chapter 2 in the Hebrew Bible(If you didn’t get all that, just trust me; the texts are basically the same)– reading through this chapter can be confusing• that’s because in the first part God condemns his unfaithful wife• but without warning, in the second part he is romancing her again

Before we began Galatians, I asked for recommendations as to where in scripture to go nextA trusted friend suggested we venture through the minor prophets- “minor” because they are relatively short compared to Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel• I hesitated for awhile, then procrastinated, finally hoping to dodge The Dozen prophets at the end of the Hebrew Scriptures• even though the longest of them is only fourteen chapters and shortest is only one chapter,◦ they still require as much study and preparation as the major prophets◦ so it’s basically been a matter of laziness- however, we have reached a point in our nation’s history,• in which we need to hear the voice of these prophets• and Hosea in particular

The Galatians were coming to the end of Paul’s letter,And suddenly the handwriting was different– instead of the well-formed characters of a professional scribe,• the printed letters were large and scribbled◦ this shift was certain to grab their attention◦ like changing the “font” of a sentence in a document to all upper case or bold print• but why did Paul insist on writing this last bit with his “own hand”?◦ perhaps this is how he usually signed off (as many commentaries point out)“I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write” (2 Thes. 3:17)◦ or, he wanted to ensure that they took notice, and that is why he drew attention to it

Years ago, and in another life, I had a feisty personal assistantAlthough she is genuinely compassionate, she had a favorite line: “Get over yourself”- I think that held her together through a hard and complicated season of her life• she said it to herself, to he friends, to people who called the church office for help,◦ and more than once she said it to me–her boss• but she never said it when I didn’t need to hear it◦ Paul’s next lesson in this letter to the Galatians is, “Get over yourself”- the chapter break here is unfortunate• his contrast between the works of flesh and fruit of Spirit ended at chapter 5, verse 25◦ verse 26 fits perfectly with where chapter 6◦ now he begins to stress the importance of caring for each other• “conceit” interferes with that personal care◦ rather than assisting each other, conceit provokes others◦ rather than respecting others, conceit envies others“Get over yourself so you can be here for those who need you”

Paul has chased a serious concern through his entire letterSo it is not surprising that near the end, he would present an the ultimate challenge of the Christian life- in verse 16 Paul begins last segment of his central message• what follows in chapter 6 is his concluding remarks and directions- what we have in verses 16-25 is this chunk of scripture that tracks one theme• Paul makes this clear by marking where it begins and ends•it begins in verse 16, “walk by the Spirit,” and in ends in verse 25, “live by the Spirit”◦ in scripture, framing a passage this way is common, and is referred to as an envelope structure or closing circle◦ anyway, the literary structure reveals the heart of the passage–it’s one key point