Sermon: Where do you find hope?
Here
we are in Advent—the season of emergence, arrival, revelation.
A time like a tender leafy shoot emerging
from a dormant branch.
A
time like the shout of a messenger arriving at an execution at the last moment carrying
papers signed by a judge and shouting “innocent, innocent!”
A
time like waiting for a letter, the contents of which will reveal
everything—making everything plane.
But this season is also like driving
your car to a new place for the first time.
The
drive back always feels quicker—because you are no longer looking so carefully,
you don’t pay as close attention.
In
fact, by the 100th drive there, it feels like the car drives itself.
So
too Advent—we’ve driven this road a long time—Christians have observed and
practiced Advent in some form for at least 1,650 years--and by now we often see
our destination as Christmas so we don’t notice the budding blessing of Advent
--We don’t lean into the bracing and crisp wind of Hope,
--we don’t rest in the strengthening
power of Peace,
--we aren’t buoyed up by the enduring
buoyancy of Joy,
--we don’t revel in the moving and
empowering radiance of Love
We skip over the precious gifts of
Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.
We don’t let Advent interrogate our
lives to help us find its treasures.
But this morning at least, let’s ask,
“Where can you find hope?”
Prayer
Where can you find hope?
The
Cosmos itself is falling apart.
Sun
refusing to shine
Moon
muted
Stars,
falling.
Where can you find hope?
He
is near, friends.
In
a world where the powers are crumbling,
Where
heaven, earth, and all things feel so unstable,
…Are
so unstable.
The
earliest followers of Jesus were caught up in the Jewish Revolt against Rome
And they saw slaughter,
sieges, and the destruction of Jerusalem.
We
too see slaughter across the globe,
See the mighty falling
and the needs of the poor ignored.
He
is near in all these things.
Christ
closer than light to flame or heat to fire.
God
comes to dwell among us
The one who is promised
by God is near at hand.
Where can you find hope?
It
is beyond our control.
Beyond
the control of Angels and even the Son.
He
is near…
The
one for whom we hope
Will
he come at evening?
The
midnight hour?
Dusk
or dawn?
…Waiting
and waiting and waiting.
It
will not bring him.
But
he is near!
He
is near, our beloved, so keep awake.
Where can you find hope?
Maybe
just look a little lower!
Look
to the earth and her foliage
Look
to the fig tree
Look
at its reaching out.
Look at it!
Take the time to look!
They’re
like the finger nails of a baby—those first bits of green
Timidly,
tentatively, tenderly
Sprouting
out into the world.
Cold
bare air touching it for the first time.
Leaves
tender as human flesh.
Tentative
as a mortal body
Fragile,
emerging under death’s reign
Emerging
into a harsh world.
Emerging
to know that Summer is near.
He
is near!
He is at our very gates!
Where can you find hope?
This
week, look for those emerging leaves of summer.
Notice
what keeps you awake—open to God’s revelation.
And
notice too, those bad things you experience that chase you to Christ.
Be aware when something
causes you to lean forward, excited about the future.
Amen.
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