Trinity Episcopal Parish of Stoughton

Fr. Robert R.M. Bagwell+
27, January 2008
Epiphany III, Year A

Amos 3: 1-8 Psalm 139:1-17, I Corinthians 1:10-17 Matthew 4:12-23

A man suffered a serious heart attack and had bypass surgery. He awakened to find himself in the care of nuns at a Catholic hospital. As he was recovering, a nun asked how he was going to pay the bill. He replied, in a raspy voice, "No health insurance." The nun asked if he had money in the bank. He replied, "No money in the bank." The nun asked, "Do you have a relative who could help you?" He said, "Just a spinster sister, who is a nun." The nun, slightly perturbed, said, "Nuns are not spinsters! Nuns are married to God." The patient replied, "Then send the bill to my brother-in-law."

What is God like to you? What is your image of God? Do you seek out God only when you need him to “pay a bill you can't pay?” Is God Daddy Warbucks in the sky? Or his God so very much more? Our relationship to God will be determined by our understanding of what God is like and God's attitude toward us. Much of the Bible is about how we are to understand God and our relationship to God. The lessons today are extraordinary in just this regard. . A single preacher could draw a dozen sermons just from these texts. I think that far too many Christians in this day and probably since the Lord went home to the Father have had a wrong understanding, a very limited expectation of our relationship with God. One of the great gifts of the Protestant reformation was a renewed understanding of the Christians' relationship with God.

• How do you understand your personal relationship to God? Is God the Mighty One, Ruler of the Universe, the Judge of all humankind–or is He Abba–Our Father in Heaven? Is God the Judge, waiting to go through your moral suitcase or is God Our Daddy?

• I believe that the Newer Testament is clear from the words of Jesus that God is indeed our loving, caring and merciful Father, but do we live with that active understanding in our daily lives?

• What is your image of the Living God? How does your image of God affect you?

• It's important because you will never grow in the faith beyond your image of God.

• The awesome prospect is that you may be the only Jesus that someone ever sees.

• What are they seeing? Are you a “light-house” of hope or are you someone who affirms all the negative things in this life.

• Are you any different because you believe in and trust in Jesus Christ?

• If not, then you have somehow “missed the boat” on the gospel of Jesus–the one who came into the world to change your life and mine.

• Baptism is a visual image of our calling in Christ. “We are buried with by baptism into his death” the book of Romans says, “that we might be raised with him in his resurrection.”

• Being a Christian is God's transforming our lives into the image of Christ in this world. That means on the inside of our persons as well as on the outside. We have received this in what we call the “great commission”. “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Mt. 28:19 & 20)

• Jesus found us. He wants to use us to find others.

• How do we approach this? I believe most firmly in friendship evangelism. In other words, we befriend others for the sake of Jesus Christ and let them experience Christ's love in us.

• What is your sphere of influence? What do I mean?

• Everyone has a sphere of influence. It is those people whose lives we touch for good or for ill. The word “gospel” means “good news”. Do you see yourself as one who brings good news to your sphere of influence?

• Have you ever thought about “catching people” for God I mean, or do we see that as “someone elses' job?”

• Would you have ever heard had someone else not answered God's calling? It's just a question to think about.

• Who are those who make such an extraordinary contribution to this world much less to the kingdom of God?

• The Message transliteration of the Bible says this from Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth: “Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don't see many of "the brightest and the best" among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these "nobodies" to expose the hollow pretensions of the "somebodies"? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have——right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start——comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That's why we have the saying, "If you're going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.”

• Remember the small little saints who have shaken the world. God and you make a majority.

• Perhaps you can accept that you are called. Perhaps you believe that God wants to use you. Perhaps you are even willing to be used by God to accomplish his purpose in your life that the lives of others.

• How do we get to the place where God can use us?

• We begin by following the words of Jesus in today's gospel: “repent (turn around–make an about face and go in the opposite direction) because the reign of God has come near to you.”

• Then embrace the God who loves you and seek God's purpose for your life. To be in the center of God's will for your life is the goal of our Christian calling.

This won't happen overnight. Our walk in faith is a pilgrimage and we will only arrive when we come to meet Christ face to face.

The Message transliteration of the Bible says this from Paul's letter to the Galatian Church: “So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.” (Gal. 6:9)

Let us begin again to answer the call of Christ upon each of our lives. Let us renew ourselves to the mission to which we were called. Let us ask God–how can I be used by You today. Will we be a part of Jesus' mission? The choice is ours to make as we daily commit ourselves again to Jesus Christ as our Lord.

Our collect for this Sunday asks God for this: “Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen”

A Fr. Robert R.M. Bagwell+

Epiphany +
6, January 2008

Isaiah 60:1-6,9 Psalm 72:1-2,10-17 Ephesians 3:1-12 Matthew 2:1-12

Do you know this number: 186,282.397 miles per second? It's the speed of light in a vacuum!

If we had a light beam that would hit the moon, it would take exactly 1.2 seconds to reach it! What are some of the things about light that make it so important to us? What happens if there is no light? You can't see–even with 20/20 vision! We must have light to refract inside our eyes before the phenomenon we usually take for granted–“seeing”–can take place. We like light. Plants grow and animals come out of hibernation because of light and every living thing is affected by it. If someone can't see physically–we may say they are “seeing-impaired” or historically speaking blind. If someone doesn't agree with us or doesn't understand a point we are trying to make, we may say “they're just blind.” We aren't paying them a compliment! Religions all over the world have often spoken of “enlightenment”. It has been the be all and end all for some such religions.

Thirteen days ago on Christmas eve we read: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness– on them light has shined. “ (Is.(9)

Today we might say in retrospect of those about whom Isaiah wrote: “they had an epiphany.” Have you ever had an epiphany? Have I? If we look in a dictionary, we might find several definitions of an epiphany–the showing forth of a god or some other supernatural being, it might mean that a revelation has come. It can also mean that something has become apparent or clear. It could indicate some moment which opens up the mind and heart to something that may have been present all along, but had been unnoticed or misunderstood. It is an “ah ha” moment. It is in this sense that we perhaps most often use the term “epiphany”in the church. It is in this sense that Epiphany is the crowning glory of Christmas.

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of Christ–not to the Jewish people through whom he came, but to the Gentiles–people like US–you and me. Unless I'm mistaken, that takes in everyone here. Epiphany is also called the “feast of lights” because the One who is the Light of God has been revealed to the whole world. We take so much for granted in the church. Of course I'm a Christian. Isn't everybody?

Perhaps if you've known someone who converted from one faith tradition to another, you might better understand the significance of the Epiphany. Today, in a “ Christianized ” society (and I use that expression loosely) we think in general terms of religiosity things like: “God loves everybody”— “everybody is going to heaven”— “one religion is as good as another” and “don't all religions teach the same things?” In the days of the first Epiphany, everyone knew that all the religions didn't not teach the same things. Even today converts between differing faiths find it isn't as simple as going from Methodist to Episcopalian! Many, many persons in that day believed that the Jewish faith really had something of substance to offer. It was enlightening–positive–ethically positive to the world. However, the process of conversion was something few Gentiles were willing to endure. The appearance of these magi or we believe Persian holy men–was indicative of the signs of their times. It was believed that some Great One was to come into the world. They said: “We have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

The modern mind has questioned: “what about the star? What was it?” Who knows? Many things have been speculated, but if we believe that it was real, it may have been another manifestation from God like the children of Israel experienced in the wilderness when they escaped from Egypt. It is important to know that signs and wonders were confirmations of authenticity in the ancient world and perhaps even in our own. How do we know there were three wise men? We don't.

We assume there were three because of the three gifts which are interesting enough in themselves to warrant some “symbolic”meanings. All were precious and extremely expensive gifts. Gold, the tradition reminds us, is a gift for a king but it is also used for medicinal purposes even today. Frankincense used in worship of a deity as well as a scent burned in homes. It was also used medicinally for a variety of ailments because it has anti-septic, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory qualities. Myrrh was reasoned by tradition to be a reminder that Jesus would die for our sins. It was used as a precious ointment on the dead. However, it also was used as a medicine and topical ointment application!

The most important thing about the Wise Men is their Divine Sign that God was opening the doors of heaven to the Gentiles. They represent you and me before the Christ-child. Have you ever been an “outsider”? I know what that feels like and I suspect that most or even all of you may have experienced that “feeling.”

Exclusion–being unaccepted–being disregarded are all experiences that few people ever enjoy! Many believe that God commanded the Jewish people to spread their revelation to the whole world, but they didn't–they still don't. If a Gentile wanted to investigate the Jewish faith, it was up to the individual Gentile to do all of the leg-work. God is Christ had a new/old message. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son to the end that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Whosoever WILL may come. That is GOOD NEWS! The wise men were only the first of the millions upon millions who have come to Jesus and found the One they were seeking.

Christianity isn't a religion–it is a Person. It is not a set of rules–it is connecting to the Ruler of all things. It isn't secret knowledge–it is connecting to the One who knows you better than you know yourself. When we look at the fine gifts that the Magi brought or perhaps the fine gifts we have given or received during this recent Christmas season following their example we may ask–but what can I give to Him? Darkness surrounded the birth of this child–violence–threats of death–the slaughter of a whole town's baby boys. Darkness is still with us, but we can bring that darkness to His Light. The world is still full of the dark gifts: violence, greed, hatred bigotry, disease and indifference to others. These too we can bring to the Christ as we acknowledge them in ourselves. As we receive the gift of forgiveness, we are empowered and set free to give it to others. That is the CHRIST-LIGHT. What can you and I, what will we give Jesus Christ this year? It is a new beginning for each of us and for this faith community at Trinity Church. Pray about it. Think carefully on it. Christ is counting on us. He will stay the course with us if we are but willing. Will we let another year go by as Christians who do little or nothing for Christ?

A poet wrote these words some time ago. The girls choir at my High School sang them at a Christmas concert in 1975. I close with their message.

"What can I give Him, Poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd I would bring Him a lamb,

If I were a wise man I would do my part.

Yet what can I give Him? Give my heart."

Christina Rossetti d.1894

The Reverend Robert R.M. Bagwell+

Advent 2 + Year A
9, December 2007
Isaiah 11:1-10 Psalm 72:18 Romans 15:4-13 Matthew 3:1-12

The “man was a wild looking character sitting on the steps of the library. His gray hair is matted. His dense beard covers the slogan on his grimy T-shirt. His small darting eyes are as volatile as a hawk's. I look once and think “drifter.” I look twice and thin, ‘John the Baptist', and in that imaginative act my relationship to the man has changed.” (Barbara Brown Taylor-The Preaching Life) God can use a complete change of perception to transform our response to a situation. John the Baptizer (who was not a protestant “Baptist” in any sense of the word!) was certainly dramatic at his staging! Today we'd look at such a person, assume they were indigent or an escaped mental patient and try to move along as quickly as possible. The strange thing about John is the fact that people followed him! They didn't run from him and his words were, to put it mildly CRITICAL of them, their lives, their deeds! Even more bizarre from our modern “feel-good” social order, people did in their spiritual and personal lives, what he urged them to do! Then they were baptized in a profound gesture to show everyone they were sorry and wanted to be cleansed from their wrong “thoughts, words and deeds.” How many people would go to a service in Stoughton if the preacher railed against them and what they did with their time, their money and their personal lives? What did John urge them to do? Prepare the way for the Lord! A few days back, it was broadcast that we would be having snow. I don't know if you went to the stores, but they didn't say we were going to have a lot of snow at least down on the south shore. Nevertheless, the people were in the stores stocking up just in case we had a blizzard. How many people discover when a critical storm hits–whether flooding rain or paralyzing snow, that they are not prepared! How many students in an exam, how many athletes in a race, (now that Christmas is coming) how many gatherings for parties just aren't ready or quite ready, when it is suddenly too late to prepare because the “event” is upon us? Do we think we can stave off these events by simply not thinking about the “unpleasantness” of it all? A relationship with God both for ourselves and those whom we know and love, takes effort–time–prayer–service. It is a real vital relationship. We don't leave God here when we leave on Sunday. If we left our spouses here to see once a week, we'd not long have spouses. Yet we always say outwardly or by default essentially: “God can handle it.” John told the unvarnished truth to the crowds. That might be fine when he was talking about others people but when he turned his guns on you....REPENT! John had an interesting advantage and then a disadvantage. The people to whom he was speaking largely believed he was a prophet and spoke authoritatively. Some were just “using” him to further their own reputation for piety and control of the common people. To them John turns and lashes out “you nest of snakes! Who warned you to flee from the coming judgment of God?” John had a way with words. He would not allow these religious leaders to take on the “semblance” of repentance–the sacramental sign if you will–without the serious heart change. He would not let this forum become for them another opportunity for “public relations!” He didn't want them to go away, he simply wanted them to realize that God saw through their photo oPS! God cares about people–their motivations–their spiritual relationship to him and the work they do in this world. God cares about you and me. We could have been in those crowds had we been born in that day. The religious leaders of Jesus' day had failed in their job–their responsibilities. Rather than being the shepherds who protect and feed the sheep, they had become the opposite of their calling as supposed people of God. Choice is an essential part of repentance. The word for repentance in the original Greek text is “metanoia.” It basically means, “make a ‘U' turn” and go in the opposite direction. Now we are fond culturally of making “new year's resolutions” which we often don't keep. Do we consider making spiritual resolutions and asking God to help us, our spouse or friend to help us or even the priest for encouragement to keep such resolutions! It is far too easy to become like the Sadducees and the Pharisees. Perhaps this church isn't a social magnet, but there are many that are indeed places that enhance the “reputations” of those that attend. ometimes, I suspect far too often, we fail at our job, our responsibility as Christians. Sometimes the only Christianity that touches our lives is a one time trip to the baptismal font and (hopefully) a weekly Communion service. It's not enough. One of the most profound qualities of John the Baptizer was his willingness to humble himself for the sake of the greater good of all. Think about that! While he's busy reading you the riot act about your personal and spiritual lives, he's loving you! One time someone asked Leonard Bernstein what was the most difficult instrument to play. He replied without skipping a beat: “second fiddle.” He said, “ I can always get plenty of first violinists, but to find one who plays second violin with as much enthusiasm or second horn or second flute–now that's a problem. And yet, if no one plays second, we have no harmony.” Everyone cannot be the general. Everyone can not be the boss. Everyone cannot be the driver of the car. Everyone cannot be in charge. Yet how many human beings have yet to learn that lesson–much less Christians! Yes, all are necessary, but not all are called to do the same jobs. The Bible even tells us that God has given differing gifts to people for the sake of the whole body. Sometimes this is a problem in countries, corporations and yes, churches. People get into a personal perception of powerlessness. Pastor Joel Osteen who pastors the largest church in America reiterates this frequently when he says, “remember you are victor and not a victim.” John was not trying to make victims. He was challenging people who had been victimized by their own spiritual lives or outward form without inward grace, to tie into the REAL THING–GOD! YOU are here this morning. Hopefully to seek to accomplish “in the presence of Almighty God our heavenly Father,” what the Prayer book says: “to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at this hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to hear his holy Word, and to ask, for ourselves and on behalf of others, those things that are necessary for our life and our salvation.” (BCP, p. 41) We are here for “ourselves” and “on behalf of others.” Think of it: Jesus Christ enjoins us to help in the work He has begun–the salvation of the world. If that doesn't boost your self esteem, what possibly could? Advent is a season for spiritual preparation. Why not look for opportunities to bless peoples' lives? Why not practice low key evangelism, it will change your life! Speak about going to church for Advent or for Christmas eve. I know that no one is supposed to talk about “politics” and “religion.” Well Jesus talked about both! Overcome your fears of embarrassment or awkwardness, by praying about the people you are around. One Episcopal priest used to say: “talk to God about the person, before you talk to the person about God. God brought us into His Church to make a difference. Let's not let God's time be wasted. Advent is a season of hope. How can you bring “hope” to others around you? When we hear of God's wrath in the readings, it is good to remember that anger is only the other side of love–when lives are not treasured but abused. Saint Augustine of Hippo wrote in the fifth century: “Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are." - St. Augustine of Hippo (401 A.D.)

The Reverend Robert R.M. Bagwell+

Proper 28+C 18 November 2007

Malachi 3:13-4:2a,5-6 Psalm 98, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 Luke 21:5-19

There was a story of a housework-challenged husband who decided he was going to wash his new sweatshirt. He took it to the washing machine and in about five seconds called upstairs to his wife and asked “what setting do I put the washing machine on?” She replied “it depends, what does it say on your shirt?” There was a long pause and then he called upstairs to her: “New England Patriots....”

Sometimes we are church-challenged Christians. This can be true and probably is for most of us at different times in our lives. We are sometimes challenged with the instructions of what setting to put our lives on in the laundry cycle that is life. We are challenged about our relationship with God, with other Christians, with our families and with those in the world around us who do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We are sometimes challenged in our knowledge of the Bible. We are challenged by what value to our personal and spiritual lives, what the church teaches us, may have for us. How do our lives fit into God's plans? Does God have a plan for our lives in the great scheme of things? Today, the Word of God speaks to us about staying the course in our faith when the world around us tempts us to lose heart and quit believing in God's love for us. It speaks to our sense of discouragement and trust when people and institutions fail us. What do we do when all that we have relied upon as permanent–giving our lives stability and meaning is suddenly put in question? Where do we put our trust?

• Today we hear the words of Jesus recorded for us by the gospel writer Luke: ” Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.”

• Perhaps before September the eleventh in the year two-thousand and one, many of us thought that the worse thing in our generation was the Vietnam war, or for some of us perhaps thought, World War II. Now we may have begun to think the world was somewhat stable–but no more!

• In the words of the gospel today the picture is that of a whole world besieged with “9-11's”. For the prophecy of Jesus was predicting for the Jewish audience who heard his words, the end of their world as they knew it.

• Our lives as a nation have changed from the world as we knew it.

• Jesus' words were very threatening. The Temple in Jerusalem destroyed?

• One commentator William Barclay describes the Temple this way: "The pillars of the porches and of the cloisters were columns of white marble, forty feet high, each made of one single block of stone.”

• He then quotes Josephus the great Jewish historian and scholar of the first century who wrote: “The outward face of the Temple... wanted (for) nothing that was likely to surprise either men's minds or their eyes, for it was covered all over with plates of gold of great weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendor, and made those who forced themselves to look upon it to turn their eyes away, just as they would have done at the sun's own rays.”

• One writer even said “the Temple appeared to strangers, when they were at a distance, like a mountain covered with snow, for... those parts... that were not gilt (or gold), .. were exceedingly white." (Mickey Anders)

• Judaism couldn't not exist (so they thought) without the temple and the temple sacrifices! IT WAS the symbol of the nation–that which gave it meaning and significance.

• Such a example might be to the American economist like the whole New York Stock Exchange obliterated or perhaps that the American government would be wiped out! So it might have seemed to us if the plan to bomb the capitol building in Washington had succeeded.

• We don't want to live in a world with uncertainty. Neither did the people of Biblical times.

• Jesus urges his followers to be prepared. As we enter Advent in a couple of weeks, we will entertain readings each Sunday that bear that same message of “be prepared”–“be ready”!

• But perhaps you are like me, who need to make things like a will and other insurances to prepare for the uncertainties of life–but it's so much trouble and it's probably so far off and after all, who likes to think about such things...

• Perhaps that is part of the reason people find distractions like sports or sleeping in on a Sunday–or not seeking God at his altar in prayer or communion or even working on Sundays reasons not to keep God in their lives. Who knows–God knows.

• People may even say things that beg the question of the practical reasons for you or me to be a Christian or for us to go to Church at all!

• “What's the point?” we may say . Our friends don't go to church, or pray, or try to serve others for the sake of God.

• These are the sort of questions that were being asked in the community of faith in the days of the prophet Malachi. They may well be the same questions being asked today. In this passage, we have a conversation, an exchange between God and his people.

• Here is the beginning of today's reading from the Message version of the Bible. “God says, "You have spoken hard, rude words to me. "You ask, 'When did we ever do that?'"When you said, 'It doesn't pay to serve God. What do we ever get out of it? When we did what he said and went around with long faces, serious about God-of-the-Angel-Armies, what difference did it make? Those who take life into their own hands are the lucky ones. They break all the rules and get ahead anyway. They push God to the limit and get by with it.'" (Mal. 3:13)

• This is a people who have lost their focus, the meaning of life and their faith in God. They ask: “what's the point?”

• Some people may well feel that way–disillusioned–as a reason not to go to Church, not to pray, not to be with others who believe.

• They don't tell God this, they may have told their friends–but why tell God? So their faith begins to be destroyed by a cancer of the soul.

• So it was to the people Jesus addressed. Their trust was in an institution–a building in which they had great pride–a building that represented a God who was their own possession, (or so they thought) but a God whose presence in their lives was dependent upon a building which was not eternal and an institution that was very fallible.

• The Church–both universal and individual–institutions and individual believers, are still fallible When people fail to see the God behind it all, they can easily lose their faith or never find it to begin with.

• Do people fall away from God or from Church? The tragedy is when the two do not inhabit one another.

• Some churches resemble dysfunctional marriages when one partner gets what they want out of the relationship (the parishioner) while the other (God) is abandoned and feels that there is no relationship at all.

• Either we ARE the church or we go TO THE church.

• The first is the union of God in Christ and one another–this was God's purpose in creating the Church–a sacrament of grace.

• This is why the church exists–a living breathing connected part of the living God.

• The second is like a cultural phenomenon–like going to a traditional family restaurant, because that's what the family has always done.

• This instance is when disillusionment–dysfunction and spiritual death occur.

• A quote I found said: “the church is what you have left when the building burns down and the preacher leaves town.”

When we come to Church, we usually come to feel closer to God– to get closer to God in a very visceral way. We take the bread. We drink the cup. We commune with Jesus, the heavenly host and the brothers and sisters in the pews beside us. We don't usually come to hear about Apocalypse now! Yet the scripture gives us these texts to remind us– perhaps give us a heads up or perhaps even on a deeper level remind us of something very important for us to remember.

We live in a time much like the times of Jesus. People are afraid. The economy is shaky. Half of the country seems to be running for election–people want security, they want a deliverer from uncertainty, war and economic demise. CNN shows us catastrophes from earthquakes, tidal waves, disease and war. The world wants answers–a deliverer to make it all go away. It isn't going away.

We are to realize that these earthly things– that seem so important are fragile– they are passing away– at some point they will cease to have any importance. The reason the Church exists is to be a light house–a wayside inn–in an often dark and uncertain world. Christ came into our lives to give us that Light, that security, that although the whole world be shaken, Jesus Christ is our salvation–our refuge–our strength–our security and our peace.

The Reverend Robert R.M. Bagwell+

Proper19 + Year C
16 September, 2007

Commemoration of the Finding of the Holy Cross

The words of the hymn are “Lift High the Cross, the Love of Christ proclaim....” What is it to proclaim that love of Christ? When we wear a cross do we see ourselves lifting it up and we ourselves as proclaiming the love of Christ. To be a Christian is to be “Christ bearer”.

Today's reading from the gospel pictures Jesus crossing the barriers of the accepted religious establishment. He is reaching out to those considered “unclean” or sinful to the ones who thought of themselves as the “good” people. They considered those who were not like them as the “bad” people. In other words, those who were lost as far as the religious culture around them was concerned should be ignored. In each of these instances we will see an image of God that Jesus is revealing to those who have come to hear him. It is an image that even today some in the religious establishment–even in our own denomination–still reject. But we wouldn't think anything like that...would we?

• Tax collectors and sinners: the text says. That sounds ominous. Who were these people?

The tax collectors were those who helped the Romans in the administration of their conquered territories–they also enriched themselves at the expense of their countrymen. They cheated and stole from their own and were hated for it. The “sinners” were those who had occupations that the religious establishment found inconsistent with the Law of Moses. The “good” people were taught not to associate with them at all. Among these people were shepherds.

Ever been told not to “hang out with “bad company”? But Jesus reached out to these outsiders who were in a bad place in life and lifted them up. He did this by befriending them, caring about them, respecting them. How many of you know that it is hard to tell people God loves them when we avoid or despise them? We are God's representatives, God's face in this world. The challenge is to approach others as Jesus would. Since Jesus associated, ate and accepted these people, he was not only disobeying the “rules” of the religious establishment but seemingly approving of these outsiders themselves. But Jesus knew what those who considered themselves to be “good” were thinking about him and also about those who had come to hear him. What does he do? He tells them stories about God, but in very human terms.

Have you ever been lost? I remember as a child getting separated from my mother in the department store. Sudden recognition of my lostness–then panic. Of late the news has been about seeking a lost pilot in the west and a young child in Portugal. Being lost is distressing to those searching as well as the one who hopes to be found! As an adult, getting lost trying to find some location can itself be frightening. We don't like to be out of control, helpless ... lost. If you're a guy, you may never admit that you're lost! But that is our native state before God, before Jesus Christ comes to change all of that.

Jesus talks about lost sheep and a lost coin. Sheep are common but rather helpless animals. They get lost little by little–bite by bite. They move eating from this tuft of grass to another until they are lost. Human beings are a lot like that. We take a little bit of this and a little bit of that, thinking that we'll never go so far as to be trapped or lost in our practices of living life. Till we find ourselves caught. Many people have found themselves suddenly caught up in something no longer under their control. People are a lot like sheep. We just don't like to admit it when we are lost. I suspect that deep down most humans know that we are.

Jesus talks about a lost coin and the poor woman who searches for what amounts to a full day's pay that has been misplaced in her house. Have you ever had things of value to our lives get misplaced in the shuffle? In each of these circumstances the chief actor is an image of God.

God is not passive as people go their merry ways into oblivion. God is actively seeking those most in need of Him. So this Shepherding God, does some very strange things. He leaves 99 sheep to fend for themselves while he pursues the one. Perhaps not good shepherding, but so is the God Jesus reveals to us. This Shepherd values the one so much that he will leave the many behind for the sake of one who is lost. In fact this Shepherd scripture tells us “gives his life for the sheep.” What is it to love as Jesus loved? What would this church look like if we determined to do it God's way?

I know that it's difficult to do this. I have failed many times, but if we would love others as Jesus does, I believe this church would be filled with people with joyful expectation. The religious leaders of Jesus day were much more focused on God's wrath on those who provoke him. Jesus reveals to us of a very different image of God–a God who came into the world to SAVE sinners. Those outside the safety of the ninety-nine in our four walled pasture on a Sunday morning.

Imagine! God came into the world to save those people we don't like or those we despise. God loves them as much as he loves us. Believe that? If what Jesus did is a reflection of what we are called to do, then part of our mission and purpose in this world is to venture out into the margins, to find the lost to bring them to safety.

Who are those we know who are socially marginalized for whom we may show compassion and concern? Do we stick safely with the ninety-nine who are safely with the others or seek the one who has wandered off. Who do we know for whom we should show compassion and concern or are we only loving to those with whom we are comfortable? How do you see them? What if you ARE THEM?

Can you for a moment ask God to help you see as Jesus sees? The good news here is that no matter how we may look at others, God looks at them as much as he looks at us – perhaps even more so if they are lost. In the story the 99 are separated from the shepherd and the one lost is with him. If the shepherd is out of the security of the sheep pen seeking the lost, where are we called to be?

Both the found and the lost need God's love and mercy. And here's our mission–we are also called to show them God's love and mercy as God has shown us. Jesus saves! It's what He is about. He came to save lost sheep, lost coins, lost prostitutes, lost politicians, lost enemies of ours and yes, even us! “Amazing Grace – how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me” we sing. That is the message of the cross. That is why it is dear to us. We know our hearts that without him, we are lost. Wherever we may be in our spiritual walk–the God who finds the lost is seeking us out to bring us home. That is why we are here this morning. The text says: “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." May we experience such joy this morning and always.




	Sermons of the Month

	Fr. Robert R.M. Bagwell+ 27, January 2008 Epiphany III, Year A Amos 3: 1-8 Psalm 139:1-17, I Corinthians 1:10-17 Matthew 4:12-23 A man suffered a serious heart attack and had bypass surgery. He awakened to find himself in the care of nuns at a Catholic hospital. As he was recovering, a nun asked how he was going to pay the bill. He replied, in a raspy voice, "No health insurance." The nun asked if he had money in the bank. He replied, "No money in the bank." The nun asked, "Do you have a relative who could help you?" He said, "Just a spinster sister, who is a nun." The nun, slightly perturbed, said, "Nuns are not spinsters! Nuns are married to God." The patient replied, "Then send the bill to my brother-in-law." What is God like to you? What is your image of God? Do you seek out God only when you need him to “pay a bill you can't pay?” Is God Daddy Warbucks in the sky? Or his God so very much more? Our relationship to God will be determined by our understanding of what God is like and God's attitude toward us. Much of the Bible is about how we are to understand God and *our relationship to God.* The lessons today are extraordinary in just this regard. . A single preacher could draw a dozen sermons just from these texts. I think that far too many Christians in this day and probably since the Lord went home to the Father have had a wrong understanding, a very limited expectation of our relationship with God. One of the great gifts of the Protestant reformation was a renewed understanding of the Christians' relationship with God. • How do you understand your personal relationship to God? Is God the Mighty One, Ruler of the Universe, the Judge of all humankind–or is He Abba–Our Father in Heaven? Is God the Judge, waiting to go through your moral suitcase or is God Our Daddy? • I believe that the Newer Testament is clear from the words of Jesus that God is indeed our loving, caring and merciful Father, but do we live with that active understanding in our daily lives? • What is your image of the Living God? How does your image of God affect you? • It's important because you will never grow in the faith beyond your image of God. • The awesome prospect is that you may be the only Jesus that someone ever sees. • What are they seeing? Are you a “light-house” of hope or are you someone who affirms all the negative things in this life. • Are you any different because you believe in and trust in Jesus Christ? • If not, then you have somehow “missed the boat” on the gospel of Jesus–the one who came into the world to change your life and mine. • Baptism is a visual image of our calling in Christ. “We are buried with by baptism into his death” the book of Romans says, “that we might be raised with him in his resurrection.” • Being a Christian is God's transforming our lives into the image of Christ in this world. That means on the inside of our persons as well as on the outside. We have received this in what we call the “great commission”. “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Mt. 28:19 & 20) • Jesus found us. He wants to use us to find others. • How do we approach this? I believe most firmly in friendship evangelism. In other words, we befriend others for the sake of Jesus Christ and let them experience Christ's love in us. • What is your sphere of influence? What do I mean? • Everyone has a sphere of influence. It is those people whose lives we touch for good or for ill. The word “gospel” means “good news”. Do you see yourself as one who brings good news to your sphere of influence? • Have you ever thought about “catching people” for God I mean, or do we see that as “someone elses' job?” • Would you have ever heard had someone else not answered God's calling? It's just a question to think about. • Who are those who make such an extraordinary contribution to this world much less to the kingdom of God? • The Message transliteration of the Bible says this from Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth: “Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don't see many of "the brightest and the best" among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these "nobodies" to expose the hollow pretensions of the "somebodies"? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have——right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start——comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That's why we have the saying, "If you're going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.” • Remember the small little saints who have shaken the world. God and you make a majority. • Perhaps you can accept that you are called. Perhaps you believe that God wants to use you. Perhaps you are even willing to be used by God to accomplish his purpose in your life that the lives of others. • How do we get to the place where God can use us? • We begin by following the words of Jesus in today's gospel: “repent (turn around–make an about face and go in the opposite direction) because the reign of God has come near to you.” • Then embrace the God who loves you and seek God's purpose for your life. To be in the center of God's will for your life is the goal of our Christian calling. This won't happen overnight. Our walk in faith is a pilgrimage and we will only arrive when we come to meet Christ face to face. The Message transliteration of the Bible says this from Paul's letter to the Galatian Church: “So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.” (Gal. 6:9) Let us begin again to answer the call of Christ upon each of our lives. Let us renew ourselves to the mission to which we were called. Let us ask God–how can I be used by You today. Will we be a part of Jesus' mission? The choice is ours to make as we daily commit ourselves again to Jesus Christ as our Lord. Our collect for this Sunday asks God for this: “Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen” *A Fr. Robert R.M. Bagwell+* *Epiphany +* *6, January 2008* *Isaiah 60:1-6,9 Psalm 72:1-2,10-17 Ephesians 3:1-12 Matthew 2:1-12* Do you know this number: 186,282.397 miles per second? It's the speed of light in a vacuum! If we had a light beam that would hit the moon, it would take exactly 1.2 seconds to reach it! What are some of the things about light that make it so important to us? What happens if there is no light? You can't see–even with 20/20 vision! We must have light to refract inside our eyes before the phenomenon we usually take for granted–“seeing”–can take place. We like light. Plants grow and animals come out of hibernation because of light and every living thing is affected by it. If someone can't see physically–we may say they are “seeing-impaired” or historically speaking blind. If someone doesn't agree with us or doesn't understand a point we are trying to make, we may say “they're just blind.” We aren't paying them a compliment! Religions all over the world have often spoken of “enlightenment”. It has been the be all and end all for some such religions. Thirteen days ago on Christmas eve we read: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness– on them light has shined. “ (Is.(9) Today we might say in retrospect of those about whom Isaiah wrote: “they had an epiphany.” Have you ever had an epiphany? Have I? If we look in a dictionary, we might find several definitions of an epiphany–the showing forth of a god or some other supernatural being, it might mean that a revelation has come. It can also mean that something has become apparent or clear. It could indicate some moment which opens up the mind and heart to something that may have been present all along, but had been unnoticed or misunderstood. It is an “ah ha” moment. It is in this sense that we perhaps most often use the term “epiphany”in the church. It is in this sense that Epiphany is the crowning glory of Christmas. Today we celebrate the Epiphany of Christ–not to the Jewish people through whom he came, but to the Gentiles–people like US–you and me. Unless I'm mistaken, that takes in everyone here. Epiphany is also called the “feast of lights” because the One who is the Light of God has been revealed to the whole world. We take so much for granted in the church. Of course I'm a Christian. Isn't everybody? Perhaps if you've known someone who converted from one faith tradition to another, you might better understand the significance of the Epiphany. Today, in a “ Christianized ” society (and I use that expression loosely) we think in general terms of religiosity things like: “God loves everybody”— “everybody is going to heaven”— “one religion is as good as another” and “don't all religions teach the same things?” In the days of the first Epiphany, everyone knew that all the religions didn't not teach the same things. Even today converts between differing faiths find it isn't as simple as going from Methodist to Episcopalian! Many, many persons in that day believed that the Jewish faith really had something of substance to offer. It was enlightening–positive–ethically positive to the world. However, the process of conversion was something few Gentiles were willing to endure. The appearance of these magi or we believe Persian holy men–was indicative of the signs of their times. It was believed that some Great One was to come into the world. They said: “We have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” The modern mind has questioned: “what about the star? What was it?” Who knows? Many things have been speculated, but if we believe that it was real, it may have been another manifestation from God like the children of Israel experienced in the wilderness when they escaped from Egypt. It is important to know that signs and wonders were confirmations of authenticity in the ancient world and perhaps even in our own. How do we know there were three wise men? We don't. We assume there were three because of the three gifts which are interesting enough in themselves to warrant some “symbolic”meanings. All were precious and extremely expensive gifts. Gold, the tradition reminds us, is a gift for a king but it is also used for medicinal purposes even today. Frankincense used in worship of a deity as well as a scent burned in homes. It was also used medicinally for a variety of ailments because it has anti-septic, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory qualities. Myrrh was reasoned by tradition to be a reminder that Jesus would die for our sins. It was used as a precious ointment on the dead. However, it also was used as a medicine and topical ointment application! The most important thing about the Wise Men is their Divine Sign that God was opening the doors of heaven to the Gentiles. They represent you and me before the Christ-child. Have you ever been an “outsider”? I know what that feels like and I suspect that most or even all of you may have experienced that “feeling.” Exclusion–being unaccepted–being disregarded are all experiences that few people ever enjoy! Many believe that God commanded the Jewish people to spread their revelation to the whole world, but they didn't–they still don't. If a Gentile wanted to investigate the Jewish faith, it was up to the individual Gentile to do all of the leg-work. God is Christ had a new/old message. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son to the end that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Whosoever WILL may come. That is GOOD NEWS! The wise men were only the first of the millions upon millions who have come to Jesus and found the One they were seeking. Christianity isn't a religion–it is a Person. It is not a set of rules–it is connecting to the Ruler of all things. It isn't secret knowledge–it is connecting to the One who knows you better than you know yourself. When we look at the fine gifts that the Magi brought or perhaps the fine gifts we have given or received during this recent Christmas season following their example we may ask–but what can I give to Him? Darkness surrounded the birth of this child–violence–threats of death–the slaughter of a whole town's baby boys. Darkness is still with us, but we can bring that darkness to His Light. The world is still full of the dark gifts: violence, greed, hatred bigotry, disease and indifference to others. These too we can bring to the Christ as we acknowledge them in ourselves. As we receive the gift of forgiveness, we are empowered and set free to give it to others. That is the CHRIST-LIGHT. What can you and I, what will we give Jesus Christ this year? It is a new beginning for each of us and for this faith community at Trinity Church. Pray about it. Think carefully on it. Christ is counting on us. He will stay the course with us if we are but willing. Will we let another year go by as Christians who do little or nothing for Christ? A poet wrote these words some time ago. The girls choir at my High School sang them at a Christmas concert in 1975. I close with their message. "What can I give Him, Poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would bring Him a lamb, If I were a wise man I would do my part. Yet what can I give Him? Give my heart." Christina Rossetti d.1894 The Reverend Robert R.M. Bagwell+ Advent 2 + Year A 9, December 2007 *Isaiah 11:1-10 Psalm 72:18 Romans 15:4-13 Matthew 3:1-12* The “man was a wild looking character sitting on the steps of the library. His gray hair is matted. His dense beard covers the slogan on his grimy T-shirt. His small darting eyes are as volatile as a hawk's. I look once and think “drifter.” I look twice and thin, ‘John the Baptist', and in that imaginative act my relationship to the man has changed.” (Barbara Brown Taylor-The Preaching Life) God can use a complete change of perception to transform our response to a situation. John the Baptizer (who was not a protestant “Baptist” in any sense of the word!) was certainly dramatic at his staging! Today we'd look at such a person, assume they were indigent or an escaped mental patient and try to move along as quickly as possible. The strange thing about John is the fact that people followed him! They didn't run from him and his words were, to put it mildly CRITICAL of them, their lives, their deeds! Even more bizarre from our modern “feel-good” social order, people did in their spiritual and personal lives, what he urged them to do! Then they were baptized in a profound gesture to show everyone they were sorry and wanted to be cleansed from their wrong “thoughts, words and deeds.” How many people would go to a service in Stoughton if the preacher railed against them and what they did with their time, their money and their personal lives? What did John urge them to do? Prepare the way for the Lord! A few days back, it was broadcast that we would be having snow. I don't know if you went to the stores, but they didn't say we were going to have a lot of snow at least down on the south shore. Nevertheless, the people were in the stores stocking up just in case we had a blizzard. How many people discover when a critical storm hits–whether flooding rain or paralyzing snow, that they are not prepared! How many students in an exam, how many athletes in a race, (now that Christmas is coming) how many gatherings for parties just aren't ready or quite ready, when it is suddenly too late to prepare because the “event” is upon us? Do we think we can stave off these events by simply not thinking about the “unpleasantness” of it all? A relationship with God both for ourselves and those whom we know and love, takes effort–time–prayer–service. It is a real vital relationship. We don't leave God here when we leave on Sunday. If we left our spouses here to see once a week, we'd not long have spouses. Yet we always say outwardly or by default essentially: “God can handle it.” John told the unvarnished truth to the crowds. That might be fine when he was talking about others people but when he turned his guns on you....REPENT! John had an interesting advantage and then a disadvantage. The people to whom he was speaking largely believed he was a prophet and spoke authoritatively. Some were just “using” him to further their own reputation for piety and control of the common people. To them John turns and lashes out “you nest of snakes! Who warned you to flee from the coming judgment of God?” John had a way with words. He would not allow these religious leaders to take on the “semblance” of repentance–the sacramental sign if you will–without the serious heart change. He would not let this forum become for them another opportunity for “public relations!” He didn't want them to go away, he simply wanted them to realize that God saw through their photo oPS! God cares about people–their motivations–their spiritual relationship to him and the work they do in this world. God cares about you and me. We could have been in those crowds had we been born in that day. The religious leaders of Jesus' day had failed in their job–their responsibilities. Rather than being the shepherds who protect and feed the sheep, they had become the opposite of their calling as supposed people of God. Choice is an essential part of repentance. The word for repentance in the original Greek text is “metanoia.” It basically means, “make a ‘U' turn” and go in the opposite direction. Now we are fond culturally of making “new year's resolutions” which we often don't keep. Do we consider making spiritual resolutions and asking God to help us, our spouse or friend to help us or even the priest for encouragement to keep such resolutions! It is far too easy to become like the Sadducees and the Pharisees. Perhaps this church isn't a social magnet, but there are many that are indeed places that enhance the “reputations” of those that attend. ometimes, I suspect far too often, we fail at our job, our responsibility as Christians. Sometimes the only Christianity that touches our lives is a one time trip to the baptismal font and (hopefully) a weekly Communion service. It's not enough. One of the most profound qualities of John the Baptizer was his willingness to humble himself for the sake of the greater good of all. Think about that! While he's busy reading you the riot act about your personal and spiritual lives, he's loving you! One time someone asked Leonard Bernstein what was the most difficult instrument to play. He replied without skipping a beat: “second fiddle.” He said, “ I can always get plenty of first violinists, but to find one who plays second violin with as much enthusiasm or second horn or second flute–now that's a problem. And yet, if no one plays second, we have no harmony.” Everyone cannot be the general. Everyone can not be the boss. Everyone cannot be the driver of the car. Everyone cannot be in charge. Yet how many human beings have yet to learn that lesson–much less Christians! Yes, all are necessary, but not all are called to do the same jobs. The Bible even tells us that God has given differing gifts to people for the sake of the whole body. Sometimes this is a problem in countries, corporations and yes, churches. People get into a personal perception of powerlessness. Pastor Joel Osteen who pastors the largest church in America reiterates this frequently when he says, “remember you are victor and not a victim.” John was not trying to make victims. He was challenging people who had been victimized by their own spiritual lives or outward form without inward grace, to tie into the REAL THING–GOD! YOU are here this morning. Hopefully to seek to accomplish “in the presence of Almighty God our heavenly Father,” what the Prayer book says: “to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at this hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to hear his holy Word, and to ask, for ourselves and on behalf of others, those things that are necessary for our life and our salvation.” (BCP, p. 41) We are here for “ourselves” and “on behalf of others.” Think of it: Jesus Christ enjoins us to help in the work He has begun–the salvation of the world. If that doesn't boost your self esteem, what possibly could? Advent is a season for spiritual preparation. Why not look for opportunities to bless peoples' lives? Why not practice low key evangelism, it will change your life! Speak about going to church for Advent or for Christmas eve. I know that no one is supposed to talk about “politics” and “religion.” Well Jesus talked about both! Overcome your fears of embarrassment or awkwardness, by praying about the people you are around. One Episcopal priest used to say: “talk to God about the person, before you talk to the person about God. God brought us into His Church to make a difference. Let's not let God's time be wasted. Advent is a season of hope. How can you bring “hope” to others around you? When we hear of God's wrath in the readings, it is good to remember that anger is only the other side of love–when lives are not treasured but abused. Saint Augustine of Hippo wrote in the fifth century: “Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are." - St. Augustine of Hippo (401 A.D.) The Reverend Robert R.M. Bagwell+ Proper 28+C 18 November 2007 *Malachi 3:13-4:2a,5-6 Psalm 98,* 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 Luke 21:5-19 There was a story of a *housework-challenged husband* who decided he was going to wash his new sweatshirt. He took it to the washing machine and in about five seconds called upstairs to his wife and asked “what setting do I put the washing machine on?” She replied “it depends, what does it say on your shirt?” There was a long pause and then he called upstairs to her: “New England Patriots....” Sometimes we are church-challenged Christians. This can be true and probably is for most of us at different times in our lives. We are sometimes challenged with the instructions of what setting to put our lives on in the laundry cycle that is life. We are challenged about our relationship with God, with other Christians, with our families and with those in the world around us who do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We are sometimes challenged in our knowledge of the Bible. We are challenged by what value to our personal and spiritual lives, what the church teaches us, may have for us. How do our lives fit into God's plans? Does God have a plan for our lives in the great scheme of things? Today, the Word of God speaks to us about staying the course in our faith when the world around us tempts us to lose heart and quit believing in God's love for us. It speaks to our sense of discouragement and trust when people and institutions fail us. What do we do when all that we have relied upon as permanent–giving our lives stability and meaning is suddenly put in question? Where do we put our trust? • Today we hear the words of Jesus recorded for us by the gospel writer Luke: ” Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.” • Perhaps before September the eleventh in the year two-thousand and one, many of us thought that the worse thing in our generation was the Vietnam war, or for some of us perhaps thought, World War II. Now we may have begun to think the world was somewhat stable–but no more! • In the words of the gospel today the picture is that of a whole world besieged with “9-11's”. For the prophecy of Jesus was predicting for the Jewish audience who heard his words, the end of their world as they knew it. • Our lives as a nation have changed from the world as we knew it. • Jesus' words were very threatening. The Temple in Jerusalem destroyed? • One commentator William Barclay describes the Temple this way: "The pillars of the porches and of the cloisters were columns of white marble, forty feet high, each made of one single block of stone.” • He then quotes Josephus the great Jewish historian and scholar of the first century who wrote: “The outward face of the Temple... wanted (for) nothing that was likely to surprise either men's minds or their eyes, for it was covered all over with plates of gold of great weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendor, and made those who forced themselves to look upon it to turn their eyes away, just as they would have done at the sun's own rays.” • One writer even said “the Temple appeared to strangers, when they were at a distance, like a mountain covered with snow, for... those parts... that were not gilt (or gold), .. were exceedingly white." (Mickey Anders) • Judaism couldn't not exist (so they thought) without the temple and the temple sacrifices! IT WAS the symbol of the nation–that which gave it meaning and significance. • Such a example might be to the American economist like the whole New York Stock Exchange obliterated or perhaps that the American government would be wiped out! So it might have seemed to us if the plan to bomb the capitol building in Washington had succeeded. • We don't want to live in a world with uncertainty. Neither did the people of Biblical times. • Jesus urges his followers to be prepared. As we enter Advent in a couple of weeks, we will entertain readings each Sunday that bear that same message of “be prepared”–“be ready”! • But perhaps you are like me, who need to make things like a will and other insurances to prepare for the uncertainties of life–but it's so much trouble and it's probably so far off and after all, who likes to think about such things... • Perhaps that is part of the reason people find distractions like sports or sleeping in on a Sunday–or not seeking God at his altar in prayer or communion or even working on Sundays reasons not to keep God in their lives. Who knows–God knows. • People may even say things that beg the question of the practical reasons for you or me to be a Christian or for us to go to Church at all! • “What's the point?” *we may say* . Our friends don't go to church, or pray, or try to serve others for the sake of God. • These are the sort of questions that were being asked in the community of faith in the days of the prophet Malachi. They may well be the same questions being asked today. In this passage, we have a conversation, an exchange between God and his people. • Here is the beginning of today's reading from the Message version of the Bible. “God says, "You have spoken hard, rude words to me. "You ask, 'When did we ever do that?'"When you said, 'It doesn't pay to serve God. What do we ever get out of it? When we did what he said and went around with long faces, serious about God-of-the-Angel-Armies, what difference did it make? Those who take life into their own hands are the lucky ones. They break all the rules and get ahead anyway. They push God to the limit and get by with it.'" (Mal. 3:13) • This is a people who have lost their focus, the meaning of life and their faith in God. They ask: “what's the point?” • Some people may well feel that way–disillusioned–as a reason not to go to Church, not to pray, not to be with others who believe. • They don't tell God this, they may have told their friends–but why tell God? So their faith begins to be destroyed by a cancer of the soul. • So it was to the people Jesus addressed. Their trust was in an institution–a building in which they had great pride–a building that represented a God who was their own possession, (or so they thought) but a God whose presence in their lives was dependent upon a building which was not eternal and an institution that was very fallible. • The Church–both universal and individual–institutions and individual believers, are still fallible When people fail to see the God behind it all, they can easily lose their faith or never find it to begin with. • Do people fall away from God or from Church? The tragedy is when the two do not inhabit one another. • Some churches resemble dysfunctional marriages when one partner gets what they want out of the relationship (the parishioner) while the other (God) is abandoned and feels that there is no relationship at all. • Either we *ARE* the church or we go *TO THE* church. • The first is the union of God in Christ and one another–this was God's purpose in creating the Church–a sacrament of grace. • This is why the church exists–a living breathing connected part of the living God. • The second is like a cultural phenomenon–like going to a traditional family restaurant, because that's what the family has always done. • This instance is when disillusionment–dysfunction and spiritual death occur. • A quote I found said: “the church is what you have left when the building burns down and the preacher leaves town.” When we come to Church, we usually come to feel closer to God– to get closer to God in a very visceral way. We take the bread. We drink the cup. We commune with Jesus, the heavenly host and the brothers and sisters in the pews beside us. We don't usually come to hear about Apocalypse now! Yet the scripture gives us these texts to remind us– perhaps give us a heads up or perhaps even on a deeper level remind us of something very important for us to remember. We live in a time much like the times of Jesus. People are afraid. The economy is shaky. Half of the country seems to be running for election–people want security, they want a deliverer from uncertainty, war and economic demise. CNN shows us catastrophes from earthquakes, tidal waves, disease and war. The world wants answers–a deliverer to make it all go away. It isn't going away. We are to realize that these earthly things– that seem so important are fragile– they are passing away– at some point they will cease to have any importance. The reason the Church exists is to be a light house–a wayside inn–in an often dark and uncertain world. Christ came into our lives to give us that Light, that security, that although the whole world be shaken, Jesus Christ is our salvation–our refuge–our strength–our security and our peace. The Reverend Robert R.M. Bagwell+ Proper19 + Year C 16 September, 2007 Commemoration of the Finding of the Holy Cross The words of the hymn are “Lift High the Cross, the Love of Christ proclaim....” What is it to proclaim that love of Christ? When we wear a cross do we see ourselves lifting it up and we ourselves as proclaiming the love of Christ. To be a Christian is to be “Christ bearer”. Today's reading from the gospel pictures Jesus crossing the barriers of the accepted religious establishment. He is reaching out to those considered “unclean” or sinful to the ones who thought of themselves as the “good” people. They considered those who were not like them as the “bad” people. In other words, those who were lost as far as the religious culture around them was concerned should be ignored. In each of these instances we will see an image of God that Jesus is revealing to those who have come to hear him. It is an image that even today some in the religious establishment–even in our own denomination–still reject. But we wouldn't think anything like that...would we? • Tax collectors and sinners: the text says. That sounds ominous. Who were these people? The tax collectors were those who helped the Romans in the administration of their conquered territories–they also enriched themselves at the expense of their countrymen. They cheated and stole from their own and were hated for it. The “sinners” were those who had occupations that the religious establishment found inconsistent with the Law of Moses. The “good” people were taught not to associate with them at all. Among these people were shepherds. Ever been told not to “hang out with “bad company”? But Jesus reached out to these outsiders who were in a bad place in life and lifted them up. He did this by befriending them, caring about them, respecting them. How many of you know that it is hard to tell people God loves them when we avoid or despise them? We are God's representatives, God's face in this world. The challenge is to approach others as Jesus would. Since Jesus associated, ate and accepted these people, he was not only disobeying the “rules” of the religious establishment but seemingly approving of these outsiders themselves. But Jesus knew what those who considered themselves to be “good” were thinking about him and also about those who had come to hear him. What does he do? He tells them stories about God, but in very human terms. Have you ever been lost? I remember as a child getting separated from my mother in the department store. Sudden recognition of my lostness–then panic. Of late the news has been about seeking a lost pilot in the west and a young child in Portugal. Being lost is distressing to those searching as well as the one who hopes to be found! As an adult, getting lost trying to find some location can itself be frightening. We don't like to be out of control, helpless ... lost. If you're a guy, you may never admit that you're lost! But that is our native state before God, before Jesus Christ comes to change all of that. Jesus talks about lost sheep and a lost coin. Sheep are common but rather helpless animals. They get lost little by little–bite by bite. They move eating from this tuft of grass to another until they are lost. Human beings are a lot like that. We take a little bit of this and a little bit of that, thinking that we'll never go so far as to be trapped or lost in our practices of living life. Till we find ourselves caught. Many people have found themselves suddenly caught up in something no longer under their control. People are a lot like sheep. We just don't like to admit it when we are lost. I suspect that deep down most humans know that we are. Jesus talks about a lost coin and the poor woman who searches for what amounts to a full day's pay that has been misplaced in her house. Have you ever had things of value to our lives get misplaced in the shuffle? In each of these circumstances the chief actor is an image of God. God is not passive as people go their merry ways into oblivion. God is actively seeking those most in need of Him. So this Shepherding God, does some very strange things. He leaves 99 sheep to fend for themselves while he pursues the one. Perhaps not good shepherding, but so is the God Jesus reveals to us. This Shepherd values the one so much that he will leave the many behind for the sake of one who is lost. In fact this Shepherd scripture tells us “gives his life for the sheep.” What is it to love as Jesus loved? What would this church look like if we determined to do it God's way? I know that it's difficult to do this. I have failed many times, but if we would love others as Jesus does, I believe this church would be filled with people with joyful expectation. The religious leaders of Jesus day were much more focused on God's wrath on those who provoke him. Jesus reveals to us of a very different image of God–a God who came into the world to SAVE sinners. Those outside the safety of the ninety-nine in our four walled pasture on a Sunday morning. Imagine! God came into the world to save those people we don't like or those we despise. God loves them as much as he loves us. Believe that? If what Jesus did is a reflection of what we are called to do, then part of our mission and purpose in this world is to venture out into the margins, to find the lost to bring them to safety. Who are those we know who are socially marginalized for whom we may show compassion and concern? Do we stick safely with the ninety-nine who are safely with the others or seek the one who has wandered off. Who do we know for whom we should show compassion and concern or are we only loving to those with whom we are comfortable? How do you see them? What if you ARE THEM? Can you for a moment ask God to help you see as Jesus sees? The good news here is that no matter how we may look at others, God looks at them as much as he looks at us – perhaps even more so if they are lost. In the story the 99 are separated from the shepherd and the one lost is with him. If the shepherd is out of the security of the sheep pen seeking the lost, where are we called to be? Both the found and the lost need God's love and mercy. And here's our mission–we are also called to show them God's love and mercy as God has shown us. Jesus saves! It's what He is about. He came to save lost sheep, lost coins, lost prostitutes, lost politicians, lost enemies of ours and yes, even us! “Amazing Grace – how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me” we sing. That is the message of the cross. That is why it is dear to us. We know our hearts that without him, we are lost. Wherever we may be in our spiritual walk–the God who finds the lost is seeking us out to bring us home. That is why we are here this morning. The text says: “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." May we experience such joy this morning and always.

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