Scripture: Matthew 2: 1-12
Two biases set the stage for all the others: Confirmation Bias: the human brain welcomes information that confirms what it already thinks and resists information that disturbs or contradicts what it already thinks. Complexity Bias: the human brain prefers a simple lie to a complex truth. We will look at how these two biases are in play at the experience of the Wise Men and King Herod.
Scripture: “You prepared this salvation in the presence of all peoples. It’s a light for revelation to the Gentiles and a glory for your people Israel.” “For Zion’s sake I won’t keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I won’t sit still until her righteousness shines out like a light, and her salvation blazes like a torch.” (Luke 2: 31-32 and Isaiah 62: 1)
The Good News that we have proclaimed for this Advent/Christmas season ends with a second chapter of Luke that starts, “When the time came…” Indeed, the time has come for us to move from the narrative of birthing to the narrative of restoration. The story of Jesus’ ritual cleansing as a child contains stories of people who had been waiting for this moment. But the time of waiting is over–for us too. Like Isaiah who says, “for Zion’s sake I won’t stay silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I won’t sit still,” we will not stop our songs of resistance until justice shines out like a light for all.
Scripture:“What came into being through the Word was life, and the life was the light for all people.” (John 1:3-4)
“A child is born to us, a son is given to us, and authority will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9: 6)
The “great light” prophesied by Isaiah in today’s text is echoed in the first strains of John’s Gospel good news: the light that brings peace–that saves the people from all that would extinguish it–has been there from the beginning. The Word is made flesh and dwells among us. This reign is now… will we believe it? Will we continue to put flesh on it, embodying the peace meant for all humanity?
Scripture: “He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones and lifted up the lowly. I live on high, in holiness, and also with the crushed and the lowly, reviving the spirit of the lowly, reviving the heart of those who have been crushed.” (Luke 1: 52 and Isaiah 57: 15b)
Luke’s Gospel is an account in two acts, the biography of Jesus and the story of the consequences of his ministry in the development of the “Jesus community.” Especially for those who–whether Jew or Gentile–were deciding to become a part of this illegal movement and could garner punishment for their allegiance, the message of the uprising of the downcast, lowly, and oppressed is a welcome and inspirational account. Like the Jewish exiled people of Isaiah’s time, the promise of a reason for joyful praise is the good news they long to hear.
Scripture: “Look! A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, And they will call him, Emmanuel (‘God with us’).” (Mathew 1: 23 and Isaiah 7: 14)
In both the Gospel of Matthew and Isaiah, a messenger appears as a sign from God, heralding a new era. In each passage, the words “do not be afraid” appear… offering a clue that the messenger–whether prophet or angel–was referencing something that induced fear in the recipient. A new way of being, relating and loving takes courage– eschewing the present order of things so that a new and better day can be born.
Scripture: “Prepare the way…”
“Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news.” “Raise your voice… raise it; don’t be afraid” (Mark 1: 1-15 and Isaiah 40: 1-11)
This Advent, we are looking to hear some comfort, some challenge and some good news. The prophet Isaiah and the four Gospel authors were writing in a time when people needed desperately to hear all of these as well. This first week, Isaiah and the gospel writer who published first–Mark–reassure the people that good news is beginning and yet they both say, “make yourself ready!” Raise your voices, change your hearts, get ready to be transformed, because now is the time. Have hope that we can do what needs to be done to bring more light into the world.
Scripture: Acts 4: 32-35
The community of believers was one in heart and mind. None of them would say, “This is mine!” about any of their possessions, but held everything in common. The apostles continued to bear powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and an abundance of grace was at work among them all. There were no needy persons among them. Those who owned properties or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds from the sales, and place them in the care and under the authority of the apostles. Then it was distributed to anyone who was in need. (Acts 4:32-35)
The end of the movie It’s a Wonderful Life is a joyful celebration of community and generosity and George Bailey’s thankfulness is infectious. At the heart of our relationship to money is living and giving with gratitude–whether the assets we have to give are monetary, or our own capital of time and energy for the sake of the human family. As a result of aligning our money practices with the courageous vision we see for ourselves and our impact on the world, we end our series by looking for the hope that has been cultivated and the possibility that we will transform fear to gratitude in the act of sharing.
Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Tell people who are rich at this time not to become egotistical and not to place their hope on their finances, which are uncertain. Instead, they need to hope in God, who richly provides everything for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in the good things they do, to be generous, and to share with others. When they do these things, they will save a treasure for themselves that is a good foundation for the future. That way they can take hold of what is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19, CEB)
The difference between the Baileys and the Potters of the world comes both in the inner and outer worlds. Do we reap love and generosity or bitterness and resentment? This week we ask if the outer manifestations of our money practices align with our courageous vision. Are we creating the impact for which we hope? at least moving in that direction? When our practices–no matter how incremental or seemingly simple–are serving the vision, we live with a sense of wholeheartedness and wonder that energizes us, those around us, and the world. We “truly live.”
Scripture: Matthew 6: 19-24
“Stop collecting treasures for your own benefit on earth, where moth and rust eat them and where thieves break in and steal them. Instead, collect treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moth and rust don’t eat them and where thieves don’t break in and steal them. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how terrible that darkness will be! No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be loyal to the one and have contempt for the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” (Matthew 6:19-24)
George Bailey gets a wonderful gift of seeing what he world would have been like without him in it. We live an “incarnational” faith–the belief that, like Jesus, our faith is not just an idea, but it gets lived out in our actions in the world. This week we integrate money and meaning by looking in at the courageous vision for our presence and impact in the world. This is the bedrock for how we “spend” our assets–time, energy, and money–so that we approach the life we have left with attentiveness and intentionality to making it a“wonder-full” life.
All Saints Day
Scripture: Matthew 22: 15-22
Then the Pharisees met together to find a way to trap Jesus in his words. They sent their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are genuine and that you teach God’s way as it really is. We know that you are not swayed by people’s opinions, because you don’t show favoritism. So tell us what you think: Does the Law allow people to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
Knowing their evil motives, Jesus replied, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used to pay the tax.” And they brought him a denarion. “Whose image and inscription is this?” he asked. “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” When they heard this they were astonished, and they departed. (Matthew 22:15-22)
Our relationship with money has a history as long as our lives but also as expansive as the family systems and culture of which we are a part. Creating spiritual practices for how we deal money invites us to look back, to see with new eyes how and when our values and fears were initiated. Like George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, we sometimes need some help in the midst of the discouragement that can come with being in the “whale” of our fear about money. We look back with a practice of compassion for ourselves and others and a faith that reminds us of our true worth.
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