Third Sunday- Advent Dec 10, 2006

Zephaniah 3:14‑-18 Isaiah 12 Philippians 4:4‑-7 Luke 3:10‑-18

1. Last week, we heard the familiar voice of John, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” Hearing a family voice, with a familiar message gives us a sense of security. We know the traditional things that go with the Advent season. The Christmas tree and the mistletoe, Santa Claus and coloured lights. No surprises, one feels safe. Security is great, except for one thing, it can be boring, monotonous and deadly. I am not speaking of routine. We get up at a certain time, we brush our teeth, we eat, we sleep. Without that routine, we would have chaos. But security is when we surrounded our selves with familiar things, familiar persons - and we freeze. We stop growing, we get fossilized. We die and we do not even know it.

Security is what the Scribes and Pharisees wanted. They tried to control the people with their 613 man made laws, with a scrupulous detail of Sabbath observance, cleaning rituals. But the Spirit of Advent is one of challenge and adventure. Be Alert! Be Awake! For you know not at what hour the Saviour comes. He came as a little child in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, in a manner no one expected. O little Town of Bethlehem. This town is going to become even littler, because the Wall is going to be built right through the town for the sake of Israeli Security. There that word again. In that process, physical lives will be lost. Security can be deadly.

And so John gives us a challenge: “he who has two shirts give it to him who has none. Such a simple, practical thing. But it is not something that we are familiar with, some something we are used to - and it makes us a little jittery. It is a challenge to risk, a challenge to be insecure, a challenge to live simply, a challenge to go against the Season of Excess.

Little Jeff in Family Circus, is so determined to get all he wants

a tickle me Elmo

a lego airport

a zoom around garage

a spiderman suit.

That he is willing to go over Santa’s head to the very person of God ! As I speak of this Season of Excess, it is not that I am against gifts or against shopping. Each year we want to outdo what we did last year. It is only the second week of Advent and I have already more presents as of today, than I had last year. I need another cologne, another sweater, another shirt, another pair of socks, another bottle of Whisky as much as Imelda Marcos needs another pair of SHOES.

The challenge of John the Baptist to the Crowds, to the Tax collectors, to the Soldiers is one of Trust and one of Faith. A trust cannot be forced by a God who trusted mankind so much that The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Some did accept this invitation of Love, some did accept the Word of God made flesh and these were called Children of God.

When we become familiar with a place to which we go, with a person with whom we live, with a job we do each day, we come secure and complacent. We become less alert, less attentive. The Lord comes, and the Lord comes again, and goes by us unnoticed, unattended to. We are so bothered with “what must be done.” We are bothered with rites, rituals and structures that we do not encounter the God who invites us into a relationship.

Imagine a mother celebrating a birthday. She comes home from work, and her husband says, “Happy birthday honey” and continues putting up the Happy Birthday Banner. The daughter says, “Happy birthday, mom” and continues decorating the Birthday Cake. The other children rush out of the door, with a quick kiss to get a surprise Birthday present. The mother goes to her room, sits on the bed, and tears roll down her cheeks. Security and tradition demand decorations be put up, cakes be baked, presents be bought. And all Mother wanted was for her family to be around her. It did not matter whether they were in PJs or T-shirts.

Let every one who has two shirts give to the one who has none. There is a report, that this year 40 million people will be in London, England for Christmas shopping. That number is more than all the people in Canada. They will spend billions of Pounds for instant gratification. It will be mobile phones and ipods and electronic gadgets.

However, there are many people who are making a U-turn on this apparent one way street. They are willing to give up Security for being Alert, being Awake. They do not want to conform to media-driven consumption and self -obsessed lifestyles. They want to live up to the righteousness that we hear so often from Isaiah and the prophets. This righteousness is not living morally, but rather a balance among the rich and the poor. The poor have not only a right to food on their table - but also to arts, education, music and cultural enrichment. They have a right not only to food on their table, but to sit with us as brothers and sisters at the same table.

It could start right here. We will all come as equals to the Table of the Lord, but how many would you invite from this church to your table at home. He who has two shirts, let him give it to him who has none.

One of the Evangelists who stand at street corners and preaches to anyone who will listen - was very good. Soon he had a small crowd who listened to him intently. He was talking precisely about sharing with those who have none . He found one man listening to him intently. “You sir, if you had two houses, would you give one to someone who hasn’t any.” Why sure said the man. And if you had two cars, would you give one to someone who hasn’t any?” Why sure, replied the man. And if you had two shirts, would you give it to some one who hasn’t any?” Now, wait a minute said the man, I DO have two shirts !! As long as John remains in the area of imagination, we are willing to listen to him. But when it comes to Reality ! We want our security. And security can be deadly. Be Alert, Be awake. For the Lord is at hand.

APPENDIX

JOY TO THE MALL (joy to them all)

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from the Canadian Business Bureau that all of Canada should go shopping. And all went out to shop, each to his own mall.

And a Christian went up to Toronto with its many malls because he wanted to prove he was from the household of prosperity. With him was his wife great with economic anxiety.

And so it was, that while they were there, they found many expensive presents: The woman wrapped these presents in bright paper and laid them in her garage; for she had no room for them in her closet.

And out there in the same county there were children keeping watch over their stockings by night. And lo suddenly Santa appeared to them. And said " Fear not I bring you tidings of great joy. For unto you this day will be given, in your St. James Town home, great feasts of turkey, dressing and cake.

And this will be a sign to you “you shall find presents wrapped in bright paper beneath an artificial tree adorned with coloured balls and lights.”

And suddenly with Santa Claus there appeared a great host of friends and relatives, praising one another and saying "Glory to you for getting me this Ipod and Mobile phone; it is just what I wanted."

And it came to pass, as the relatives were gone away to their own homes, the parents said to one another: “I am sure glad that is over. What a mess. I am too tired to clean it up. Thank what ever his name is that it is another year before Christmas comes again.”

This is the gospel of the shopkeepers.