6 Dec 2009
Advent 2 2009 Malachi 3:1-4; Song of Zechariah (APBA,p.10); Philippians 1:1-11; Luke 3:1-6
Taking the Lead
Earlier this year my wife and I moved to live in Canberra. Though it is in some way my home town, I had forgotten what it is like to live at the centre of federal politics, and to be near the action as it were.
Our times are interesting, to say the least, especially when political parties play out their power struggles in the face of very real life and death issues such as matters relating to climate change. Power struggles, that become evident in healthy debate are not necessarily a bad thing in a healthy democracy like ours.
One of the issues that loom large in this recent debate over climate change concerns leadership. But no, the question is not about who will lead particular political parties or governments. Rather the question is whether a small highly affluent nation, one of the highest emitters of carbon per head of population capita, will take the lead by making a decision to cut such emisions in ways that may well be costly of jobs and present life style. But to do so is probably to take the lead for the sake of a larger and more life giving vision that saves and enhances human well being more generally.
Now I am not preaching this morning about responses to climate change, you might be relieved! However, I offer this opening thought as a possible example of how potentially costly and difficult it is to take the lead, to take action even if no one else does. The temptation is to opt out and to say, "Well, she's not doing it, so why should I?"
It is in times like this, or in the face of the need to make costly decisions that we feel the pressure either to get it right or to ignore conscience and go on with life as usual. Malachi, the OT prophet seems to understand the pressure we often feel when faced with the need to respond, and do what is deemed right, for in the ‘doing right' we sense God is in some way present:
"Who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?" We might say: "Who can stand firm, who can take the pressure?" And, as Malachi continues, it can be very testing of our strength of character:
"[The Lord of hosts] is like refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver [and gold]."If it's any comfort, this is something most of us find difficult, to make a stand for what we believe to be right, or for what we think God would have us do, especially in the face of complex and large issues such as climate change, or economic recession, war, terrorism and so forth. Sometimes it is not too easy to discern the way ahead; the way through our wilderness or threatened desert time.
John the Baptist is again this year reminding us just how it is, that it is with God that our hopes live. Again John is asking that we look and listen. To look to the signs of the times, and in spite of their immensity and seeming impossibility, to know hope, for God is at hand. We might be in a minority, and our faithful ways may seem naïve and nonsense in the face of powers and "wisdom" of this world. But take the lead we must!
Emperor Tiberius and John the Baptist (Luke 3:1-6)John the Baptist, Jesus and the early church all faced the need for leadership of this kind in their daily conversion to God and their willingness to live out faith very concretely in day-to-day life . This is what we see in our Gospel today: living out faith in the face of pending opposition, yet refusing to concede to those who did not see that real power and life is found with God.
Thanks to one of my Canberra Colleagues who recently commented briefly about this passage, I was made aware that this opening segment of Luke's Gospel is really a passage loaded with irony for it speak of the clash of the powers. Worldly power compared to power of the person of God, this strange wilderness figure pointing us to God.
Tiberius in full imperial power; in Judea his yes men reigned in state and church: Pilate the ruthless governor who enforces Tiberius' rule (and who will soon execute John's cousin Jesus); Herod whose megalomania has little regard for his kith and kin and High Priests Annas and Caiaphas who, for the sake of peace, had acquiesced within the powers that be in order to maintain the status quo, or so it seems.
Here are all the "heavy hitters" lined up next to "John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness", one who cries out "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight....and the salvation of God will be seen." Religious fanaticism? Alternate rabble-rouser? Ferrel troublemaker? Those in power obviously thought so and yet someone recognised somewhere a truth in this baptiser's message for they eventually had him beheaded.
Someone had to take the lead. Someone had to speak up!
What might Taking the Lead Mean?I was reminded of the famous German Lutheran pastor who, like John the Baptist, was eventually executed by the Nazi's because he took a stand against the powers of his time. Bonhoeffer also spoke out against a Church for selling its soul to this same errant National Socialism. Here was someone who made a stand, who returned from the safety of the United States in order to do so. And it cost him his life.
Bonhoeffer's life and teaching continues to echo down into the twenty-first century not only as a model but also as a voice pointing us to the way ahead, and to "Jesus Christ being formed in his Church."
Bonhoeffer was not only a voice. Critical of the church of his day, he formed what was called "The Confessing Church" and began a small seminary or theological college to help train and form men to take the lead, and to do so by not selling out to Nazi Social and Theological propaganda. In the face of such huge opposition, and in face of what must have seemed like insurmountable social and political issues, Bonhoeffer wrote a small book about a year after the Nazi's closed his seminary. The book entitles Life Together remains a gem suggesting ways we can be faithful together, and to learn to live in hope.
As we ponder the "signs of our times" and the seemingly insurmountable issues that face our world and our church, we must surely see the truth of the simplicity of John the Baptist and the call to turn to God. We face yet again, in this looming Christmas season, our dependency on consumption to keep the economy growing, to make us feel secure and seemingly to find meaning. How can we escape? Who will take the lead?
Bonhoeffer's life and words still give us a sense of the way ahead, a spirituality, if you will, to help us address our heart felt longings in a different way, the way of Christ. It is in some ways a simple way that of learned trust and of thankfulness for what we have and for who we are as loved and redeemed by God in Christ.
So let me leave you with a portion of Bonhoeffer's thoughts as we ponder the way ahead this advent. For I too, have to ponder how to live in our day before God and neighbour. Remember the time when Bonhoeffer wrote - a time of tragedy, wholesale human slaughter, and despair and loss of hope. But hear the simplicity of the way of Christ in Bonhoeffer's words. I offer this, not as an easy panacea, nor as the only answer to the pressures of our time. But it does speak, I think, to a way that will help us see God with us; this can then help us with a clearer heart and mind to make the tough decisions and to take the lead. So let's hear and finish with the words of Bonhoeffer :
We prevent God from giving us the great spiritual gifts he has in store for us, because we do not give thanks for daily gifts. We think we dare not be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and love that has been given to us and that we must constantly be looking forward eagerly for the highest good...We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary small (and yet really not small) gifts. (Life Together, p.17)"This is the way", says Isaiah, "walk in it."
Don Saines 6.12.09
