Note: In between the scripture reading and the sermon, the following movie clip from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (New Line Cinema, 2001) was shown:

Thomas Blanton Jr., 2000, Google Images

When I was 24-years-old, I saw the face of a man once so consumed by evil that he bombed a black church in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four little girls.

A short, stocky, soft-spoken 62-year-old man—sporting thinning hair and wrinkles around tired eyes—Thomas Edwin Blanton Jr. had trouble opening up a wrapped piece of peppermint candy when I interviewed him in his lawyer’s office on a hot afternoon in August of 2000.  For nearly 37 years, Blanton had dodged formal charges but remained a primes suspect in the bombing that caused the deaths of Cynthia Wesley, Addie Mae Collins, Carol Robertson, all 14, and Denise McNair, 11 on September 15, 1963. The girls were in the bathroom of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, putting on their robes, when their lives were abruptly ended by a horrendous act of hate and violence on that Sunday morning before the worship service began.

 With newly discovered evidence and testimony from key witnesses, the case was re-opened for the second time in the spring of 2000 and Blanton, along with another suspect, were indicted on first-degree murder charges in the bombing. Less than a year later, Blanton was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison, where he remains today.

Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Denise McNair and Carol Robertson

The Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing was a watershed moment in the African-American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s, which sought racial equality through the passing of laws that granted voting rights and abolished discrimination. Much of the nation turned a blind-eye toward the struggle that inflamed racial tensions and prompted numerous bombings of black homes and businesses across the South. But when news agencies reported that church-attending children had become the first victims of a bombing, the nation immediately focused its entire attention on stopping the evil of prejudice and bigotry.

Sitting in a chair a few inches from one of the men responsible for such a senseless tragedy, months before his trial began, was daunting as a young newspaper reporter for the Birmingham Post-Herald. I had been given the unique chance to interview a man who had never spoken to the press since the bombing, and per the instruction of Blanton’s lawyer, the ex-Klansman was not allowed to answer questions about his association with the Klan or aspects of the case. Nor was I permitted to ask such questions, otherwise the interview was done. [1]

I didn’t have a clue as to how to focus the interview so I’d have a story to take back to my editors. And I was both anxious and excited by the possibility that Blanton might slip up and reveal something incriminating about his involvement in the bombing.  But mostly, I felt weak and helpless.

I managed to conduct a decent interview and churn out a front-page piece that focused on how Blanton denied his guilt, helped his lawyer prepare his defense and lamented the negative attention he received. However, there was a part of me that wanted to say something to Blanton, even if it meant losing the interview.  Deep inside my heart, I wanted to rebuke him. I wanted to demand that he let loose the tormenting demon inside by confessing that he helped kill four little girls and devastated their loved ones! I wanted to confront evil with a great command of authority! But I couldn’t.

And yet this desire within me—to speak out against evil ( “world with devils filled” as the hymn A Mighty Fortress says) and to love the broken-hearted—grew every time I covered a story about a person taking the life of another:

 work place shooting rampages

drug-deals gone badly

gang activity

armed robberies

family members murdering one another

spousal suicide murders, sometimes in front of their toddlers

drive-by shootings where innocents were killed by stray bullets

Eventually, I realized my purpose in life was not to report on tragic news stories on a weekly basis, but answer a call to be a pastor who lives out and helps others embody the biblical story, which reminds us that the power of God’s unconditional and non-violent love in Christ overcomes all evil.  So I left the newspaper and entered Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur. But even now, seven years after I became an ordained minister, I still struggle mightily with confronting evil.

I truly wish that I could be like Gandalf from the 2001 movie The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkien, particularly the scene where the wizard makes a defiant stand against the demonically monstrous Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-Dum, fiercely shouting “Go back to the shadow…YOU SHALL NOT… PASS!” It’s exhilarating to witness magical and heroic figures from film and literature challenge evil in such a glorious way.  I revel in the possibility that I could be just as daring as Gandalf if evil loomed before me like Balrog.

When I snap out of that daydream, I remember that there have actually been many ordinary folks throughout history, especially in recent decades, who have stood without any special powers against oppressive and unjust systems that are just as scary if not more so than a fictional monster. 

Wang Wei Lin, Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China, June 5, 1989

The first image that comes to mind is the famous photo of a man, shopping bags in each hand, standing in front of a column of 18 enormously dangerous tanks the morning after the Chinese military forcibly removed protestors of the Communist regime from Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on June 5, 1989.

To this day, no one knows the real name of the man, dubbed by a UK newspaper as Wang Wei Lin and referred to by many as the Tank Man.  Nor does anyone know what happened to him after he made his stand. But what Wang Wei Lin did for 5 minutes on that morning would be remembered forever.

As the tanks came through Tiananmen Square, the man walked into the middle of the otherwise empty street (without any warning) and stopped directly in the path of the armored vehicles. When the tanks came to a stop, the man gestured towards the machines with his bags. In response, the lead tank attempted to drive around the man, but the man repeatedly stepped into the path of the tank in a show of nonviolent action. After repeatedly attempting to go around rather than crush the man, the lead tank stopped its engines, and the other armored vehicles followed in suit.

Having successfully brought the column to a halt, the man climbed atop the turret and seemed to briefly speak with a crew member at the gunner’s hatch, where he reportedly said “Why are you here? My country is in chaos because of you.” Then the man descended from the tank, and a few seconds later, the vehicles restarted their engines, ready to proceed. At that point, the man, who was still standing within a meter or two from the side of the lead tank, leapt in front of the vehicle once again and quickly reestablished the man–tank standoff. Then two figures in blue attire pulled the man away and disappeared with him into a nearby crowd; the tanks continued on their way.[2]

Although the Tank Man didn’t permanently halt the terror of the Chinese government in its tracks, his stand is a reminder of how the common man or woman can confront evil, non-violently and without special powers, not even a gun.

Like Wang Wei Lin, other Chinese citizens also confront evil on their nation’s streets today, often walking into the brothels of mafia-run red light districts to tell girls as young as 13 that they can leave prostitution. In brave, rebellious acts of non-violent resistance, members of Mercy Outreach rescue women and children from the menace of sex trafficking and slavery.[3]

In countries like Columbia where citizens are caught in the crossfire of army, guerilla and paramilitary forces, groups of women, farmers and Indigenous leaders gather to non-violently protest the destruction of their country. They stand up to death squads without ever firing a bullet from or swinging a machete to harm their oppressors. [4]

Muslims and Christians unite during the Egyptian Revolution, January 2011, Google Images

And of course, we’re all familiar with the ongoing Egyptian Revolution that began a year ago this month. We watched this remarkable campaign of non-violent resistance unfold on our Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, smart-phones and TVs. Millions of protestors from a variety of socio-economic and religious backgrounds demanded the overthrow of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his ruthless regime. Some of the most striking pictures and stories of the Revolution have been of Christians and Muslims making a passionate non-violent stand against the evil of oppression together!

  That might sound idealistic and naïve to some of you: the idea of confronting evil with non-violent action, of responding to evil with defiant acts of mercy, reconciliation, peace and love. It’s not the type of thing that many Christians want to do. And it’s certainly not a practice that a lot of churches and pastors recommend for its congregants.

But standing in love against the evils that pervade the world is exactly what it means to be a disciple, to be a follower of Christ, to be a fisher for people.  If we are to cast our nets wide to lovingly invite others to be a part of God’s good work, then we must be prepared to encounter opposition—hostility and violent resistance from people and systems so fueled by evil, they will do everything within their power to make us crumble.

In a volume of sermons entitled Strength To Love, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who spent a lifetime confronting the evils of racism, wisely said:

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige and even his life for the welfare of others[5]

During times of challenge and controversy, we are called out by God to stand with Christ and confront evil with the bold and unwavering truth of love.  We are called to risk everything to care for our neighbor…without resorting to violent and deadly means.

After calling the disciples to become fishers of people, Jesus, according to Mark’s gospel, went to Capernaum, and on the Sabbath, he entered the synagogue to teach.  The crowds are amazed by his teachings for Jesus, the step-son of a carpenter and a un-ordained rabbi, teaches as “one having authority.” And it’s the authority of God-with-us that responds to the man possessed by an unclean spirit instead of the appointed religious leaders who arrogantly and selfishly ignore the poor and suffering.

Jesus and The Unclean Spirit by Cerezo Baraedo, 1999

Jesus, without raising a hand in violence, stands his ground and says to the demon: “Be silent, and come out of him!”  And the unclean spirit, after convulsing within the man and then crying with a loud voice, comes out and then presumably disappears! The crowd is astounded again, saying to one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

A preaching professor of mine in seminary once wrote that Jesus’ exorcisms and healings…

were not simply actions on behalf of individuals but at a deeper level presented a challenge to the powers of death at work in the world. Through his healings Jesus not only restored people to physical health but restored outsiders, and unclean persons to community and social standing.[6]

This incident where Jesus confronts the unclean spirit in the synagogue reveals that God in Christ has authority over all things, even evil and death. The episode is a foreshadowing of the evens that occur at the end of the gospel story…

when Jesus’s crucifixion—an act of nonviolent resistance—“exposes the lies and pretensions of the powers” and

when the resurrection of Jesus—a demonstration of the power of new life—“sets the church free from the fear of death that so often prevents us from…following Jesus.”

And following this all-loving, mercy-filled pacifist Jesus that we study in scripture is, of course,  never easy…especially when we know that evil still lurks in the dark and broken places of the world.  As my professor suggests:

Although ultimately overcome in the cross and resurrection, the powers continue to go about their deadly work in the world, often with the intensity and violence of an injured beast.

This, of course, doesn’t make me feel any more confident about confronting evil, although I know it’s what God calls us to do as followers.  But maybe this non-violent act of “staring the beast in the eye”[7] with love doesn’t always have to be as intense as blocking 17 tanks with your body or risking your life to go into the slums to save teenage prostitutes.

Maybe it’s the other types of ministry that we do with and for others in Jesus’ name that are just as bold and defiant in the face of the evil-powered systems of the world.  Maybe it’s the daily, selfish acts of service that also loudly rebuke the demons that try to prevent us from caring for another human being. Consider for a moment that in every instance where you have…

served food to the hungry in Atlanta, Charlotte or Haiti

helped build homes in New Orleans, Tuscaloosa or Honduras

volunteered time and resources to Rainbow Village, Family Promise, Duluth Co-Op

invited the men from Clifton Sanctuary Ministries to worship

taught children about caring for God’s creation

participated in a Bible study

helped young people grow in their faith

cared for a refugee family

given blood to the Red Cross

walked for a cure for Cancer or AIDS

visited a prisoner in jail

treated the mentally ill with dignity

comforted the sick and dying

chosen to walk away from a physical fight

denounced words and actions that are demeaning toward a person’s

race, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and physical-mental development

accepted gays and lesbians as called by God to serve as ordained church leaders

advocated for peace and reconciliation instead of violent retribution

loved those whom you disagree with and call “enemy”

… you have made a stand with Christ by confronting evil and its oppressive, unjust systems of hate, greed, disease, destruction, poverty, addiction, slavery war, and violence. In every instance, you have rebuked those malevolent powers that seek to undermine God’s power. In every instance you have said with your entire being…

Be silent! Be gone! Go back to the shadow…YOU SHALL… NOT PASS!

God’s love endures forever! AND EVER! AMEN!

___________________________________________________________________________________________

http://www.sundayschoollessons.com

Jesus’ call of the disciples at the beginning of his ministry is probably one of the most well known stories among for post-modern believers. Several of you gathered in the sanctuary this morning have heard this story so many times since you were a child that you could quickly and accurately re-tell it without ever looking at the actual text.  And you’ve probably also heard as many sermons about Jesus’ call of the disciples as the story itself, and you could easily come up with the story’s theme or message in the blink of an eye: Jesus calls the poor, uneducated, ordinary, imperfect fishermen Andrew, Simon, James and John to drop their nets and become his disciples, fishers of people who preach, teach and heal in the name of God’s kingdom.  Like the disciples, God in Christ calls us sinners to drop “our nets” and follow Jesus to preach, teach and serve in the name of God’s kingdom.

The story is cut-and-dry, straightforward with few surprises, easy to remember and understand. So other than gaining a sense of comfort and familiarity, what more can be gleaned or preached about the text that hasn’t been done hundreds of times previously? What more can we understand about our own faith and lives from the account, Mark’s version in particular, of Jesus’ call of the disciples by the Sea of Galilee? On first glance, it would appear that there’s nothing new we can learn from the story than the simple lesson of God calls and we follow. …

Except the lesson of the story is not that simple. We assume the story and message is cut-and-dry likely due to Mark’s writing style, which is clear, direct, concise and picturesque yet lacking a lot of details. Mark moves the reader so quickly along the page that we don’t stop to think that there is more to the short words, sentences and sharp scenes the writer has laid out before us. We miss a lot by taking the scripture at face value and not spending more time with the text to understand the much deeper message and implications for us as followers of Jesus in the 21^st century.

Before we dive into the reading, however, it’s worth taking a moment to explore the historical contexts in which the story takes place and when it is written. In the time of Jesus, the people of Israel are living amidst the rule of the Herodian dynasty and under the oppressive power of the Roman Empire. Herod the Great, placed on the throne by the Roman Senate as a reward for supporting a recent military invasion, was anxious to show the Roman authorities and his Jewish subjects that he was worthy of the title king. Herod rebuilt the temple of Jerusalem because temple rebuilding was a royal privilege, constructing an impressive building over the tombs of the patriarchs and their wives to show that he honored Jewish tradition.

Herod then built two cities to impress and honor Augustus Caesar, his imperial patron. Later, Herod’s son Antipas rebuilt the city of Sepphoris, located three miles from Jesus’ childhood village of Nazareth. Sepphoris was Antipas’ capital until he built Tiberius along the western shore of the Sea of Galilee to honor Tiberius Caesar. The New Testament doesn’t record that Jesus ever entered those cities, which symbolized the royal power of the Herodian dynasty.

Forty years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the Roman Empire is going strong but Jerusalem is crumbling beneath the weight of this domineering and violent regime as Mark begins to write his gospel. And the people of Israel are divided over how to respond to Roman occupation and ensure Israel’s future.

Some have chosen to go to war against the Roman presence in their land, believing that God will re-establish a reign in Israel that was as powerful as that in King David’s time.  Others realizing the might of the Empire was too strong, chose to be more accommodating toward their oppressors. Although they believed God would one day redeem Israel, they felt it was much more prudent to go along to get along. If they kept their heads down, didn’t stir up trouble, heeded Roman law and customs (even those that went against their own faith), the Empire would allow them to have a relatively normal self-governing existence (yeah, right).

Through the writing of his gospel, Mark presents a third and better, albeit a less attractive, option for Israel and its people: Be a part of God’s kingdom that is revealed in the incarnation of Jesus who in love and mercy knocks down the walls that divide and accepts all people—the rich, the corrupt, the healthy, the sick, the stranger, the poor, the prisoner, the prostitute, the soldier, the tax collector, the thief, the murderer, women and children, the old and the young… In other words, “do not foster the violent overthrow of those who oppress or accommodate to the way things have always been to secure a false peace devoid of justice….but remember and choose Jesus’ way of tearing down the boundaries that separate people from one another and therefore people from God.”[1]

http://www.thebricktestament.com

With that history and context in mind, we return to the reading from Mark 1:14-20 to discover that God’s way of doing things is at the heart of the disciples’ encounter with Jesus as well as the entire gospel.  The story begins with Jesus loudly proclaiming the power and might of God’s way as he walks through the region of Galilee: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

Jesus boldly tells the people to turn their backs on the ways of violence and accommodation. Embrace, Jesus says, the kingdom of God, the way of God—the way of unconditional love and never-ending grace that is coming to dismantle the oppressive rule of the kings, authorities and Empires now and forever! And this, Jesus testifies, is good news that all can believe in. To show that he is not kidding around, Jesus walks by the Sea of Galilee and speaks those words about the way of God into reality. Mark’s gospel tell us:

“He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately, he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed them.”

And the kingdom of God begins. No longer an abstract idea shouted to the heavens, the kingdom of God is very much an earthly presence that is sweeping through the land in the form of Jesus and a group of rag-tag fishermen.  The fishermen, says the gospel writer, immediately left their jobs, families and hometown to follow Jesus on what we might describe as a journey to conquer violence and oppression—the way of kings and Empire—with the loving way of God.

http://thebricktestament.com

Mark indicates that the fishermen, who dropped everything without a moment’s hesitation, followed Jesus with great intention in their hearts. The Greek word for “followed” is akoloutheo, (to join one as a disciple; to side with the party of the one preceding). The fishermen didn’t just merely follow someone who was calling; they reached out to the One who was calling over the way of kings and Empire that cruelly demanded their allegiance. They joined Jesus as his devoted disciples, and they sided with the kingdom or way of God that Jesus represented (and still represents) in all its fullness. They trust with all of their mind, heart, soul and body in God who is their rock, their refuge and quite possibly their bridge over troubled water.

the ones who have chosen to resist through acts of violence

the ones who have chosen to accommodate the system of oppression

the ones who are sick and shunned for their illness

the ones who are hungry and refused bread and water

the ones who are blind and ignored by passers by

the ones who are imprisoned and denied basic human rights

the ones who are female or children and are treated like property

the ones who are foreign and are abused for not fitting in the right way

What was true for Andrew, Simon-Peter, James and John centuries ago is the same today for each of us who God in Christ calls to become fishers for people.  I know it might sound odd to think of ourselves as fishers for people, or as disciples who are called to enter into a new way of being in the world, or followers of Jesus who are called to embody love and grace in all that we say and do, to be full participants in the way of God.

Maybe the label feels uncomfortable because some fundamentalist Christians, the ones who constantly seek news headlines to spread fear, hate and mistrust among people, have high-jacked the concept of fishers for people. They’ve turned the calling into an opportunity to save, convert and literally scare people into a relationship with God.  For them, becoming fishers for people is about rescuing people from the fiery depths of hell (a preposterous notion by the way) instead of freeing people from the grip of injustice and oppression.  Becoming fishers for people is not an opportunity to convince others that their beliefs are wrong and our beliefs are right.

Nor is becoming fishers for people a chance to check off our “to-do” list of individual church tasks and responsibilities so we can carry on with our compartmentalized lives. And it’s certainly not a time to obsess over church growth statistics as a gauge of success when energy can be better used to relish the holy and beautiful moment of ministry that is occurring regardless of the number of folks present.

Becoming fishers for people is about devoting ourselves entirely to the way of God.  It’s about binding up the brokenhearted and working for reconciliation and peace with every breath of God that is within us.

That still may seem daunting because of a worry we have that our work, our living and being into a new way of life, has to be perfect. The worries are for naught since we’ll never be able to be perfect anglers any more than the disciples. The purpose of living in the way of God is not to be perfect but to live out what God calls us to become each and every day, even when we mess up. And have no doubt that God is going to continue to call you and me because, truth be told, there isn’t anyone else.  No other living creature on the planet is capable of becoming fishers for people except human beings.

Jesus Freak: Feeding, Healing, Raising the Dead by Sara Miles, Jossey-Bass Publishing, 2010

Consider as an example a story that renowned Christian author Sara Miles recounts in her book Jesus Freak about one Friday at her church’s food pantry where she works as the founder and director:

I was standing at the bus stop across from the church…as the food pantry was winding down, talking with Miss Lola Brown. A tiny, elderly black lady with sensible shoes and bent, arthritic hands, she was shaking her head in despair because she didn’t know how to get her groceries across town to her apartment…

 I was exasperated. I didn’t have a car. I didn’t have money to give her for a cab. I had to be somewhere else in a little while. I looked at the man standing next to us, a big, quite psychotic white guy, a ranter, who’d also just been at the pantry. ‘Ok, we’ll help you,’ I said, not very nicely. I had no idea how. And then the bus pulled up, and the man shuffled forward, muttering, and the two of us lugged her cart on board.

Miss Brown smiled and raised her hand to heaven. ‘I know,’ she testified. ‘I know the Lord will always send me help.’ I told that to my wife, Martha, when I got home and she rolled her eyes. ‘Couldn’t the Lord send her a taxi at least, if he’s got all the power to help?’ she asked. ‘Instead of a crazy guy and some feeble middle-aged lady, and she’s still got to take the 22 Filmore for an hour?’ 

‘Nah,’ I said. ‘Jesus has a sense of humor. He just sends us.’[2]

 Jesus sends those who he has called out…to be fishers for people. That’s all of us, no exceptions. As the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. might’ve said:

Everybody can become fishers of people. You don’t have to have a college degree to become fishers of people. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to become fishers of people. You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle to become fishers of people. You don’t have to know Einstein’s theory of relativity… You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics… You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love. And you can become fishers of people.[3]

Amen.

And so Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness. If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That’s a new definition of greatness.

And this morning, the thing that I like about it: by giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don’t have to know Einstein’s theory of relativity to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love. And you can be that servant.

The Pink Panther by Friz Freeling. Does he also have pink eye? Hmmmm?

Today was going to be the day I bounced back from this knock-you-on-your-butt-cold I received following the 2012 Montreat College Conference “Seeking Stars” (an awesome experience with my colleague AB and 10 incredible college students from PHPC in the wintry Black Mountain hills of North Carolina). Today was going to be the day I jumped back into the first regular Sunday schedule in the new year–assisting in 8:30 and 11 am worship services, teaching 9:40 am church school class, co-leading a workshop with youth advisers/church school teachers after the 11 am worship service, attending High School Youth Group and Session meeting this evening. And honestly, I was looking forward to a day chock full of ministry.

But when I woke up at 1 am to go to the bathroom (having consumed large quantities of hot tea the previous day to battle the germs doing triathlons in my head, nose and lungs), I discovered my right eye was red and puffy and both the corners and the lashes were covered in thick mucus, which looks and feels like rubber cement. In other words…duh-dunt-duh-dunn…I had pink eye and knew immediately that there was no way I was leaving the house less I infect my colleagues and couple hundred church goers who came to church to be touched by God’s love instead of conjunctivitis.  

So I stayed home, which turned out to be a great thing because it gave me the opportunity to hang out with my 3-year-old daughter Katie whom I normally don’t see much on Sundays, save for a few brief moments at church. Although Katie had just caught my cold, she was in great spirits and a silly mood. After watching several episodes of Katie’s new and favorite program,  Word World, we played a fun filled game of Katie Knock Daddy Down: I sit with my legs crossed on the floor while a wide-grinning and giggling Katie charges at me from two feet away. Upon impact, I grab her and fall backwards, both of us laughing out loud.

Following a couple of rounds of Knock Daddy Down, Katie set up an art class in her playroom. In front of each of her favorite toys (Pescetti the gray-and-blue stuffed dog, the orange stuffed Nemo and Deep-o fish, and the five Mater’s Tall Tale’s monster trucks), she placed a page from her Cars coloring book and two markers, and then helped each one color their picture. I soon joined in with the new 400-page Star Wars coloring book that Elizabeth bought for me because I was sick (The force is strong with her). Afterwards, Katie shot a few baskets on her toy basketball goal and I helped her with a few slam dunks.

By the time noon rolled around, Elizabeth was awake (she got extra sleep to prevent what felt like an oncoming cold) and tagging in to play with Katie while Nana was coming home from the morning worship service. What followed was more silly play, a struggle over a nap (which Katie finally relented to for a solid hour and a half) and a viewing of the 2007 film Alvin and The Chipmunks (As much as I tried to avoid the sound of rodents annoyingly singing nutty pop tunes, Alvin, Simon and Theodore have landed smack dab in the middle of my living room to Katie’s great delight. And if Katie’s happy, daddy’s happy. Surprisingly, the movie is better than having pink eye)

In a few minutes we’ll have dinner and then its bath and bedtime for our girl. She still has a runny nose but seems to have shaken the cold for the most part. It’s hard to keep a spirited 3-year-old down, even if you are a menacing germ.

I can’t wait till later today when I get to celebrate the day with my family and share in the German Chocolate Cake that Katie, Elizabeth and Anne (aka Nana) made for the special occasion. Incidentally, when I teasingly asked if I could have a piece this afternoon, Katie smiled and gently reminded me: “No daddy, it’s not your birthday yet.”   What an amazing gift this child is in my life.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 14,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 5 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson, 1985-1995

Although I mostly agree with Calvin, I thought it might not hurt to at least come up with a list of resolutions that would attempt to keep me on course in 2012, and not have to “wing it” too much…

1. Be more patient and kind (particularly with Wally the wonder pup–God bless his labrador energy and God give me the strength to be more tolerant with his antics)

2. Try to not over-react to other’s words and actions, be less judgmental of others, and practice more grace toward folks

3. Read 24 books (an average of 2 per month)

4. Spend less time on the computer to read, draw, write, watch movies and play the occasional video game.

5. Learn to cook

6. Live in the moment (especially with my daughter Katie. Typically I lament how she’s growing up too fast or I wish that she was older so I don’t have to dress her or so that she and I can go ride roller coasters.”

7. Be more gentlemanly and romantic by opening doors for my wife Elizabeth, holding her hand in public, go out of my way to do things around the house, try not to leave a pee trail next to the toilet (you guys know what I’m talking about ), and saying moronic crap that hurts her feelings.

8. Cut out the complaining and whining when Elizabeth makes a genuine and fair request of me (This goes hand-in-hand with No. 6)

9. Go camping and hiking (and maybe white water rafting)

10. Take more opportunities to build friendships

11.  Become more confident about riding a bike (and well, to be honest, become more confident about myself and my gifts in general and be ok with the failures and mistakes)

12. Go on a bike trip adventure with JB, husband of church colleague who keeps putting out an invite that I have yet committed to

That’s a fairly good start for 2012…what about you? What do you resolve to do in the next 365 days?

Santa and Jesus duet, from the TV show South Park

As much as I enjoy classic or traditional Advent-Christmas music, I’m more partial to more unconventional Advent-Christmas themed tunes, originals and covers, by mainstream artists in the rock-pop-folk genres. Here are my top 12 that I think will go great with a warm spot by the fire, someone you love (be it human or pet) and warm cup of hot chocolate or glass of eggnog:

12.  ”Happy Xmas/War Is Over” by Sarah McLachlan (2006) The singer-song writer delivers a beautiful rendering of the song that John Lennon wrote in 1971 as a protest song about the Vietnam War. Four decades later, with the US still at war in Afghanistan and US troops coming home from Iraq by the end of the year, “Happy Xmas/War Is Over” still maintains its relevance.

11.  ”Joseph, Better You Than Me” by The Killers feat. Elton John and Neil Tennant (2008)

Since 2006, The Killers (led by Mormon front-man Brandon Flowers) have released a Christmas single to benefit (RED), often going back-and-forth from a fun, peppy song to a more serious, poignant piece. I immediately fell in love with this single “Joseph, Better You Than Me” because of its focus on Joseph who often stays in the back of the manger scene. With powerful lyrics and passionate voices, Brandon, Elton and Neil ponder what it must have been like for Joseph to be the surrogate dad for Jesus; what kind of strength and faith it took for a lowly carpenter to bear the responsibility of caring for God-in-the-flesh, God as a vulnerable child in the midst of a harsh landscape and oppressive Roman Empire. The musicians conclude that while they may never know the answers, they are thankful that Joseph was the one chosen–”Joseph, better you, than me.”

10. “Boots” by The Killers (2010)

When a song begins with a scene from It’s A Wonderful Life (the one in which down-and-out George Bailey prays to God in a bar, shortly before meeting his guardian angel Clarence), you know it’s going to be powerful. The focus of the Killer’s traditional Christmas single is about a modern day George Bailey who regrets the decisions he has made in the past, cherishes the love of family at Christmas when he was a child and trudges forward to the hope of a new life.  The video creates a more detailed story of a homeless man, who owns nothing more than the clothes on his back and a favorite pair of boots, walks several miles to visit his daughter (whom he hasn’t seen in years) for Christmas.

9.  ”Magnificent” by U2 (2009)

Never strangers to biblical themes in their long and industrious musical career, U2 offers a stunning version of Mary’s Magnificat in their most recent album No Line On The Horizon. U2′s legendary status is due in part to how the band crafts songs that transcend space and time, making “Magnificent” a tune that hits you full force long after the Christmas season has past.

8. “Christmas Lights” by Coldplay (2010)

An exquisite piece about the difficulty of not being with the one you love during the holidays but that even in the darkness of despair, the “Christmas lights keep shining on.”

7. “Better Days” by The Goo Dolls (2006)

This is “the surprise” song or dark horse of the list, the one that not many associate with Christmas (because it can be played year-round and still have significant meaning outside the holiday) but is indeed about the birth of Emmanuel (God-with-us). My favorite part is when the lead singer emphasizes that the true gift of the season is the child born to save the entire world: “And you asked me what I want this year/And I try to make this kind and clear/Just a chance that maybe we’ll find better days/’cause I don’t need boxes wrapped in strings/And designer love and empty things/Just a chance that maybe we’ll find better days/So take these words and sing out loud/’cause everyone is forgiven now/’cause tonight’s the night the world begins again.”

6. “The Christians and The Pagans” by Dar Williams (1997)

An uncle and his Christian family welcome his niece and her lesbian partner, both practicing Pagans to dinner on Christmas Eve. A wonderful story sung with poignancy and humor, “The Christians and The Pagans” is an illustration of how all Christians should act toward those with different life-styles and beliefs: with compassion, love and grace. The best line: “Cause now when Christians sit with Pagans only pumpkin pies are burning.”

5. “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” by The Civil Wars (2011)

I’ve only recently discovered song-writing duo and they are incredible. A rousing and passion-filled cover of one of the most popular Christmas church hymns.

4.  ”Getting Ready For Christmas Day” by Paul Simon (2010)

Just about everything Paul Simon does is golden and this song is no exception. It’s a rhythmic number that gets your heart ready for Christmas. The video is great too with the lyrics flying by on a church sign. Definitely required listening for Advent.

3. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings by The Barenaked Ladies feat. Sarah McLachlan (2000)

Hearing this song more than a decade ago opened me up to the idea that old hymns, even the so-called “untouchable” Christmas ones, can still resonate powerfully with an upbeat tempo and two pop artists in Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan. Nothing against the churchy versions of these two hymns, but this one gets deep in your soul and makes you groove to the Christmas beat.

2.  ”Come Darkness, Come Light” by Mary Chapin Carpenter (2008)

If there is a song by a mainstream musician that should be included in church hymnals, it’s this one by country legend Mary Chapin Carpenter. I used “Come Darkness, Come Light” in our church’s 3:30 pm Christmas Eve service for folks who are mourning the loss of loved ones during the holidays. Mary Chapin draws us into the story of the night of Jesus’ birth and in doing so, beckons the Light to enter the darkness of our lives with the promise of hope and love.

1. “Christmas Song” by Dave Matthews (1997 and 2007)

This one speaks for itself. It’s a brilliant retelling of Jesus’ story that never fails to bring a sense of calm, comfort and peace to the soul. “Love, Love, Love. Love is all around.”

Sufjan Stevens' Songs For Christmas, 2006

Honorable Mentions:

Songs For Christmas by Sufjan Stevens; A Very She & Him Christmas by She & Him; “Christmas in Hollis” by Run DMC; “Maybe This Christmas” by Ron Sexsmith; “7 O’Clock News/Silent Night” by Simon and Garfunkel; “Rudy” by The Be Good Tanyas; “Spotlight On Christmas” by Rufus Wainwright; “Carolina Christmas” by The Squirrel Nut Zippers; “Someday At Christmas” by Stevie Wonder; “River” by Joni Mitchell; “Whatever Happened to Peace on Earth” by Willie Nelson; “Glorious” by Melissa Etheridge; “In The Morning” by Jack Johnson; “Rebel Jesus” by Jackson Browne or the rendition by The Woods Brothers.

"In This Home" Hallmark painting and The Mater Puzzle Box

Hanging on the wall in our daughter Katie’s playroom at home is a painting that Elizabeth and I purchased a few years ago at the Hallmark store that says:

In this home…

            We do second chances.

            We do grace.

            We do real.

            We do mistakes.

            We do I’m sorrys.

            We do loud really well.

            We do hugs.

            We do family.

            We do love.

We believe this philosophy perfectly sums up who we are and how we are to be as the Acton family, and the sentiment never felt truer than Friday afternoon.

I was re-organizing and cleaning out the playroom when I discovered that Katie’s three puzzle boxes were falling apart, one of which sported the image of her beloved Mater the silly tow truck from the popular Disney-Pixar Cars movies. In an effort to preserve the puzzles, I removed the pieces from their boxes, placed them gently in separate zip-lock bags and headed to the garage to put the empty and worn cardboard containers in the recycling bin.

On the way, Elizabeth noticed what I was doing and asked me if it was wise to throw away the puzzle boxes. With a “of course it’s ok” look on my face, I said, “She won’t even notice they’re gone.” I then discarded the boxes in the bin and returned to the playroom to do more picking up. In less than 3 minutes, Katie walks in. “What are you doing Daddy?” she asked with a sweet smile on her face. “I’m doing some picking up in your playroom,” I responded nonchalantly.  And immediately, as if she sensed something in the air wasn’t quite right, Katie walked straight to the shelf where the puzzle boxes were located. Upon seeing the pieces in sitting neatly in their new plastic bags, Katie screamed, “Daddy! What did you to my Mater box!!!!”

Before her scream fully came out, I knew I had messed up and I instantly began the following chant as I zoomed out of the playroom to the garage to recover the treasured Mater puzzle box: “I’m sorry Katie. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Daddy messed up. Daddy messed up. He’s getting the box. He’s getting the box.” The entire time Katie is screaming and telling Elizabeth, “Daddy got rid of my Mater box! Why did he do that?!?!”

Lord only knows why I did it. I’m not sure myself except that it was dumb! I brought the box back to the playroom and put the puzzle pieces back where they truly belonged, much to Katie’s delight.  I sat down on the floor and said to Katie, who was now calmly and joyfully playing with other toys in the playroom, “I’m sorry for taking the box Katie. I hope you can forgive me.”  Without hesitating, this 3 and half-year-old girl of mine stood up, walked over to me with an adorable smile on her face, gave me a hug and said with utmost sincerity and honesty, “It’s ok Daddy, everyone makes mistakes.”

Needless to say, I busted out laughing as I hugged this amazing gift in my life, this wise and loving child of mine.  We’ve never read to Katie those words from the Hallmark painting that hangs just a few feet away from where she embraced her dad’s error.  To the best of our ability, we’ve tried to model the philosophy of We do second chances, grace, real, mistakes, sorrys, loud, hugs, family and love. And most days we get it right, I suppose, because here was Katie beautifully demonstrating the behavior we’ve taught our daughter through our words and actions. Here was our “Goose” (as we endearingly call her) living out a different way of life and reality than the “powers,” “systems,” or “kingdoms” of this world that…

refuse to dispense second chances or grace

manufacture lies and fakery over what is true and real

avoid taking responsibility for mistakes and hurts, and

mock the practice of love in the midst of conflict

We are all keenly aware of the kingdoms’ presence in the weeks leading up to and following Thanksgiving. Their constant din grows louder and more persistent throughout the season of Advent, in which Christians actively prepare and wait for the celebration of Jesus’ birth, of Emmanuel (God-with-us). The noise of the kingdoms are nearly deafening as we come closer to the start of the Christmas season on Dec. 25…

The Egyptian interim military forces that violently oppose the tens of thousands of non-violent protestors gathered in Cairo to oppose the regime and demand their freedom as a people and nation.

Institutions of higher education like Penn State, Syracuse, Citadel and Florida A&M failing to protect children and young people from abuse and neglect.

The political and media machines that churns out corruption, divisiveness, ineptness, petty arguments, ridiculous feuds and half-truths.

The religion of consumerism and the Black Friday shopping madness that led to an attempted robbery and shooting in a store parking lot, bloody brawls inside Wal-Mart over merchandise, and one woman pepper spraying fellow shoppers so she could grab a popular video game.

And as if those enormous kingdoms of violence, oppression and manipulation are not loud enough for our senses, there’s the slightly smaller kingdoms whose noise reverberate powerfully on a more personal level with every step we take…

the cancer that is ravaging a loved one

the medical profession that is misdiagnosing and over-charging

an 83-year-old grandmother

the divorce court proceedings that divide families and friends

the work environment that undervalues its employees

the war that will keep a father from coming home to his family for Christmas

the drugs that landed a relative in jail

the alcohol that has imprisoned a mother in her bedroom for entire days and weeks

 And why is this tumultuous clamor, this unholy din, which the kingdoms, powers and systems conjures to break the world and each of us into pieces, occurring?

Because Jesus’ birth and life, divine Love incarnate…shakes and rattles the kingdoms to its core, causing it to lash out loudly, fearfully and angrily at anyone and anything in its path, including other kingdoms. God, the scriptures tell us, has a reputation for disturbing the oppressive powers and corrupt systems that threaten to tear apart God’s creation…

The writer of Psalm 110 proclaims: The Lord…will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations,
 filling them with corpses;
he will shatter heads
 over the wide earth.[1]

 In the opening of Luke’s gospel, Mary, learning she is pregnant with the Christ child, praises God who—by choosing to become human—has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts…brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly.[2]  (The latter of whom Luke later identifies as the shepherds, the first to visit the baby Emmanuel in the manger—those dirt-covered caretakers of smelly sheep who were chosen over royal kings and priests.)[3]

And the mere knowledge of the child Jesus’ existence, according to Matthew’s gospel, [4] causes a paranoid, desperate and evil King Herod to massacre all children 2 years old and younger in Bethlehem and the surrounding area.

You see, it’s Jesus’ very life,

the vulnerable child who born into straw poverty amid a deadly Roman regime and corrupt religious system

the homeless preacher who teaches unconditional love, and cares for the poor, the stranger and the outcast

the wounded healer and peacemaker who endures horrendous torture and death on a cross

that exposes the brutality and the deceitfulness

of the kingdoms, powers and systems.

Jesus Healing The Blind Man by Unknown

Look throughout the four gospels; whenever Jesus enters a village, steps into a synagogue or goes to someone’s home, the rulers, authorities and leaders display their hatred, fear and contempt of Jesus for all to see.  They don’t like this guy who claims in Luke’s gospel that the Holy Spirit has chosen him to  “bring good news to the poor; proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind; to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[5]

And Jesus is well aware that his existence and all that he is teaching about the merciful God who stands with the oppressed is turning the current kingdom, power structure and system—even the entire world—on its head!

To the disciples who are admiring the majestic structure of the  temple, Jesus evokes the tone of Psalm 110, saying:

‘‘As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down…

 When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.’ ¹⁰…Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; ¹¹there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. 12 

 But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.

As one Bible commentator observes:

 Jesus threatened then and threatens now politics as usual. After all, he was not crucified for spouting innocuous religious niceties. Rather, Jesus subverted both the power of Roman legions and the authority of Jewish tradition when he announced the simple good news that God rules the world (see Mark 1:14-15). This radical good news allowed tax collectors, sinners, lepers, prostitutes, children, women, and men to sit down and eat at the same table in the realm of God… [Psalm 110] in relation to Jesus Messiah, is a world-transforming challenge to every form of politics and power that does not begin with submission of the self to God’s claim.[6]

Following the life and teachings of Jesus, of God-with-us, is radical, world changing, and threatening to the kingdoms, powers and systems that function at this precise moment. Preparing ourselves to live into a birth and life that ushers in God’s kingdom—a reality and way of living that is different from the current kingdoms, powers and systems—is our calling and purpose, albeit a difficult one, at Advent and beyond.

The traditional reformed theology in the Presbyterian Church(USA), regarding what we believe about the kingdom of God, is often referred to as “already, but not yet”—The kingdom of God has already come among us in Jesus, but it has not yet been completely established on earth. There’s a sense in which we’re living in the kingdom of God, but the evil and sin that we see around us every day shows that we’re still waiting for all of creation to be transformed and for the kingdom to be fully realized.[7]

God's Got the Whole World In Hands by Unknown

But Patrick Marshall, a friend and Presbyterian pastor in Nebraska, in a blog post he wrote last week, suggests that we flip “already, but not yet” to “not yet, but already.” He says:

 The Kingdom of God is “not yet here” in all its fullness, but there are some people who are “already living in it.” The reason this is such an important distinction is because I think that sometimes we (subconsciously) use the notion of “already, not yet” as an excuse. “Yeah, the Kingdom of God has already come among us in Jesus, giving me the power to do God’s will in my life, but it’s not yet fully here, so that’s why I don’t always do it.” It’s like we’re making excuses for our inaction and sin by waiting for something more to happen. Almost like we’re blaming Jesus for not doing a good enough job the first time around. “I wish this thing about the world or my life would change, but there’s still sin in the world, so what can you do?”

When we approach it from the standpoint of “not yet, but already,” something very different happens. We’re not excusing the sin and brokenness of the world, and we’re certainly not ignoring it. We’re saying instead, “Yeah, things may suck sometimes, but you know what? I don’t care. I’m going to live like the Kingdom of God is already here in all its fullness.”

The Widow's Mite by James C. Christensen

Like the widow who places two copper coins, “all she had to live on,” into the treasury, it’s the small acts given or done on limited means and with great compassion and selflessness that exemplifies how we can live the kingdom of God as an ever-present reality…

Choosing to do your Christmas shopping through “alternative gift-giving” like last Sunday’s market where members made donations to organizations like Heifer International and Clifton Sanctuary Ministries in honor of a family member or friend.

 Selecting names of families and mission organizations from The Angel Tree in the Narthex who are in need of clothes, food, and other items for Christmas.

Volunteering to go shopping with the kids in the Rainbow Village to help them find gifts for their moms.

 Serving at a local food bank or co-op in Gwinnett County.

 Deciding to go on the next International trip to Honduras or Haiti or another country to stand side-by-side with the poor and oppressed and to share love in the midst of brokenness and chaos.

 Mentoring confirmation students, teaching church school, leading youth group, or forming relationships with all ages in the church.

 Showing kindness to strangers and those you vehemently disagree with, regardless of the issue.

 Sharing your home with a family in the congregation who can’t afford to travel for the holidays.

 Coming to this table to partake in the bread and the cup of Christ that nourishes us for Advent and the journey ahead.

Black Nativity by Unknown

In doing these things and so much more, you will be living out the kingdom of God as it is already here. And in your living out the kingdom of God, you will be participating in a birth and life that will be shattering the kingdoms of this world…forever and ever.

Amen

 ………………………………………………………….

For the benediction, I said the following, an adaptation of the Hallmark painting from our home…

In this church (and out there in the world)

            We do second chances.

            We do grace.

            We do real.

            We do mistakes.

            We do I’m sorrys.

            We do loud really well.

            We do hugs.

            We do family.

            We do love.

             We do the kingdom of God as if it were already here, in all its fullness