The Waking Dreamer: Peace

Showing posts with label Peace. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Finding Peace in Community

Isaiah 11:1-10[1]

As I mentioned last week, I’m following the lead of one of my favorite authors as we make our journey through Advent this year. I’m asking Henri Nouwen to be our guide as we reflect together on what the themes of Advent—hope, peace, joy, and love—mean for us in our daily living. And as I discussed last week, one of Nouwen’s convictions is that we hold onto those aspects of our faith together in community. This week we are looking at how we find peace in community with one another. That might seem like a strange way to find peace. So much of what we hear about peace these days emphasizes finding peace with and within ourselves. And that’s no small task. It seems that our personal peace can be so easily disturbed. We let a hurtful remark that someone makes disrupt our peace, whether they meant it to be hurtful or not. We let the outcome of sporting events upset us, especially when we think the referees called the game unfairly! Our personal peace is easily disturbed!

Most of you know that I’ve participated in Twelve Step programs for years. I’m not an alcoholic or an addict, but I have been affected by people whose lives were impacted by alcohol or drugs. I recently had someone ask me why I continue to participate in those programs year after year. She asked me, “Do you have to do this in order not to drink?” Obviously, she misunderstood the purpose of the meeting. My answer to her is still the reason why I “keep coming back,” as we say at the conclusion of every meeting. I’m there because I’m learning healthy ways to live my life, and I want to stay on that path. More than that I want to share that path with other people. Every so often we have new people who come into our fellowship who are hurting deeply. One of the things we say in our meetings is that we gather together to share our experience, strength, and hope, especially with people who are in the midst of crisis.

As many of you know, one of the central features of the twelve-step program is the “Serenity Prayer”: most of us know it in this form, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” And in the twelve-step program, what we continually remind each other is that we cannot change or control what anyone else thinks or feels or says or does. That’s true at the level of our personal lives. It’s also true at the level of our families, our communities, our nation, and our world. We cannot change or control what anyone else thinks or feels or says or does. Even and especially when it affects us directly. What we can change is how we respond, how we choose to live our lives, and whether or not we stay true to our values. And I keep going back to my meetings because I’m still learning to live that way in that community of people.

The quote I want to share with you this week from Henri Nouwen is this: “Friendship, marriage, family, religious life, and every other form of community … can become ways to reveal to each other the real presence of God in our midst. Community has little to do with mutual compatibility. Similarities in educational background, psychological makeup, or social status can bring us together, but they can never be the basis for community. Community is grounded in God, who calls us together, and not in the attractiveness of people to each other…. The mystery of community is precisely that it embraces all people, whatever their individual differences may be, and allows them to live together as brothers and sisters of Christ and sons and daughters of his heavenly Father.”[2]

Again, my reading of Henri Nouwen’s books has made it abundantly clear to me that we learn how to live the Christian life only as we come together with a community of people who are also learning how to live the Christian life. It’s not something we can do on our own. Not fully. Nouwen reminds us that every form of community we experience can be the place to reveal “the real presence of God” among us. He insists that community, at least the community that makes a real difference in our lives, is “grounded in God.” That’s especially true in the community of those who claim to follow Jesus. As Nouwen points out, the community we share with each other in the body of Christ is not based on whether or not we’re “compatible” in any particular way, whether it’s ethnic background, or personality, or social and political viewpoint, or lifestyle, or family structure. Our community together in this congregation is based on God’s presence in our lives. That’s what brings us together, and that’s what holds us together. And when that is the case, then our community “embraces all people, whatever their individual differences may be, and allows them to live together as brothers and sisters of Christ and sons and daughters of his heavenly Father.”

That’s what brings us together as a community. And it’s the presence of God in our lives that creates peace between us that will last through all the ups and downs of our lives together. We live in a world where peace may seem like just a “dream.” Especially the kind of peace that the Prophet Isaiah envisioned when he foresaw a time when real justice would be extended to all people, especially those who have been exploited by the rich and powerful. It seems like those who are exceedingly rich and powerful always have a way of getting out of having to face the consequences of their actions, and those whom they have exploited never really have things made right for them. That peace that Isaiah foresaw can seem like a dream. So can the peace that he envisioned extending from the human family to embrace all of nature, so that the “the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all” (Isa 11:6, NLT). But that kind of peace that can seem too good to be true is precisely what God is creating in and through us in this community, right here and right now.

It seems to me that is the basis for our peace in this world—at least any peace that is lasting. It starts with the peace that we have with God through Jesus Christ. Our experience of being loved and accepted by God—unconditionally, irrevocably, and without any qualifications or exceptions—enables us to find peace with ourselves. As we learn to accept ourselves as those who are beloved by God—always and forever—we find peace that endures all the circumstances we may have to live with. When we have peace with God and come to be at peace with ourselves, then we can extend that peace to those around us. We can accept the people in our community, regardless of any differences that may threaten to undermine our community.

We can live in peace with one another when we learn to do as the Apostle Paul said in the lesson from Romans for today: “accept each other just as Christ has accepted you” (Rom 15:7, NLT). Again, in these days when there is so much division and strife among us, that might seem like a “dream.” Some of you may be able to remember a time when the larger community in this place was divided based on whether your ancestors were German or Dutch. They went to different grocery stores, and they went to different churches. We’ve moved past that now. These days, the dividing lines are drawn based on social and political views. But as we gather in this place, however, the presence and the work of God in our lives overrules all the lines that may appear to divide us. The peace that lasts is the peace that is based on God’s presence among us. It’s based on the fact that we recognize God’s presence in each other. That’s the peace that keeps us together.

I believe with Henri Nouwen that we learn that peace best as we practice it in a community of people who come from all kinds of different backgrounds and perspectives. When we learn to live in peace in this community, with those who hold opinions that we may find offensive, we’re developing peace like a muscle. The peace we find in a real community like this one despite the differences between us is a peace that can sustain us in our divided world. Perhaps more than that, it can begin to make that dream of peace from Scripture a little more real in our lives.

[2] Henri Nouwen, Making All Things New, 82-83.

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Returning to Peace

Luke 12:49-56[1]

Sometimes the Bible is easy to read. God’s love just seems to leap off the pages and fill our hearts. There are other times when the Bible is confusing. It just doesn’t seem to make sense with what we have been taught about God, about Jesus, or even about life. The way we tend to read the Bible doesn’t help. Because it’s the Bible, we tend to think every verse has to be just as important as every other verse. When we do that, we are “flattening out” the Bible by taking every verse at what seems to be the “face value” to us. Many people call this reading the Bible “literally,” and they’re proud of themselves for doing so. But that approach to the Bible leads to all kinds of confusion.

For example, 25 years ago, Bruce Wilkinson published The Prayer of Jabez, a book that became a New York Times bestseller. The “prayer” of Jabez comes from 1 Chronicles 4:10. We know next to nothing about Jabez. He’s just a guy who shows up in the extended genealogy that occupies the first ten chapters of 1 Chronicles. And basically, the prayer that Jabez prayed was for God to make him prosperous and protect him. Nothing wrong with that. But also not a model of devotion to God. We have another prayer in the Bible that does a much better job of modeling devotion to God. It’s the prayer Jesus taught us to pray. And there’s good reason why we’ve been praying “The Lord’s Prayer” for centuries, not the “prayer of Jabez.” There just really is no comparison between the two!

Thinking the “prayer of Jabez” might be some formula for success is one example of the confusion that can result from flattening out the Bible. And I would argue that it’s not really reading the Bible literally. What it does is turn the Bible into a convenient “container” for whatever opinion or viewpoint of ours we want to claim is “from God.” But the Bible isn’t meant to reinforce what we think we already know. As our lesson from the prophet Jeremiah for today puts it, “‘Does not my word burn like fire?’ says the LORD. ‘Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?’” (Jer 23:29). That sounds ominous, but the idea is that when the Lord truly speaks, it tends to shake up our lives. The Bible is not meant to just keep us comfortable!

Part of the problem is that when we read the Bible we tend to forget how language works. We use language in all kinds of ways that don’t make a lick of sense to take the words at face value. For example, if we say someone is “barking up the wrong tree,” we all know what that means, because it’s a figure of speech in common usage. Can you imagine someone coming along from another planet centuries from now investigating these “earthlings” and how they lived their lives scratching their heads and trying to figure out why they were acting like canines and “barking” at trees? It’s a bit of an exaggeration, but I think you get the point. The way we use language doesn’t always work “at face value.” We’re so used to it that we think it’s “face value.”

I bring this up because there are people who somehow think it’s scandalous to think that Jesus may have used figures of speech. We all know that he told parables to make a point. There are still some people who want to insist that some of Jesus’ parables were factually true. That’s because for us, truth has to be “factual” in an objective sense for it to be “truth.” We forget that truth can sometimes be conveyed much more powerfully through a poem or a work of art than through a paragraph. That commonsense approach to the “truth” of the Bible leads us to what I would consider a truly “literal” way of reading it. We recognize metaphors, idioms, figures of speech, and even exaggeration for what they are, and seek to discern the original intention behind the words. It’s not as convenient for us as just throwing out a verse and claiming it supports our favorite opinion, but it’s more consistent with the truth of Scripture.

That’s a long introduction for our Gospel lesson for today. The reason is because when you simply read our Gospel lesson for today at “face value,” it’s confusing at best. And to some it could be downright disturbing! Here Jesus tells us that he has not come to bring peace to the world, but rather “fire” and “division” (Lk 12:49, 51)! And in another gospel, he says he came to bring a “sword” (Mt 10:34)! That sounds so contrary to what we believe about Jesus that it may be painful even to hear it! How are we supposed to reconcile the idea that Jesus came to bring division and not peace with the joyful announcement at Jesus birth in this same Gospel of Luke that he came to bring “peace on earth” (Luke 2:14)?

In the first place, we have to understand that Jesus was speaking to a world in which religion was used to keep a few in power and privilege in a way that beat down most people. The religious powers of the day used the language of “clean” and “unclean” to maintain their position and power and to keep most people “in their place.” After all, if being “unclean” means you can’t get too close to God, then you have to rely on those who are “clean” enough to represent you. That gives them all kinds of power over you! I’m afraid the language of “sin” and “forgiveness” still creates a similar situation for many people to this day.

Into that world, Jesus came offering God’s love freely to anyone and everyone. He preached the gospel of God’s goodness to all people, regardless of their place in society or lack of place in society. And all his talk of a kingdom of God where the first are last and the last are first overturned the way the whole world worked. It was like setting fire to the whole religious establishment, and with that, their whole way of life. It was like smashing the “rock” of religious oppression in pieces. Jesus’ message threatened everyone who had worked hard to climb their way to the top of the social ladder by virtue of their “holiness,” or their wealth, or their power. As you can imagine, a lot of them didn’t like that. It was a threat to their very way of life. And they responded to him with rage and hatred, and they killed him for it.[2]

When you look at our Gospel lesson in that light, I think it makes sense to recognize that Jesus was exaggerating when he said he came to bring division rather than peace. Of course Jesus came to bring the peace of God’s kingdom. He makes that clear with virtually everything he said and did! But the whole Bible is equally clear that God’s peace comes with a cost. It comes only by righting the wrongs in this world, especially those that benefit the privileged few. God’s peace comes only by exposing the untruth of structures that beat people down in this world.

That kind of message is always going to divide people. Those who benefit from the how things stand will fight tooth and nail to oppose anyone who tries to change things for the benefit of the “least of these,” as Jesus calls them. And at times, they’ll quote the Bible to keep things as they are. At times they’ll kill the people who are trying to benefit the “least of these.” The sad truth is that we still live in a world where “holiness,” wealth, and power determine one’s place (or lack of place). But seeking the peace of God’s kingdom will always be perceived as a threat by those who benefit from beating down others. I think Jesus was warning all who would seek the peace of God’s kingdom that their work would be met with hostility and even violence.[3] I think that’s why Jesus used exaggeration in our lesson for today. History has borne out the truth of his warning. We must be clear: Jesus never endorsed violence.[4] But he knew how far people would go to protect their status and power. And yet he called the people of his day to return to God’s peace, a peace that exists only where there is true justice and compassion. And he calls all who would follow him to extend that peace to the people of our day. It’s not going to be easy. It’s not always going to comfortable. But if we’re going to follow Jesus and align our lives with God’s kingdom, there’s really no other way but to seek peace by helping the “least of these” have a place in this world.

[1] © Alan Brehm 2025. A sermon delivered by Rev. Alan Brehm PhD on 8/17/2025 for Hickman Presbyterian Church, Hickman, NE.

[2] Cf. J. T. Carroll, Luke: A Commentary, 275–276: “The depiction of Jesus’ fire-dealing, division-engendering mission in 12:49–53 thus stands in tension with some aspects of the preceding narrative but also anticipates the heightened conflict that his activity will provoke en route to Jerusalem.”

[3] Cf. Jürgen Moltmann, Theology of Hope, 18-19: The promises that the hope inspired by the Gospel makes “must stand in contradiction to the reality which at present can be experienced,” which is a reality of suffering and death. Cf. also ibid., 103, 118, 225-226, 330. For this reason, he says (p. 324) that “Christians must venture an exodus and regard their social roles as a new Babylonian exile” in which they must proclaim the hope of the Gospel and work for the transformation of society.

[4] Cf. Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics 3.2:60-61: “That Jesus comes to bring about the ruin of any man is a thought which is wholly foreign to the New Testament.”

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

God's Peace

God’s Peace

Isaiah 40:1-11[1]

There was a time not so long ago when “depression” was viewed as something shameful and secret. We didn’t talk about it openly. Then it was widely reported in the news that more Americans than ever were taking anti-depressants. People believed that anti-depressants were just “feel good” pills that those who struggled with mental health issues used because they couldn’t get their act together. But the truth about anti-depressants is that they’re not pills that make you feel good automatically. There are very different types of anti-depressants designed to treat very specific medical issues. And here’s the catch: if you take an anti-depressant that doesn’t treat your specific medical issue, it’ll make you feel worse, not better. And in some cases, it’ll make you feel much worse. I’m not a medical doctor, nor am I a pharmacist. But as many of you know, I do have a life-long history of dealing with depression. I know what it’s like to try to feel just “okay” and simply not be able to do it. Fortunately, with the help of the right medication and years invested with some really good counselors, I am better now.

What medical science has only recently discovered is that the root cause for depression in very many cases is actually anxiety. I’ve mentioned that my experience with early childhood was not a happy one. In fact it was quite traumatic. So much so that I only have a few memories from early childhood. The challenge for me was that the fears from my childhood were wired into my nervous system as an adult. I struggled with chronic anxiety even after getting treatment for depression. I’m not talking about the normal nervousness we all get from time to time. I’m talking about anxiety that stalks you like a ghost when you’re awake as well as when you’re asleep. No matter what you do, you just can’t seem to shake it. Fortunately, again, with the right medical help and some good counseling, I’m no longer plagued by the specter of anxiety.

I don’t mention this to draw attention to myself. I mention it because I know that there are still people who struggle with untreated depression and anxiety. And if I can encourage one person to get the help they need by talking about my story, it’s worth it. More than that, this is the second Sunday of Advent. It’s the day when we celebrate the peace that comes with the good news of Jesus’ birth. It seems to me that if we’re going to talk about peace, we should talk about the obstacles to peace. I have to confess that even though I love the message of Christmas, for most of my life this time of year hasn’t been a peaceful one at all. It’s been one in which I was troubled by pain and fear. And even the good news of Jesus’ birth and the new life promised to all of us through him didn’t help me with my depression and anxiety.

One of the lessons I learned in my journey is that I had to take some practical steps in order to find peace in my life, like using a gratitude list, as I mentioned recently. I also have a list of “all the good things” I’ve encountered in my life that I want to remember. I have as well a “cloud of witnesses,” or a list of people who’ve been my mentors and friends, people who have believed in me and supported me through times of crisis. And one of the main reasons why I exercise so regularly is because it helps me keep my head on (at least) somewhat “straight.” But I have other practical steps I take as well. For example, I’m a great fan of the “Serenity Prayer”: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” In fact, I usually pray that prayer on a daily basis. It’s a constant reminder to me that there’s so much about life that I cannot control. It helps me remember that trying to control the things I cannot change only winds up making me miserable, robbing me of peace. Practical steps like these have helped me know personal peace in my life.

But of course, as we celebrate the second Sunday of Advent, we’re reminded that peace is a spiritual matter. Like many of you, I’ve drawn comfort from the Psalms for most of my life. And going along with the theme of promise I’m pursuing this year during Advent, I’ve drawn comfort from the promises of Scripture for decades. Promises like “you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you” (Ps 9:10). Or “though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand” (Ps 37:24). Or, “the Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces” (Isa 25:8). Or, “those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isa 40:31). In fact, I have a list of promises in the Bible I use at home, a list I’ve had for almost 30 years. Reminding myself of those promises has been a source of peace for me for decades.

Our reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah for today speaks to us about peace. The prophet promised the people in the name of the Lord that God was coming to comfort them. But for a people who had lost everything in exile, that promise may have seemed an empty one. During their exile there were many false prophets who had gotten their hopes up. Now, when Isaiah announces in the name of the Lord that the time has finally come, it would seem they had no more faith for promises. In response to their despair, the prophet reminds them that while they may feel that they are like the grass that withers and the flowers that fade, “the word of our God will stand forever” (Isa 40:8). In this setting that statement is an assurance that God will not leave the promise that he would restore his people to their land unfulfilled. But I think it has a broader application. The idea is that God’s promises never fail. That’s because God is a God who keeps his promises.

As I’ve shared with you before, there are some wonderful promises in the book of the prophet Isaiah. In our lesson for today, the “Gospel according to the prophet Isaiah” is that God would bring the people home from exile like a shepherd who gently carries the lambs who are either too weak or who perhaps have been injured (Isa 40:11). This good news echoes through the whole book of Isaiah in various ways. The Lord promises to end violence and warfare (Isa 2:4), as well as suffering and oppression (Isa 25:8). The Lord promises to set a rich feast for all peoples (Isa 25:6), and to set right all the wrongs (Isa 28:5-6). The Lord promises to restore and heal those who are weak and injured (Isa 35:3-6). And again, in case there is any doubt about these promises, the Lord affirms, “My purpose shall stand, and I will fulfill my intention” (Isa 46:10).

This second Sunday in Advent reminds us that the promises of Scripture can help us find peace. Regardless of our circumstances, regardless of what anyone else does, we can find peace through the promises of Scripture because “the word of our God will stand forever” (Isa 40:8). We can find peace through the promises of Scripture because, as the prophet said in the name of the Lord, “my word … that goes out from my mouth … shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose” (Isa 55:11). Yes, it’s important that we do the practical things that help us stay peaceful in our hearts and minds. But more importantly, we hold on to the promises of Scripture in the assurance that God always keeps his promises. That assurance provides us with a kind of peace that St. Paul said “surpasses all understanding” (Phil 4:7). It’s God’s peace, the peace that truly lasts through all the experiences of our lives.

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Choosing Peace

Philippians 4:4-13[1]

If you’re a person who follows the news, you know that the times in which we are living can make it hard to find our way to personal peace. Just the wars that are going on in the world right now are troubling enough. The war in Ukraine is moving toward a third year. And now, we have a conflict in the Middle East that threatens to engulf several nations. At the same time, the people of Afghanistan live under the constant threat of violence. When you add Iraq, Ethiopia, Sudan, Myanmar, Mexico, Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Colombia, and about 10 other countries where there are conflicts that have each inflicted thousands of deaths, it becomes a bit overwhelming. I think we might understand why so many people are frightened by the current state of the world. Or at the very least troubled.

Unfortunately, the history of the world is a history of violence and war. Indeed, there was a time when warfare was so common that it was simply expected that a young man would define his character by going off to war! It was a rite of passage! And many of those wars were not fought on some faraway battlefield across oceans. Rather, they were fought among the people. That’s still the reality with most of the wars going on today. They take place in the cities and towns and villages where innocent people become casualties. If you add up all the fatalities just in the last couple of years, it reaches the hundreds of thousands. And most of these wars have stretched on for decades, many of them for more than fifty years!

It’s hard for me to imagine entire generations of people growing up and living their whole lives in a state of war. I can’t begin to understand what that must be like for them. I don’t know about you, but I find that life in the relative safety of this country feels stressful enough. To be sure, we have threats at home as well. Our grandchildren are growing up with the specter of school shootings hanging over them. We all live with the knowledge that we cannot anticipate where the next mass shooting will happen. When you think too much about all of this, you may wonder whether “peace” is even a choice we can make.

But the truth of the matter for all of us, whether we’re talking about those of us who live in this country, or those who live in the midst of an active war, is that we all choose how we are going to respond to what is happening in our lives. Granted, there are some situations where we have more choice than others. As I mentioned last week, many of us may allow fear to control our reactions, and we don’t take the time to respond to the challenges of life with wisdom, faith, or courage. What we may not be able to see is that we are choosing that response. And we may not be able to see that we also have the ability to choose differently. We all can choose peace, no matter what we may be facing in life. The question is how to do that.

I believe our lesson from St. Paul gives us some practical help with that. What we should remember is that the people he was writing to in the church at Philippi faced many dangers because of their faith in Christ. Some of them had been thrown out of their families. Others had lost their livelihood, because they would no longer sacrifice to the Greek gods that were patron deities of their trade unions. Many found themselves at times at the mercy of mob violence—beaten and humiliated, and sometimes they lost their lives. These were people who knew danger quite well.

We should also remember that St. Paul himself experienced threats, even threats against his life! In his various letters he recounts his life as a Christian Apostle and it definitely was not a storybook life. Paul lists all that he had been through for the sake of Christ and the churches he served: he was flogged to the brink of death five times, pelted with stones and left for dead, shipwrecked three times, spending a night and a day adrift on the open sea, not to mention spending many a sleepless night in prison, hungry, and cold (2 Cor. 11:23-27). His life was one that was far from safe: as he said it himself, he experienced “danger from bandits, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea” (2 Cor. 11:26).

When I think about what the first Christians had to go through because of their faith, it makes me wonder how they were able to endure it all. In part, St. Paul answers that question with his call not to give in to fear, but to turn to God as our source of peace. And the promise he makes is a familiar one: “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). I think that’s where the battle with fear is won or lost—in our hearts and our minds. We need to feel safe in our hearts and we need to be able to think of our lives as secure. And St. Paul promises that we find that safety and security in God alone.

He goes on to assure us that “the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:9). It’s a wonderful promise that may sometimes get overlooked because of the previous one. But it’s just as important for our ability to choose peace in our lives. Promising that “the God of peace will be with you” is something of a loaded statement. Speaking about the “God of peace” can be a description of God’s character: He is the God who embodies peace. It can also say something about the end result of God’s work in our world: He is the God who is working toward peace that extends to everyone. But, perhaps most importantly for this context, “the God of peace” can describe how God relates to us: He is the God who gives us peace. And Paul says that it is this God who is constantly with us, providing us with an anchor for our souls and a foundation upon which to build our lives.

I don’t believe we can rely on the circumstances of our lives as the source for our peace. At least, that’s been my experience. There will be times when life may seem fairly calm. In those times it’s relatively easy to find peace. But the challenge is finding peace when life is anything but calm. We need something more stable to help us face the fear and uncertainty of those times. For most of us, our fear isn’t about the threat of violence or war. Rather our fear comes from other threats: the loss of livelihood, the loss of family, the loss of health, the loss of home. Because the “God of peace” is always with us, we can always choose to respond to what is happening in our lives by looking to God to supply the “peace that surpasses all understanding.” In part, I believe that means recognizing that there are some aspects of life that we cannot control. We can’t control wars that are taking place around the world. We can’t control the violence that is overflowing our cities and towns. We can’t even control the most basic circumstances of our own lives. What we can do is to trust that our lives are always in God’s hands, and that regardless of what may happen to us in this life, there is no safer place for us to be. I would say that’s at least the first step toward choosing peace.

[1] © Alan Brehm 2023. A sermon delivered by Rev. Alan Brehm PhD on 10/15/2023 for Hickman Presbyterian Church, Hickman, NE.

Monday, December 05, 2022

Fill The Whole World With Peace

Isaiah 11:1-10[1]

This is the time of year when our thoughts turn toward “peace on earth.” It was, after all, the promise the angels made to the shepherds on that night so long ago. I must confess that I’m not sure we want true peace, lasting peace, peace that benefits everyone equally. I think most of us at this time of year just want a little “peace of mind.” And there’s a big difference between peace that benefits everyone equally and a little peace of mind. We can find a little peace of mind by simply watching TV, or working in the garden, or reading a good book, or listening to relaxing music, or taking a nice hot bath or shower. But true peace, lasting peace, peace that benefits everyone equally takes a lot more work than that.

For many of us, peace at this time of the year means that we lose our cares and worries, our fears and frustrations in the distractions of decorating and cooking and shopping and entertaining ourselves and others with Christmas festivities. And I get that. We all need to take a breather from time to time from the pressures we feel in our lives. When we face head-on the problems in our families, in our community, and in our world, it can all be whole lot more than a little overwhelming. Think about it: a housing market that’s priced a lot of people out of housing. Grocery bills that have gone up, or grocery lists that have had to be shortened considerably. More and more mass shootings, in schools and stores and workplaces. The feeling that we’re a nation badly irreparably divided against one another. A war with no end in sight. I honestly don’t blame anyone for wanting to take a break from all that right now.

But at some point, we’re going to have to think about true peace. Surely all of us want what the writer of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” said: we want God to come and “fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.”[2] But I think we get hung up because true peace comes at a cost. As Pope Paul VI said on January 1, 1972, “if you want peace, work for justice.” Those of us who were alive at that time remember that it was a time very similar to this one. We were at the end of the Vietnam War, which had severely divided this country, setting family members against one another. Peace was not something that seemed any easier to achieve at that time than it does today. And I don’t think the Pope meant to suggest it would be easy, because achieving peace through justice takes hard work.

Our lesson from the prophet Isaiah for today addresses the peace that comes from justice. The prophet looks forward to a “branch” coming from the “root” of David’s family who will ^“give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited” (Isa 11:4, NLT). He speaks of one who would come to lighten people’s burdens, to right the wrongs, to restore all things in such a way that makes it possible for everyone to live the lives God intended.[3] This promise was spoken to the Jewish people when there were threats looming on the horizon. They were still relatively safe at home; they had not yet reached their darkest point in exile. But all was not well. The prophets like Isaiah pointed their fingers at the Jewish leaders for neglecting their duties when it came to caring for the least and the last and the left out in society, duties spelled out in our Psalm reading for today.[4] Instead the leaders relished their power and prestige and forgot about the widows and orphans and immigrants in their midst. And we know, as Martin Luther King said, “injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere.”[5]

That’s why Isaiah spoke of the coming of one who would set things right. And the result of the justice the coming one brings would be peace: “Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with knowledge of the Lord” (Isa 11:9). The idea is that the coming one will teach the people the “knowledge of the Lord” so well that they will live in peace with one another. And the prophet said this peace would not only be for the Jewish people, but that all the nations would benefit as well: “In that day the heir to David’s throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place” (Isa 11:10, NLT).[6]

But more than that, the prophet speaking in the name of the Lord promised that the peace brought by the coming one would also restore the world of nature. Isaiah says, “In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all” (Isa 11:6, NLT). In a very real sense, Isaiah looked for a time when the peace found in the garden of Eden would fill the whole world. And that kind of peace would reunite even the natural world. Can you imagine a world where wolves lie down with lambs, taking care of them as if they were their own young? I think the prophet Isaiah could, and he believed that when the coming one brings true justice and lasting peace, it will change the face of the whole world. The peace he will bring to Israel will embrace all the nations, and it will even restore harmony to all creation.

All that may sound just too good to be true. And I understand that, because that kind of justice and that kind of peace is beyond what any of us can do. Filling the whole world with peace is a God-sized task. It will take the power of God, working through Jesus Christ, to bring about that kind of world. But I would say we still have a part to play in all of this. Those of us who know the “peace” that God has brought to the human family in Jesus Christ are called to be peacemakers in this world. And I believe that peace is “contagious,” like kindness. When you spread it around, it just keeps going. As Dr. King also said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”[7] When we treat people with a little more respect, a little more kindness, a little more dignity, perhaps they’ll “pay it forward.” When respond that way even to those whom we may view as a threat, I think it might just change the world.

[1] © 2022 Alan Brehm. A sermon delivered by Rev. Alan Brehm PhD on 12/4/2022 for Hickman Presbyterian Church, Hickman, NE. For a video recording of this sermon, check out my Pastor Alan YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/dfgpUBt06sc .

[2] See the history of the English versions of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Come,_O_Come,_Emmanuel , accessed on 12/1/2022.

[3] Cf. Jürgen Moltmann, The Way of Jesus Christ, 121: “God’s justice and righteousness brings shalom [peace] to both his people and land.”

[4] That this is to be the role of the King in Israelite society is made clear by the Psalm lesson from Ps. 72, especially Ps. 72:4 “May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.” Cf. J. Clinton McCann, Jr., “The Book of Psalms,” New Interpreters Bible IV:963: “Everything said about or wished for the king depends ultimately on God’s justice ... and God’s righteousness. Justice and righteousness are first and foremost characteristic of God’s reign .... In short, the role of the king is to enact God’s rule” (emphasis original).

[5] Martin Luther King, Jr., “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” 16 April 1963. Accessed at https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html on 12/3/2022.

[6] This is essentially St. Paul’s point in the reading from Romans 15:4-13 (especially 15:8-12). Cf. N. T. Wright, “The Letter to the Romans,” New Interpreters Bible X:747: “It is not that God has done one thing for Jews, and another thing for Gentiles; God has designed mercy for all (11:28-32).” Referring to God fulfilling his promises, he adds, “The promises were both to Israel and through Israel to the world” (emphasis original).”

[7] Martin Luther King, Jr., “Loving Your Enemies,” in Strength to Love, p. 47. Cf. a similar statement in Martin Luther King, Jr., “Where Do We Go From Here?” SCLC Presidential Address, 1967 (Quoted from J. M. Washington, ed., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings of Martin Luther King, Jr., p. 249): “Through violence you may murder a liar but you can’t establish truth. Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can’t murder hate. Darkness cannot put out darkness. Only light can do that.”

Thursday, August 18, 2022

Disruptions

Luke 12:49-56[1]

I would say that the word “disruption” has become something of a “four-letter-word” for most of us. We’ve all had about as much “disruption” as we’d care to deal with for a while, thank you very much. After more than two years of changes that have affected all of life, from top to bottom, some of us may still be holding on to the pipe dream that someday, somehow, things will go back to “normal.” The rest of us have realized that’s not going to happen. The world has changed. Those changes have shaken up everything, and they will continue to do so for some time to come. We can either try in vain to hold back the tide, or we can start learning to use the disruptions in our lives to move forward into the “new normal.”

I would also say that we don’t tend to think of our faith as something “disruptive.” Our faith undergirds and supports the way we live our lives. We look to Jesus to give us strength for today and to comfort our fears about tomorrow. The image of Jesus welcoming children, feeding the hungry, and embracing the outcasts, is one that we cherish. But I’m not sure we can recognize how disruptive most of those activities were and still are today. It’s hard for us to imagine an angry Jesus, driving people and livestock out of the courts of the temple because they were keeping people from using them as a place to offer their prayers to God his Father.

All of that leads me to say that I think what Jesus says in our Gospel lesson for today must sound shocking to most of us. We’re used to thinking of him as “gentle Jesus, meek and mild.” But here he says that he has come to bring fire and division, not peace! That sounds so contrary to what we believe about Jesus that it may be painful and confusing to even hear it. Is this really the same person whom the angels celebrated with the joyful announcement of “peace on earth” (Luke 2:14)? After sending out his disciples to bring “peace” to as many towns and villages as possible (Lk 10:1-12), did Jesus decide to scrap the plan? What is this “fire” and “division” Jesus is talking about?

One of the things we have to understand about this lesson is that Jesus lived in a world that was rigidly structured around certain classes of people. And in that day, your place in the world was based on how “holy” you looked, at least on the outside. Or it was based on how much you owned, and how many people you could force to do your bidding because they “owed” you. Into that world, Jesus came offering God’s love freely to anyone and everyone. He preached the gospel of God’s goodness to all people, regardless of their place in society. And all his talk of a kingdom of God where the first are last and the last are first overturned the way the whole world worked. It was disruptive, to say the least!

Jesus’ message threatened everyone who had worked hard to climb their way to the top of the social ladder by virtue of their “holiness,” or their wealth, or their power. When Jesus offered release to the captives, freely, and without any conditions, he undercut the position of all those who stayed in power by keeping people in chains. When Jesus offered forgiveness to sinners, again freely and unconditionally, he undermined the whole religious structure that that was based on how “holy” people looked on the outside. As you can imagine, a lot of them didn’t like that. It was a threat to their very way of life. And they responded to him with rage and hatred, and they killed him for it.

Think about it: when anyone has the nerve to look at the way things are and say, “this isn’t right,” it has an unavoidable effect: it divides people. Those who benefit from the how things stand will fight tooth and nail to oppose anyone who tries to change things for the benefit of the “least of these.” That’s why Jesus said he had come to bring division. He didn’t shy away from exposing the wrongs in society. The truth behind our Gospel lesson for today is that Jesus did come to bring peace, but it’s a kind of peace that comes with a cost. The peace that Jesus brings will only come from righting the wrongs in this world, especially those that benefit the privileged few. It’s a kind of peace that will only come from exposing the untruth that maintains the brokenness of our world.

The Peace that Jesus came to bring into our lives also brings with it the strife and division that God’s truth provokes among those who benefit from sticking with “business as usual.” I think Jesus made this shocking announcement about bringing fire and division, even into people’s families, in order to warn his disciples that those who benefit from the way things are won’t like it when we really start “seeking” the kingdom of God. That’s where the The bottom line is for us: how far do we go in advocating this kingdom where the first are last and he last are first? After all, we do have to live in this world where “holiness,” wealth, and power still determine one’s place in the world.

When we start talking about God’s love extended to everyone freely, some folks are going to be offended. When we really buy into extending God’s goodness everyone without any conditions, some are going to get angry. When we get serious about advocating for the values of God’s kingdom where the last are first, those who like the way things are will call us all kinds of names. Or worse! Truth be told, most of us prefer to avoid that kind of conflict. We don’t want to “rock the boat.” But if we’re serious about wanting to follow Jesus, we’re doing to have to figure out just how far we’re willing to take it. And that may mean that we’ll have to learn to accept the ways our commitment to Christ will bring disruptions into our lives.

[1] © 2022 Alan Brehm. A sermon delivered by Rev. Alan Brehm PhD on 8/14/2022 for Hickman Presbyterian Church, Hickman, NE. For a video recording of this sermon, check out my Pastor Alan YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/R682Y3Zk_b8

Wednesday, July 20, 2022

The Joy of the Kingdom

Psalm 30; Luke 10:1-20[1]

Let’s be honest: our world feels like chaos right now. We’ve already lived through a time of turmoil that most of us couldn’t have imagined a couple of years ago. And if the sweeping changes that have affected everything from gas prices to the ways movies are released haven’t been enough, it seems like every week we’re hit with something that is “unprecedented.” It feels like that word is getting worn out this year! If you look closely at your friends and neighbors, or even if you look closely at yourself in the mirror, I think beneath the appearance of everything being fine, many of us are actually struggling. We’re tired, we’re stressed out, and we’re afraid. And the “hits” just keep on coming.

When you look at all that, it may seem completely out of touch with reality to even talk about “joy.” How can anyone in good conscience talk about “joy” while so many are suffering so desperately? And yet, with all the pressure we’re all living under, I would say that finding joy in our lives is precisely what we need. When we live out of our stress and fear, we are never able to be our best selves. But finding joy in life gives us the hope that enables us to rise above all that would box us in with fear and to live out of our compassion and kindness instead.

Our Gospel lesson for today might raise this question for some of us. When you look at all the turmoil and the suffering going on, it may seem irresponsible to talk about the “joy of the Kingdom.” But the joy found in our Gospel lesson for today doesn’t come from some naïve detachment from the harsh realities of life. It comes right out of them. In our lesson for today, Jesus warned those who would take a stand for the Kingdom of God of the dangers it may involve. In this context, he was sending 70 (or 72) of his followers “on ahead of him” to take the good news to as many people as possible. And he was preparing them for what will happen as they work to spread the “peace” of God’s kingdom.

Jesus knew that there would be some who would welcome the peace they were bringing into their homes and their lives. But he also knew that there would be some who would reject it. He warned them that he was sending them out “like lambs into the midst of wolves” (Lk 10:3). Jesus had already told them more than once that he must go to Jerusalem where he would face rejection, torture, and eventually death. And he warned those who would follow him that they must be prepared to take up their own cross “daily” (Lk 9:23). Jesus knew that those were willing to join him in sharing the “peace” of God’s kingdom would not be welcomed by everyone they met along the way. And he knew that some of them would literally risk their lives for the sake of the good news.

Even though this group of disciples apparently did not face that level of threat on this occasion, the call to follow Jesus and to carry out the mission of the Kingdom of God would sooner or later lead many of them into danger. We might think that would put a damper on their sense of joy in serving God’s purposes in this world. But that was not the case. As the New Testament shows us, time and again those who suffered for the sake of their faith considered it a privilege to be counted worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ, for the sake of God’s kingdom, and for the sake of the peace, justice, and freedom God was bringing into the world.

Their joy in serving the kingdom of God didn’t come from the ease or comfort of their lives. Rather it came from the promise of salvation. That’s what Jesus meant when he instructed his disciples to “rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Lk 10:20)! Their joy was inspired by the confidence that God will never fail us or forsake us but will be with us no matter what our circumstances. Their joy was inspired by the assurance that God will keep his promises. Their joy was inspired by their faith that God’s kingdom will make all things right and restore everyone and everything to life. That was the kind of joy they found as they followed Jesus in ministry to their world.[2]

Jesus continually bore witness to the joy of the Kingdom—in his parables, in his proclamation of the Gospel, and in his life. What makes the good news about Jesus so joyful is the faith that God’s kingdom of justice, peace, and freedom is already transforming this world. That hope frees us so that we can live joyfully now, even in the midst of all the difficulties we may face, and even in the face of the suffering that many have to endure!

When you think about the stress and fear we’re all going through right now, I think we might agree that we could all use a dose of joy right about now. I’m not talking about looking at life through rose-colored glasses. I think the joy we need is the joy that Jesus pointed us to: the joy of God’s future, where those who suffer will be comforted, the poor will be supplied with everything they need, and the oppressed will be set free to live the lives they were meant to live. It’s a joy that comes from looking for the day when God will turn all the mourning in the world into dancing. As we redirect our lives from fear to joy, we can serve others with love in the hope that God’s kingdom is already making all things new!

[1] © 2022 Alan Brehm. A sermon delivered by Rev. Alan Brehm PhD on 7/3/2022 for Hickman Presbyterian Church, Hickman, NE. For a video recording of this sermon, check out my Pastor Alan YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/W4DbflNw06Y

[2] Jürgen Moltmann, The Passion for Life: A Messianic Lifestyle, 74, calls this kind of joy the “laughter of the redeemed, the dance of the liberated.” Moltmann uses this phrase with reference to the celebration of the resurrection at Easter, but I would say that it applies as well to the joy of the kingdom of God in Jesus’ ministry.

Monday, December 06, 2021

The Way of Peace

Luke 1:67-80; 3:1-6[1]

This is the season when we look forward to “peace on earth.” But peace doesn’t come easily, and when it does, it can be fragile. If the price of freedom is eternal vigilance, then the price of peace is eternal sacrifice. There is a cost to peace, and that cost is our pride. In order to maintain peace, we have to be willing to humble ourselves. We have to be willing to admit that we may be wrong. We have to be willing to recognize that whatever resentment we’re holding may be a direct result of what we’re thinking or doing. Peace doesn’t come easily, and when it does, it takes work to maintain it.

Throughout history, “God’s people” have looked to God to make things right, to establish his peace and justice, and to bless them with salvation. But time and time again, God’s answer to his own people has been “the way of peace they do not know” (Is. 59:8). Even those of us who make it our intention to learn God’s ways, to follow God’s will, and to serve God’s purpose in this world find ourselves struggling with peace. We take things personally that we have no business doing. We get our feelings hurt when someone makes a comment or does something that we take the wrong way. If we are going to live our lives in “the way of peace” it means we constantly keep learning what it means to choose peace over bitterness.

According to Zechariah, that was precisely the role John the Baptist would fulfill: he would guide people back to the way of peace. Zechariah was a man who was looking for the fulfillment of God’s promise. He lived his life in faith and hope—faith in the promises made to the ancestors and hope that God would be faithful to fulfill them. And when his son was born and his tongue was loosed, Zechariah sang a song of praise to God for fulfilling those promises. The specific way in which Zachariah saw this promise fulfilled was in the birth of his son John as a messenger to “prepare the way for the Lord.”

By fulfilling the promise to give him a son, Zechariah saw God as fulfilling the promise to redeem Israel. He calls it “the oath that God swore to our ancestor Abraham” (Lk 1:73). As you may remember that oath included blessing “all the families of the earth” (Gen 12:3). In Zechariah’s song, he foresaw John serving as the messenger of the coming Lord by bringing the people “knowledge of salvation … by the forgiveness of their sins” (Lk. 1:77). He would effect “the dawn from on high” through the “tender mercy of our God” that would bring light to those who are in darkness as well as “straightening their feet” into the way of peace (Lk. 1:78-79).

John’s mission was to prepare a people for the Lord to come and bring peace to them. His “preparation” for them was to call them to repentance. Luke’s Gospel tells us elsewhere that when John saw the crowds coming to be baptized by him, he turned them away, calling them a “brood of vipers” (Luke 3:7)! In order for them to experience the salvation of the Lord they would have to “Bear fruits worthy of repentance” (Lk. 3:8). In the words Luke quotes from the prophet Isaiah in our gospel lesson, for the people to experience God’s salvation, that which was crooked must first be made straight (Lk 3:5-6).

John was reminding them and us that repentance is more than just feeling sad or sorry for the fact that we may have done something we regret. Real, heartfelt, life-changing repentance is like trying to break a bad habit. As we all know, that rarely happens overnight. In some cases, it takes months and years of concerted effort to change our behaviors. What makes repentance so hard for us is that we have to take a hard look at ourselves: our self-indulgence, our need to control others, and our tendency to harbor bitterness and resentment.

But the “way of peace” goes further than just recognizing our shortcomings. It takes us to the point of being willing to do something about them. We have to choose to change in order to return to the way of peace. And then, in order to preserve peace, we have to put forth the effort—sometimes again and again—to maintain peace. The “way of peace” is not an easy road! It’s a hard road that takes humility, the will to change, and the strength to continue to make the necessary sacrifices. But if we would live in the “way of peace,” that’s where we start.

The way of peace is especially hard this year because so many of us are filled with fear and even anger over all the tumult and uncertainty going on. But the way of peace is a way of bearing the burdens of others rather than throwing stones. The way of peace calls us to stand for God’s justice against all the wrongs in this world. There are times when that means calling out those who are taking advantage of others, as John the Baptist did. There are other times when that means being willing to yield even when we know we’re right, as Jesus did. The thing about both of these paths to peace is that it cost John and Jesus their lives. That’s the sacrifice it takes to follow the “way of peace”: being willing to give up our lives for others.

During Advent, we look forward to the day when “all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Lk 3:6), the new life promised to all. We look for the promise that “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together” (Isa 40:5). As we trust in those promises and continue to hope that God will be faithful to fulfill them, our faith and hope lead us to repentance. As the prophet said so long ago, we must “make straight” all that is not right in our lives and in our world in order to live in the “way of peace.” That way is a hard one, because the price of peace is the willingness to sacrifice ourselves for others. But that hard “way of peace” leads us to life.

[1] © Alan Brehm. A sermon delivered by Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph. D. on 12/5/2021 for Hickman Presbyterian Church, Hickman, NE.

Sunday, December 06, 2020

Peace on Earth

Isaiah 64:1-12

For some of us, the search for peace takes us no farther than our own family, our friends, our community of faith, and our home. For some of us peace is as close to us as our hearts. For others, the search for peace can be incredibly elusive. Especially this year, in this time of pandemic, political turmoil, and economic uncertainty. And for many of us, this time of year is anything but peaceful. When, for whatever reason, our lives have seemed to come to a standstill, it can leave us feeling left out and alone. Anything but joyful. Anything but peaceful. For many of us, this is a time of year not to celebrate, but to survive. The promise of “peace on earth” can seem hollow.

And yet the promise of a true and lasting peace is just what our lesson for this morning is talking about. The cry “Comfort, O comfort my people” introduces a major shift in the book of Isaiah. Prior to this, the message of Isaiah mostly concerns a rebuke of the people’s sins and a call to repentance. But now, there is something new at work. The God who gave the people over to the consequences of their sins and allowed them to go into exile now announces that he comes to bring peace to those who have suffered for so long.

As we saw last week, the prophet gives voice to the doubts and fears of a people who have struggled to endure the long years of their exile. He calls out, “All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass” (Isa. 40:6-7). In other words, they think they have about as much chance surviving the exile as the grass does surviving a severe drought. For a people who had lost everything and have had to put forth every ounce of effort just to survive in exile, the promise that God was coming to comfort them may have seemed an empty one. During their exile there were many false prophets who had gotten their hopes up for a speedy release. Now, when this prophet announces in the name of the Lord that the time for their restoration has finally come, they may have had no more faith to give to promises.

In response, one of the themes of this section of Isaiah is that God’s word does not fail. Here, the answer to the cry of despair, “surely the people are grass” is that, while grass may wither, “the word of our God will stand forever” (40:8). While some might apply this to Scripture in general, in this setting it is an assurance that God will not leave his promises of salvation, restoration, and renewal unfulfilled. In another passage, Isaiah puts it this way: “as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace” (Isa. 55:10-12). The prophet declared in the name of the Lord that “the word of God” accomplishes what it promises—to bring comfort, peace, and renewed faith to a weary people.

In Isaiah, the good news is that God comes to reconcile and to heal and to restore all people, along with all creation. That’s why Isaiah could speak of God’s coming like a shepherd who gently carries the lambs who are either too weak to make it back to safety or who perhaps have been injured (Isa. 40:11). And the message of restoration fills the whole book of Isaiah. Through the prophet the Lord promises to end violence and warfare (Isa. 2:4), suffering and oppression (Isa. 25:8). The Lord promises to set a rich feast for all peoples (Isa. 25:6), and to set right all the wrongs (Isa. 28:5-6). The Lord promises to restore and heal those are weak and injured (Isa. 35:3-6). And again, in case there is any doubt about these promises, the Lord affirms, “My purpose shall stand, and I will fulfill my intention” (Isa. 46:10).

As we discussed last week, the season of Advent is a time for examining our hearts and lives. But the season of Advent is also a time to lift up our hearts and look for the peace that God has promised to bring to his people. In our lesson for today, “preparing the way for the Lord” means that “Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain” (40:4) In other words, the return journey to Jerusalem would be much easier for the exiles than their forced march into Babylon. And the prophet promises that at that time “the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together” (40:5). The heart of that glorious display would be God’s restoration for all people, bringing us true peace at last.

Advent is season when we’re called to look to God in faith. Part of that involves taking a hard look at ourselves. But the season of Advent also calls us to trust in the promises of our God, promises of salvation, restoration, and renewal. Promises that, like a shepherd gently and tenderly cares for sheep who have been injured (Isa. 40:11), God will bring peace to all those who are suffering. In these days, some of us may have no more faith left to give to promises of any kind. But even when we don’t see God’s promises fulfilled immediately, we can trust that God will fulfill them ultimately. When God promises to bring “peace on earth,” we can trust in those promises because what God promises, God accomplishes!

[1] © Alan Brehm. A sermon delivered by Rev. Alan Brehm, Ph. D. on 12/6/2020 for Hickman Presbyterian Church, Hickman, NE.

Thursday, December 05, 2019

Radiant

Isaiah 2:1-4, Titus 2:11-14[1]

The Christian faith has had its share of critics throughout the ages. One of the most strident of those was a German philosopher named Friedrich Nietzsche. Like many others, he called out the Christians of his day for their hypocrisy. Unfortunately, Christians of all eras have been good at doing “lip service” to the faith without actually putting it into practice in their lives. And sadly, that is as true today as it ever was. Nietzsche had a lot to say about this, but one of his more memorable lines was that for him to believe in the Christian Savior, “his disciples would have to look more redeemed!”^{^[2]}

I think this sentiment challenges us most deeply at this time of the year. Family gatherings can be wonderful, but they can also be exhausting. Then there’s the fact that it gets dark so early this time of year. Add to that the “hustle and bustle” of getting everything done and getting everywhere we’re supposed to go. And the sad truth is that the “holidays” can be “the most difficult time of the year” for many of us. All of this put together can rob us of the joy that we’re “supposed” to be celebrating in the midst of everything we have going on. It can be especially hard to “look redeemed.”

I think that’s one of the reasons light plays such an important role for us at this time of year. We light up the Christmas tree, and we light up our houses. The lights can help to relieve the rather oppressive feeling the darkness can bring on us. For a while. As much as decorating can help, I don’t think it’s a real solution to our problem. For our faith to show in our lives and on our faces as authentic joy, we have to takes steps that have deeper and more lasting effects than just decorating our homes and stringing lights. If we want our lives to be “radiant” with the joy of our faith, we have to find a hope that cannot be shaken.

I think that was what the prophet Isaiah was trying to do for his people. Despite the fact that they lived at a dangerous crossroads between continents and empires, and despite the fact that even their leaders had seemingly abandoned their faith, Isaiah held out a hope that God was not finished with them. Rather, he believed in the vision that God was working to make all things new. And the specific way in which he expresses that hope in our lesson for today is that through the people of Israel, one day all the nations of the earth would be drawn to the light of God’s truth, God’s peace, and God’s justice.

Isaiah’s vision of salvation was one in which all the different peoples of the world—even those who had been enemies of Judah—would “stream” to Jerusalem as the “mountain of the Lord” (Isa. 2:2). And the reason they would come was “that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths” (Isa. 2:3). Isaiah explains that the reason for this attraction is that Jerusalem would be a place where the word of the Lord would enlighten all the nations to “walk in his ways.” And the result would be peace; not just peace as the absence of conflict, but peace as that which transforms people so that they can truly live with joy a life that could be called “radiant.”

This vision of the destiny of the human family is an ideal that has inspired and fired the imaginations of people of faith throughout the generations. Isaiah’s vision was that when God’s truth becomes the light by which we all order our lives, then “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isa. 2:4). It is one of the more powerful visions of the destiny of humankind, and it has inspired people throughout history to find hope and joy even in the midst of some of the most challenging times of life. This hope can transform us into people who look “redeemed” because our lives are radiant with joy.

It’s fine, however, to think of the great promises that inspire in us hope for the future. But many of us would like to know what we have to help us find joy here and now. I think the lesson from Titus can help us here. It summarizes in a nutshell the good news that we are preparing to celebrate at Christmas: “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all” (Titus 2:11). Although that might seem self-evident, I’m afraid the language of grace and salvation isn’t all that obvious. Grace here refers to God’s goodness, kindness, and generosity by which he gives us the gift of love that we don’t have to earn and we can’t forfeit. And while salvation can refer to several aspects of our hope, I think that promise of a love that is unconditional and irrevocable hits the spot for most of us. We can be radiant with hope and joy here and now because of this amazing love God has given us.

Most of us have times in our lives when we don’t look very “redeemed.” What better time than Advent for us to prepare our hearts and lives to truly celebrate the coming of our Savior to bring us hope and joy. Interestingly, both our lessons speak of that hope and joy as training us how to live. In Isaiah it’s about learning God’s ways and walking in his paths. In Titus it’s about God’s grace teaching us to “live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly” (Titus 2:12). In other words, the love that is the essence of who God is defines how we live, so that we now “take on a God-filled, God-honoring life” (Titus 2:12, The Message). I think this is a change that is deep and lasting, and one that can truly enable us to “look more redeemed” because we are radiant with the hope and joy of God’s love.

[2] Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Modern Library Edition, 92.

The Waking Dreamer