Sermon

The Reverend Dr. Wayne Menking, Director of the Lutheran Program

Christ Chapel
First Week of Advent -- December 4, 2003
Text: Luke 21:25-31

Some of you may be familiar with Ed Friedman's little book, Friedman's Fables, a collection of stories that he constructed to help illustrate system's theory thinking. One of his fables is about the dominoes that are lined up to form a pattern or some sort of picture. The dominoes are quite aware of their fragile and vulnerable state. They are acutely aware that at any moment a force can come to topple one, the result of which will be a cataclysmic chain reaction that will topple them all. They live in a state of fear and anxiety.

Sure enough, the inevitable happens. The first domino is indeed knocked over and exactly what was feared begins to happen. Dominoes fall and the inertia of the force gains momentum. The dominoes that are standing try as hard as they can to figure out how to stop the force. They try to calculate as best they can what sort of power is needed to counter this incredible force that now threatens all of them. Nothing seems to work. All of a sudden, though, as one domino is struck by the inertia of the falling domino in front of it, something short of miraculous happens. The domino does not fall. It teeters back and forth, wobbly, but somehow able to keep itself upright. It's movement to keep itself upright stops the destructive inertia and causes a reverse force that now moves in the opposite direction stabilizing all of the dominoes to their upright position.

There is great jubilation. The dominoes congratulate their comrade and begin to inquire: "How did you do it?" "What sort of calculations did you make to figure out how to stop this incredible force?" The small domino was taken back a bit, not sure what to make of all this adulation. All he could say was, "I don't know; I was just working as hard as I could to keep myself standing up."

This little story seems to be a good illustration of what Luke is trying to say in his account of Jesus' words surrounding the cosmic conflicts that are sure to come -- keep yourself standing and pay attention to the signs that are around you. Jesus' predictions and his exhortations to maintain stability all come in the context of his journey to Jerusalem where he forthrightly takes on the religious establishment that was embedded there.

Already in verse 41 through 44 of chapter nineteen, he predicts the fall of Jerusalem and says to the religious leaders that this fall will be the result of their blindness, their failure to recognize God's visitation as it has occurred in his ministry in their midst. It's almost as if he is saying, "You believe that you have God wrapped up in your control, vis-à-vis your rules, your piety and your religiosity, to the extent that you cannot and will not recognize God when God comes." They are enraged and the conflict continues as they attempt to trap him in theological debate, an attempt that fails.

In Luke there is a conflict that has been brewing and it is now reaching its climax. It is a conflict between the power of the Spirit that is embodied in Jesus, the suffering servant and the power of the religious establishment as embodied in the scribes, the Pharisees and the pious in their long and flowing robes. The Spirit has been unleashed and the powers of the world are reacting. As these powers collide, Jesus tells his followers that they need to be ready. Loyalties will be tested, and they will be called upon to give account for following the Way. They will be hated and persecuted, yet Jesus is clear: you need not calculate how to counter this force for I will give you the words and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to match. The translation of this might well be: I will give you what you need to stay standing!

In this context then, Luke places our text for this morning, his account of Jesus' words about paying attention to the signs. Using apocalyptic imagery with a different twist from either Mark or Matthew, Luke seems to be telling his readers: this conflict is not about you; it's about something bigger than you. It is of cosmic proportion. But the important thing is to keep your head up and be clear about what's going on! It's just like watching the fig tree. When you see the new leaves you know that a new season is about to spring forth. And so it is, when you see this conflict, you will know that a new season is about to spring forth, it is a season in which the Spirit of justice and mercy will prevail. Hold forth and stay standing!

This conflict of powers is not one that is taking place out in the heavens. It is in our very midst on a day-to-day basis, and it touches us at the very core of our life. I share a story about an Ob-Gyn nurse that will serve to illustrate just how powerful and close this conflict really is. This is an individual who does not believe in abortion, yet she is called upon on a regular basis to provide care for women who are terminating their pregnancy. Her commitment is rooted in a fundamental value that regardless of the decision or circumstance, these mothers and families need and deserve understanding, care and compassion. She understands that the right or wrong of the decision isn't the issue. The issue is the tremendous burden that is being carried by those involved. They need understanding. In one instance the mother -- and the father -- made the painful decision to terminate their pregnancy because the child had no kidneys. They chose to terminate early knowing that a whole host of complications would follow if they did not.

The nurse extended her care, as she always does in these cases. Many of her peers refuse to care for patients in these circumstances, and it was especially so in this case. And for whatever reasons, this nurse's professional integrity and ethics were called into question. At an even deeper level, her faith and relationship with God was also called into question because of her willingness to put herself in relationship with this family. Righteous judgment overrides compassion, and therein lies the nature of this cosmic conflict. It is a conflict that reaches into the very core of our being. The nurse, like the domino, finds herself struggling to stay upright. The power of her peers righteous judgment has caused her to doubt herself and her relationship with God. She is standing, wobbly and feeble though she may feel.

Friends, the conflict of which Jesus speaks is no distant conflict, and I suspect like the nurse, you have found yourself right in the middle of it. When I hear stories like this one, I fluctuate between outrage and fear. I am outraged at such self-righteous hypocrisy. And yet I am fearful of the extent to which this power of self-righteous judgment (a power by the way that is rooted in fear) has gripped the world.

More to the point, I am sometimes fearful what this self-righteous and rigid power will do to me when I am face to face with it. Will it ridicule me? Will it criticize me? Will it hate me? Will it reject me? And will I have the words to defend myself? Yes, yes and yes and NO!!! And like the nurse, my first reaction is to resign and hunker down out of fear of what this power will do. But it is precisely in the middle of this fear that the text today speaks to us! Keep your head up and understand what is going on. See the conflict for what it is! And above all know that the conflict means salvation for the world is not far behind! The translation: This conflict is exactly what happens when the Spirit of mercy and justice is unleashed on the world. But know clearly that when the dust settles, the world will be held in the grasp of this merciful, loving and just Spirit! What wonderful news! What powerful news! Though we wobble and teeter -- and sometimes even lose our balance -- we can stay standing. Now look what is possible -- outrage and despair can give way to the hope that abounds! May all of us stay standing in the wonder and joy of that hope!