February 10, 2015

“(Jesus said,) I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. John 5:30

“We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:10

“Can this really be what life is about as the media insist? This interminable soap opera going on from century to century, from era to era…? Surely not. Thanks to the great mercy and marvel of the Incarnation, the cosmic scene is resolved into a human drama. G*d reaches down to relate himself to man, and man…relates himself to G*d. Time looks into eternity and eternity into time, making now always and always now. Everything is transformed by the sublime drama of the Incarnation.” Malcolm Muggeridge (1903-1990)
“For All The Saints”, volume III

Where do I get the authority to preach the things I preach, and to write the things I write? I get my authority from Christ – Christ’s authority comes from G*d. I do not write on my own authority, just as Christ said he can do nothing on his own authority. I am a vessel – I simply preach and write about Christ crucified and the reality of the Incarnation. Within the human drama that is playing on all around us, there is a greater drama being played out – and that is the renewal of creation in Christ. As we are to be transformed “In Christ”, so is everything being made new “In Christ”. So we can become caught up in the human drama, or we can become vessels for G*d and preach and proclaim Christ and become part of the cosmic drama – taking Christ into all the world. And that begins with each one of us. You do not need to be a pastor to proclaim the divine drama of the Incarnation – proclaiming Christ crucified. We all are part of this drama – and so we begin with the people who live beside us and across the street from our churches.

Years ago I was attending a week of hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I was not a pastor – not even sure that the thought had fully formed in my mind yet about attending seminary. If you are familiar with the drive to New Hampshire, it is long. I was paired up for this long ride with a friend, someone who came to church every once in a while – not fully engaged with his relationship with Christ. During those many hours on the road we talked about life and faith. He was having a hard time with finding a relationship with G*d. I was not a masterful Evangelist by any means – I simply told him why it mattered to me – why I attended church – what I had learned about Jesus. Over the years we went our own ways. One day I ran into him and learned that he and his wife were very active members of a faith community. I claim no responsibility for his developing and growing faith – that is the work of the Holy Spirit. I simply was placed with him for those long hours at the “right time” – it was a Kairos moment for the two of us.

We are all part of the drama of the Incarnation – take time to share your story – you just don’t know how it might gel into someone else’s story…

Pastor Dave