Immediate Word

In this week’s lectionary passage from his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul tells the congregation that they need to “test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.” Obviously, his intent was to demonstrate the veracity of the Hebrew prophets’ divinely inspired words when compared to the declarations of false prophets -- but as team member Dean Feldmeyer points out in this installment of The Immediate Word, it’s also an important lesson to keep in mind today... especially in an environment where it’s all too easy for accusations to run amok. While it’s vital to give respect to the shared experiences of sexual abuse that are coming to light, there have been many instances over the years where untested charges have led us to jump to unsupported conclusions -- a recent object lesson being the notorious Duke lacrosse case.

Team member Mary Austin shares some additional thoughts on the comfort and justice proclaimed by the prophet Isaiah -- and the similar emotions experienced by the exiles hearing Isaiah’s words and those felt by what Time magazine has dubbed the “Silence Breakers”... those whose accounts of sexual harassment at the hands of the powerful are no longer being routinely ignored. Like the new world Isaiah describes, Mary notes that Advent gives us an opportune time to envision a better world where truth and justice come to life – even when long delayed.

 

Test Everything
by Dean Feldmeyer
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Americans are not immune to panic, and the ill-advised decisions that emerge therefrom.

Our legacy reaches back to the 1690s and the Salem, Massachusetts witchcraft trials. Total casualties: over 150 accused, 19 hanged, 7 died in jail awaiting trial, and one was crushed to death by stones for refusing to enter a plea. 

Eventually Governor William Phipps, acting under increasing pressure from Cotton and Increase Mather, dissolved the special court and pardoned all who were accused, including those who had been executed.

Of course, that kind of bell is hard to unring.

More than anything else, what made it possible for that kind of injustice to triumph was that the court allowed “spectral evidence” -- e.g., visions, premonitions, and dreams -- to be accepted at face value, with no test for authenticity.

When Paul tells the church at Thessalonica “Do not despise the words of the prophets, but test everything,” he is giving them a two-edged sword. They should neither accept nor reject any claim of authority without first testing it for authenticity.

Is it possible that the words of Paul and the lessons of Salem may be applicable today, when accusations that can destroy careers and lives, accusations of sexual improprieties ranging from annoyingly inappropriate to rape, are all lumped together as harassment or assault?

In the News
A Washington Post video lists the names of the accused like a roll call of the damned, with ominous, dark music playing in the background. Pictures of the alleged perpetrators are shown on the screen, followed by a list of the complaints against them and videos of statements by some of the complainants.

Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was the first.

Then came director Bryan Singer.

Russell Simmons, a music producer and founder of Def Jam Records, was next.

NBC Today show anchor Matt Lauer followed.

Actor Jeremy Piven; CBS news anchor and PBS talk show host Charlie Rose; Roy Moore, former chief justice of the Alabama state supreme court and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.

Actor Jeffrey Tambor; Democratic senator Al Franken; actor/comedian Louis C.K.; actor Kevin Spacey; actor Dustin Hoffman; director Brett Ratner; director James Toback; radio host Garrison Keillor; political analyst Mark Halperin; musician Matt Mondanile.

Celebrity chef John Besh; former Florida Democratic party chairman Stephen Bittel; Michigan congressman John Conyers; former president George W. Bush; actor Richard Dreyfuss; producer Gary Goddard; former Vox Media editorial director Lockhart Steele; actor George Takei; New York Times reporter Glenn Thrush; Hollywood executive Adam Venit; Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner.

Head of Disney animation John Lasseter; former NPR news director Michael Oreskes; former Amazon studios executive Roy Price; comedy festival organizer Gilbert Rozon; former Nickelodeon producer Chris Savino; and actor Steven Seagal.

And the Post promises to update the list as new accusations come in.

This list is long, tediously so. It would be tempting to cut it short -- you know, just list the names I recognize. But that is exactly what has been going on for way too long. If we didn’t know the people involved directly, if it didn’t happen to me or someone in my family, I just put it far from my mind. I’ll think about that tomorrow, as Scarlett O’Hara says.

But that would do a grave injustice to those who suffer anonymously, wouldn’t it? And to some degree, this very list commits that injustice. These are people in high places, powerful people with positions we all recognize. But there are, no doubt, thousands of women in nameless jobs all over the country, in minimum-wage jobs or worse, who are suffering from sexual harassment by foremen and crew leaders whose only power is that which they yield within their little circle of influence.

So let’s read the entire list. Let’s be clear about how widespread this problem is, or may be. But let’s also be clear about what it is we are doing, exactly, when we read or publish this list for others to read.

We are repeating allegations, allegations that are in many cases unsubstantiated and untested. We’ll get that in a moment. First, let’s take a look at Paul’s closing advice to the Thessalonians. 

In the Scriptures
Verses 12-28 are generally identified as Paul’s “final” or closing instructions to the church. (They could hardly be “final,” as there is, after all, another letter.) 

As is usually the case, these brief, pithy words of advice are both practical and spiritual, and we would not do damage to our cause or purpose if we read all 17 of the verses instead of just the nine offered by the lectionary.

In verses 12-13a, he reminds the church to recognize those in the church who work hard on behalf of all, especially the leaders who “care for you... and admonish you.” (A whole sermon could be preached on leadership based on this verse alone, could it not?)

Verses 13b-15 give advice on how church members should treat each other. Live in peace with each other. Warn the free-riders and the troublemakers. Encourage those who are depressed and help those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

Don’t pay back wrong for wrong. Let it go, and instead of thinking about revenge, think about something you can do that will be good for the one who wronged you and everyone else.

Verses 16 and 17 rival “Jesus wept” for shortest verses in the Bible, with each containing only two words: “Rejoice always” and “Pray continuously.” If these are to be taken literally, they will require a complete rethinking of how we define rejoicing and praying, won’t they?

Verse 18 continues in the same vein as the previous two verses, as Paul admonishes his charges to give thanks in all things. The “this is God’s will” part refers to rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks. God desires that we should do these things.

Verse 19: Don’t be a wet blanket. Let those who are excited and enthusiastic remain so.

Verses 20-21 hit on our topic for today. 

Apparently, some in the Thessalonian church (or maybe some itinerant preachers who had visited there) had claimed to be prophets whose prophecies were to be taken seriously. Paul says not to treat these folks with contempt -- but to test their assertions. See if they make sense.

We Christians would want to run those alleged prophecies through the filter of scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. (What some United Methodists call the “Wesley Quadrilateral.”) And this advice pertains to all claims of prophecy -- all. Test them all, says Paul... the ones you like and the ones you don’t. Don’t accept anything on its face. Check it out.

If the alleged prophet is authentic, he or she will not object to this testing. It’s like getting a second opinion before you have major surgery. The more certain the doctor is of the diagnosis, the more he or she will affirm your desire for a second opinion.

Verse 22 says that, after the testing is done, if something is proven to be evil, reject it. If it is divisive or mean, or cruel or hurtful, or if it runs counter to the red letters in your Bible, dump it like a hot potato.

The final six verses include a blessing, a request for prayer, final instruction on how to treat each other (greet with a holy kiss), a charge to spread this letter around, and a benediction.

It is important, I think, to make sure that we DO NOT lift the verses we are emphasizing out of their context and preach about them alone, and just as important to not leave ourselves open to that criticism. Better that we leave them in the middle of this pericope and read the entire thing. This way we can be clear, to ourselves and our congregants, that we are not cherry-picking the verses we like but honoring these verses as they appear in their context.

These verses, in other words, contain important advice from one of the grandparents of our faith.

In the Sermon
We cannot overemphasize enough that we are not calling for the accusations against these men to be disbelieved. Neither are we calling for them to be ignored.

We are calling for them to be tested.

Testing accusations is not a way of demeaning them or dismissing them, but a way of honoring them. It says that we take them seriously, seriously enough to check them for authenticity. The first response to hearing an accusation or allegation of this type should not be to accept it immediately as the truth -- but neither should it be to dismiss it immediately as a falsehood.

The first response should always be “Tell me more.”

There will be those prophets and prophetesses who come before us saying that all accusations must be believed and accepted as truth on their face, that women would not lie about such things and that memories of this kind are immune to error, but that is a false prophecy that has been tested and failed. That is not to say that the accusers are lying, but it acknowledges that there are such things as false memories.

Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, one of the world’s leading authorities on human memory, puts it this way: “When we remember something, we’re taking bits and pieces of experience -- sometimes from different times and places -- and bringing it all together to construct what might feel like a recollection but is actually a construction. The process of calling it into conscious awareness can change it, and now you’re storing something that’s different. We all do this, for example, by inadvertently adopting a story we’ve heard.” And “Without independent corroboration, little can be done to tell a false memory from a true one.”

But some of these accused have confessed, you say.

According to the Innocence Project, “Astonishingly, more than one out of four people wrongfully convicted but later exonerated by DNA evidence made a false confession or incriminating statement.” The reasons are legion, but the fact remains that people confess to things they didn’t do. Without corroboration, self-incriminating statements and even confessions must be held as suspect.

False accusations are not always lies, either. They can be brought about by mistaken identity, mistaken interpretation of actions, or even by mass psychogenic illness -- what we used to call “mass hysteria.”

The Salem witchcraft trials are one startling and well-documented case of psychogenic illness, but the phenomenon still persists in modern times. In 2012, 18 female students at LeRoy High School in New York developed Tourette’s-like symptoms -- uncontrolled tics, flailing, and shouting. Experts blamed everything from lyme disease, to chemicals in the ground that may or may not have been dumped there by the local kool-aid factory, to unknown contaminants from unknown sources.

Eventually, someone noticed that only teenage girls were being affected and that their symptoms seemed to get worse when they were questioned about them. Eventually a double diagnosis emerged of “conversion disorder,” an authentic mental illness of teens often brought on by stress, compounded by “mass psychogenic illness” (what we used to call “mass hysteria.”)

That is not to say that what the girls were experiencing wasn’t real. It was very real. But the cause was, as much as anything, stress -- aggravated by enthusiastic doctors, enabling parents and peers, and overwhelming media attention. It reminds us that no matter how real the event, the cause should always be corroborated from different sources.

In the 1980s the United States, the United Kingdom, and parts of Europe experienced what can only be described as a “Satanic panic” that put scores of people into prison for crimes they did not commit. Sociologist Jeffrey Victor describes it graphically in his book Satanic Panic: The Creation of a Contemporary Legend(Open Court, 1993).

We were told -- by journalists, police, and fundamentalists -- that there exists a secret network of criminal fanatics, worshipers of Satan, who are responsible for kidnapping, human sacrifice, sexual abuse and torture of children, drug-dealing, mutilation of animals, desecration of churches and cemeteries, pornography, heavy metal lyrics, and cannibalism. It was almost entirely without foundation, but the legend continued to gather momentum in the teeth of evidence and good sense. Networks of “child advocates,” credulous or self-serving social workers, instant-expert police officers, and unscrupulous ministers of religion helped to spread the panic, along with fabricated survivors’ memoirs passed off as true accounts, and irresponsible broadcast “investigations.” It was a classic witch-hunt, comparable to those of medieval Europe. Innocent victims were smeared and railroaded... showing in detail how unsubstantiated rumor becomes transformed into publicly-accepted “fact.”

Other instances of panic or panic-like accusations, and subsequent convictions in the court of public opinion (if not the court of law) are available but need not be belabored here.

The McCarthyism of the 1950s comes to mind, as does the recent case of accusations made against members of the Duke University lacrosse team (and the subsequent discovery that the charges were false and evidence had been manipulated by prosecutors).

Testing accusations and allegations of crimes is required by law.

Testing accusations and allegations of “sexual misconduct” in all of its various and amorphous permutations is, or should be, required by morality.

Good sense, ethical considerations, and Christian morality tell us that we owe at least as much consideration, while of a different kind, to those who are accused as to those who are victimized. It is the only real way to honor both.

Postscript
As I wrote the above piece, news broke that celebrity chef Mario Batali, darling of the Food Network and star of The Chew, is stepping away from his restaurant empire “following sexual misconduct allegations.” According to an article in Eater, “Four women accuse the chef of inappropriate touching in a pattern of behavior that spans at least two decades.” 

Stories and allegations are surfacing which cover the gamut from “treats women employees shabbily” to groping and being creepy, along with the expected pontifications from all corners of the political spectrum. 

It will be interesting, in the light of other cases, to see how these accusations are pursued. Shall they be tested, as Paul suggests, or will the loudest voices rule the day?

 

SECOND THOUGHTS
by Mary Austin
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; John 1:6-8, 19-28

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” Isaiah proclaims, boldly announcing that he speaks for God. The very breath of God animates his words, making them more than his own. In this Advent season, as we listen to the call of the prophets, we have to wonder about who really speaks for God. Presidential candidates all hear God tell them to run for office, and believe they speak for God. Rand Paul said in the last campaign: “To rescue a great country now adrift, join me as together we seek a new vision for America. Today I announce, with God’s help, with the help of liberty lovers everywhere, that I am putting myself forward as a candidate for president of the United States of America.” Marco Rubio sounded remarkably like a prophet when he said: “I recognize the challenges of this campaign, and I recognize the demands of this office that I seek, but in this endeavor, as in all things, I find comfort in the ancient command: be strong and courageous. Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Ted Cruz’ father said that after an afternoon of prayer, the word came “through his wife, Heidi. And the word came, just saying, ‘Seek God’s face, not God’s hand.’ And I’ll tell you, it was as if there was a cloud of the Holy Spirit filling that place. Some of us were weeping, and Ted just looked up and said, ‘Lord, here am I, use me. I surrender to you, whatever you want.’ And he felt that was a green light to move forward.” Pastors claim to speak God’s word to people too. But lately, we’re hearing words of truth from unlikely places.

Isaiah, speaking for God, speaks about a vision greater than himself. There’s no benefit to him from this message, other than conveying God’s vision. The good news is for the oppressed, the broken-hearted, the captives, and the prisoners. The same is true for John the Baptist. He is a witness to something greater. There’s an energetic quality to the word that they speak on God’s behalf -- it travels with a force that accomplishes things. God’s word announces, binds up, proclaims, and comforts. It witnesses. It has a living force to it. 

In a similar way, the words we’re hearing about sexual misconduct among the powerful have their own energetic force. These words, spoken in service of truth, have an energy that can’t be tamed right now. Their power comes from the volume of them, as they reinforce each other’s truth. The energy of that truth has long been held in, as people were fearful, or coached and threatened into silence. 

Seeing a shift in how we speak about power, harassment, and privilege in the workplace, Time magazine named the Silence Breakers, collectively, as the Person of the Year for 2017. The magazine said that “this moment is born of a very real and potent sense of unrest. Yet it doesn’t have a leader, or a single, unifying tenet. The hashtag #MeToo (swiftly adapted into #BalanceTonPorc, #YoTambien, #Ana_kaman, and many others), which to date has provided an umbrella of solidarity for millions of people to come forward with their stories, is part of the picture, but not all of it.” This moment of truth has been simmering for years, Time notes. 

The #MeToo hashtag was created by social activist Tarana Burke “as part of her work building solidarity among young survivors of harassment and assault. A friend of the actor Alyssa Milano sent her a screenshot of the phrase, and Milano, almost on a whim, tweeted it out on Oct. 15. ‘If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write “me too” as a reply to this tweet,’ she wrote, and then went to sleep. She woke up the next day to find that more than 30,000 people had used #MeToo.” In a new atmosphere, the stories traveled with an uncontainable energy. Seeing a continuing erasure of women of color in public life, some thought that Tarana Burke should have been on the Time magazine cover alone. 

In a painful twist, pastors who claim to speak for God turn out to be part of the problem. A brand of religion that teaches dominance and submission, with a particular and unequal place for women, creates a world where men’s desires matter more, and where girls and women are not believed. The #churchtoo hashtag stories added another layer of pain to the conversation. One woman wrote on Twitter: “During my 10 and a half years at this ‘church school’ I was conditioned and groomed in many ways, I was taught that women were lesser creatures than men and that no matter what a man does to you or asks of you, you are required to be compliant, never cry, just submit.” Hannah Paasch, who grew up in an evangelical church, says that the idea that men speak with God’s authority keeps women silent. Another woman tweeted: “Evil loves to dress up in religion and use holy-sounding words to twist truth and further deceit. Example: The outcries of sexual abuse victims are repeatedly labeled ‘spiritual warfare’ and their abusers are called ‘persecuted.’ #churchtoo” To come anywhere close to speaking with God’s living spirit, we need to cultivate the truth. 

Conservative pastor Jay Lowder writes for Fox News about the vital importance of the “silence breakers.” Lowder writes about the impact of his wife’s abuse on their life as a couple, and on their family life. (I really found myself wanting to hear from his wife too.) The women (and men) who have been speaking their truth have taught him something new: “I regret that it took me so long to gain a deeper understanding of the layers of healing and patience to which my wife and all victims need and should be entitled. A victim should never feel ashamed to step forward, no matter how much time has passed.” For him, they have a prophetic voice in this Advent season. “I celebrate the Silence Breakers and pray that recent news coverage of high-profile men accused of sexual misconduct will wake our nation up to the need to enforce severe consequences for unacceptable and intolerable sexual misconduct.”

Writing in Wired magazine, attorney Mary Shannon Little has a different view, doubtful that anything will change. She says that “the only moment we are witnessing is one in which people who have been targeted by newsworthy men appear to now have a better-than-average chance of being heard. Especially when journalists are snooping around. The Silence Breakers and millions of other women and men like them have, until now, been trees falling in the forest where no one was listening. But now what?  While it is satisfying to see powerful men receive their comeuppance, no one should believe this marks the beginning of a cultural shift.” She contends that powerful, monied people have an interest in keeping victims quiet. “Because the corporate boards, CEOs, and senior managers responsible for keeping their employees safe and respected in the first place failed these victims. And little is being done to hold them, the primary enablers, accountable now.” 

We need a workplace culture where people can speak the truth, and, she says, “a real shift will begin when commentators ignore the salacious headlines and probe why the Silence Breakers didn’t or couldn’t speak up before now.” 

As a mother, one of my saddest days was the day I had to educate my daughter about street harassment, and about the men who would come up to her in public places. I couldn’t believe that I was handing on to her the same world I grew up in. I was ashamed that, 30 years after my own life as a teenager, I didn’t have a better world to pass on to her. I was broken-hearted that I needed to teach her how to be a young woman in a world where people would see her as a product to be eyed, touched, and used. This shift in our public consciousness is uneven and imperfect. We haven’t yet figured out how to separate the actions of clueless men from predators, and how to sort out the consequences for different kinds of behavior. We haven’t figured out a process of redemption yet, but there is a new spirit of accountability in our shared life. The truth is moving through our common life with its own energy. We haven’t arrived where we should be, but we are witnessing a moment of light. 

Any speaking for God also involves a shift from mourning to joy, as Isaiah says, “a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.” As so many victims speak up about harassment and assault, the shame that they have carried a long time is moving from them to the perpetrators. “Because their shame was double, and dishonor was proclaimed as their lot,” Isaiah says, “therefore they shall possess a double portion; everlasting joy shall be theirs.” The word of God, speaking through Isaiah, proclaims, “I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense.” 

Advent is the time when we remember that we’re allowed to dream big -- not just to see a slightly better version of the current world, but a whole new creation, reshaped according to God’s vision. The vision of God bubbles through God’s prophets, ancient and modern. We are witnesses to God’s love for truth and justice, coming to life among us. The word of God travels with energy and purpose, even when it’s long delayed. It’s not so much that people speak for God as the word of God speaks for itself, moving through people, demanding more of us. It begs us to think bigger, to see better, to live beyond the reality shaped by human beings into a new world shaped by God. 

 

ILLUSTRATIONS

From team member Ron Love:

(These illustrations are based on major themes in this week’s lectionary readings.)

Proclamation
In a Family Circus comic, in the upper frame 7-year-old Billy is preaching (with his right arm and index finger extended upward) “Ask and you shall receive.” Listening is 3-year-old Jeffy. In the bottom frame Billy asks “Know who said that?” Jeffy, with a confused look, replies “Santa Claus?”

Application: We must to share the message of Christmas if people are going to understand its meaning.

***** 

Humility
After his fourth back surgery and a 10-month layoff, Tiger Woods recently returned to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. Woods finished the opening round with a 3-under 69 on a breezy day, leaving him three shots behind the leader. Asked about his performance that day, Woods said with a smile: “For me, I thought I did great.”

Application: Greatness is measured by our abilities, not by our notoriety.

***** 

Discipleship
After his fourth back surgery and a 10-month layoff, Tiger Woods recently returned to competitive golf. At a press conference following the opening round of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, Woods said: “It was not only nice to get the first round out of the way, but also I’m only three shots out of the lead, so to be able to put myself there after not playing for ten months or so, it was nice to feel the adrenaline out there.”

Application: In our calling to serve the Lord, we should always feel the adrenaline of discipleship.

***** 

Discipleship
The Pittsburgh Steelers have an outstanding record this season. Going into December, the team’s defense ranked second in sacks, third against the pass, fourth in total yards allowed, and fifth in interceptions. Yet the defense has one statistic that overshadows the rest. The team is ninth in allowing passing plays of 40 yards or more. All of the favorable stats won’t mean anything if the team allows an occasional sprint to the end zone. Keith Butler, the Steelers’ defensive coordinator, said: “I wish I could plug up those leaks if we could.”

Application: In our service to the Lord, we must be diligent in all aspects of our game.

***** 

Discipleship
American Airlines is the world’s biggest airline, with 15,000 active pilots and more than 200,000 flights scheduled for this December. Yet because of a computer glitch that allowed too many pilots to schedule vacation time over the Christmas holiday season (from December 17 through December 31), 15,000 flights are without a pilot, co-pilot, or both. In all, 19,000 cockpit seats are left empty.

Application: We must be sure that all of us are ready to serve our Lord each and every day during the year, and for us there is no Christmas vacation.

***** 

Justice
North Korea recently launched a rocket that is capable of reaching any part of the continental United States. The missile was launched at 1:17 a.m. Korean time, which was early afternoon in Washington, DC. This launch time indicated an effort to perfect the element of surprise and to obtain the maximum attention in the United States. After the launch, the dictator of North Korea, Kim Jong-Un, declared that his country has achieved its goal of becoming a “rocket power.” Nikki Haley, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, said of the launch: “The dictator of North Korea made a decision yesterday that brings us closer to war, not farther from it. We have never sought war with North Korea, and still today we do not seek it.”

Application: The message of Christmas is a message of peace and justice.

***** 

Discipleship
Tiger Woods recently returned to golf at the Hero World Challenge, an 18-man event with no cut held in the Bahamas. After four back surgeries and not playing competitive golf for 10 months, Woods is glad to be back on the fairway once again. After overmedicating himself for back pain (which led to his DUI arrest in May), Woods said he is happy to be on the “other side” of relying too many years on pain medication. After his first round at the Hero World Challenge he went on to say, “I’m loving life now.” Woods said: “I’ve come out the other side and I feel fantastic.” Woods also said, “I missed playing golf for fun. I hadn’t done that for two years. I played nine holes here and 18 holes here, and then I would have to take three days off because my back was killing me.”

Application: We should always enjoy serving the Lord, doing what we are called and meant to do.

***** 

Restoration
The big tabloid news is the engagement of Prince Harry, fifth in line to the English throne, to the American actress Meghan Markle. Markle is divorced and is mixed-race, as her father is Caucasian and her mother is African-American. Against established royal protocol, the couple will be allowed a church wedding. Newspapers have recognized this engagement and church wedding as a symbol of the modernization of the monarchy and the country itself. The Daily Telegraph wrote in an editorial: “A divorced, mixed-race Hollywood actress who attended Catholic school is to marry the son of the next king. Such a sentence could simply not have been written a generation ago.”

Application: With a sense of justice and equality, we can restore lives and nations.

***** 

Rejoicing
In a Family Circus comic, little Billy is in bed. His father is sitting on the edge of the bed, book in hand, having just finished reading a children’s story. Billy, sitting up in bed with his arms crossed, says to his father: “Yeah, I know, ‘happily ever after,’ but then what?”

Application: As Christians, we know the answer to “but then what” and we rejoice.

***** 

Testifying
In the newspaper comic Herman, Herman and the other characters in the strip (who remain unnamed) can represent any individual or couple who struggle in society. All characters are rendered in a unique style as hulking, beetle-browed figures with pronounced noses and jaws, and they often sport comically understated facial expressions. In a recent episode Herman is sitting at the kitchen table as his wife, still wearing her winter coat and hat, begins to unpack her grocery bag. As a few items are sitting on the tabletop, she holds up one item she just pulled out of her grocery bag. While doing so, holding it up, she says, “I don’t know what this is, but it’s new and improved, so it must be good!”

Application: When we offer our testimony regarding Jesus, we know why his message is new and improved.

***** 

Justice
President Trump recently retweeted three videos he received of Muslims violently attacking those who were not of the Islamic faith. The videos had been posted by Jayda Fransen, the deputy director of Britain First. The organization is a British anti-Islamic radical group that is known to publish inflammatory and false propaganda. Fransen has been arrested for religiously aggravated harassment. Trump never authenticated the accuracy of the tapes before he retweeted them. Trump’s video tweets were shared more than 10,000 times, and because of this Brittan First picked up thousands of followers in the first hours after Trump’s involvement. For his actions, Trump received national and international condemnation. British Prime Minister Theresa May’s office said it “was wrong for the president to have done this.” Her office went on to say that Trump supported a group that uses “hateful narratives which peddle lies and stoke tensions.” A former Ku Klux Klan leader praised Trump, tweeting that the president was being “condemned for showing us what the fake news media WON’T. Thank God for Trump! That’s why we love him!” Because the accuracy of the videos was never validated, White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders had to justify the president’s retweets. Sanders said, “Whether it’s a real video, the threat is real and that is what the president is talking about.”

Application: We cannot allow our prejudices and biases to blind us form what is just and true.

***** 

Justice
Larry Nassar, 54, received a 60-year prison sentence this week for sexual abuse and possessing more than 37,000 images of child pornography. Nassar had been a sports physician at Michigan State University and for USA Gymnastics. As Nassar treated adolescent girls for sport-related injuries, he also sexually assaulted them. Many of the girls knew they had been violated. Some were too afraid to speak out. Others thought they had to endure this if they wanted to be a gymnastic star. In his closing argument, assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Lewis said that Nassar “has lived a double life. On the surface he was a respected, world-renowned expert for elite athletes. He was a medical doctor, a husband, and a father. But underneath this veneer lurked a predator.”

Application: As Christians, we are to be spokespersons for justice and defenders of individuals against predators.

***** 

Justice
Sen. Al Franken (D-Minnesota) gave a speech on the Senate floor on December 7 stating that he was resigning from his office amidst accusations of sexual harassment. Franken was yielding to cries from fellow Democratic senators. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-New York) told reporters at a news conference: “We need to draw a line in the sand and say none of it is okay, none of it is acceptable.” Franken in his speech said: “Minnesotans deserve a senator who can focus all her energy on addressing the challenges they face every day.” But it was a defiant floor speech, as Franken said: “There is some irony in the fact that I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office, and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate with the full support of his party.”

Application: Justice demands that we draw a line in the sand, but it is a line that judges everyone without exception.

***** 

Proclamation
Pope Francis recently visited Myanmar, in what is generally considered to be the most politically difficult foreign visit of his papacy. In Myanmar, the minority Islamic community in the state of Rohingya is being persecuted by the Buddhist majority. The Muslims have been stripped of their citizenship, denying them government services and the ability to travel freely about the country. Many Muslims have fled the country and are now refugees. “Rohingya” is a volatile word in the predominantly Buddhist country. The pope was cautioned not to use the word in speeches while in the country, out of fear that doing so would incite violence against the Muslims and also cause a backlash of persecution on the small population of Roman Catholics who reside in the country. The pope agreed to refrain from using the word, only to receive international criticism for doing so. Instead he publicly spoke in general terms about human dignity and human rights. But on his flight back to the Vatican, Francis felt the need to defend his silence in public for not mentioning Rohingya by name. He said that if he had, the public denunciation would have “slammed the door in the face” of his hosts and prevented his message from being heard. The pope went on to say that in a private meeting with the country’s president Aung San Suu Kyi, who is opposed to the program of genocide, and Myanmar’s powerful military chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who is instituting the genocide program, he expressed his feelings very strongly. The pope said in that meeting “I didn’t negotiate the truth.” Francis went on to say: “It was a good meeting. Civilized. And even there, the message arrived.”

Application: When we proclaim the biblical message, we must always find the proper way for the message to arrive.

***** 

Humility
Muslims in Myanmar are being persecuted by the Buddhist majority. The Muslims have been stripped of their citizenship. The United Nations has called this persecution a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. As a result of this program of genocide, 620,000 Muslims have fled Myanmar and are now refugees in Bangladesh. After Pope Francis made his state visit to Myanmar, he visited the refugees in Bangladesh. During that visit the Pope said he became angry because it appeared that the organizers were going to remove the refugees from his presence once the media was through. The pope realized that the people needed to hear something from him directly, so Francis asked for a microphone and spoke for his heart. Answering reporters’ questions aboard his flight back to the Vatican, Francis said: “What did I feel? In that moment I cried. I tried not to show it.” Then the pope added, “They wept too.”

Application: All of us should have enough humility to relate to and associate ourselves with those in need.

***** 

Testifying
The animated motion picture The Star has been in the top ten at the box office since it opened on the weekend before Thanksgiving. The movie recounts the birth narrative of Jesus through the eyes of the animals who were present during all of the events. The movie features the voice talents of a number of celebrities. Steven Yeun is the voice of Mary’s and Joseph’s donkey. The dove is voiced by Keegan-Michael Key. The voices of the wise men’s three camels are provided by Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, and Tracy Morgan. Actress Kristin Chenoweth is the voice of the mouse. To understand why the producers wanted to tell the story through the perspective of animals, Chenoweth said she had to only turn to her own dog Thunder. She said that Thunder “knows what kind of day I’m having, right? He knows if it’s a good day or a bad day, and those animals did too.” Chenoweth said she knows that there was no mouse in the biblical account, but there is always a mouse running around somewhere unseen. In the movie the mouse overhears the angel’s announcement to Mary, and rushes to tell all of the animals she meets. In relating the reason she accepted the role, Chenoweth said: “When I heard the story, what it was, this is what I believe. I do believe in the birth of Christ and who he was when he walked the earth, so, yeah, this is something that is easy for me to do.”

Application: We are to use our talents to testify this Christmas season of what Jesus means to us.

***** 

Testifying
The animated motion picture The Star has been in the top ten at the box office since it opened on the weekend before Thanksgiving. The movie recounts the birth narrative of Jesus through the eyes of the animals who were present during all of the events. The movie features the voice talents of a number of celebrities. Steven Yeun is the voice of Mary’s and Joseph’s donkey. The dove is voiced by Keegan-Michael Key. The voices of the wise men’s three camels are provided by Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, and Tracy Morgan. Kristin Chenoweth is the voice of the mouse. Chenoweth said she knows that there was no mouse in the biblical account, but there is always a mouse running around somewhere unseen. The film’s director, Tim Reckart, realizes that the Bible doesn’t give many details about the animals who were present during the birth narrative. But Rickart gave this explanation for doing the movie: “Doing this from a fresh perspective, I think, makes it new for everybody and can call our attention to really the craziness of all this -- that God chose to come, the king of the universe, born to peasants, born among the animals.”

Application: We should always be seeking new and creative ways to share the Christmas message.

***** 

Justice
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has banned the Russian federation from participating in the Winter Olympics to be held this February in South Korea. The ban from the Pyeongchang games came as punishment for the Russian government, which was overtly but secretly involved in doping of its athletes. The World Anti-Doping Agency has concluded that the Russian government participated in using performance-enhancing drugs on more than 1,000 Russian athletes in more than 30 sports. The Russian flag and anthem will not be permitted at the Pyeongchang games. Russian athletes who are free of drugs will be able to participate under the designation of an “Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR).” If an OAR athlete wins a competition, the Olympic anthem will be played. IOC President Thomas Bach said that the Russian doping system is “an unprecedented attack on the integrity of the Olympic games and sports.” Samuel Schmid, the former president of Switzerland who led the Russian investigation, said the report confirmed “the systematic manipulation of the anti-doping rules and system in Russia.”

Application: The application of justice calls for judgment and punishment.

***** 

Justice
Former Minnesota governor and professional wrestler Jesse Ventura won his defamation lawsuit against Chris Kyle, the late author of the book American Sniper. Ventura referred to Kyle as the “American Liar.” Kyle, a former SEAL, is regarded as the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history with 160 confirmed kills. Kyle was killed by a troubled veteran in 2013. Ventura sued Kyle, and after his death Kyle’s estate, after an incident at a wake for a fallen SEAL. Ventura was a former Underwater Demolition Team/SEAL member. Kyle, in his book, recounted that at the wake he punched a man nicknamed “Scruff Face” for saying that SEALs “deserve to lose a few” in Iraq. Kyle later said he was referring to Ventura. Jesse Ventura won his lawsuit because he could prove that the incident never happened. Ventura would not disclose the amount of the settlement, but did say that none of the money was taken from Kyle’s widow. In discussing the verdict, Ventura said: “This was fake news, people. And this was fake news at its finest. Because the whole thing is fake.”

Application: We must always be diligent in our pursuit of justice.

***** 

Humility
In a Peanuts comic, Snoopy and his best friend Woodstock, a tiny yellow bird, are parading in their backyard. Snoopy is wearing a football helmet and Woodstock is carrying a sign that reads “WE’RE NUMBER ONE!” They are proud as they walk upright and smug. But then in the last frame, Snoopy, with a shy look on his face, says, “In this corner of the back yard, that is.”

Application: Humility calls us to temper our self-understanding.

 

WORSHIP RESOURCES
by Chris Keating

Call to Worship
One: Rejoice greatly in the Lord! Exult in God with your whole being!
All: God has clothed us with the garments of salvation. The robe of God’s grace has been placed on us.
One: As the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
All: So the Lord our God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all nations.

OR

One: Listen for Mary’s song, and rejoice in God’s promised salvation!
All: Our spirits rejoice in God our Savior!
One: Mary sings of the new life which stirs inside of her!
All: Our spirits rejoice in God our Savior!
One: For God has brought down the mighty, and filled the hungry with good things.
All: Our spirits rejoice in God our Savior!
One: God has remembered us, according to all that God has promised. Let us raise our voices in praise and worship!

Hymn Suggestions
“Arise, Your Light Is Come”
“Live Into Hope” (words by Jane Parker Huber; sung to “Truro”)
“I’ll Praise My Maker”
“O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing”
“Longing for Light, We Wait in Darkness” (“Christ, Be our Light!”)
“On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry”
”Wild and Lone the Prophet’s Voice”
“My Soul Cries Out with a Joyful Shout” (“Canticle of the Turning”)
“Holy Is Your Name” (David Haas; sung to “Wild Mountain Thyme”)         
“Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”
“Let All Mortal Flesh Be Silent”
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
“Wait for the Lord” (Taizé)

Prayer of the Day
God of light and laughter, you have filled our lives with song, so that we are like those who dream. Give to us expectant hearts, that we await your coming to us. Help us to live into the vision of your Advent, rejoicing in your promised grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayer of Confession
Your mercy is upon all generations, O God, and you have looked upon us with your favor. Forgive us when we have allowed the lights of the season to obscure the light of your coming to us. We have not always rejoiced in your promises. At times we have allowed the hungry to go away empty, and worshiped the empty promises of the mighty and powerful. Yet the promise of your love remains. You are coming to us, and shall forgive our sin. Hear our prayers in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Advent Candle-Lighting Liturgy
The following liturgy may be used if your congregation’s hymnal includes “Christ, Be our Light” (words and music by Bernadette Farrell).

(As the candles are lit, “Christ, Be our Light” is played in softly in the background.)
Reader: Today, we light the candles of hope, peace, and joy. We rejoice that God’s promised light is coming to us. It is a light which will shine on all people.

(The congregation can either respond by singing the refrain from “Christ, Be our Light,” or with the following response. If it is sung, the liturgist may use the following response as a brief prayer.)
Congregation: Christ’s light shines on us, filling our lives with mercy, according to the promise God made to our ancestors.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
We lift up our voices in praise and thanks to you, loving God, for you have remembered the promises you made to your people. You have heard the cries of those who have sown tears, and have remembered the anguish of those in pain. We give thanks to you for all of your love, and for the promised coming of Jesus Christ our Savior, whose grace breaks forth like a shoot pushing against the hardened soil of winter. Truly, O God, you have shown us mercy and have blessed our lives with abundance.

You have promised to fill the hungry with good things, and so we remember our neighbors in need. Teach us to be faithful in sharing what we have. Remind us of your promises to the poor, the needy, and those humble in heart. Lead us to share not only the light of Christ, but also the good things you have given to us.

We pray without ceasing for those who are ill (here names of those known to the congregation may be mentioned); for those with anxiety and depression, who experience this season differently; for the leaders of our world, that they may be responsive to your wisdom; and for children who are alone, abused, and needing your protection.

Bring us peace, O God, and teach us what it means to wait for you with expectant and open hearts. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

CHILDREN’S SERMON
by Chris Keating
John 1:6-8, 19-28

Gather ahead of time: You may wish to grab a strand of Christmas lights to use as part of the conversation. (An alternative would be to gather some photos of Christmas light displays from the internet or from homes in your neighborhood.) You may also want to do an internet search for various facts about Christmas lights.

As the children gather, remind them that today is the Third Sunday of Advent, which is more formally known as “Gaudete Sunday.” Gaudete is the Latin word for “rejoice.” The origins of Advent included a time of 40 days of fasting and reflection. Gaudete Sunday provided a respite from the season’s somber preparation for Jesus’ coming, offering the church a day to celebrate the joy associated with the promise of God’s redemption. It is the day when the Advent wreath’s pink candle is lit, and a day when we recall Mary’s song of joy. Themes of joy abound throughout today’s readings.

It is also the time of year when the nights are longer, especially as we get closer to the winter solstice on December 21. As we get closer to shortest period of daylight all year, it’s appropriate to reflect on the images of light offered in the gospel lesson.

This is the time of year when many people set up elaborate displays of Christmas lights. Have some fun and look up some facts about Christmas lights:
* Before there was electricity, people used candles to light trees and decorate their homes.
* Some say that Martin Luther became so entranced by starlight falling on a forest of evergreen trees that he brought a tree into his home and tied candles to its branches.
* Candles were used to signify the coming of the light of Jesus, according to one group that calls itself The Golden Glow of Christmas. Of course, candles on trees were not always a good idea!
* Electric Christmas tree lights were introduced in 1882 by Edward Johnson, who was Thomas Edison’s friend and partner.
* President Grover Cleveland was the first president to use electric Christmas tree lights in the White House.
* Over 150 million lights are sold in the United States every year!
* Every year since 1920, the residents of a street in Altadena, California have put lights on cedar trees lining their street. They claim it is the oldest Christmas Tree Lane in the United States.

Christmas lights are fun! But the light God was sending into the world was even brighter. Remind the children that John’s gospel speaks of Jesus as the light of the world, and that the light of God shined in Jesus’ life. Today’s reading speaks of John the Baptist coming as a messenger who told others to look for the light. He was like a person holding a flashlight, telling others where they could find God. The duties of a messenger may sound exciting to children -- perhaps students in their school act as messengers for the office or for other teachers. Ask them to wonder with you what is involved in being a messenger.

John was not the light of the world, but he came to point the way to Jesus, and to help people to prepare for his arrival. That is a good reason for us to rejoice today, and a reminder that we are called to be like John -- messengers who tell others about the real Christmas light!

 

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The Immediate Word, December 17, 2017, issue.

Copyright 2017 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.

All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.