14-15
Dec 2019, Christ Mountain Top
Dec 2019, Christ Mountain Top
Praying
the Scripture, Psalm 146
the Scripture, Psalm 146
Advent
Wreath, from Isaiah 35.1-10
Wreath, from Isaiah 35.1-10
used at 6 pm for praying the Scripture
Children,
Matthew 11.2-11 (Jesus and John)
Matthew 11.2-11 (Jesus and John)
Message,
Luke 1.46-56 (Magnificat)
Luke 1.46-56 (Magnificat)
Today,
as we continue to work our way through the 300th anniversary of “Joy
to the World,” we celebrate joy as we come to this third verse:
as we continue to work our way through the 300th anniversary of “Joy
to the World,” we celebrate joy as we come to this third verse:
No
more let sins and sorrows grow,
more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor
thorns infest the ground;
thorns infest the ground;
he
comes to make his blessings flow
comes to make his blessings flow
far
as the curse is found,
as the curse is found,
far
as the curse is found,
as the curse is found,
far
as, far as the curse is found.
as, far as the curse is found.
This
third verse is not always printed in North America. We use a different tune
than is typically used in Europe, that gives us an upbeat repetition of the
last line of each verse. “Far as, far as the curse is found.” Woo-hoo! What?! But
as people of God, we celebrate Joy in the context of Curse.
third verse is not always printed in North America. We use a different tune
than is typically used in Europe, that gives us an upbeat repetition of the
last line of each verse. “Far as, far as the curse is found.” Woo-hoo! What?! But
as people of God, we celebrate Joy in the context of Curse.
Ever
felt cursed? No matter how hard you work or how effective you are, you get laid
off. No matter how thoughtful and loving you are, you end up divorced. No
matter how faithful you are to the process you are given, no matter your
perfect attendance, no matter the extra credit, you get a failing grade. “Bad
things come in threes…. And I’m on my third set of threes.” (Actually, I don’t
believe bad things come in threes. But if you wait long enough, anything comes
in threes.) Nevertheless, there are some folks for whom the saying seems true:
“If it weren’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all.” Sometimes it
seems that there really is something wrong with the world, because it can’t be
all us, right! Surely it’s not all our fault!
felt cursed? No matter how hard you work or how effective you are, you get laid
off. No matter how thoughtful and loving you are, you end up divorced. No
matter how faithful you are to the process you are given, no matter your
perfect attendance, no matter the extra credit, you get a failing grade. “Bad
things come in threes…. And I’m on my third set of threes.” (Actually, I don’t
believe bad things come in threes. But if you wait long enough, anything comes
in threes.) Nevertheless, there are some folks for whom the saying seems true:
“If it weren’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all.” Sometimes it
seems that there really is something wrong with the world, because it can’t be
all us, right! Surely it’s not all our fault!
This
third verse of the carol is unlike the rest of it. The carol is an adaptation
of the second half of Psalm 98, but this verse extrapolates, connecting the
themes of the psalm with the story of Genesis and the story of Jesus:
third verse of the carol is unlike the rest of it. The carol is an adaptation
of the second half of Psalm 98, but this verse extrapolates, connecting the
themes of the psalm with the story of Genesis and the story of Jesus:
Cursed
is the ground because of you;
is the ground because of you;
in
toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
thorns
and thistles it shall bring forth for you….
and thistles it shall bring forth for you….
By the sweat of your face
you
shall eat bread
shall eat bread
until
you return to the ground,
you return to the ground,
for
out of it you were taken;
out of it you were taken;
you
are dust,
are dust,
and
to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3.17-19)
to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3.17-19)
So,
yeah, you’re cursed. I’m cursed. The whole earth is cursed. Yet, “he comes
to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found.”
yeah, you’re cursed. I’m cursed. The whole earth is cursed. Yet, “he comes
to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found.”
Did
you know? A science expedition:
you know? A science expedition:
Mechanically
speaking, our eyes see everything upside down. That’s because the process of
refraction through a convex lens causes the image to be flipped, so when the
image hits your retina, it’s completely inverted. …
speaking, our eyes see everything upside down. That’s because the process of
refraction through a convex lens causes the image to be flipped, so when the
image hits your retina, it’s completely inverted. …
So
why doesn’t the world look upside down to us? The answer lies in the power of
the brain to adapt the sensory information it receives and make it fit with
what it already knows. Essentially, your brain takes the raw, inverted data and
turns it into a coherent, right-side-up image. …
why doesn’t the world look upside down to us? The answer lies in the power of
the brain to adapt the sensory information it receives and make it fit with
what it already knows. Essentially, your brain takes the raw, inverted data and
turns it into a coherent, right-side-up image. …
In
the 1890s, psychologist George Stratton carried out a series of experiments to
test the mind’s ability to normalize sensory data. In one experiment he wore a
set of reversing glasses that flipped his vision upside down for eight days.
For the first four days of the experiment, his vision remained inverted, but by
day five, it had spontaneously turned right side up, as his perception had
adapted to the new information.
the 1890s, psychologist George Stratton carried out a series of experiments to
test the mind’s ability to normalize sensory data. In one experiment he wore a
set of reversing glasses that flipped his vision upside down for eight days.
For the first four days of the experiment, his vision remained inverted, but by
day five, it had spontaneously turned right side up, as his perception had
adapted to the new information.
You’re
cursed. I’m cursed. The whole earth is cursed. The problem is that we have
gotten so used to it that it appears to be right-side up. We have, in the words
of that science experiment, “normalized” the data. But the world is not right
side up. The world is not normal, at least not in terms of lining up with the
heart of God. So the prophets and the poets of Scripture turn it all upside
down when they talk about the intentions of God, the kingdom, the gospel.
cursed. I’m cursed. The whole earth is cursed. The problem is that we have
gotten so used to it that it appears to be right-side up. We have, in the words
of that science experiment, “normalized” the data. But the world is not right
side up. The world is not normal, at least not in terms of lining up with the
heart of God. So the prophets and the poets of Scripture turn it all upside
down when they talk about the intentions of God, the kingdom, the gospel.
The
wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
the
desert shall rejoice and blossom;
desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like
the crocus
the crocus
it
shall blossom abundantly,
shall blossom abundantly,
and
rejoice with joy and singing….
rejoice with joy and singing….
Strengthen
the weak hands,
the weak hands,
and
make firm the feeble knees….
make firm the feeble knees….
Then
the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and
the ears of the deaf unstopped;
the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then
the lame shall leap like a deer,
the lame shall leap like a deer,
and
the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For
waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and
streams in the desert.
streams in the desert.
From Isaiah 35.1-10
Happy
are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose
hope is in the LORD their God…
hope is in the LORD their God…
who
keeps faith forever;
keeps faith forever;
who
executes justice for the oppressed;
executes justice for the oppressed;
who
gives food to the hungry.
gives food to the hungry.
The
LORD sets the prisoners free;
LORD sets the prisoners free;
the
LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The
LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
the
LORD loves the righteous.
LORD loves the righteous.
The
LORD watches over the strangers;
LORD watches over the strangers;
he
upholds the orphan and the widow.
upholds the orphan and the widow.
From Psalm 146
He
has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and
lifted up the lowly;
lifted up the lowly;
he
has filled the hungry with good things,
has filled the hungry with good things,
and
sent the rich away empty.
sent the rich away empty.
Luke 1.52-53
That
is not turning the world upside down. That’s turning it right side up. That’s
blessing flowing as far as the curse is found. Or, in the words of Isaiah 35
from one translation:
is not turning the world upside down. That’s turning it right side up. That’s
blessing flowing as far as the curse is found. Or, in the words of Isaiah 35
from one translation:
And
everlasting joy shall be on their
head;
everlasting joy shall be on their
head;
joy
and gladness shall overtake them,
and gladness shall overtake them,
and
sorrow and sighing shall flee. [1]
sorrow and sighing shall flee. [1]
I
ran cross country in high school and was never fast. But I hated to have
someone overtake me in a race. But in the prophetic imagination, it is joy and
gladness that overtakes us. We’re running our race, trying to deal with our
stuff, hoping tomorrow might be a little better than today, or perhaps not
hoping at all. Suddenly, bearing down on us are joy and gladness in tandem. We
can’t outrun them. We look around and discover that sorrow and sighing, who
have accompanied us all along, have abandoned the race, unable to deal with
this new competition. “He comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is
found.”
ran cross country in high school and was never fast. But I hated to have
someone overtake me in a race. But in the prophetic imagination, it is joy and
gladness that overtakes us. We’re running our race, trying to deal with our
stuff, hoping tomorrow might be a little better than today, or perhaps not
hoping at all. Suddenly, bearing down on us are joy and gladness in tandem. We
can’t outrun them. We look around and discover that sorrow and sighing, who
have accompanied us all along, have abandoned the race, unable to deal with
this new competition. “He comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is
found.”
This
week, Joe Tweedle stopped by the church offices. He began the conversation,
“You know, JP, I don’t know what’s wrong with this country.” “Uh oh,” I
thought. “Here we go with politics.” But no. He said nothing about what is
going on in Washington or Harrisburg. But yes. He talked about kingdom of God
values: “No one in this country should go hungry. No one in this country should
sleep on the sidewalk.”
week, Joe Tweedle stopped by the church offices. He began the conversation,
“You know, JP, I don’t know what’s wrong with this country.” “Uh oh,” I
thought. “Here we go with politics.” But no. He said nothing about what is
going on in Washington or Harrisburg. But yes. He talked about kingdom of God
values: “No one in this country should go hungry. No one in this country should
sleep on the sidewalk.”
Then, he told a story of his Christmas in
Korea during the conflict, the “saddest day of my life.” They were at the front.
And there was nothing special to eat. Their captain, who had received a
battlefield commission during World War II and remembered what it was like to
be an enlisted man, stopped in to encourage the troops. He discovered the
meager rations and called upon one of Joe’s buddies to go on a mission with
him. They got in a big truck and disappeared. Hours later, they were back with
a truck load of hams and turkeys, bourbon and beer. It had been liberated from supplies
for an officers’ party in Seoul. Joe’s unit was overtaken by joy and gladness
in the saddest day of his life. And, you know, there were a few folks back in
Seoul who were not happy.
Korea during the conflict, the “saddest day of my life.” They were at the front.
And there was nothing special to eat. Their captain, who had received a
battlefield commission during World War II and remembered what it was like to
be an enlisted man, stopped in to encourage the troops. He discovered the
meager rations and called upon one of Joe’s buddies to go on a mission with
him. They got in a big truck and disappeared. Hours later, they were back with
a truck load of hams and turkeys, bourbon and beer. It had been liberated from supplies
for an officers’ party in Seoul. Joe’s unit was overtaken by joy and gladness
in the saddest day of his life. And, you know, there were a few folks back in
Seoul who were not happy.
he
has filled the hungry with good things,
has filled the hungry with good things,
and
sent the rich away empty.
sent the rich away empty.
Just like our response to the gospel. If
the gospel is good news to the poor, if the gospel means that their debt is
canceled and their lands are returned, then that is definitely bad news
for someone else. This is the uncomfortable news of the gospel. And this is why
Jesus says to John’s emissaries: “The blind receive their sight, the lame walk,
the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have
good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me”
(Matthew 11.5-6). “Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
the gospel is good news to the poor, if the gospel means that their debt is
canceled and their lands are returned, then that is definitely bad news
for someone else. This is the uncomfortable news of the gospel. And this is why
Jesus says to John’s emissaries: “The blind receive their sight, the lame walk,
the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have
good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me”
(Matthew 11.5-6). “Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
Walter Brueggemann points out that the
real kicker in Jesus’ description of the activity of the kingdom is that he
puts good news for the poor last. Jesus seems to be working his list to a
climax with “the dead are raised.” What could get better than that? But making
“the poor have good news brought to them” the climax anchors the work of the
kingdom in daily economic realities and in the scandal of grace and election. Brueggemann
calls it “royal confiscation,” Jesus taking from empire and giving to the poor
(Prophetic Imagination: Revised Edition,
p. 107). Because the kingdom of God is for the poor. No wonder that
this conversation of Jesus and John’s disciples concludes with Jesus’ remark, “But
from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is treated
violently, and the violent claim it[2]”
(Matthew 11.12). “Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
real kicker in Jesus’ description of the activity of the kingdom is that he
puts good news for the poor last. Jesus seems to be working his list to a
climax with “the dead are raised.” What could get better than that? But making
“the poor have good news brought to them” the climax anchors the work of the
kingdom in daily economic realities and in the scandal of grace and election. Brueggemann
calls it “royal confiscation,” Jesus taking from empire and giving to the poor
(Prophetic Imagination: Revised Edition,
p. 107). Because the kingdom of God is for the poor. No wonder that
this conversation of Jesus and John’s disciples concludes with Jesus’ remark, “But
from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is treated
violently, and the violent claim it[2]”
(Matthew 11.12). “Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
So, when the people of God give praise,
it is NOT because everything is hunky-dory. We praise God because the total
reversal, the great upheaval, the upside-down world turned right side up by the
gospel, is so delightful, so unexpected, so GOOD. And even now it overtakes us.
it is NOT because everything is hunky-dory. We praise God because the total
reversal, the great upheaval, the upside-down world turned right side up by the
gospel, is so delightful, so unexpected, so GOOD. And even now it overtakes us.
No
more let sins and sorrows grow,
more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor
thorns infest the ground;
thorns infest the ground;
he
comes to make his blessings flow
comes to make his blessings flow
far
as the curse is found,
as the curse is found,
far
as the curse is found,
as the curse is found,
far
as, far as the curse is found.
as, far as the curse is found.
[1]
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer,
J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Is 35:10).
Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer,
J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Is 35:10).
Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[2]
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer,
J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Mt 11:12).
Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer,
J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (Mt 11:12).
Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
