Christmas 2B
image: “Shekhina 93-4” by Leonard Nimoy (courtesy of www.RMichelson.com -- courtesy R. Michelson, Vanderbilt Divinity Library) NOTES: When approaching this text, one is immediately struck by the similarity between the Divine “personification” of “Wisdom” in the book of Sirach and the Divine “personification” of the “Word” or “Logos” in the Gospel of John: "I came forth from the mouth of the Most High” (Sirach 24.3). Here, Divine Wisdom is also reminiscent and perhaps a figure which is a derivative of or correlative with the “Shekhina.” In his book entitled Shekhina, Leonard Nimoy offers a compelling and inspirational photographic study of the feminine Divine. Inspired by his upbringing in the Orthodox Jewish Tradition, he has devoted much of his creative and intellectual energy to exploring this figure. “A feminine word in Hebrew,” reports Nimoy, “Shekhina is the Talmudic term for the visible and audible manifestations of the Deity's presence on Earth.” He speculates that “Over time, Shekhina came to represent much more — a softer, empathetic feminine counterpart to God who could argue for humanity's sake, comfort the poor and sick, and stand as the mother of Israel.” -- Chance Dillon
412: January 3, 2020
Ephesians 1:3-14, Mason Parks
PSALM 147, RICHARD BRUXVOORT COLLIGAN
252: December 31, 2017
Galatians 4:4-7, Cheryl Kerr
Featured Musician:Christopher Grundy
“Happy New Year” from his album Here In Providence
PSALM 148, RICHARD BRUXVOORT COLLIGAN
95: December 28, 2014
Featured Musician: Jennifer Knapp and Margaret Becker
“Coventry Carol” from their album Hymns of Christmas
Exegetical Notes
John 1:1-18
Initial Thoughts
“The Gospel of John opens with one of the most challenging texts in the New Testament.” (Gail O’Day,New Interpreter’s Bible, v. IX, p. 516)
Just look at a few different versions of the Bible, and note the footnotes. There are a lot of “Or this could mean…” footnotes.
Poetry - not easy to interpret. Open to many different ways to understand
Poetry is the language of Creation.
Many themes that are important in the rest of the gospel are found in the prologue
Interplay of God and Light
Rejection of Jesus by the people (Jews vs Judeans)
Incarnation - close relationship between Jesus and God (Father)
Bible Study
Overall movement of “The Prologue”
v. 1-5 God, the Word, and Light.
v. 6-8 God, John, and Light.
v. 9-13 Light, the World, God’s people, God’s new people.
v. 14-18 The Word, the flesh, God’s new people.
God, the Word, Light enjoy a close intimacy
The relationship between God, The Word, and The Light is a poetic relationship that is difficult to sort out.
“In the beginning” is direct parallel to Genesis and the creation, which occurs by God speaking, and first bringing light.
V. 3 and 4 has very subtle translation issue “from ancient times readers have been unsure how to divide these two verses.”
“All people, whether they believe it or not, live in a world illuminated by the light just as they live in a world created by the Word. What they are called to do is to trust the light, to walk in it, and thereby become children of light” (Texts for Preaching, Year A, p. 80)
John is not the Light
Knowledge of John’s ministry and life is a given to the author.
John’s only role is to point to Jesus.
John is further subordinated by this gospel.
John does not baptize Jesus, but merely sees “The Holy Spirit coming down from heaven like a dove, and it rested on him” (John 1:31).
Something new, and yet eternal, is happening
Johannine community is claiming Jewish roots, but clearly the separation from the Synagogue is complete.
Much of the polemic in the rest of the Gospel of John is rooted in v. 11. “God’s own people didn’t welcome him”
The rejection of Jesus by “The Jews” is seen as the primary tragedy of human creation.
Historically, this has become the source of much evil.
Rejection by “God’s people” forces a redefining of who God’s people are.
No longer birthright, or by Covenant with the Law, but by belief in The Word.
Following “The Word,” or seeing “The Light” is prerequisite to seeing God.
Adoption as God’s people only happens by seeing God through Jesus.
The Word is made flesh - The Incarnation
v. 14 “The Word became flesh and made his home among us.”
‘made his home’ = ‘pitched his tent’
Reminiscent of God in Exodus, residing in the Tabernacle.
Implies deep intimacy, not just a passerby or temporary guest.
At the same time, something different, and not fully native.
v. 18 “God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side.”
Reminiscent of the seating at the Passover (13:23) “One of his disciples, the one who Jesus loved, was at Jesus’ side.”
Jesus is flesh - not a gnostic rejection of flesh and the material world.
Thoughts and Questions
We are invited into God’s eternal activity. Becoming adopted by God is not initiation into a club. It is joining in God’s eternal work to redeem Creation.
On this, the day we commemorate the day that the Word was made flesh, what can be made new? How can we participate in the ongoing work of creation? How are we being created, even now?
What does it mean to welcome God (v. 12)?
How has the Word made its home among us? Where is the Incarnation today? It is in a manger in a stable, among shepherds. It is in a small village, with strange foreigners bearing gifts, amidst the tyranny of a jealous king. What other strange yet ordinary place is the Word made flesh?
Jeremiah 31:7-14
Initial Thoughts
Difficult text for second Sunday of Christmas. It still feels like an Advent text: “God has saved, God will save.”
But maybe that’s the point of Christmas - we’re always living in Advent: “God has saved. God will save.”
Bible Study
Chapters 30-33 - Book of Comfort
Unlike the oracles of judgement which dominate much of Jeremiah, these chapters focus on the reversal and restoration of good fortune, status and blessing.
Whether this was written during the fall of Jerusalem (~587 BCE) or is an exilic redaction is debated among scholars, but there is a definite tone shift in these chapters. McCann, WorkingPreacher.org
Judgment?
“In short, what God wills for God’s people is life, including what is always necessary for human life. God desires for the people a place to live securely (thus the theme of homecoming in 31:8-10), and resources for daily sustenance (thus the themes of restoration and goodness in 31:11-12, 14). And life as God intends it should be received with joyful praise (31:7, 13).” McCann
v. 7 Invitation by God
God invites worship in response to what God has done. Our role:
Sing
Shout
Raise your voice
Call out
“Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary use words,” Quote of St. Francis (although probably not historical). Here, God is making it pretty clear that words are necessary.
v. 8 Specific inclusion and focus on the vulnerable
Those who might be discarded or left behind are specifically mentioned as being included in God’s plan of restoration
“We may pity, ignore, or build satisfying lives of service among the disenfranchised, but to imagine that God calls them may be a stretch. God calls them. What must change to hear and honor such a call?” G. Malcolm Sinclair, Feasting on the Word: Year B, Volume 1: Advent through Transfiguration.
10-14 God turns toward “The Nations”
“The speech of God puts the nations on notice”
End of exploitation and dehumanization.
All of Creation will flourish because of this
Restored community
“Social life will resume. Young people can have their loud, boisterous parties. No one will mind; older people will join in, because such noise is a song of confidence, stability, freedom, and well-being” (Brueggemann, p. 80)
Repeating Pattern. God will Gather, Bring, Comfort. People will Shout, Praise, Dance.
God - bring back
God - Gather them
People - Will come with joy
God - Bring back
God - Renew relationship
People - Listen and announce God’s word (again, use words)
God - Gather and keep (like a shepherd)
God - Rescue and deliver
People - Come and shout for joy
People - Dance (women, men, young and old)
God - Comfort
God - Give good gifts
“Our capacity to make this text available depends on two daring connections:
The deadliness of exile is the context into which Jesus is born and in which Christmas is celebrated. Christmas is an act against exile.
The deadliness of exile continues to be a metaphor through which to understand our own social, cultural situation of defeat, dehumanization, and despair.” (Walter Brueggemann, Texts for Preaching, Year B, p 79)
If you read a little more:
Next passage, verse 15 is “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and wailing. It’s Rachel crying for her children; she refuses to be consoled, because her children are no more.”
Quoted in Matthew in response to Herod’s proclamation of the death of innocents.
Thoughts and Questions
Most of Jeremiah is “doom and gloom” - but this is a breath of hope and a vision of God’s ultimate plan. Judgment is a means toward a better end - repentance on the way to reconciliation. Are we willing to participate in God’s grand plan of redemption, reversal, return? Like our return to the church buildings - it will be different - there will be new faces (cf. 31:8) and it will be different- this is not a return to the same old story- this is new - are we ready for a new return?
“This oracle breaks the dread of exile. Exiles are those who live in resignation, believing no newness is possible. That gripping hopelessness is not explained by the psychology of modernity, but is a deep theological crisis. The only ground for newness is God. Here God speaks unambiguously, against all our presumed death. It is by the power and faithfulness of God that life begins again.” (Brueggemann, p. 80)
Ephesians 1:3-14
Bible Study
Encouragement to the Church
God’s actions - the faithful respond to what God has done and is doing, not in hopes of what God will do (earning grace or blessing)
Baptismal Focus (and argument for baptizing children) - Baptism is the church's recognition of God prevenient grace - which an infant has done nothing to earn and which does not reflect on the infant’s action but is unconditionally offered to the infant nevertheless
A reminder that we are wholly, truly and completely loved- Not just individually but corporately as well- the language of this passage is plural, “we”, “us”, plural “you”
Prevenient Grace
Grace that precedes or comes before
Jacobus Arminius (1560 – 1609): “Concerning grace and free will, this is what I teach according to the Scriptures and orthodox consent: Free will is unable to begin or to perfect any true and spiritual good, without grace.... This grace [prævenit] goes before, accompanies, and follows; it excites, assists, operates that we will, and co operates lest we will in vain.”
John Wesley, According to the UMC, “Wesley understood grace as God’s active presence in our lives. This presence is not dependent on human actions or human response. It is a gift — a gift that is always available, but that can be refused. God’s grace stirs up within us a desire to know God and empowers us to respond to God’s invitation to be in relationship with God. God’s grace enables us to discern differences between good and evil and makes it possible for us to choose good…. God takes the initiative in relating to humanity. We do not have to beg and plead for God’s love and grace. God actively seeks us!”
“The new exodus is made possible by the cross where Christ’s blood (i.e., his life given gladly in obedience to the Father’s will, as Heb. 10:5–10 shows) was offered. The immediate benefit is forgiveness of sins, with the promise that, since the burden of the past is removed, a new start to life is begun.” Ralph Martin, Interpretation: Ephesians, Colossians & Philemon.
Election/Predestination (George Straup, Feasting on the Word – Year B, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season After Pentecost)
Election is about the wonder of God’s grace not about the scope of God’s grace
Election focuses on the benevolent and extravagant grace of God which is fully and freely given
Affirms the grace of God is beyond our wildest imagination or understanding
God’s will is sovereign, grace is given because God chooses not in response to what we have done. God cannot control how we respond to grace
God’s grace, for Christians, should be seen through the lens of Jesus Christ. Christ is our guide in response to grace
Election is not a right but a gift from God as all faith is a gift from God
Election does not make Christian special, but assigns to them a special responsibility, “when God calls someone, God calls that person to come and die” (Straup)
“Election is intimately connected to adoption (v. 5), and both designs are expressions of his love. His intention is that there should be many sons and daughters in his family, all of whom share the likeness of the elder brother.” Ralph Martin, Interpretation: Ephesians, Colossians & Philemon.
Thoughts and Questions
Radical notion that our worth is not determined by our actions or reaction, but is predetermined by God’s grace before we even have full conscious thought.
How does the notion of God’s prevenient grace affect how we treat ourselves? Others? And how we respond to God?
Election is not about who is in and who it our, but about the grace of God which is given to some (or all-for it is not for us to know). How do we respond to God’s grace when we do not know who has or has not been elected? If even asking that question a faithful question o
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND GET IN TOUCH:
Thanks to our Psalms correspondent, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com,@pomopsalmist). Thank you to Scott Fletcher for our voice bumpers, Dick Dale and the Del Tones for our Theme music (“Miserlou”), Nicolai Heidlas (“Sunday Morning”,"Real Ride"and“Summertime”), Paul and Storm (“Oh No”) and Bryan Odeen for our closing music.