The Rev. Neale L. Miller

Sermon for January 6, 2008

Texts: Isaiah 60:1-6/Matthew 2

Title: “God Draws Straight…”

              While there may exist great divergence of opinion within the major faith traditions of the world regarding the meaning of life and death, and between those faith traditions and the non-believing world regarding the meaning of life and death, that is not the case with three unavoidable facts with which all believers and non-believers must contend: we are born into life, we live life, and we die and depart life. Each human life follows the same trajectory, we are born, we live, and we die.

              As Christian members of the human family, however, we acknowledge another basic fact, and that is that the trajectory of our lives occurs within a context established and maintained by the God who created us.  Because that is the case, the whole character of our lives takes on a special significance that is succinctly summarized in one of the basic affirmations our faith gives us warrant to make, and that is, “in life and in death we belong to God.”  We wholly reject the notion that we somehow arrived here on earth by accident, and that we will likewise leave by accident.   

              We are part of a religious tradition that believes that life is sacred, that is, that the worth of each human life is assigned by God, having nothing to do with racial identity, intelligence quotient, or an individual’s creative potential.  As human beings we have worth in our own right, apart from anything we may achieve with our lives. Furthermore, we believe that the worth of a human being is not extinguished at our last breath but that our being transcends that last breath as we become united with God in eternal life.

              The trajectory of life for the Christian looks distinctly different than the trajectory of life for the non-believer. But let’s step outside the philosophical/theological realms and back into the scriptures to review what that reality looks like for us on the ground.

              It was the trajectory of a star that sent the three wise men in search of the “child who has been born king of the Jews.” The inquiry of the three reached the ears of the reigning king, Herod.  Herod, our lesson informed us, was frightened. Those in power, and those who enjoy privileges bestowed on those in power, never react positively to the news that others could well make claims on the power in their possession. Though the investigation in Pakistan is still underway, we know that Benazir Bhutto’s return from exile enflamed her opponents. Fearing her bid to regain power, her arrival in Pakistan was greeted by a terrorist act that killed over one hundred of her followers, and more recently, of course, Benazir Bhutto herself was assassinated.  Those who crave power will kill to attain or keep it.

              Herod responded no differently to a contemplated threat than those who sat on his seat of power before him. Herod had no inclination to yield power to anyone.  We recall that the first thing he did on hearing of a possible rival was to summon his key advisors, the chief priests and scribes, to ascertain what they knew about the child “born king of the Jews.”  Referencing the holy scriptures, Herod’s advisors, referred to that place in the writings of the prophet Micah where it said the village of Bethlehem would yield a “a ruler to shepherd Israel.”

              Seeking to corroborate what the chief priests and scribes told him, Herod directed the wise men to “go and search diligently for the child.”  His ostensible motive in sending them out was to local the child that he, Herod, might go and worship him.

              Herod, the king, the powerful, was just going about doing what the powerful persons like him have always done. He had designs on eliminating anything, or anyone, who might jeopardize the power to which he clung.

              The trajectory of a star sent the wise men from the east to Herod, their arrival in the king’s courts causing a stir that put Herod on his guard.  Herod had designs on eliminating any possible claimant to his throne.  All he needed to know was where to find this new born rival, but for that he needed the cooperation of the three wise men.

              The trajectory of the star that led them to the newborn’s birthplace in Bethlehem, might very well have led to the death of the newborn had the wise men returned to Herod to report their findings.  The trajectory, however, was altered as the wise men were “warned in a dream not to return to Herod.” Herod’s plot to kill the new born was thwarted, thwarted, but only temporarily.  Herod, you see, had his own trajectory in mind, and that was retaining his hold on power as long as possible.

              It is been proven, and proven again across centuries, that men will do almost anything to maintain power, and that would include the murder of innocent children.  Herod lived by his own interests and trajectory. Herod saw to it that any child born within the time frame identified with the arrival of the child to be born as “king of the Jews,” would be killed.  By his bloody act the innocent were slain, with the parents of the infants suffering unimaginable grief. For all appearances Herod had re-established events on a trajectory of his choosing. His power was secure. 

              But not so fast.  The trajectory of events was once again taken out of Herod’s hands.  God sent one of his angels to warn Joseph of Herod’s plot.  At the angel’s bidding Joseph fled with Mary and the baby Jesus into Egypt.  Safe in Egypt, events were once again following the trajectory of God, particularly when the angel of the Lord reappeared to Joseph, informing him that Herod had died, and that it was time for him to take Mary and the child back to Israel.

              Could the trajectory of events take yet another turn?  In this instance, yes.  Joseph received a report that Herod’s son, Archelaus, was now ruling as his father’s successor.  At the angel’s appearing once again, Joseph was instructed not to return to Judea where his life and the life of his family might be in danger, but to seek sanctuary in the district of Galilee instead.

              The disbelieving cynic will tell you that the trajectory of the world is under no authority other than the human will.  What you and I treat as a divinely inspired record of God’s activity on this earth is viewed by the cynic as fantasy concocted by the primitive mind to write god into a script devoid of any supernatural influence.

              Persons of faith read the scriptures in various ways, some quite literally, others with a willingness to accept that the scriptures emerge from an historical context quite different from the one in which we live today. They accept the fact that errors may have occurred in the transmission of the scriptures.  But on one point all people of faith will insist, and that is that we belong to God in both life and in death.  We believe that God ultimately decides the trajectory of history.  What I, and probably many of you, struggle to understand is why the trajectory of history moves in such inexplicable ways.

              Wise men see a star but instead of giving the star time to arrive at its final destination show up in Jerusalem where King Herod is alerted to their errand.  Herod in turn, reacting to news that a king of the Jews was born, orders the death of all infants two years old or under. 

              The wise men ultimately arrive at Bethlehem, the new king’s birthplace, but are warned in a dream not to divulge their destiny to Herod.  Meanwhile, Joseph moves to Egypt and then, not back to Judea from where he and his family originated, but instead moves to Galilee, each move taken according to the counsel of angels. 

              Reviewing all that, you will agree with me, I think, that God does not conduct his affairs in the most direct or efficient way. Nor does he conduct his affairs in such a way that we would agree that his every move expresses his love for the people he created.  Even as Joseph is warned in a dream to flee to Egypt, perhaps dozens of families raising infant children in Judea got caught in Herod’s murderous clutches.   

             It has been said that, and I may have quoted this saying before; “God draws straight with crooked lines.”  In living we have learned that the trajectory by which God’s holy purposes are fulfilled take us into God-forsaken regions where innocent children are killed, where suffering is commonplace, and doubt feeds on a steady diet of ambiguity.        

             What is YOUR tolerance for crooked lines?  Faith is ever challenged to develop a tolerance for those crooked lines, and we thank God that none of us has to do this on our own. We are surrounded by the saints, both living and dead, who have seen the trajectory of God carry into those God-forsaken places where faith stood against mighty opposition, opposition in persons and circumstances that defy the imagination.

              Faith has stood the test, for we have seen wise men wise enough to heed a God inspired dream.  We have seen the father of a new born wise enough to heed God inspired dreams.  Faith has stood the test, repeatedly stood the test, is standing the test today.

              There is a long record of people for whom faith has stood the test in the most trying circumstances. As we begin this new year your session at its retreat Friday and Saturday reviewed some of the trying circumstances that face our church today.  Though we do not anticipate the plague descending on us, and do not anticipate denominational authorities or the police shutting us down, we shared a concern related to the long range financial solvency of our ministry, and other issues bearing on our church’s future.  While anticipated staff salary support is likely to carry us through this year and next, that substantial source of help will not be available past 2009. We will face pressing financial challenges.

              The leadership of the church recognizes that there are no easy solutions to the issues facing us as we attempt to build back our ministry.  There are numerous programs and consultants available to help churches like ourselves regaining their footing, and we are working with our own consultant at the present time, but fact of the matter is each one of you is the very best resource we have to build this ministry back. 

              In the last days I have heard some of our members stress the need to bring in new members.  Some of these folks suggested possible strategies, programs were suggested, weaknesses in our current approach in outreach were identified.  Not one of those suggestions lacked merit. However useful programs and growth strategies might be, each one of you is best placed to help us achieve the growth we all desire, and for starters that can begin by each of you inviting someone you know to join you in church. You might initiate the invitation by sharing with the person you would invite why your faith is important to you. There are many strategies for growing churches, but no strategy conceived will ever succeed absent people, you and me, who are willing to say, “Join me in worship.”  

              The trajectory of events has brought our church to this place, much like the trajectory brought Joseph, Mary and his beloved son to a small town in Galilee.  God’s will was accomplished as Jesus matured and changed the world.

              Year’s ago in freshman Algebra I was surprised to learn that the answers for each of the problems in the book could be found on the last several pages. Accustomed to doing the basic mathematics, addition, subtraction, and multiplication, I couldn’t get my mind around the fact that the Algebra textbook would contain solutions to all the problems. I soon discovered, however, that the right answers really didn’t mean much if I couldn’t identify the separate steps through which I arrived at the answer. 

              Eternal life with God is the gift that has been promised us ultimately, but the trajectory by which we arrive there is by no means well marked.  God has shared with us the outcome, the final answer, but to us it is left to work the problem, that is at once the frustration of life, as well as the joy of life. AMEN

              PRAYER

              God of grace and goodness, we enter a new year with great expectations for ourselves, our families, our church, and our world, even as conditions in the world today counsel modesty.  Because we have faith in your goodness, we believe that your holy purposes will not be defeated; we cleave to the hope that each new day is filled with great potential. Reveal to us, loving God, what we can do both individually, and as a church, to convert potential into the world you envisioned at creation. Baptized into a community charged to bring peace and light to the world, may the gifts you have conferred on us to achieve those aims be employed as you design.

              Lord, we continue to receive great encouragement from across the church for the efforts we are made in rebuilding our ministry.  We pause to thank you for the many individuals who have lent a hand to those efforts, particularly our friends from the Presbytery of the Palisades who have made numerous trips here. 

Lord, you place dreams and visions on the human heart. A vision exists for what this church might accomplish in ministry, but it has yet to take shape in a way such as to create confidence, energy and enthusiasm for the future.  Be with us, O God, that we might in the days ahead identify the tasks in which you are calling us to engage, and with that clarity grant us faith to allow your Spirit to work through us.  

              Living God, as the primary election season opens we thank you for the persons from both parties who are seeking the office of president. Making great personal sacrifices to enter the race and compete, they are working tirelessly to promote their visions for America.  We are grateful for the dialogue and debate that is fostered in that process, dialogue and debate that challenges all voters to clarify their aspirations for our country.

             We are grateful, O God, that we live in a land where elections do not incite unrest and disorder, and where the transition from one leadership team to another occurs peaceable. May the gift of freedom we are privileged to enjoy, O God, continue to inspire all people of good will to strive to maintain it, particularly when that might require self-sacrifice.

              We pray today who are making sacrifices on behalf of our nation. May your blessing rest on the sons and daughters of this land who serve in our nation’s armed forces, those who serve in the nation’s embassies and aid agencies, the women and men who strive to bring medical care, human rights, and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to our neighbors around the world.

              O Christ, our brother, you bore the burden of sin on your shoulders and by your death and resurrection defeated sin.  May the reality that the ultimate victory has been won find its way into our daily lives, particularly during those periods when hope is most difficult to summon.

             We pray for those members of our members who are homebound or for medical reasons cannot worship with us today: TJ, Sally, Claire, the Schmids, Bob Stierwald, Carol.  We continue to pray for those who wage battle against disease: Rudy, Pam, Mary Ann, Shane, and Wayne. We pray for Gary in his convalescence

               Lord, you are present with us now, may we carry the gift of your present with us today, and onto the end of days.