Freedom’s Eve

The founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley and his brother Charles first called the people together for a Watch Night service on Christmas Eve in 1755. It was a time for the people called Methodists to rededicate themselves anew to God at the doorway of a new year. It was a time for the Covenant Prayer to be prayed by all:

I am no longer my own, but Thine,
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,
Exalted for thee or brought low by thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Thou art mine, and I am Thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
Let it be ratified in heaven. Amen (Book of Hymns #607)

Recently the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference extended cabinet helped to serve lunch at the feeding program provided at Tindley Temple. Rev. Elaine Ayers, the pastor, explained to me the significance of the Watch Night service as it pertains to the African American community. On December 31, 1862 slaves all around the country gathered together in anticipation of the stroke of midnight when the Emancipation Proclamation would take effect and they would be legally free. On “Freedom’s Eve” they worshiped God and rededicated their lives to God as they moved into a new chapter of their life and history.

God is a God of new beginnings. God is always about the business of offering all of us “Freedom’s Eve.” Whatever is binding us does not need to hold us down if we are in Christ Jesus. I hope that everyone will take time, whether in church or with family and friends to observe a Watch Night time of worship on December 31st. Celebrate your freedom in Christ and rededicate all that you are and all that you have to God. Look forward to new avenues of service to God in the year to come.

Believe!

The word “believe” is seen on billboards and bumper-stickers. It is a slogan for city rejuvenation and youth empowerment. It is used in lyrics of old love songs (“Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer!). However, I believe it is best expressed in the meaning of a relationship between God and people. A teenage girl was visited by an angel long ago and told some pretty amazing news: “now you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.” (Luke 1:31) Mary believed, even though she was a virgin, even though she was not married, even though she was poor and from a lowly family. When Mary visited Elizabeth, her aged cousin who was also pregnant with an unbelievable baby, she exclaims to Mary: “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” (Luke 1:45)

Every day the good Lord makes promises to you and to me. Some of them are pretty unbelievable. God is always working for good, doing impossible things through unlikely people. Yet we humans tend to get fixated on the negative and won’t believe what God is promising to do, despite the evidence. Mary had many fine attributes but her greatest one was her ability to believe where she could not see. That is the meaning of faith. What is God promising to you that you will not believe? Put away doubt, fear, and cynicism and believe. A believing heart is precious to God, not only at Christmas but for all time.

Parade

Recently a pastor in one of our small town churches told me that they participate every year in a Christmas parade that marches down Main Street. Many years they have entered a float in the parade but this year they simply had a live donkey and a young woman dressed like the Virgin Mary carrying Baby Jesus. They walked along in the procession of colorful floats, marching bands and fire equipment. At the end of the event the parade judges awarded Mary, Jesus and the donkey first prize.

The celebration of Christmas with all of its material trappings, parties and food can occupy our attention and distract us from the real meaning of the season. I hope that Mary and Jesus will win first prize in your life this year and always. Jesus is walking with us in all of the parades of our life. He came to earth to be “God with us.”

Prayers for North and South Korea

There are wars and rumors of war in every place on the globe. The recent conflict between North and South Korea brings to mind the Korean War and the threat of a new war there is yet another sobering reminder of the strife of human beings caused by sin. The affects of the Korean War (1950-1953) continue even today as North and South Korea are still divided, even after the end of the Cold War.

Bishop Jeremiah Park (the bishop of the NY Annual Conference), writes “Another war must never be repeated…as peace-loving people this is indeed the time to pray for God’s mercy, wisdom and guidance.”

During this time of Advent while we read the words of Isaiah that dream of a day when swords will become plowshares and spears are made into pruning hooks (Isaiah 2:4) let us renew our efforts not only to pray but to wage peace in this world. Wherever we are in the world we can be agents of peace by helping to bring reconciliation and forgiveness. Jesus is our “Prince of Peace” because he was willing to suffer and give his life for the cause of peace between God and people. Likewise, as his followers there is suffering involved in peace-making. Putting yourself in the middle of two warring factions is risky business. Do it anyway and in so doing you are ushering the day of the Lord and walking in the footsteps of the Lord.

Contact Lenses

Recently I learned a new thing about contact lenses. The lenses are not always the same. Having sight in one eye all of my life I have a hard time understanding the two-eyed world sometimes. I learned that you can actually have one contact lens is for far-sightedness and the other for near-sightedness. How the eyes work together is a marvel.

During the season of Advent I think we need to have two different lenses in our spirit. One lens sees the current reality of the coming of Christ in this holy season of 2010. With this lens we ponder our personal walk with Christ and how we can prepare our hearts in such a way that we “bear fruit that is worthy of repentance.” (Luke 3:8) These actions are the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians s5:22). When we truly repent of the works of the flesh we engage in the fruits of the Spirit in new and ever improving ways.

The other contact lens that sees far is the one that reminds us of the second coming of Christ when all things will be judged and evil and enmity will be put away forever. With this far-sighted view we develop a long-suffering attitude, knowing that in the end God is going to make all things right. We want to live in such a way, through faith in Christ that we are worthy to attain life everlasting.

Martin Luther once said that he lived for two days: today and THAT day. That day is the day of the final coming of Christ. May we keep both lenses firmly in place as we experience this Advent Season.

Abolition Sunday

What does the United Methodist Church believe about capital punishment? According to the Book of Discipline, Paragraph 164G: “The death penalty denies the power of Christ to redeem, restore, and transform all human beings. We believe all human life is sacred and created by God and therefore, we must see all human life as significant and valuable.” The Book of Ezekiel 33:11 says “As surely as I live,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.”

Many Christian churches are working together to repeal death penalty laws across the country. They do so by contacting lawmakers and holding community events for dialog and information sharing. There are many excellent resource people who are willing to speak at your churches. Your church can host an “Abolition Sunday” in which the theme of the worship service revolves around this issue. More information is available at the Equal Justice web site at www.ejusa.org

As with many of our social issues people of good will are of different minds. It is good to prayerfully seek God’s guidance on your response to this issue.

A Sign of the Spirit

I am thrilled to see the General Board of Church and Society and the Confessing Movement working together on a project for the whole church. They are calling us to an “International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church” on November 14, 2010. All over the world Christians are being imprisoned and martyred for the faith. This is not a first century phenomena, it is happening today and there has been persecution since the church began 2000 years ago.

GBCS and the Confessing Movement are calling us to “prayerfully and publically stand with members of the Body of Christ who are suffering.” Christians are economically and politically marginalized all over the world but especially in Saudi Arabia, China, Pakistan, Viet Nam, Burma and Iran.

It is a sign of the Holy Spirit when two movements of the church are working together for a common cause…the cause of Christ. Many times the theological left and right are at odds with one another and stand on different sides of the road and wave flags and signs. How refreshing! How delightfully wonderful to see both sides working together on this issue of the persecuted church. I believe that there are more things that the left and the right agree on than disagree on. It is a ploy of the enemy to have us always quarreling among ourselves so the important work of the gospel is left undone. The spirit unites, religion divides.

Let’s stop “othering” and persecuting the theological side we disagree with and advance the gospel. Mark your calendar for November 14th for a day of prayer! May this be a day of new beginnings for the United Methodist Church as well. May we finally find a way to work together theologically.