On this New Year’s day.And so we are into tenth (11th) hour of First church’s 2012. I would like to challenge us to make some deep personal commitments that will make a difference here at First! Oh no pastor, you are not jumping on the “resolution” wagon. No worries there. I know the statistics: a third of us will fail in a week; ½ in a month. Less than 1% of those resolved will stay faithful to your dream of healthy change for 2012. However, there is hope on this fine first Sunday morn’ of the New Year for growth, depth and strength for the future. And you may be surprised to hear this pastor say that this growth, depth and strength does not come with a staunch commitment to: thirty minute devotions daily without missing for the next 365 days or praying for 30 minutes at 6:10 every morning and every evening; or, “reading your Bible in a year” program. Actually, some of the meanest people I know have read the Bible through at least 3 times in their life so far. These “means of grace” are wonderful tools to focus your walk with Christ but in and of them selves, even regimented, they won’t move you.
So, if spiritual growth, depth and strength do not come from the basics where do they come from? It is simply: perspective of self and anticipation of more than your self. In other words, living like we are NOT God and anticipating that God is in such control of our life that you can let go and that you can stop controlling others! And not forgetting it! The problem is that we do forget. Funny, we forget God’s spiritual promises but rarely the mundane. We know how much comes in our work and SS checks. We know when our favorite TV or Internet shows are on. We rarely forget how people have wronged us or of the hurts of the past. And with them we become a little bit more cynical, bitter, a little less vulnerable and even when we have forgotten the hurt, wrong, or abandonment (which is a miracle in itself), we consciously or subconsciously find that we are more able to hurt, wrong or judge others more freely. So, because we are so human, today, I think it fitting to make some deep personal commitments that will change the face of this congregation and Homestead. That we rid our selves of past hurts and broken dreams and be determined in 2012 to live closer to the Lord through growth, depth and strength in the Lord. Some of this wisdom is what will bring a Happy New Year to us all.
The generations in this room are not the only ones to experience hurt, wrong and vulnerability and have the propensity to forget God’s spiritual promises. In fact, even the Christmas’ of the first century the people had no expectation of the Messiah! When Jesus was born, it had been 700 years since the people had heard from the likes of Isaiah. They forgot how to listen for God. The Rev. Dr. Raquel St. Clair of the St. James AME Church, Newark, New Jersey, suggests that for some experiences have clouded expectations. It is not easy for those whose history has been marked with pain to discern healing; it is not easy for those whose history has been one lived in alienation to imagine participation. It is not easy for one who has only known sadness to realize joy and freedom. This is Israel. The Jews had only known captivity and exile due to 12 enemy seizures and takeovers in 700 years.
They just got tired and stopped waiting. Their perspective on self was all about survival. They stopped anticipating the work of God. And everything still looked dark with Jesus’ birth under Roman rule! About two decades ago on a series called 30 Minutes, CBS aired a school that had known five football losing seasons. It was this sixth season, they won their first game; but, there was anything but celebration going on. When the reporter asked: Well, aren't you glad, aren't you happy by what has happened? They said: Well, how are we supposed to feel? Such would be the words of those who are unaccustomed to celebration, who have only known uncertainty. What they are certain of is really uncertainty.
The passage is not that we look through a glass dimly (I Corinthians 13) at God’s promise to us; but that we stop looking at all. So, for more than 400 years because they could not hear from God, the people of God did not experience growth, depth or strength spiritually. They were a withering creation of God going about attending temple services, tithing, studing the Torah, even giving of themselves to good work; but their was no growth, depth or strength…they were worn out and disillusioned. They weren’t looking for a Messiah; they were just trying to keep their place in society. Their focus was not on eternity but on economics, powers and social standing. They knew a Messiah should be coming but they weren’t holding their breath. Why church had become business as usual…except for two: Simeon and Anna. Two people were anticipating.
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