SERMON for Advent I: "How the Grinch Found Advent"

 

I'm not one to post sermons every week, but I thought this one turned out fairly well, and since we were very nearly snowed out, I thought I would share it here for those who would like another (or a first) look at it. It is, of course, a parody of the Dr. Seuss holiday classic, but the attitudes found here are a bit closer to home. Enjoy. 

Sermon on Isaiah 2:1-5, Matthew 24:36-44

HOW THE GRINCH FOUND ADVENT

Every Who down in Whoville liked Advent a lot.

But the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville, did not.

The Grinch once loved Advent, the first Christian season,

But hated how Who’s kept forgetting the reason.

No Jesus! No Mary! No branches of Jesse!

Just shopping and eating and homes that are messy!

“They aren’t preparing! Their behavior is naughty!”

“Worse, their Bible interpretation is shoddy!”

“So many see ‘rapture’ in Matthew 24,

Yet don’t realize who the angels come for!

If Jesus says God’s Day is like Noah’s flood,

The ones swept away are the BAD, not the good! 

Their liturgy’s lacking! Their banners aren’t blue! 

Their carols are early, those terrible Who’s!

Why, for fifty three years I’ve put up with it now.

I must force them to do Advent rightly…but how?”

Then the Grinch got an idea. An awful idea.

The Grinch got a wonderful, awful idea.

“I know just what I’ll do!” the grinch laughed in his throat. 

And he made a quick John the Baptist belt and a coat. 

And he chuckled and clucked, “what a great grinchy trick!”

“With me as their prophet, they’ll all repent quick!”

“I’ll sneak in, like Judgment Day, thief in the night.

“I’ll steal all their stuff until Advent’s done right!”

No Santas, no Frostys, no Rudolphs or Buddies,

Just footprints from Jordan’s banks, properly muddy.”

“‘Be good, or I’ll make you!’

I’ll break in and say,

‘Keep watch, or God’s wrath will come take you away!’”

Then the Grinch said, “Repent!” and his sleigh started down, 

Toward the homes where the Who’s lay a-snooze in their town.

All their windows were dark,

Quiet snow filled the air,

All the Whos were all dreaming sweet dreams without care,

When he came to the first little house on the square.

Then he slithered and slunk with a smile most unpleasant, 

Around the whole room, and he took ev’ry present!

And while he was at it, the grinch took his chance,

To steal all their schedules for soccer, and dance,

And Who Christmas parties that happen on Sunday,

“Oh, the judgment for these Whos will not be a fun day!”

He took Advent calendars of candy and booze,

He replaced them with Bibles in bright Advent blues!

He stole all their rich foods, of which there were plenty, 

And left bread and water: “that’s much more repenty!”

The grinch grabbed his bags and he started to shove,

When he heard a small sound, like the coo of a dove.

He turned around fast, when he saw a small Who!

It was Cindy Lou Who, who was no more than two!

The Grinch was prepared, and about to start preaching,

But Cindy surprised him–her little hand reaching…

Up into the closet, to make such a racket,

And once more emerge,  holding onto a jacket.

“I notice your fur coat looks a bit old.

Here’s my daddy’s jacket, so you don’t get cold.”

The Grinch was gobsmacked! What a kind thing to do!

Perhaps there was hope for this Cindy Lou Who!

The Grinch went house to house, to those heathens and gluttons,

Taking food, leaving Bibles and Bible verse buttons,

But strange things occurred: Just like Cindy Lou Who,

Each home, in its mess, had some holy things, too.

One house had a letter, all neatly arranged,

To relatives, from whom this Who was estranged.

He asked for forgiveness, for yelling and swears!

He promised to love them, and that he still cares.

As Isaiah predicted, this Who, unawares,

Was beating his swords into helpful plowshares!  

Another Who lady, her diary left out,

Was writing to God all her questions and doubts,

And wondering, “is this what my faith is about?”

“To her mind,” thought the Grinch, “it’s a regular ponder,”

“But Isaiah said one day all nations from yonder,

With differences no longer splitting asunder,

Will ask God new questions, with awe and with wonder.”

“I wonder if this is just such a ponder?”

At quarter to dawn, the whole town of the Who’s,

Looked properly penitent, decked out in blue.

“They’re just waking up! I Know just what they’ll do!”

“They’ll think on their sins for a minute or two,

Then the Whos down in Whoville will all cry Boo-hoo!”

“That’s a noise,” grinned the Grinch,

“That I simply must hear.”

So he paused, and the Grinch put a hand to his ear.

And he did hear a sound rising over the snow. It started in low, then it started to grow. 

But the sound wasn’t sad! Why, this sound sounded merry! 

It couldn’t be so! But it was merry! Very! 

He stared down at Whoville! The Grinch popped his eyes!

Then he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise!

Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small,

Was singing! Without any presents at all!

They sang, and they talked, and they whistled and hummed.

The lyrics weren’t perfect, 

And some were quite dumb,

But the Grinch, who had once felt so angry and numb,

Could see the Lord’s presence in each single one!

He puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore. 

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.

“Maybe Advent is not just a cultural war.

Maybe Advent, perhaps, is a little bit more.” 

“Even as I prepare for the Lord who is near,

I can still see his face

Among friends who are here.

Even as I cry out at injustice and wrongs,

And wait for the Savior, for whom my soul longs,

I still hear his voice in these silly Who songs.

Imperfect, yet holy. To God they belong.”

And what happened next? Well, in Whoville they say,

The Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day. 

And even ‘midst hopelessness, crisis and labor,

The Grinch kept awake,

To find Christ in his neighbor. 

He came to their dances, their games and their feasts,

And he, he himself, the Grinch, carved the roast beast. 

Welcome Advent, coming near.

Welcome Christ, amidst our tears.

In messy lives, come make your home.

We're keeping watch:

Your kingdom come. 

"Have an Apocalyptic Day." Chapter 22: "Come, Lord Jesus."

 

Photo by Jack Antsley

Well, today is the day. This is the end of a 22-part devotional blog series, which took me six months to complete. The idea of adapting Revelation to poetic verse came almost a year ago, and with an early surge of inspiration, that part has been done for many months now. Some other potential aspects of this project are in the works, but I'm excited to at least see this part finished. Thanks for reading.

Revelation 22 brings healing closure to John's sometimes terrifying vision. A river of life flows from God's throne in the New Jerusalem. A tree of life--much like the tree in the Garden of Eden--yields twelve kinds of fruits, a number of completeness. The tree's leaves are "for the healing of the nations," which means the city is fully open to Gentiles and Jews alike: all who are descended from Adam and Eve are welcome inside, and they don't have to be perfectly "fixed" in every way to enter the gate. If they did, why would there be healing leaves inside? 

The text does say outside the city are all those who "love and practice falsehood." It doesn't say they can never come in. It's just that our lies won't survive in there. Stand at the gate as long as you want, but when you walk in, you step into truth.

The final word from Revelation, and the canonical scriptures, is Jesus' promise, "I am coming soon," and the author's response, "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!" The early generations of Christianity had every hope that they would see Jesus return in their own lifetime, in the same manner he ascended in Luke ch. 24. He didn't, and hasn't yet, but that hasn't dimmed the hope. 

Still, I wonder sometimes what our faith would look like if the New Testament's first book--the Gospel of Matthew--was placed last in our scriptures. Matthew doesn't feature Jesus' ascension. It ends with Jesus on a mountain, commissioning his disciples to go and make more disciples, and promising, "I am with you, to the end of the age." 

What if the Gospel of John had the last word? John ends with a loving one-on-one conversation between Jesus and Peter. Jesus' final words, after settling one last internal squabble, are, "follow me!" The Gospel ends with the two men sitting by the lake. 

Christian theology at its best has a sense of what theologian Walter Bouman called "already, but not yet." 

We do still proclaim that Jesus will return, in a way that will be unmistakable, and the Reign of God will bring ultimate healing and justice to this world. This is the "not yet," which can't be denied if we acknowledge that God really does want better for this hurting world. 

Yet there is also an "already" to the coming of Christ. When Jesus says at the very beginning of his ministry, "the Kingdom of God is at hand," he means it. In the healing and justice we see here and now, the word of Gospel hope we hear, the sacraments of grace we receive, and the care for the poor they inspire, Jesus is already here. Sitting by a lake, gathering on a mountaintop, prepping food in a kitchen, sitting down to eat with friends and strangers, we can still say, "Amen! Come Lord Jesus!" and trust... 

that he will...

and that he did...

and that he is, right here and now. 

My poetic interpretation of REVELATION 22   

22. Forth from the throne, a living river flows

On either side, grows Eden's Living Tree;

The raging nations, healing now will know 

From its twelve fruits, producing constantly.

The servants of the Lamb shall see his face

To worship and to reign beside the throne;

But no accursed thing is in that place,

But those for whom the Lamb's own blood atoned.

I, Brother John, have heard and seen each thing,

Commanded not to seal this worthy tome,

“The time is near; I, Jesus, witness bring,”

The Spirit, bride, and all who thirst, say, “Come.”

Come, Lord Jesus! Though we know not when,

Bring freedom! Grace be with the saints–Amen. 

 

"Have An Apocalyptic Day." Chapter 21: The Kind of Earth You Won't Want to Fly Away From

 

The Gospel is, was, and always will be: 

Heaven Comes Down.

Once more for the people in the back: 

Heaven Comes Down.

A third time, before we get another rapture prediction:

Heaven. Comes. Down.

In the penultimate chapter of Revelation, after the final judgment comes a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and earth have passed away. 

There's a voice saying: "God lives here now." 

A new Jerusalem comes down, and there's no Temple in it, because why would you need a special, holy place when the whole land--every blade of grass, every grasshopper, every microbe in every drop of water in every river, and every person drinking it--is already holy? 

Why would you sing, "I'll Fly Away" when that kind of earth is coming?

Why would you fantasize about all the tribulation and torture your friends and neighbors will endure while you hop a cloud and take off for some celestial realm,

when the words of Holy scripture are so clear and so final in saying,

Heaven

Comes

Down?

Why would you waste your thirty seconds on a Sunday morning, or ever, praying as your Lord taught you, "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven," if you don't believe it will actually happen, or believe that our world needs yet more calamity and destruction in order to make it so?

The plan was always for heaven to come down.

That's what happened in Bethlehem.

That's what the angels on the mountainside promised would happen again.

Don't let false teachers lead you astray with doomsday scenarios pieced together with a patchwork of out-of-context verses about how to escape this world. 

If Jesus chose to live here, you better believe none of us is too good for it.

It's right here in the Book of Revelation.

Heaven comes down. 

My Poetic Interpretation of REVELATION 21 

21. New heaven, new Earth, new Jerusalem,

Prepared, as bride for husband, now descends;

This mortal people, God shall dwell with them,

Of mourning, tears, and death to make an end.

“Behold, for I am making all things new!

Drink now my living water, gift sublime;

Inscribe my words, the trustworthy and true,

I, Alpha and Omega, hold all time.” 

Of gold and jewels, the city stands Foursquare,

No lamps: the Lamb himself will be their light;

Twelve gates, with twelve apostles’ names, are there,

By day they open, and there is no night.

No need to climb; God comes to you and me,

Oh, taste the living water and be free. 

  

"Have An Apocalyptic Day" Chapter 20: Judgment and Grace

 

Following the return of Christ, John sees an angel imprison Satan for a thousand years. During that time, those who were beheaded for their witness to Jesus are raised to reign with him. At the end of this time, Satan rises once again to deceive humankind. Vast armies of evil surround the saints, but they are instantly defeated by fire from heaven. Some commentators note that Satan does not fight in this war: he is merely the deceiver who tricks a human army into rising against God. At length, Satan is thrown into a lake of fire, and all who have died are raised to face judgment for their deeds. Anyone whose name is not written in the Book of Life is thrown into the lake of fire. 

As a Lutheran Christian, my first instinct is to break out in hives at any mention of judgment according to our "works" or "deeds." I'm a grace person. My core conviction is that salvation is an unmerited gift of grace, through Christ. I believe, to the extent the New Testament speaks cohesively about anything, it speaks to God's grace. We are accepted by God, not because of what we do, but because of what Jesus has already done for us. 

That said, I do believe in the judgment, because I believe in truth. I believe grace and forgiveness are meaningless unless we first understand what the charges were in the first place. We need to know and fully understand what happened: the choices we made, what we did and didn't do, say, or think. Most importantly, we need to know how our choices affected others. Judgment is not my life flashing before my eyes, so much, but my life shown to me through the eyes of others. Beyond my good or ill intentions, judgment is knowing what really happened because of me, and how it felt. Bullies feel the pain and fear of their victims. Liars feel the violation of those they deceive. Gunmen and careless lawmakers learn what it's like to hide under school desks. Tyrants feel the terror of those they imprison. Generals and rulers feel the crush of rubble in buildings they bomb, and the hunger pangs of children they starve. Judgment is telling the truth in a way we never could or would before. 

But Judgment and sentencing are two different things. Judgment is knowing what we have earned for ourselves, which is death. Sentencing is up to God, and in Christ, God has promised mercy. We earn death, we get life. 

I can't accept a heaven that operates on simple amnesia: where joy comes from forgetting, where this life was ultimately a pointless side quest. God promises to wipe tears from our eyes. That means, at first, there will be tears to dry. There will be truth. There will be judgment. And then, there will be grace. 

My poetic interpretation of REVELATION 20

20. A thousand years, the serpent’s locked away,

A thousand years the faithful dead shall reign;

With Christ, the priests, until the Judgment Day,

For them, the second death shall hold no pain.

Unleashed at length is evil’s second wave,

As numerous as sand upon the sea;

Yet fire from heaven brings a fiery grave,

The Devil in the lake of fire shall be.

The great white throne two holy books unveils,

The Book of Works, beside the Book of Life;

The dead are judged, and Death and Hades fail,

The pit itself–flung in the pit of strife!

By God’s grace, in the Book of Life are we:

By faith alone, from death, are we set free.

"Have An Apocalyptic Day." Chapter 19: One Little Word Subdues Him

 

With the fall of Babylon (Which, again, stands for Rome and all other oppressive empires) comes the final battle between good and evil. For as much as it's built up, both in religious culture and in the Book of Revelation itself, the actual battle is a short affair: a single rider descends from heaven on a white horse. His robe and thigh are marked with the words, "King of Kings and Lord of Lords," which suggests this is a vision of Christ himself. From his mouth comes a sword to strike down the Beast and all the kings of the earth who oppose God. 

And in three verses (Rev 19:19-21) it's all over. The beast is captured and his armies are defeated. All are destroyed by the sword of the rider. 

Two things I think are essential for understanding this vision are: 

    1) The rider--i.e., Jesus--does all the fighting. Every force of evil that stands against God are dispatched quickly and easily, not by any human force, but by Jesus, the Word of God.

    2) The "sword" Jesus uses to defeat evil comes "from his mouth." It's so strange, with as literalistic as so much church art and interpretation can be, that so many depictions of this scene (and there are lots) show Jesus with a sword in his hand, held high in a traditional "battle pose", where the actual text says the sword comes "from his mouth." I realize it would look strange (and the pictures that do take it literally are VERY strange), but the intent seems clear: The sword comes from his mouth because it isn't a literal sword. It's the Word of God. It's Jesus' teachings. It's the Good News, that he has already defeated death and evil. 

It's remarkable how universal it is that little kids (myself included) will find sticks outside and immediately imagine themselves as master swordsmen in a duel. It's not just the "Star Wars" generation, although we did get cool sound effects to add to our imaginary battles. But here, near the end of the final book of the Bible, we get a reminder that the most important "weapon" we'll ever have is telling the truth and sharing Jesus' teachings of love, inclusion, justice, reconciliation, and peace. That's the sword that wins the fight. 

To quote Martin Luther's classic hymn, 

"Though hordes of devils fill the land

all threatening to devour us

we tremble not; unmoved we stand

they cannot overpow'r us.

Let this world's tyrant rage;

in battle we'll engage!

His might is doomed to fail; God's judgment must prevail

One little word subdues him."

My Poetic interpretation of REVELATION 19 

19. Praise, salvation, glory, pow’r, to God,

Of hell's great whore, his judgments true and just;

At length, he has avenged his servants’ blood,

God's people, to the Lamb, as bride entrust. 

From heaven's white horse comes a rider true,

His eyes aflame, his new name, none has heard;

Behind, in white, rides heaven's retinue,

With King of Kings and Lord of Lords, God's Word!

“Come, gather, carrion birds from West and East,”

Beckons an angel, standing in the sun,

“Your meal shall be the armies of the beast,”

From rider's mouth, a sword, Truth, overcomes!

Yet only God's, the sword and victory,

The bride, God's peaceful people, shall be free.

"Have An Apocalyptic Day." Chapter 18: Easy Come, Easy Go

 

No sooner does John's vision introduce the "Whore of Babylon" (a personification of Rome), than the fall of Babylon begins. The imagery of foul spirits, birds, and beasts roving the streets makes clear that this city, symbolic of all empires, has become a ghost town. In an hour's time, all the wealth is gone. 

John sees kings, merchants, shipmasters and seafarers weeping over the fallen city. But in this truth-telling vision, even their grief is twisted: they are crying about their lost wealth. They are sad about their nice building materials, their spices, their cattle, and even the human lives they have enslaved. 

A reminder: slavery was the norm, rather than the exception, in human history, and that the New Testament emerged from a culture in which slavery of various forms was commonplace. Even so, John's list of lost possessions in Revelation 18, "choice flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, slaves--and human lives", to me seems to mock and expose that very institution. To mourn human lives as another bullet point on an insurance claim of lost goods, is to lose our own humanity, and our connection to God. 

We should mourn people, not things. We should love people, not things. If we get it upside down, then John's vision implores us: leave Babylon. Do it now. 

My poetic interpretation of REVELATION 18 

Another angel now patrols her streets

With spotlight and loudspeaker does he wail:

“From fallen Babylon, all folk, retreat!

She mixes twice in her unholy grail!”

In one swift hour, down Babylon is hurled

The merchants and her kings, faroff, survive;

“Such costly silks and linens, gold and pearls!”

They weep for wealth, but not for human lives.

The captains and shipmasters mourn for jewels,

For iron, marble, humans they enslaved;

The lamp is snuffed, and henceforth, darkness rules;

No flute nor trump, from silence, shall be saved.

Rejoice at this, O Heaven’s Progeny!

Let those who value lives, for praise be free.