Comfort and Joy
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Toxic Christianity?
Toxic Christianity?
Recent articles in the Washington Post as well as Christianity Today are asking the question: How did Christianity become so Toxic?
In the recent Alabama election, White Evangelicals turned out in droves to vote for Roy Moore who in his 30s pursued teenage girls and had to be banned from malls because of his creepiness.
In too many cases, Christianity has become synonymous with oppression of the poor, bigotry against the other, sexism, racism, and anti-immigration policies, even anti-refugee policies.
Jesus was supposed to be:
Good news.
Bringing great joy.
For all people.
Much of Christianity has made Jesus:
Exhausting news, bad news.
Bringing toxicity or animosity.
Exclusive for only some people.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Good News. Great Joy. All People.
Good News
Good News
The word Gospel means “Good News”
It comes from the Greek evangelion, which is where we get our word evangelism, or evangelical.
The 4 Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - are called Gospels because they unabashedly show how Jesus is “Good News.”
Jesus heals the sick.
Jesus gives hope to the poor and oppressed.
Jesus raises the status of women.
Jesus feeds the hungry.
Jesus comforts those who mourn.
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Jesus did not bash the immigrants, try to keep women in their place, make sure only worthy people were fed, use the state to enforce religion. Jesus did none of these things.
Jesus was Good News.
In today’s Advent OT reading, Isaiah 61:1-4, we see the words that Jesus took as his mission statement:
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.
How is Jesus good news to us?
How can we be good news?
Great Joy
Great Joy
At Christmas:
Children opening presents.
Playing with their toys.
Being with family.
Singing, listening to Christmas music.
The ending of “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
And so the angels told the Shepherds and the shepherds were excited!
A Baby! The Messiah! Let’s go and see!
The promise of the Messiah was so strong
The anticipation of this Messiah generating excitement
He would set the people free. He would lead them into truth. He would throw off the oppressors. He would bring in a glorious eternal kingdom. He would save us from sin. He would heal.
This wasn’t just good news. This was the kind of good news that inspires great joy!
You can see it in the Gospels - People’s faces lighting up as they are healed. Smiles and laughter as Jesus feeds the 5,000. The blind man jumping up and running to Jesus. The people gathering around so close that Zacchaeus has to climb a tree to get a glimpse. Zacchaeus giving away all of his money when he finds out he’s loved and forgiven!
This is unbridled Joy!
The Messiah is a cute baby born in Bethlehem!!! Let us go and see him!
How is Jesus bringing Joy into your life?
How can you (how can we) bring great joy to others?
All People
All People
Greeks and idolators, tax collectors and prostitutes, religious scholars like Nicodemus, wealthy people like Zacchaeus or Joseph of Arimathea, the poor and destitute, children - Jesus brought Good news and Great joy to all classes of people.
This Jesus is still attractive.
Jesus is attractive to the oppressed. Sometimes Christianity is not.
Jesus is attractive to the poor. Sometimes Christianity is not.
Jesus is attractive to those who are hurting. Sometimes Christianity is not.
Jesus is attractive to the youth, to LGBT people. Sometimes Christianity is not.
Jesus is attractive to Muslims - the Christian parody of Christ is not.
Jesus is attractive to Atheists - Even atheists know a good man when they see one. And they see Jesus’ actions as good news for ALL PEOPLE.
How can we be good news to those in our community?
The wealthy? The homeless? Academics? Migrant workers? The mentally ill? LGBT? University Students?
Do ALL PEOPLE in our neighborhoods see us as Good News? as a source of Great Joy?
What people would Jesus exclude from the joy of the Gospel?
How are we being good news, giving great joy to all people?
Between Already and the Not Yet
Between Already and the Not Yet
A Song of Ascents.
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negeb!
Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!
He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.
The great rejoicing is at the great homecoming, when Christ shall come and we go to live with Him forever.