Watching and praying



 Gate Pa –  Year A - Advent 1 2013
Readings:
Hebrew Scripture:          Isaiah 2:1-5                        
Psalm:                                  Psalm: 122          
Epistle:                 Rom 13:11-14    
Gospel:                                Matt 24:36-44   
                                               

What I want to say:
Advent is time to reflect on what we wait for and how we wait and watch
Ask “what are we waiting for the Advent?
Watching for peace is more than hoping that all will be well
it is an active watching – getting involved in God’s peace -  living is such a way that we live as if God’s reign of justice and peace is now.
Isaiah offers image of instruments of war and death being turned into instruments of food production and life -  more than just beating ploughshares – about learning whole new way of being
that involved unlearning ways of war in our households, personal relationships and how we see the world and learning that ways of peace

What I want to happen:
people to spend this week reflecting on what habits and practices of conflict do they need to unlearn and what practices and habits of peace they need to learn

The Sermon

      1.       Introduction:

how many went to see film “The Butler”
find someone who went – what their reflections
some of mine include:
-          nearly all that in my lifetime
-          appalling hatred and violence against black people which was seen and normal and tolerated, even expected by good church going white Americans
o   what saddened me as I watch is that for many - their Christian faith undergirded their racism
America has come along way
like us it has long way to go

      2.       What is advent?

time of waiting
-          what are we waiting for? (ask)
certainly – looking back to Christmas and preparing for celebration Christ’s coming in 25 days
todays reading reminds us that it is also looking forward to end of time
                Christ’s second coming
Gods reign justice peace
reminded that in beginning is God
and in end there is God
and God brings accountability, justice, hope, and peace among the nations

      3.       Watching

all part Jesus final speech
                final speeches were of huge importance – stature person relied on this last speech
                                final words of wisdom and instructions,
                                also when close death thought to be in a thin space – able to see and understand more rest life
one key parts reading is command to watch
and we are told to not be so busy that we fail to watch for this reign
that is what advent is all about
taking the time to watch
in particular we invited watch for God’s peace, hope, joy and love


      4.       Reading from Isaiah

set time when Israel and Judah were either at war or preparing for war
face of that Isaiah offers this audacious image
that they were to learn ways of peace
For us that means “Watching for peace”
that  is more than hoping that all will be well
question from New Westminster about my involvement in justice issues
                talk about them
                read articles about them
                sign petition on internet about some
hunch looking for more
hunch that watching for peace is more than this as well
                it is an active watching
                getting involved in God’s peace
                living is such a way that we live as if God’s reign of justice and peace is now.
for me Butler example of that
young people who decided to live as if God’s reign of justice and peace
                they sat in diners in place knew should be able sit
                caught buses knew not allowed on
                lived as it racism and segregation did not exist.
Isaiah asking hearers to do same thing
offers image of instruments of war and death being turned into instruments of food production and life
-  more than just beating ploughshares
– about learning whole new way of being
where do we start then?
-          being honest about how we bring conflict into our everyday life and find other ways of acting
-          unlearning ways of war in our households, personal relationships and how we see the world and learning that ways of peace
this week invite you to take time end each day to
reflect on and give thanks for ways brought God’s peace into your day
reflect on in what ways you brought or added to conflict in your day, and to ask yourself and God what you need to unlearn, and what you need to learn to bring peace

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