Sunday, February 21, 2010

Temptation: Preparing for God's Best

Luke 4:1-13(14a)

What is the BEST that God has for you - and me?
To be happy?
To be wealthy?
To be Trouble-Free?
To fulfill yourself?

How about this:
To know God,
to Worship Him in Spirit and Truth,
to find our deepest humanity in Him,
To reflect His image,
And to participate with him in the work of redeeming the world.

Sounds pretty good, right? So, how do we do this?
Sign up for a class?
Read some books,
Write a term paper?
Maybe go on a retreat? ...

How about - all the above - but add these to the personal work of transformation that God wants to do in us, a work of the heart, not only the head, - a work that can only be accomplished by teaching life lessons - some of which involve Temptation.

Now usually we see Temptation as something to be avoided and feared. Jesus even taught us to pray: 'lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil'...
Temptation is in fact a solicitation by the Evil One to get us to do wrong.
So we - not incorrectly -see Temptation as something bad.

However, in our Gospel lesson today we see Jesus practicing a different attitude towards his own temptation. Let's look at the text from Luke 4:

Verse 1and 2: And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil...

Jesus had just been baptized - and the Holy Spirit had descended upon Him like a dove. He was full of God, full of the Holy Spirit. And a voice came out of heaven saying, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased”( Luke 3:22). He was affirmed by God the Father audibly and his standing with God could not have been better.

And yet, the very next thing that happens is that Jesus is led by the very same Holy Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil for 40 days!
Like my daughter Leslie might say, "What's the 'dealio'?!"

Well, the dealio seems to be that God had a mission for Jesus to accomplish.
Remember John 3:16? God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life."
That mission pitted him against the devil's plans for the human race - to kill us and to pull us down to hell where he could torment us forever.

In order to be prepared for this Mission, Jesus spent 30 years in obscurity, being trained in the righteous habits of Jewish life. Of course, this life revolved around the Law of God - the Torah, which includes the Law proper , the prophets, the wisdom literature - and especially the Psalms, which Jesus would have prayed daily. This training would have allowed Jesus to be able to say with the Psalmist, "Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee" (Psalm 119:11). Daily immersion in God's Word would have produced not only head knowledge, but a heart appreciation and Love for God the Father, and for the Spirit.

(One does have to wonder if Jesus - being the Logos, the Word of God himself would have had to memorized Scripture like the rest of us, or perhaps just knew it inwardly from the beginning...)

Intimate knowledge of God's Word would have led Jesus to see that God intends Life and Blessing for us - and that the Law of God is just that - a Great Blessing for God's people, leading to Life.


He most emphatically would not have seen the Law as a series of Rules to be observed legalistically. He shows us this later on as he castigates the Pharisees for setting themselves up as arbiters of just such a legalistic approach to Jewish life.

No, Jesus loved the Law and knew it led to God's Best for humanity - Life and Blessing.

Armed with this intimate knowledge of God and trust in Him, he allows himself to be led out into the desert to fast and to be tempted by Satan.

Of course, the Lenten fast is an imitation of this Jesus Fast in the wilderness.
And just as Jesus was tempted by the devil, so we too can expect to be assaulted by old Cloven Hoof. But we need to understand what Jesus understood about Temptation: that it does not come to us because God hates us or is trying to trip us up so he doesn't have to give out too many tickets to Heaven, but rather -that God allows Temptation comes to us through Satan, so that, like Jesus, we may be purified and prepared for our own mission up ahead: participating with God in redeeming the world.



So why Temptation? Why not just an elaborate video game where you just play it over and over until you master the levels - and where if you die, your character just comes back to life digitally?

I think it has to do with the exalted place of Human Beings in God's Scheme.
You see, most of the time, we humans are so intent on avoiding pain and creating comfort for ourselves that we fail to comprehend the privilege that God has bestowed upon us: to be co-heirs of the Grace of Life, co-regents with him - and better yet - Friends of God!

This is a very high calling! It's one so exalted and full of import, that we would much rather avoid it most of the time, and settle for something in life that would put us just slightly above the family dog - happy, well-fed, free from hard choices, and blissfully unconcerned about 'The Meaning of Life".

Temptation comes to ask the question,"Do you want to be LIKE GOD - or to you want to settle for something smaller?

If you want be LIKE GOD, it's not going to be easy. We as humans have a lot of baggage to overcome. In Psalm 51, David says, 'Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.(v.5)

Being born into sin means that we 'miss the mark' by default. It's our natural setting - what we do without training or thought.

Righteousness, however, takes preparation and training - as well as constant practice to keep up the skill. And there are always new lessons to learn!
That's why we God allows Temptation - to purify us, to train us - and to prepare us for God's Best: Participation in the Divine Nature and Mission.

Now, that does not mean that we are to seek out temptation. No need to go to the dog track and hang out to see if you can resist the temptation to gamble - or worse. Nor is there any reason to think that God is the author of our sufferings when we are tempted and fail. NO - James 1:13-15:

13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Our own inner rottenness sets us up to be tempted. This is what theologians call 'concupiscence" - an intense desire, longing, lust or passion. The word itself comes from the Latin, combing the prefix 'con' or 'with', plus 'cupid' or 'sexual desire', along with 'essere', or essence - a state of being.

Concupiscence is the translation from the Greek epithumia, which simply means a strong desire.

If you want to know what Concupiscence looks like in real life, just think about Tiger Woods. Here's a guy who already has a beautiful wife and two kids, more money than he knows what to do with, and Talent on Loan From God! The guy has it all. But apparently, he just couldn't keep from wanting more - which in this case has led to him having less; less of a marriage and family, less money, and less reputation in the world. It's crazy!

But that's the nature of Sin - choosing to pursue a strong desire, long, lust or passion, even though it doesn't make a bit of sense. In a word, Sin is the choosing Second-Best.

This brings us back to the nature of Temptation - which is an opportunity to choose between God's best or Satan's second-best. If we choose God's way, we are strengthened by the struggle and better prepared for what lies up ahead. Choose Satan's way, and we find ourselves falling into a pit of death and destruction.

Two Biblical Examples.
To illustrate the real-life outworking of this choosing, let's compare and contrast Sampson and Ruth.

Sampson was a spoiled brat, the product of an elderly couple who knew their son was going to be great shakes in Israel. As he grew up, he must have gotten everything he wanted because when it came time to choose a wife, he said to his parents:“I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.” (Judges 14:2).

Go get her - just like that - even though she's a Philistine!

Verse 3: But his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.”

I want her - now go get her for me! Pretty cheeky!

Now the passage does say that God was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines - but the results of Sampson's concupiscence were that he ended up having to kill 30 men and his wife was given to another. And all this even before he meet up with Delilah! I think we know the rest of that story well enough to realize that Sampson's lust led to his death.

Again, even though God used his failure to strike Israel's enemies, who can know what God might have done through Sampson had he lived out his Nazrite vows, and chosen God's best for his life?

Contrast him with Ruth, a Moabite woman who had married an Israelite, but was widowed early in life. Because of her love for her mother in law, Naomi, Ruth utters the famous lines, often repeated at weddings:

“Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God" (Ruth 1:16).

Out of loyalty, Ruth leaves her own country to return to Israel with Naomi. When they get there, Naomi coaches Ruth about how to present herself to Boaz, their 'kinsman-redeemer', so that they may be married. In effect, Naomi tells Ruth, "Go get him!" -which she does. The result of Ruth's obedience and loyalty is that she marries Boaz, father of Jesse, father of David, father of ...Jesus Christ!

Ruth could have legitimately stayed in Moab and sought a husband from her own people. That's what her sister in law did - and it was alright. But look at this for a moment as a Temptation - the temptation to choose between what appears to be right in the eyes of men and what the Lord must have been calling her to do. Because Ruth was faithful and met the temptation head-on she was prepared for inclusion into the people of Israel and of becoming a great grandmother to Jesus himself!

Meeting temptation successfully prepares us for God's Best - something exceedingly better than anything we can ask or imagine. (Eph. 3:20).

Jesus mets his temptation successfully and he was prepared for his ministry - his death, resurrection and ascension to the right hand of God the Father - a pretty good reward for faithfulness!

He resists the temptation to fulfill his own bodily hunger, and instead trusts God for his daily bread.

He resists the temptation to grab worldly power and instead becomes King of Kings and Lord of Lords
And he resists the temptation to test God, and instead puts the Evil One to flight, just as James says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

Jesus met each of these temptations successfully, and as a result, 'returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee' (Lk.4:4) to begin his ministry. And we are the benefactors - for ever and ever and unto the 'ages of ages' as the Orthodox would say.

Let's go back now and highlight the circular pattern Jesus went through:
Full of the Holy Spirit,
He was Led by the Spirit
He was tempted by an Evil Spirit, and
He returned full of the power of the Holy Spirit. (Lk. 4:14)

Thus Christ's Temptation was a prelude to ministering in the power of the Spirit. If we are steadfast, our temptations too can become prelude to greater fruitfulness and more powerful ministry.


What to Expect
The old saying goes, Fore warned is fore-armed. What can we expect in the midst of Temptation? Subjectively we can expect to feel:
1) Consternation: Questioning What is happening to me? Why?
2) Feeling alone and isolated.
3) Desperate, wondering if you will ever get out of this? Will it last forever?

But along with the subjective fears and trepidations, we can also expect to be comforted and blessed.

1Cor, 10:13: says, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

You're not alone. Others have gone through similar things. God is your way of escape. Run into Him, and you can endure through the temptation, not just run away.

James 1:2-4:
Count it all joy, my brothers,when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.' Verses12-14 of the same chapter: "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."

The Crown of Life comes to those who remain steadfast - just like Jesus did!

We can expect to be driven to the Word for comfort, strength, and for 'ammunition'.

Eph. 6: 10-18. (Notice the emphasis on God's Word and the power of the Spirit):

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

Meeting temptation successfully requires us to be armored up and full of prayer.

Because of our increased devotion to prayer during trial and temptation, we can also expect to see remarkable answers to our prayer, sometimes even humorously.
Story: A number of years ago, a single friend told me about her struggle with a relationship she was having. She was very strongly attracted to this gentleman, but inwardly she had some reservations. She told me that she had been praying about it and the Lord answered her prayer in a funny way.

The man friend came in from out of town and the couple were at my friend's place for the evening. She had wanted to create a romantic atmosphere so she had placed candles all over the place. After a nice dinner, they became engrossed in an inspection of her Simmons Beauty Rest Mattress. Somehow along the way, one or more of the candles was turned over, but they didn't notice because they were otherwise occupied.
All of a sudden, flames began to shoot up from dust ruffle and they suddenly realized the merits of a water bed! Well, the smoke detector went off and they jumped up in shock. My friend grabbed a small fire extinguisher and her friend grabbed a nearby bottle of water - and they went to work dousing the flames. In a matter of moments the fire was out, but the bed was a sodden, smoldering mess - and the evening literally went up in smoke. - And that was the end of that relationship. Prayer answered!

It was an absurd way to learn the lesson, but my friend was built up in her faith and she become 'battle-hardened' - ready to take on the next temptation.

By meeting temptation successfully, we can expect to be prepared for:
Increased effectiveness in ministry, and
Further battles - they get harder - but the miracles are greater!

One of the reasons for this is that Satan typically 'overplays' his hand. At some point, the adversary uses too much power, reveals too much, so that one who is spiritually sensitive can see what is going on. The enemy drops the fancy disguise and lashes out in rage, startling us into an awareness of the evil we are confronting. The flames leap up and everything becomes clear!

But thanks be to God, the most wonderful thing we can expect is to have the Presence of God with us. Jesus said in Mt. 28:20, ..." behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This is our 'Ace in the Hole' during temptation - knowing that God is with us and will never forsake us.

Friends, Temptation does not come from God, it's not God's first choice for us. Temptation is a solicitation from our Enemy to choose second best and so use our God-given freedom for our own harm. But God, in his wisdom, knows how to turn even the temptation to evil into a good thing for our benefit.

Jesus showed us the way to resist Temptation successfully. It has all to do with being full of God's Word and Spirit. If we imitate Jesus in these two things, and call out to Him for help in the midst of our struggle, He will help us, and use the temptation to make us stronger for His kingdom.

May God grant us grace to appropriate the gifts he has given us in order to successfully meet and overcome every temptation. In the name of the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Transfiguration: Heaven and Earth Meet.

A Sermon Delivered to All Saints Anglican Church on February 14, 2010 at the Convent Chapel of St. Mary's Medical Center, Huntington, WV, and based on Ex. 34: 29-35,I cor 12;27-13:13and Luke 9:28-36.

On April 12, 1961, Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made history by becoming the first man to orbit the earth. A couple of days after his return to earth, someone asked him about God and space. He is quoted as saying, "I looked and looked but I didn't see God."

...To which a wag in Moscow replied, " If you could not see him on earth, how could you see him in space?"

If Yuri Gagarin had read our passages today, he would have realized that you have to go up on a mountain to see God...

Moses went up Mt. Sinai 7,497 feet, and Jesus most likely went up Mount Hermon, which rises 9,166 feet above the plain of Galilee. That's pretty high... Maybe Gagarin was right to look for God in space...

Most of us would immediately agree with the Moscow wag, that Gagarin made the fundamental mistake of looking for God - a spirit- in a physical place - 'up there' in space.

We've read the Sermon on the Mount, where it says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:7). We know from this that seeing God is something spiritual - a faculty of the True Imagination, if you will. One should not look for a spirit in a physical place. It just won't work.

But in spite of our spiritual knowledge and insight, we as Christians often go on to make a similar mistake in our day to day lives. We live as if there were no connection between what we see around us and the God we say we believe in. We become defacto Deists, who believe that God is 'up in heaven' and we are 'down' here - and never the twain shall meet. God must have just wound up the universe in the beginning, like the proverbial watchmaker, and let the whole thing run on its own, completely divorced from our current reality. How else can we explain why things on earth are so rotten and broken? Why else does God not come 'down' and put things right?

Following this line of reasoning causes us to think about the purpose of Jesus' life and death as providing us a way of escape from this crummy ol' world. We see Christ's ministry as opening a way for us to 'go to heaven' when we die - to give us eternal respite from the cares of this world and to help us retire to a beatific garden-like setting 'in the sweet by and by'.

A lot of people, Christians included, look at this brochure-like vision of heaven and think to themselves, 'That sounds really boring.' I can't imagine just hangin' out on a cloud for eternity playing a harp and chillin' out - even if it's a very beautiful place. There's got to be something more.

They're right - because: God did not send Jesus to die for us so that we could go to Heaven when we die!

What the Transfiguration of Jesus and the shining face of Moses tell us is that God and Heaven aren't 'up there', far away, in outer space, or on the other side of the grave, but are close by, 'very present' as the Psalmist (46) would say, and that God's dimension, what we call 'heaven' is a whole lot more interesting and present than we think.

In Luke chapter 9, verse 27, Jesus tells his disciples, "But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

Peter and James and John are the ones Jesus was talking about. These were the guys who, in the very next verse, go with Jesus up the mountain and see The Kingdom of God arrive as Jesus was transfigured! This is another way of saying they went into God's dimension - Heaven - and saw Jesus for what he really was - God incarnate.

They saw Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah, representatives of the Law and the Prophets - men who themselves had had unusual home-going experiences. The disciples, of course, misinterpreted the event and wanted to create a theme park on the spot. They didn't realize they were seeing what hundreds of generations had longed to see - the revelation of the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven. They had no idea that they were watching the beginning of the fulfillment of God's purpose on the earth - 'the renewal of the entire cosmos, of heaven and earth together', as NT. Wright says (Simply Christian. pg. 85.)

Foreshadowing
Now the story of Moses and the Exodus is a foreshadowing of God's ultimate purpose. God leads the people of Israel out of Egypt, the land of bondage - and towards the promised land of Canaan - a land flowing with milk and honey - a place where things are as they should be - where life on earth is restored to a semblance of the original balance God intended.

The Exodus of Israel anticipates the exodus of Jesus. During his conversation with Moses and Elijah, Jesus talks with them about his 'departure'. The Greek word for this is - surprise - 'Exodus'. As Jesus departs this earthly life through death he will lead the human race out of the bondage of sin and into the New Life of the Kingdom of God. And just as Moses' face shone after receiving the Old Covenant from God, Jesus shone as this New Covenant was being discussed.
And as he did so, he illustrated that Heaven is not far from us, not up there, but near, just on the other side of this visible reality. He showed us that the division between God's dimension - Heaven - and ours is thin, that it can be breached rather easily, at will, by God. Heaven overlaps and interlocks with Earth.

Some Caveats
Now this doesn't indicate some sort of pantheistic conception of reality - that EVERYTHING is God or that God is IN everything. But it does indicate that any idea of God being far off or heaven being somewhere you go after you die is simply mistaken and inadequate. The Truth is far more interesting and amazing. The truth is that "in Jesus of Nazareth, heaven and earth have come together once for all." ( Wright, pg. 94).

Not only that but "The whole point of Jesus' work was to bring heaven to earth and join them together forever, to bring God's future into the present and make it stick there." (SC :g. 102)
And here we're talking about the future consummation of all things. Because even though we are asserting that heaven and earth have been joined together in Christ, we also assert that 'Christ will come again' and that he will finally set up his Kingdom on Earth - a new earth, heaven on earth - the place where God and man will dwell together in such a way that we no longer need the Sun by day or the moon by night, but God himself will be our light. (Rev. 21:23) In Jesus's own person, The Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God lie down together, ushering in the Peaceable Kingdom. (Is. 65:25).

Until that time of final consummation, we live in between the times and God calls us to be people who live at the intersection of time and eternity.

I've told the story before about when I was in college at Marshall, taking a philosophy class. We were systematically studying all the major world philosophies and religions. Each system of ideas was accompanied in the text book by a little diagram illustrating the interaction of the Temporal things and the Eternal things. Systems based on materialist thinking were all 'temporal' and no eternal, while religions such as Buddhism or its older cousin Hinduism were all eternal, the temporal things being mere illusions.

Finally when we got to Christianity, the diagram in the book included a cross, bridging the temporal and eternal. The professor explained it by saying that in the cross of Christ, you have a place where time and eternity meet.

Suddenly, a light bulb went on in my head. I could see that all the other world religions and philosophies were imbalanced on one side or the other, but in Christianity, both come together in perfect balance. The Cross was the only way to bridge the gap - for heaven and earth to come together in some sort of dynamic interaction. This provided me the unlikely intellectual basis for becoming a Christian ( I'm pretty sure I'm the only student that ever came to faith through Dr. Slaate's class...)

And this is why I'm excited about what we're discussing today. I'm excited because the coming together of Heaven and Earth in Christ helps me make sense out of Life: Who I am and what I should do.

Who am I? Who are we as people?

We are God's creatures, created in His image for a loving relationship with Him. But we are fallen; the Image of God within us has been marred by Sin. Even so, every person still bears that indelible imprint of the Divine - and God has taken it upon himself to redeem that image by sending His Son Jesus Christ to hang on the Cross between heaven and earth in order to reconcile us to God once for all. Having been redeemed, God has placed His Spirit within us Christians to transfigure us into the Image of Christ, just as surely as Christ was revealed to be God's only begotten son on the Mount of Transfiguration.

One of the lyrics from the Battle Hymn of the Republic says in part,
"In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea, with a glory in his bosom that ________(transfigures) you and me...."

From 'glory to glory', we are being transformed (transfigured)into the image of Christ through the active work of God's Holy Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:17,18, NASB). But unlike Moses who had to put a veil over his face to shield the Israelites from God's reflected Glory, we who turn to Christ have the veil [of unbelief] removed from our faces and are able to behold the glory of the Lord. (vv. 12-18).

The Holy Spirit of God brings heaven and earth together within us so that we now become outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual grace - and the means of God's grace for others. That is to say, sacramental vessels of God's love to the people of the world.

Here's where our Mission comes in. Because Heaven and Earth have been joined together within us, God has given us the privilege of participating with Him in redeeming this world.
Granted, it's a challenge to see the world as a target of God's redeeming work. Just look at the near daily tragedies around us: Earthquakes in Haiti, Murders on our streets, drug and alcohol addictions everywhere. It's tempting to see the world in Deistic terms - God up in a remote heaven and us down here struggling just to survive.

But this is where we need to look with the eyes of faith and see God at work in the world, joining heaven and earth.

Where do we see this happen?
In other Christians
In our Worship- at the Communion table and the reading of the Word
In our Discipleship and Service

Since this is Valentine's Day, I've got to tell you that the first time I realized that heaven had come down to earth was the day I met Cindy. - and when she kissed me for the first time, I KNEW I was getting a foretaste of heaven on earth!

Although this is corny, it is still true that we glimpse the Divine in other people, especially Christians, and especially our spouses. Marital love was invented so that we could understand what God's love for us is like. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 5:30-32 that, "we are members of his [Christ's] body. 31“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church."

As wonderful as romantic love is, it is temporary and will eventually be replaced by the fulfillment of total union with God in the Resurrected state. Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:30: "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven." Married love is a glimpse, a foretaste of heaven on earth.

Our Worship
This foretaste is also seen during our Worship, in which we eat the bread of heaven and drink from wine of the Marriage feast of the Lamb, joining together with all the saints who have ever lived, anticipating that great Day in the future.

Heaven touches us as we read and listen to God's Word - the Logos, Jesus Christ. The eternal Word, the Old and New Covenant speaks to us now if we will but listen. And as we listen to the Covenant proclaimed, God renews us and causes that Word to grow up within us, changing our mind and hearts into conformity with His will.

Greensboro
When we were in Greensboro for Winter Conference, we got to see a very dramatic example of this in two ways. On Wednesday evening the conference began with a grand Eucharist, complete with a vast congregation, scores of vested clergy, exuberant praise music, a colorful procession. Archbishop Kolini preached and Moses Tay of Singapore celebrated. It was really a high point of Anglican worship in all its grandeur.

But on Sunday morning, about 150 of us who were stranded by the snow, gathered in a small theater there at the hotel and we experienced another wonderful expression of Anglican worship: stripped down, bare, Bp. Sandy Greene was the celebrant, in collar, but also dressed in street clothes, with only a stole for vestment, a bare table with a cup and a plate for the communion, One guitar player - with no amplification, no programs, no song lyrics and NO Worship Booklets!

Bishop Doc Loomis preached a simple, but moving sermon, while Archbishops Kolini and Tay sat on either side of the theater, and world-renowned theologian J.I. Packer listened from his seat near the back, giants of the faith listening unobtrusively, just like the rest of us - who were joining together in a style of worship that had formed us into a family, despite our very different backgrounds from all over the world. Contemplating this sight moved me profoundly. I felt that I was experiencing a little bit of heaven on earth.

We also see heaven meet earth as we follow Christ.

Jesus told his disciples that were some standing before him who would not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” (Lk. 9:27) But this was just after he told them that “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. (Lk. 9:23,24)
To be a disciple of Jesus and to see the Kingdom of God is also to be a person who is willing to suffer for the Gospel. Seeing Heaven on Earth doesn't come cheaply.

Finally, we see heaven and earth come together in our service for Him.

N.T. Wright says, 'If Jesus has been raised, that means that God's new world, God's kingdom, has indeed arrived; and that means we have a job to do. (Simply Christian, pg. 115.) Our job is to be the hands and feet of Christ - the manifest presence of God to our world.

We are to learn to participate with God in the task of reclaiming this fallen world through the power of God's Spirit, - who is Himself the down-payment or foretaste (Grk Arrabon) of our inheritance - and to set to right things that are wrong. We are to be the instruments by which God transfigures the world.

The Good News is that Jesus Christ is Lord, " that he has won the victory over the forces of evil, that a new world has opened up , and that we are to help make it happen." (Wright, pg. 124)
As God's church, we are now the new Temple, the living stone built together (1 Pet. 2:5), the place where heaven and earth meet. When Paul says that we are 'the body of Christ and individually members of it',(1 Cor 12;27), this indicates that we are to participate in God's plan. We are to be his hands and feet in implementing His plan. Our mission is to live in the intersection between heaven and earth - the thin place that the Celts were so enamored of.

Hope House is such a thin place - a place that was subjected to the futility of sin and death, but is now being reclaimed for the Kingdom, a place where Heaven and earth will meet in the Tabernacle we have helped God create. It is an anticipation, a foretaste, Arrabon, of a world set right - a proclamation of the love and power of God acting in the world here and now.
And, of course, not only Hope House, but everything we do in the power of God's Spirit to advance the Kingdom is just such an Arrabon.

As often as we pray the Lord's Prayer, we say, 'Thy Kingdom Come on earth as it is in heaven...
Our task is to be God's hands and feet, helping this prayer to become a reality. May God, in His infinite mercy, assist us to see the new Kingdom reality of heaven on earth with the eyes of our hearts, and join Him in the work of bringing in His kingdom here and now. AMEN.