St. Timothy's Church

Advent 2

December 6, 2009

St. Nicholas Day

Luke 3.1-6

The Rev. W. Terry Sweeney

Final and universal. If St Luke teaches the universality of the gospel, and St Paul its gratuity, the author of the epistle to the Hebrews teaches its finality. His great theme is that Jesus Christ is God's last word to the world, that he has fulfilled all the Old Testament foreshadowing’s, and that there is nothing more to follow. Christianity is the perfect religion; it can never be superseded. Christ, through his eternal priesthood and unique sacrifice, has brought us an 'eternal salvation' (Heb. 5:9). --- From "Men with a Message" by John R.W. Stott

The Lord is my Light and my salvation; the Lord is the strength of my life: I will bless the Lord at all times and His praise shall ever be in my mouth. In the Name of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

God bless you for being with us today! I pray the Lord makes Himself known to you during this time of worship.

We’re entering into the second week of preparing for Christmas. The malls are heating up with traffic – Black Friday is come and gone; cyber Monday is come and gone and as always we’re left with the decisions about how to experience Christmas inwardly and outwardly.

In the second week of Advent we recall the word of God given to the prophet Malachi about a fore-runner, God’s man, who will announce the coming of the Messiah.

"See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty.

The Gospel then identifies the fore-runner as John the Baptizer.

“during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. 3He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord”

The time that separated the Old Testament prophecy from the Gospel historical fulfillment is roughly 550 years.

For what ever reason God had, He waited and the people waited.

Advent is another type of waiting – much shorter, with a known outcome – we wait nonetheless.

Our waiting period is one in which we look backward to what God has done through the incarnation of the Son of God. . . through bible reading, prayer, and reflection I believe we come to see that God’s work in the past is no different then it is right now or for that matter tomorrow or the day after.

He is the same yesterday, today – tomorrow – for ever, unchanging – the same God.

Stott calls Christianity the perfect religion, one that can never be superseded.

What makes it perfect is that it is truth – a truth that changes lives, and makes broken things new.

Christianity is unique inasmuch as it’s a relationship with God through Jesus sparked by prevenient grace through faith that grows by actual grace through giving our lives over to Jesus and being led by the Holy Spirit.

The hymn Amazing Grace is perhaps the best example of what I’m saying:

Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.

It’s a song that came from the experience of a skipper of a slave trader boat, whose eyes were opened to the sin of slavery . . . . applied to each of us . . . . the hymn reminds us that its only through God’s eye opening love that any of us can come to Him in a new life.

I am always struck by the stark comparison given in Galatians as Paul compares and contrasts the life of the flesh to the life of the Spirit:

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like these.

Paul goes on to say, “I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. . . .

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

One of the early testimonies regarding followers of Jesus was that they loved each other; they gave so that none of them had any need; strangers and widows and orphans were cared for.

Lucian of Samoset, a second century Greek satirist mocked Christians by saying they were a misguided lot – he says “that it was impressed upon them by their original lawgiver that they were all brothers, from the moment that they were converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after His laws. All this they take quite on faith, with the result that that they despise all worldly goods alike, regarding them as common property.”

Lucian went on to say “they (The Christians) spare no trouble or expense”, referring to aid for one another.

Following after Jesus results in a fundamental change of attitude toward the material world and those we’re taught to think of as our neighbors.

The attitudinal change results in (among other things) an attitude of giving.

As I consider the ”Spirit of Christmas” one of the things I think of is giving – the conscious, willing giving of care, love or some material token from one person to another.

We call them Christmas presents – presents placed under trees, sent by UPS, given at parties or left secretly at door-steps or on a table in our auditorium.

In our country gift giving has become the central aspect, along with family time, during the season of Christmas . . . some says its precedent is from the gifts given to Jesus by the Magi.

We say that Christ gave His life for us – and as a result we receive the gift (grace) of forgiveness and upon death the gift of eternal life.

Christ gives us life and life abundantly.

As a result we then, as Christ followers, out of love and heart felt thanks to the gifts we’re received in turn give to others.

Christians were known to run to plague filled cities to help (often dying); Christians fed the homeless, ministered in the poorest of places among the least. Giving of themselves, their possessions, their abilities was common.

It’s interesting to note that today is also the Feast of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. The iconic figure in which the Dutch Santa Klaus is derived.

It’s said that Nicholas was devoted to charity. Born in a Greek area of what is now Turkey. Raised in a devout Christian home, his wealthy parents died while Nicholas was still young. As an older man, he used his inheritance to assist the needy, the sick and suffering. He dedicated his life to giving to people in need.

Nicholas was not timid. He did what was necessary to defend his flock and the faith he was called to teach. His selection as a bishop was miraculous: The previous bishop had died. During the conclave to choose his successor one of the bishops heard a voice tell him to watch the doors of the church the next morning during morning prayer. The first person to enter named “Nicholas” was to be named bishop. When Nicholas arrived he was asked his name: I am Nicholas, he said. The bishop said, “Nicholas, servant and friend of God, for your holiness you shall be bishop of this place.” They brought him to the church, placed him on the bishops seat and consecrated him as Bishop of Myra.

Under the Roman emperor Diocletian Nicholas was exiled and imprisoned. After his release he attended the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. He was buried in the cathedral church and a short time later a unique relic called Manna formed in his grave. The Manna was a liquid substance said to have healing powers and fostered a growth of devotion to Nicholas.

There are many stories told of Nicholas that add to his legend and patron as a revered protector, and helper of those in need.

One of the oldest stories as him as a protector of children happened after his death. It seems some pirates came into Myra on the eve of Nicholas’ feast day, stole treasures from the church and kidnapped a young boy. The leader of the pirates chose the boy to be a cupbearer. The following year the boy’s mother, out of grief, refused to join in the celebration of St Nicholas and instead stayed at home and held a simple observance of the saint. As she was praying her son was swept up and appeared before St Nicholas. Nicholas is said to have blessed the boy and set him down in his mothers home in Myra, still holding the pirates cup.

Several stories were told of Nicholas and the sea and therefore he is a patron to many sailors. So we see many chapels named after Nicholas in seaports around the world.

There was a poor man with three daughters. He was so poor he could not accumulate dowries large enough to find a husband for them. So they were unlikely to marry and therefore destined for either slavery or prostitution. The version that I’ve most often heard was that the night before they were to be sold, Nicholas tossed three bags of gold through their open bedroom windows – each bag landed in one of the girls shoes left in front of the fireplace to keep dry and stay warm. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings on the fireplace or setting out shoes, awaiting gifts from St. Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold.

That’s why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are used to symbolize Nicholas.

On the eve of St. Nicholas Day, December 6th, In Holland children would set out their shoes and in the morning they would find nuts, berries or oranges.

Sometimes children would leave carrots and hay in their shoes for the saint’s horse, hoping Nicholas would exchange them for candies, small chocolates, gifts and riddles.

I would leave a glass of milk and some cookies and would always find them gone in the morning – which added to the mystery and excitement of the morning.

If we fast forward to America in 1810 artist Alexander Anderson was commissioned to create the first American image of Nicholas. . it depicted Nicholas placing gifts in children’s stockings near a fireplace.

A poem accompanied Anderson’s work: Saint Nicholas, my dear good friend! To serve you ever was my end, if you will, now, me something give, and I’ll serve you ever while I live.”

By then there had been a shift to December 25th and the notion of good and bad children and their subsequent rewards.

By 1821 a lithographed book titled, “Children’s Friend” was produced showing Sante Claus arriving from the North Pole in a sleigh with a flying reindeer.

In 1823 “The Night Before Christmas” was published; St Nicholas was portrayed as a jolly, rotund, elf like creature with a pipe stuck in his mouth.

In 1863 the characterization of Nicholas was finalized by a painting by Thomas Nast and from there solidified by painters such as Haddon Sundblom (The Coca-Cola Santa’s) and Norman Rockwell.

These were some of the pivotal steps within the culture that led us away from the saintly Bishop of the 4th century to what has evolved today. (Note: December 6th is still popular in Europe)

Where might this leave us this 2nd Sunday of Advent?

The Christ of St Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, was Lord and Savior whom He loved and served.

He fought against Arianism during the Council of Nicea.

He was brave in the face of persecution.

He was committed to serving all of his flock including those in need.

To recapture Nicholas we can certainly take all of the children’s shoes and place candies, and oranges in them . . . . that is in keeping with the legend of Nicholas.

We can also consider that God has given us a new heart and a new spirit.

He has given us faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

By His grace He has given us the gift of faith and set us out to represent Him in this community.

To do that effectively a spirit of giving is to take us over and every day the needs of many will be placed before us.

Persons with troubled minds will meet us and wonder if we have words of consolation and healing for them?

We will bump into those who are unemployed or under-employed and we will be challenged to know how to help them

There are many sick people with diseases that run from acute, to chronic to life threatening to life taking. . . . . what are we to do for them?

I know you all pretty well. . . . I’ve been your pastor long enough to know your hearts and actions. . . . I’m learning to know how you think and what you are capable of doing.

This much I know: You are a loving and generous people!

God has graciously come upon you and you have turned to Him in faith and practice.

Your actions match your faith – Glory to God.

This season of gift giving will be over sooner than we can blink but knowing you as I know you I can with confidence say this coming year we will be given hundreds of opportunities to serve our neighbors.

The confused, the poor, the sick, the unemployed . . . .they will come to our door.

Children will be taught here . . . . young moms will come here for support and fellowship.

The bible will be taught and studied here. . . .

People who come here searching for help - - - - - we will help them and show them Christ in doing so.

If there’s something worthy of preparation it is to ask God to burn away the cultural idea of Christmas and instill in us the realization of the Son of God born of a Virgin Mother in a town in Judea. . . . a child that would take the sins of the world upon Himself and save His people from their sins.

If there’s something worthy of preparation it is to ask God to inwardly mark us with the greatest desire to give all we have for His sake and in doing so say to the world around us that Jesus is Lord over all the world.

If there is something worthy of preparation it is to commit ourselves as one body, under the Lordship of the true and living God to at all times and in all ways possible to give as Christ would give and thereby bring some into His Kingdom.

If there is something worthy of preparation it is to tend the baptismal font and not the cemetery: We must not hold on to a preoccupation with the past and with the buildings, or grounds or hymnals or liturgy “we like” rather than the urgency of reaching the next generation with the transforming love of Jesus Christ;

In the Book of Joshua, God clearly tells Joshua “Moses is dead” – we cannot live in the shadow of days past or of past leaders; the past is dead - but perhaps the most dangerous thing we can do is allow the past to limit our future.

Among other things God desperately wants His Church to be like His Son – to be Holy, to walk blameless and upright – to be instruments of giving – vessels of peace and healing. . . . we are to be bold, committed, fearless, yet gracious, humble and a stalwart of His own making.

This Advent season make preparation by giving – and sharing – and loving.

For the sake of Christ and His Church.

God bless you this Advent season!

Let us pray.

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