Jesus & Star Wars Advent 4

Something great and wonderful is occurring this month. Something which has people talking and planning, and the excitement is rising.  I wonder if you can guess what I am talking about?  Our Acolytes will now give you a clue.

Unless you have been living under a rock, the biggest movie of all time started showing on Friday.  Already in pre-ticket sales, the new Star Wards movie has sold more tickets than any other movie has sold in total sales, and it just premiered on Friday.   Pls open your bulletins to page # 9, and follow along as Bob Knapp reads

                                                         

The original “Star Wars’ movie, back 40 years ago, shook the world. Every once in a while, that happens.  Something comes along—either at the time, or shortly thereafter, that makes you realize that things will never be the same again, such as the invention of the wheel, or the Beatles, or the pc).

Ever since the original Star Wars episode in 1977, and through its prequels and sequels, the Star Wars phenomena has had an impact on American culture unlike anything else or sense.

Now, I bet that for people fully engrossed in popular culture, and for the media and entertainment industry, this author’s words probably ring true.

Of course, many of us have grown weary of popular culture because most of us realize that most of popular culture is just not real.   It is fantasy land.

·       The photos of celebrities have been doctored to make them look better than life; and that is especially true when you add plastic surgery to the mix.

·       Now I love television crime drama, PAUSE but realistically, crimes are never solve in an hour.

·       Although adultery may appear to be romantic on the screen, it shatters the lives of families.

·       The bad boy and bad girl behavior of celebrities gets celebrities noticed by the media, but their lives are left for the worse. Witness Charlie Sheen with AIDS.  And whether or not we like, these folks are role models for our children?

However, for good or for ill, popular culture has a huge impact on how people think.  Indeed, Star Wars has influenced the way that many people form their own personal spirituality. Star Wars build its story around “The Force,” which has a dark –evil side and a light-right side. It connects with many people crave victory over evil, through a hope of some sort of supernatural intervention.  Not infrequently, when the dark force is defeated by the right force in this series spell-binding-fiction, movie goers erupt in spontaneous applause. PAUSE

…....which is fine.

·       But that is not real.  

·       I wonder why don’t most Christians clap and shout about the true & real victory of good over evil, which is the true miracle of Christmas?  According to the Bible, someday we will.

According to Star-Wars-creator George Lucas, Star Wars is based on something true—which is reflected in fiction, and lived out in life: and that is the rhythm of the spiritual journey, as described by the famous author, Joseph Campbell.

The outline of this journey is simple and you will recognize it:

·       The would-be heroes embark on a journey to fulfill their destiny.

·       Along the way they are tested by enemies, and maybe even temporarily defeated.  However, they persevere and rescue the innocent from the forces of evil.

·       Finally the heroes comes face to face with pure evil.  In their own power, they would be defeated; However, the heroes summon up power from within themselves and/or or from supernatural forces; and then they defeat their monstrous enemies. PAUSE

In my humble opinion, these quest narratives are reflective of the life of Jesus Christ.

·       Jesus embarked upon a spiritual journey,…a quest  to proclaim the Kingdom of God.

·       He sought  to rescue people from sin and death, but in the process his enemies sought to kill him.

·       Finally Jesus comes face to face with the devil, as He prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before he was crucified. Jesus rejected the devil’s temptation to run away and play-it-safe.  In so doing, Jesus embarks in a 3 day spiritual battle where He was executed on the cross, PAUSE and then gloriously rises from the dead on Easter Sunday.  And now, all who accept Him as their personal savior are granted freedom from the devils eternal power.

We Christians believe that this is the truth; which we will affirm together momentarily when we recite the Nicene Creed.   PAUSE

Meanwhile, there are tremendous reasons why Star Wars is so popular. However, in my opinion, the story inspires people to think that there is something good to believe in. As for non-believers: PAUSE I believe that they   hope and wish that the good side of the force is somehow true. Perhaps especially now during this American war with Islamic terrorism, people want something to believe in.

The Force in Star Wars fades away at the conclusion of the movie; and that is because it is not real.  But people still need something to believe in.

That’s why God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that all who believe in him would not perish, but be rescued for everlasting life.  That is reality!

I bet you know of people who are looking for something to believe in.  Through Jesus, you know the real deal.  Why not invite one or more of them to come to church with you sometime during the 12 days of Christmas.      Introduce them to the one who is our Champion and Mighty Warrior, even Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

The Rev. John Donnelly

SHARE THE LIGHT OR LOSE IT Advent 1

Once upon a time there was a man who lived in a deep dark cave---which had no exit. All his life, he was cold, damp, and miserable. The cave was so dark that he couldn’t see; and he was consumed with sorrow. The man had a candle---but he had no fire, so the candle was totally useless.

One day, in his desperation, the man cried out to the Lord, asking for help. Much to his surprise, an angel appeared and lit his candle with a flame of fire. Well, he was overjoyed. His candle gave him warmth. His candle gave him light. His candle gave him companionship. And his candle made him happy.

However, the following day another cave dweller appeared in the man’s life. The cave dweller was a woman, and she was cold, damp, and frightened. She, too, had a candle---but she had no fire. Now the woman became attracted to the man’s candle, and crept closely to him. She loved the warmth ---the light---the security. However, as she approached-- the man saw her and turned his back upon her---blocking her from the light.

Summoning up her courage, the woman dared to speak to him. “Kind sir,” she said, “Would you please light my candle, for I have no light?”

At the sound of her voice, the man walked away, leaving her in the darkness. He didn’t know this woman---but more than that, you see, he was afraid. He was afraid that if he lit the stranger’s candle—that his might accidentally blow out---and that once again, he’d be left in the darkness. So, the man took his candle and walked in the opposite direction---hurrying to safety.

Meanwhile, the angel of the Lord had not yet left the cave, and had seen all that had transpired. The angel was filled with a rage towards the man’s selfishness. So, he flew over to the man, blowing out his candle; and then the angel gave the light to the woman. Once again, the man was left in the darkness. Oh, the woman tried to light his candle for him---but each time she tried, his candle went out.

John the Baptist rose from the desert as a mighty prophet----condemning the religious establishment, and encouraging the non-religious. You see, the religious people had kept the light of God’s word all to themselves. They knew the comfort of God. They basked in the God’s love, God’s mercy, God’s forgiveness, and God’s joy. And that was good.

But they kept it all to themselves---while regular people wandered in the darkness of ignorance. They didn’t know that God loved them. They didn’t know they could pray to him. They didn’t know his compassion and mercy.

So John, the Baptist, filled with the Holy Spirit---preached to the religious establishment, saying, “Share it, or God will take it away from you.”

My friends, we are the religious establishment to whom this message is directed. We are here today because we know that Jesus is Alive---

·       that Jesusrose from the dead---

·       and that Jesus will come again.

Many of us remember how we once wandered in the darkness, when we did not know His love and forgiveness.

·       Some of us were notorious sinners, who hurt others and hurt ourselves.

·       Others of us were apathetic about God, because we really didn’t think he could add anything to our lives.

·       And still others of us were battered, beaten, and broken; and we were at the end of our ropes.

Then----one day-----when you were minding your own business, or when you were doing something bad---or one day when you were languishing in regret----

·       someone brought light into your darkness.

·        Someone had mercy on you, whether you knew you needed it or not.

·       Someone reached out to you in a dramatic way, or in a quiet way, in the Name of Jesus.

1.   Maybe the person invited you to come to church.

2.  Maybe the person prayed with you, or listened to your problems.

3.   Maybe touched you with tough love.

4.   Maybe someone befriended you.

5.   Maybe an invisible angel guided you to this parish family.

6.  Maybe someone forgave you for the wrong you had done to him or her.

7.  · Maybe someone told you about Jesus’ love.

8.  · Maybe someone helped you when you needed a friend---and then, another candle was lit—and that candle was yours.

Now when that happened, the light of Christ’s love may have shined upon you---- in a sudden flash, as was the case of St. Paul on the Road to Damascus; or maybe the light started shining very dimly----and softly, until it grew bright.

Oh, how can we describe the light of Christ coming into our lives?

·       It’s a sense of security and peace that we know will sustain us, even during the hardest of times.

·        Its like a joy that we may have had at an earlier time in our lives, which we had lost, and now have found.

·       · Its like a heavy backpack has been removed from your back, so that you can stand tall and straight.

·       · Its like you’ve been tied up with rope, and now are free.

·       · It’s like wandering around in an unknown forest, or being lost as you drive in an unfamiliar area---and then suddenly, you see the way to go---and you proceed with confidence.

·       · The light of Christ coming into our lives is like coming into the warmth when you’ve been out in the cold;

·       · It’s like being fed when you are hungry.

· ISN’T THE LIGHT OF CHRIST WONDERFUL? AMEN?

And it seems to me that the Light of Christ is needed now, more than ever. As the horrific terrorist attacks continue on and on, it seems tome that the darkness in our world is becoming darker. It is easpecially dark for the victims and their families---but we are also affected with sorrow, anziety, and/or maybe some hopelessness. Thee seem to be so many Islamic terrorists ,who are willing to die as they  commit mass murder.  It is for this reason that Christ was born at Christmas….because Jesus Christ is the true light of the world.

******If you do not know of what I speak, if you do not know the light of Christ---then you need to learn how to receive it. Christ wants to shine His spiritual light into the dark and broken parts of your heart. If you want to learn want to learn how to receive the light of Christ, then I want to encourage to come up to the altar rail, after our service today, and speak to a member of our Prayer Team. These trained people know how to share the light of Christ with you so that you can receive it.

*****If you have previously received the light of Christ; and then later, wandered back into the darkness and subsequently gotten lost along the way---do notdespair. Jesus is waiting for you to come back to Him. Likewise, I encourage you to come up and pray with one of our prayer teams following the service.

*****Finally, for all of us who have received the light of Christ ----WE need to be merciful to those people, in your world, who have not. We need to find ways to share the light of Christ, because most people are wandering in the darkness----and like in our parable, if we don’t share the light we have received, then it will be taken away from us. This is a question of mercy. We cannot just sit smugly, basking in the light of Christ, while the people wandering in darkness go about their business, either suffering or not even giving a thought to God. 

They don’t know what they are missing---but you do. And if you don’t share it, you will lose it-----and you will miss it. But if you do share it, His light will become brighter in your life. 

Someone was merciful to you and me. Some God was merciful to you and me .


Look and pray over the meditation form below. God is calling you to show mercy to someone. Bring His light in this time before Christmas. Jesus is the reason for the season.

The Rev. John Donnelly