Sunday, November 28, 1999

Keep Awake
The Rev. Linda Carder

Psalm 100 (p. 552)
Ephesians 1:15-23 (p. 192)
Matthew 25:31-46 (p. 29)

(The beginning of the sermon is a skit done by the CCC Junior High Clown Ministry Troop)

Thank you, Junior Highs for your powerful ministry among us. Indeed, Clown Ministry has an amazing power to touch and influence us. Like so many of the other arts, we can take it in a so many levels. On the surface, clowns are fun and funny. They can cheer us up on a dreary or sad day. When clowns enter an area, faces immediately light up. Hearts and minds open to the clowns antics and message. The clown hidden deep inside some of us comes out and begins to clown with the clowns. We are set free, to just be.

That is particularly true of Christian Clowning. As one begins to put on the white face paint, the clown understands that he or she is dying to all the fears or messages that keep him or her from being all God would have him or her be. As soon as the white mask is on, the clown ceases to communicate verbally and moves to other means of communication. The colors the clowns put on their white faces symbolize the joy and excitement in following Jesus and in being set free to be all they can be. Often a clown intentionally choose a costume and character they would never be with out those props.

A clowns antics are exaggerated, not only to get the message across but to lift up the ways of Jesus so that all may see. Their actions are often ones of helping or serving others as Jesus taught us to do. They dust seats, help people down the aisle, etc. as a way of showing us Jesus’ way. And then, of course, there is the message of each skit. Clown ministry is a bit like poetry. There is a depth way beyond the surface configuration of words or actions. Both serve to awaken us to a new reality or understanding.

Clowning may be a perfect way to usher in the Advent season. Advent is a season full of rich colors, symbols, and poetry. I have had the opportunity of teaching the Tuesday morning Bible Class the last two weeks. When I teach that class, I make a worship or meditation center for them. This past week as we studied today’s scripture, they noticed that the colors changed from green to purple and blue. We talked about purple being the color of royalty and penitence, heralding the coming of the Messiah, and how blue had been added in recent years to distinguish the Advent season from the season of Lent. The class members were so excited in their anticipation of Advent music and the poetry of the words in the Advent hymns. We talked about Advent being a season of both waiting and expectation.

Indeed the arts, and particularly poetry, are a key to understanding the scriptures used during Advent. Many of our favorite Advent scriptures are from the prophets, particularly Isaiah. And poetry is the language of the prophets.

Today’s scripture from Isaiah is more a psalm (that is a song or poem) of lament than a prophecy. It speaks of the deep longing of the people for God to return to them. It looks back to the close relationship the people had with God during the Exodus and the time in the wilderness and pleads for God to return to that intimate relationship with the people. Psalm 80 picks up the theme and it is as if the congregation or the nation undertakes a sustained effort to invoke God’s return. As Christians, we believe that God heard the cry of the peoples and sent Jesus, to be God with us. And so, the poem gives us permission both to remember and cry out again for God to be close to us in this age too.

The passage from Mark is from the latter part of Jesus’ ministry and is a call to be awake, alert and ready for the Second Coming. There are denominations which have focused a great deal on the Second Coming, particularly as we approach the new millennium. One I pass on my way home advertises that if I come on a Wednesday night I can hear the "new millennium prophecy." The danger of some of this may be that it does not recognize the poetic symbols of the Bible. For example, "the Son of Man coming on clouds" is Biblical language to symbolize God’s presence or to signify that the one who comes is God.

Advent is a time of preparation for and hope for the presence of God. As Christians we do that wide awake and with active anticipation as a part of our waiting. And as we read or hear the scriptures, we would do well to remember that God answered that plea in Jesus and it us this Jesus who is the plumb line for any expectation or prophecy. And it was this Jesus who came to us humbly, it was he who was ultimately compassionate, it was he who personified love, it was he who included those who were excluded by everyone else and it was he who pushed against legalism. Any prophecy of his return must fit with who he was.

If we see Jesus as a window to God, then any second presence would be a further opening of the window. And I for one want to hold that image up to those who wait in pain, those who wait while oppressed, those who wait hungry and thirsting and those who await a time without war and natural disaster. I want to hold this image up for those of us who wait and hope, living our lives the best way we can, in the faith that God’s face will be seen, because God loves that much. For that, I will keep awake and joyously wait and hope through this Advent.

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