Sermons on
Christmas Praise
As a response to the Christmas season,
during January and February 2004, we explored the idea of Christian Praise.
Christmas is such a season of celebration, we asked, “then what?” “Where
do we go from here?” “What is the right response of Christians to the
celebration of Christmas?” The following is a brief summary of the sermons of
this season. The sermon, “Returning to Capistrano: A Guide for Christmas
Praise,” December 28, 2003, introduced the theme.
Over the
last seven weeks, we have explored the subject of Christian praise. Beginning
with the celebration of Christmas joy, we have sought to consider what right
praise would look like. Singing? Shouting? Raised hands? Ecstatic experiences
of prayer?
No. These are the emotional experiences of religious piety. They have their
place. But these do not represent true praise.
In an exercise of priority-setting that I used to do as a youth minister, I
found that most church youth routinely placed “God” as their
highest priority (above “self,” “family,” “money,” etc…). I
suggested that they were wrong to do so. In fact, much to their Baptist-bread
dismay, I suggested that they ought to take God off their priority list,
altogether. For if “God” or “the praise of God,” can be so easily
objectified, compartmentalized, and prioritized – even if we give God
“first place in our lives,” then we have wrongly understood God. By such
thinking, we could do the “God thing” -- pay our obeisance, write our
check, sing our praise, spend our time… and then check God off the priority
list for the rest of the week.
But the praise of Life-Mystery will never be so easily achieved.
Praise means the full-bodied commitment of all that we are and have. For
Baptists, this is symbolized in the beautiful sacrament of Baptism.
Praise means seeking to know our gifts, and struggling to use them,
and finding that when we have immersed ourselves in these very earthly
abilities, we will only then have become spiritual persons.
Praise means living after what the Apostle Paul called a more excellent way.
It is a discipline that will outlive faith; a faith that will outlast hope.
Praise is practicing the way of love.
Praise finds itself awkwardly at home among the disconcerting processes of
life, among these, the necessary evil of choosing among one another for
leaders. Praise reminds us the scriptural truth that all are called, but
few are chosen, and praise beckons us to the necessary humility of
loving, through service, no matter which side of chosen-ness is our fate.
Praise calls us to life’s most difficult tasks, and stands guard over our
response: To forgive or not forgive. This is the question.
We suggested the weekend after Christmas that praise, for Christians,
will be found in imitating the life of the one who came among us, vulnerable
and weak, and whose growth continues to be our hope for eternal life.
Jesus grew, in wisdom and stature. Jesus grew in favor with those around him.
Jesus grew in favor with God. And if we are to learn to truly Praise God, it
will be by finding that we are never able to check that priority off
our list. (“Been to church. Done my praise.”)
Today as we conclude this sermonic theme, we look into the heart of the one
whose disciples call him “Lord.” It is a strange, and uncomfortable word
if we think of it. Lord – One who demands our loyalty. Our obedience.
Our response. Dare I say our submission!? As we look at one of
the central teachings of Jesus’ life, we may find that we cannot call him
Lord on any of those accounts. That we have not yet given up our selfish ways.
That neither Jesus, nor his teachings, has a controlling influence in our
lives. And it will be a crime if we find it so… for at the heart of Jesus’
teaching is a principle that I believe is at the very heart of the universe.
Without it, we cannot be Christian. And even more importantly than that…
Without the Golden Rule, Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus,
Buddhists and atheists, humans and aliens across the universe. Will. Not.
Survive.
I memorized the sound bite this way as a child: As ye would that men should
do to you, do ye also to them, likewise. I am still struggling to learn
it, as an adult. Perhaps there is no more telling expression of having
learned the art of Christian Praise, than to have learned some of the
discipline of “doing unto others.”
May it be so!
