December 6, 2024

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel and the people of Judah are the vines in whom He took great delight. He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard only cries of distress.” (Isaiah 5.7)

“Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is what the Lord has done, it is wonderful in our eyes‘?” (Matthew 21.42)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD during the First Week of Advent 2024:

Did you ever consider this well-known and oft quoted verse to be connected to the verse offered for today’s Advent reflection from Isaiah 5? As a stand alone passage, which is always a bit dangerous practice to employ for most all scripture, we would not even consider a relationship. Strange how our own lives might be seen in that way. So, too, our “Christmas” traditions! I recently viewed a short video which a friend posted of a neighbor’s house decorated for Christmas. It was a very animated presentation of lights literally from the ground up. Someone took great effort in creating this display. I read some of the comments complimenting the decoration alive with running lights, strobe lights and music. I watched the thirty second video. I have seen similar presentations in a neighborhood close to where I live. I am sure you have, too. As I took inventory of it, instead of just being enamored by the “pretty light show,” I saw a landing strip on the roof, Santa and his sleigh on the ground with a reindeer with a pulsing red nose and a large Christmas tree ready to be surrounded by packages (not delivered by Amazon, FedEx or WalMart.) I have no doubt that the house is viewed by many drive-by visitors who are equally taken in by the light sight. My question is, and I stand guilty of missing the mark as well, what attention does this display bring to the authentic reason for the season? It seems there has been great momentum in transforming “Christmas Day” into “Santa Claus Day.” More honor is given to Santa Claus magic than God’s mercy. There is more attention to giving worldly gifts than celebrating the unmatchable gift of grace. As in the runway on the roof, the faith holiday centered on the babe born in Bethlehem is merely a launching pad to fiscal consumption promoting the earthly needs of people as the priority over the spiritual needs. I would dare say that more celebrate the worldly Christmas than the kingdom celebration of “Today in Bethlehem is born to you, a Savior who is Christ the Lord.” More iconography and idolatry is present than the humbling message of the gospel. I would submit that the percentage of such is comparable to the amount of time spent in worship on a weekly basis by the vast majority of believers in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Lamb who came to take away our sins and become the way, the truth and the life for all who will believe. Am I being cynical? Am I making too much of this “spiritual” holy day? Again, I will confess to being as guilty as the next, but it is a struggle worth enduring and an accountability worth having. I wish I had the mindset earlier in life. I didn’t because those were the traditions of celebrating a worldly Christmas I was raised up in in a world of peace on a limited scope. All was well with me and my family, even my extended family. Why did a truly “spiritual” assessment need to be focused upon. The tokenism of midnight Christmas Eve services to sing “Noel” and families gathering to feast and share in the fiscal indebtedness to provide for the flesh and not the spirit (but all in the name of “love”) was sufficient and acceptable. Now, as I consider “the stone which the builders rejected” I wonder if we are still not truly rejecting it as the chief cornerstone; or the capstone as some translations would present. Oh, the stone is still present. On it is carved an unknown date and sentiment. Many will touch it with a fond recognition but allow their attention to be grasped like a juicy apple on a tree which looks good for eating. Have we taken a bite of the fruit that can never be returned whose taste becomes bitter when the intention of our consumption doesn’t match the consequence? As society seems to exponentially stumble in the dark (calling it light) there is, to borrow from Isaiah, a light which the darkness cannot overcome. The people who live in darkness have seen this light and cannot seem to ignore it but also do not dwell on it for long (because it is identified as a “dark” knowledge which contemporary ideologies refuse and confuse with their own spins.) The day will come, and is now here, where the warning of the Apostle Paul to the Church in Rome is being realized, “Therefore God delivered them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity (sexual and otherwise), so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie. They worshiped and served what has been created instead of the Creator, who is to be praised forever. Amen.” (Romans 1.25) The question is reasonably asked now in the midst of today’s culture and climate “What is the meaning of Christmas?” And the answers to that question are plentiful and many unsatisfying to the soul of humankind with things that cannot resolve the hungering and thirsting we all sense.

The verse I mentioned from Matthew 21 concerning “the stone which the builders rejected” is part of a greater teaching from the Parable of the Vineyard Owner. It is that parable which has its roots, for Jesus, and its expression in what God revealed to Isaiah to be shared with Israel over seven hundred years previous. And Jesus doesn’t “tote and quote” because most everyone in the crowd listening were well-versed in God’s Word. This was especially true for the very ones who were “rejecting the stone which God intended to be the cornerstone.” What would that cornerstone be? John would say “the Word the became flesh” was that cornerstone. The Word of God had been given in many ways: the great commandments, the simple instruction, the intentional call, the fiery revelation, signs and wonders, the Decalogue. All of these were examples of the Word of God intended to lead, guide and direct a people to become the full of who they were intended to be. Who were they intended to be? They were intended to be the “salt of the earth, the light to the world and a witness to the nations of the glory of God with the invitation to cast of the world and put on the Kingdom of God which knows no end.” All of those examples were the evidence of Jesus Christ who “In the beginning was the Word, the Word with God”: the Word by which all things that have been made were made; the Word which became flesh to dwell among all humankind so that the Father could be seen and believed; the Word which is the invitation to receive the greatest gift of all- mercy, grace and forgiveness.” Is this not the cornerstone and capstone which should be put in place in our own lives which we are building and the lives of those in our care which we are building up as well? How many days a year have we devoted to the gift-giving we practice “one day a year”? Are we not making Christmas just another one of “those” days? Are we taking what was intended to be sacred and make it profane? It is not wrong to give gifts. We should gift those we love with gifts and tokens of affection which celebrate the lives of others as being worthy to receive gifts. But, is “this treasure placed in human vessels” being honored, being poured out a expensive ointment upon the feet of the One who came to save us and gave His life to save us? Or are we settling for “a little dab will do ya”? Take heed to the lesson in Isaiah 5 and Matthew 21 (Matthew was a great fan of Isaiah and for good reason). We have been given the Word, the gift which we ourselves cannot manufacture, and for the purpose of keeping it, maintaining it and causing it to increase. We are the vintners of the vineyard, the winepresses and all that go with it so that the “wine of the covenant of God’s mercy and grace” can be shared with a hungering and thirsting world. It is hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Righteousness is the good grape and the good wine intended for God’s people who receive it “in spirit and in truth.” But when it comes time for the owner of the vineyard to visit and take hold of it for the sake of accountability, even to merely taste the new wine which is to satisfy that hungering and thirsting, He will either find there is none or there is none shared but kept to themselves and thus profane the gift and the giver. In response, God withdraws His investment and protection and leaves it to those who think they know better and can do better than the Master Vintner. Their actions may be successful for a time but slowly the vintage grows bitter and the efforts to change more fruitless. When their ruin is complete, the owner returns to reclaim the land and invest in others who commit themselves to the ways of the Lord.

Mighty ones of God, those who are still reading this reflection, we have an opportunity to regain the momentum which God’s Word provides for us in doing what is right and good in His sight. We cannot become salt and light again without His effort to restore and revive, redeem and reconcile. Taking our lead, as we see a world spiraling out of control and in a dangerous direction, from 2 Chronicles 7.14, “If My people who are called by My name will repent and turn from their ways and pray honestly and fiercely, I will hear them and I will listen and I will answer their prayers and redeem them and their land and bring healing to their wounded and broken spirits.” It is time, mighty ones of God, to give ourselves the gift of life which comes only from God who in Christ has demonstrated an unmatched love; and to give that gift to others not just as a presentation but a commitment to be in relationship with them and God to grow into the full measure and stature of Christ who is the Word and the Cornerstone intended to bring our lives into proper alignment.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, before we were conceived in the womb, You had already formed us in Your love and by Your Spirit brought us into being. Each one of us is blessed with the opportunity of doing right, being good and producing the fruit of the Spirit in order that others be fed the truth of that same love so that the two will become one. It is our soul’s sincere desire to embrace the oneness You have in mind so we would know we are Your people and You are our God. Lead us in that discovery of the truth and the manifestation of that love for us all. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.