“Seeing the Holy” (Colossians 1:11-20)

What does Jesus look like?

Is he the blond-hair, blue-eyed, fair-skinned image we often see hanging on the walls of churches?  In the sanctuary and foyer of the St. Charles Catholic Church in Pryor (Montana) the image of Jesus is Native American—dark hair, brown eyes, and dark complexion.  There are as many images of Jesus as there are cultures in the world . . . African, Japanese, Russian, and Aboriginal from Australia.  There is the very Arabic Jesus image derived from the Shroud of Turin.  All of these are images of what people think Jesus looks like . . . hundreds, thousands of images.  And, yet, no one knows what Jesus really looks like.

That is the problem . . . no one knows.  There are no pictures of him as there were no cameras when he was alive.  There were no paintings of him while he was alive, after all, he was no one famous at the time—just a trouble-maker.  All the pictures of Jesus we have are what artists imagine he looked like . . . often tainted by their own cultures.

We have no written description of Jesus in the New Testament . . . there is nothing that gives us a verbal picture of what Jesus looked like.  We do have over in the Book of Isaiah, chapter 53, a description of the coming Messiah known as the “suffering servant”.  Isaiah writes in verses two and three: “He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to him.  He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hid their face.  He was despised, and we did not esteem him.” (Isaiah 53:2-3, NIV)

The bottom line is that no one knows what Jesus looks like . . . we just don’t know.  But, inquiring minds want to know . . . it is our human nature to want to know.  Plus, if we can picture Jesus—know what Jesus looks like, our reading this morning tells us we will know what God looks like.  How cool is that!  The writer of the letter to the congregation in Colossae says it as plain as day: “The Son is the image of the invisible God . . .” 

Thus, it only makes sense that to know the Son is to know God.  Yet, we are stuck with that quandary . . . what does Jesus look like?  Do you know?  If I asked everyone here this morning to draw a picture of Jesus, we would have as many different images as we have people in the pews. 

Yet, at the same time I think that we can try to come up with an image of Jesus that we can all agree on.  To do this we need to take a different approach.  I want you to think of Jesus and what he represents . . . think of his attributes . . . think of the things that he was passionate about.  For example: Jesus was compassionate . . . he showed compassion to others.  Here are some more words we could use to describe Jesus: merciful, forgiving, love, peace, patient, companion, passionate, justice, joyful, caring, and faithful.  I imagine that there are even more words that we could add to the list of how we see Jesus . . . of who he is.

Are you getting a mental image of Jesus?  Are you beginning to see him?  As we consider the attributes and what he represents, we begin to get a picture of who Jesus is—the essence of who he is.  This is not a physical picture that we are seeing . . . it is a spiritual picture.  And, as we begin to see Jesus, we begin to see God.  Jesus is the reflection of God.  If we can see Jesus, we can see God.

Our reading this morning is a response to the congregation in Colossae and the seemingly innocent mingling of pagan practices into their worship and faith.  They were kind of mucking up the water.  The first part of the letter is a “teaching moment”, while the second part is “practical moment”.  The writer wants the congregation to know that when it comes to faith and living one’s faith that there is only one way . . . God’s way.  God’s way as demonstrated by Jesus.  Jesus comes to reveal God and God’s ways.  Focus upon that and things will be fine.  As the early church was fond of saying, “Jesus is the way.”  Jesus is the revelation of God and God’s will for all of creation.  Thus, the writer implores the congregation to get back to the foundation . . . back to the basics . . . as demonstrated through the words and life of Jesus.  In other words, the congregation—the gathering of the faithful . . . the “church”—should be like Jesus.

Another way of seeing what Jesus looks like is to look at the “church”.  How many times have you heard it said that the “church” is the presence of Christ in the world?  The writer in the letter alludes to this when the writer says: “And he is the head of the body, the church . . .”  The problem with the congregation or “church” in Colossae is that what they were presenting to the world was not Jesus; thus, the admonishment of the writer to the congregation to put Jesus central in all that they did . . . to do what Jesus would do.  This was important because this would be the image of Jesus that the world sees.

Seeing it this way, it probably makes us step back and wonder about our present time as a congregation . . . as a “church”.    As you look around you at the “church”—not this one in particular, but at the “church” in general, would you say that the image people have of it is one that shows them Jesus?  From looking at the “church” are people seeing that image of Jesus and, ultimately God?  Are they discovering all of those attributes that we used to describe what Jesus looked like . . . or have they come to see something else? 

One argument is that what the world is seeing today as “church” is a far cry from the description of who Jesus and God are.  It has been said that is one of the reasons why denominations and churches have seen a staggering decline in membership and participation.  Many see “church” today as removed from Jesus squabbling over dogma and politics . . . see the “church” as a hypocrite . . . that it does not represent Jesus.  Such was the situation in the Colossian church.  The writer’s purpose and goal was to bring them back . . . to bring them back to God.

This then becomes something we must consider in our time and place as we search to see Jesus . . . to see the “holy”.  As individuals we see Jesus in others when they display and live those attributes and virtues that make Jesus who he is . . . when they are living all those descriptive words we mentioned earlier.  When people live as Jesus lived, we see Jesus.  In many congregations one of the greetings between the faithful was “the Jesus in me greets the Jesus in you.”  In others, we see Jesus . . . we see the “holy”.

We also see Jesus through the congregation . . . through the “church”.  If the congregation is striving to live as Jesus lived, we see the “holy”.  When the “church” works towards those attributes and virtues of who Jesus is, it becomes the image of Jesus in the world.

And, Jesus “. . . is the image of the invisible God . . .”

The call of the writer is for those who read the letter to be a conduit to the world around them of what Jesus looks like and is . . . to become that image of Christ.  Thus, it is that those of us who are the followers of Jesus could be the only glimpse of Jesus that others see and experience.  Because of that it is important that we give a clear picture of Jesus who is the image of God.  That image will be shared through how we live up to those descriptors we used to describe Jesus . . . how we embrace compassion, love, grace, peace, and justice . . . how we are willing to welcome and embrace others who are different from us . . . how we set the table so that all may participate . . . how we work together for the common good of all . . . how we be like Jesus.

We do it as individuals . . . we do it as a congregation—the body of Christ.

What does Jesus look like?  Look around and tell me.  Amen.

“Not Today” (Luke 21:5-19)

Our reading this morning is apocalyptic.  Apocalyptic literature is a genre of religious writings that deal primarily with the “end times”.  It is prophetic writing and was quite common within the post-Exilic Jewish culture—meaning after the Babylonian Exile, and among the early Christians.  It is a substantial period, from 200BCE to 350AD.  The word “apocalypse” is a Greek word meaning “revelation”, thus these writings were assumed to make revelations of the ultimate divine purpose.  Typically, it would be a prophetic revelation, especially concerning a cataclysm in which the forces of good permanently triumph over the forces of evil.  Often these writings are filled with universal or extensive destruction and disaster.

Sounds like our reading this morning.

The knee-jerk response to this reading is to panic because “the end is coming!”  We can take these words as a “warning” and as such, we better get prepared and get out acts together before the end.  It is a knee-jerk reaction because we listen to the words that are being read and our minds are sounding the sirens . . . they are speaking to us directly . . . those things are happening, and they are happening now!  Nations fighting nations. Natural disasters—earthquakes and famines.  Persecution.  Rampant hatred and injustices.  The writer sounds as if he is quoting the evening news.  He’s talking about us . . . and, our first reaction is to embrace it and run with the end times.

Now, remember, I said this was the knee-jerk reaction.  Before we all panic and jump the boat for safety, let us consider a few things.  First, this was not written for us or our place in history.  This was written for a group of people at a certain point in history.  It was written for the early Christians in the time period between 80 and 110 AD . . . well after Jesus’ earthly ministry and way before our time.  In that situation the writer is addressing a certain time and situation . . . a time of persecution of the early Church by both the synagogue and the Roman government.  These words are to address that predicament and to provide words of encouragement using the words of Jesus in their hour of doubt and need.

We all know that when it comes to the “end times”, Jesus himself spoke out against his followers taking his words as a timetable.  He is even quoted as saying, “no one knows the day or the hour.”  Thus, it is in our reading he alerts his disciples that there are going to be a lot of people running around peddling warnings about the end.  He tells them, “Watch out that you are not deceived.  For many will come in my name, claiming ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time is near.’  Do not follow them.”

Jesus counsels his believers to not be alarmed and not to waste time planning for those days.  As Jesus alludes to and Alcoholic Anonymous is famous for saying, “Poop happens!”  Instead Jesus invites his followers to a living and active trust so that they may believe that the various trials that come are opportunities to witness, and that he himself will equip them to speak and respond when such occasions arise.  Jesus tells them: “This will result in your being witnesses to them.  But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.  For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.”

In realizing that this is the writer of the Gospel of Luke responding to the crises of early Christian communities, we learn that this is not a timetable—it is a letter of comfort and courage and invitation.  It is an invitation to live now by faith and hope . . . of looking towards the future . . . and, helping us to appreciate for the present what God has created and given to us as a gift.  This is an invitation in which we respond by seizing the present moment to share our faith and confidence in the Holy.  It is not a time to panic in get wrapped up in doomsday thinking.  Instead we are called upon to live as the children of God as the receivers of divine love and grace striving to establish God’s Kingdom in our time and place.

Now you are probably thinking . . . yeah, but . . . didn’t you hear what you were reading, Preacher?  Are you trying to tell us that this is not what we think it is . . . that the end is near?  Aren’t you listening?

I want to tell you a story.  It is the story of Gabriele Grunewald . . . lovingly referred to by all as “Gabe”.  I doubt if any of you know about Gabe, unless you keep up with the world of track and field.  Gabe was a middle-distance runner and a pretty darn good one—one of the best in the nation and a rising competitor on the international scene.  Shortly before she was about to graduate from the University of Minnesota and start her professional running career, she noticed a bump below her left ear several days before a big track meet.  She went to the doctor, had it drained to be tested, and continue her preparations for the big meet. 

The day before the meet the doctor called with the results of the tests . . . adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC).  She had cancer and they wanted to remove it as soon as possible.  Shocked, but feeling okay, she decided to run the race . . . it would be six days before she had the surgery.  During that time, she learned about the cancer . . . that it was incurable.  She would be lucky to live five years.  The cancer was going to kill her . . . all her dreams and plans came crashing down—this was the end . . . but, she hung onto that five-year survival rate.  She stated: “I kind of took that as something to go off of, something to hang onto, at least early on, like a life preserver.  I knew I had to make the most of it.”

After the surgery Gabe endured radiation therapy and kept on training.  The NCAA granted her a waiver to run another track season in hope of qualifying to run professionally.  She ran with it . . . she beat the school record and placed second in the NCAA championships.  Things were looking up, then a few months later a check-up revealed papillary thyroid cancer.  Again, she had surgery . . . again, she went through radiation therapy . . . and, again, she went back to running.  Over the next five years, between regular check-ups, she continued to run personal bests and beat records, and ended up one spot short of making the team for the London Olympics in 2012. 

Gabe viewed those five years as some of the best of her life—she continued to run and compete . . . she married her college sweetheart; but they were not without fear.  Fear that the cancer would return and take away the prospect of ever having a normal life.  Then one day in August of 2016, her husband—a doctor—gave Gabe a hug and noticed something firm in her abdomen.  A CT scan showed a massive tumor on her liver, a metastatic recurrence of the ACC she thought she had conquered seven years earlier.  ACC as a cancer is an unforgivable beast and it only worsens the chance of remission with each cancer-free year that goes by.

Again, she had surgery to remove the tumor and half of her liver . . . leaving her a 13-inch scar across her abdomen.  When she walked out of the hospital, she believed she was cancer-free.  By March of the next year she would learn that her check-up would reveal twelve small cancerous tumors all over her remaining liver.  ACC was back.

Despite four bouts of cancer, Gabe continued to show up to do what she loved best—running.  Running was an extension of who Gabe was, and now it had become her lifeline.  She was not going to give up without a fight.  She said, “I think sometimes we’re too quick to give up on the things that we love and the things that make us feel alive when something is going wrong in our lives.  But I just really feel strongly that we have to hold onto them.”

And, she did.

One year after major surgery, with chemotherapy running through her veins, she qualified to run in the USA Track and Field Championships.  In that race she came in last in her heat, but she crossed the finish line to receive a standing ovation.  She said, “I never got a standing ovation for getting last before.”

That was in 2017 . . . earlier this year, her health declined.  She was weakening . . . running became difficult . . . and, there were lots of trips to the emergency room and by June 1^st her liver was failing.  She was dying.

Starting on June 1^st, Justin—her husband, began posting updates on Gabe on Instagram . . . the first was to tell everyone that the doctors did not think that she would make it through the night.  But, she did.  The next day, he made the decision to place her in hospice and told her that she was dying.

Justin writes: “Shortly after I told her she was dying, she took a deep breath and yelled, ‘NOT TODAY.’”

Over the next few days, Gabe began to stabilize.  She got to go home, and there on her comfortable couch, she was surrounded by family and friends.  For nine days, thousands watched and waited—each second marked by her determination to approach life like she always had—to its fullest.  At 7:72PM on June 11, 2019, Gabe passed away.

Gabriele Grunewald never panicked . . . instead she resolved to live life to its fullest as a gift from God.  She had the resolve to never give up on that gift.  With grace and grit, Gabe demonstrated and bestowed a parting gift—she showed that amid even the heaviest of life’s tasks and the most uncertain circumstances, there is never a situation so dark that light cannot shine through, never a scenario so bleak that hope has no place.

Not today.

Not today, says Jesus to his followers.  Instead he tells them to live by faith and hope . . . to live in the moment of the gift of God’s presence . . . and, to make the best of it.  Don’t worry about what the future will bring, receive the gift of the present moment as an opportunity to be faithful.  Not today, says Jesus . . . there is still much work to be done.  Amen.