Sermon prepared for Messiah Lutheran Church, Auburn WA

by Pastor Gregory S. Kaurin

8:30 AM Morning Promise service

11 AM “Unity” Service, 12/29/02

 

Text: Luke 2:22-40

Sermon:

Just Revel in It!

 

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[The sermon begins with trumpet playing “Reveille.”]  That is called a “reveille.” 

 

(PowerPoint slides)

 

It comes from the French and before that from the Latin word for: “wake up!”  It can be used as a noun or a verb.  A “reveille” is an awakening or a wake up call, but you can also “reveille the troops.”

Reveille: it is one of two things we Christians need to do.

First, we are called to reveille. 

 

 

Second, we are called to revel.  Reveille and revel.  So, let’s start with our “reveille” call.

 

 

Wake up!  Most of the time I think my brain is asleep, spiritually asleep.  Keeping it awake takes practice.  Staying awake to the reality of God, of Jesus in my life, and of his Kingdom all around me takes practice.   It takes trust; you need to trust that it’s there.  It takes faith, and it takes experience.

 

 

In our gospel lesson, Simeon is an example of someone who was awake to the Spirit’s call.  It had been revealed to him that he would see the Lord’s Messiah before his death.

Now that takes faith!  Think of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel—all of these fellows heard promises about the future Savior-Messiah—but none of them lived to see it.  And here was Simeon who listened to the whispering of the Holy Spirit, some internal notions—or maybe he heard an external voice—I don’t know.  Scripture simply says it was revealed to him by God’s Spirit…and Simeon listened.  He trusted what he heard or felt and believed.  Simeon was awake, truly awake and listening to notions and the prodding of God’s Spirit. 

I don’t know if he completely understood what he was saying to Mary and Joseph, or if he had any notion as to how Jesus would fulfill all these things.  It’s clear, though, that he trusted his relationship with God enough, trusted God enough, to believe whatever he was saying would happen in God’s way—but it would happen.  This child would be the light for all people.  This was the Messiah.

 

 

I only wish I didn’t doubt every internal voice I hear inside me—always assuming first that it’s just wishful thinking, or impulsiveness.  The major thing that keeps us from experiencing the level of awake-ness that Simeon had is that we too quickly dismiss everything we hear in our head as our own voice.  We automatically dismiss all our dreams as subconscious internal imaginings, Freudian stuff.  I wonder how many times I’ve missed the Spirit’s voice.

I know it’s very difficult to discern the voice of the Spirit from our own internal voice, but he has promised to walk and talk alongside of us—so some of that internal dialog that we call conscience could very well be the constant urging of God’s Spirit!  How many times have we stood passively by, letting opportunities slide by, because we were afraid to take a stand, afraid of looking ridiculous, or simply waiting for someone else to say or do something?  How many times do we ignore the voice of God’s Spirit?

I don’t have a great step-by-step how-to-wake-up-to-the-Spirit’s-voice program for you this morning, and there’s a reason for that.  It doesn’t take a class to start listening to God.  You already have the tools you need to start practicing listening to God’s guidance.

First, you have all the promises God has made to you, just as he made them to Simeon.  What has God promised you?  Salvation, companionship, listening, forgiving, etc.  Can you trust God to keep his promises?  If you trust God to keep his promises, and you know that he’s also promised to be answering and speaking to you, then you are more likely to listen!

Second, that is why you can expect God to talk to you.  Expect an answer and watch and listen, patiently.  It might be the next instant.  It may not be until the next life—but he will answer.

Third, God has built a wonderful thing into you.  Some people will warn you that it’s dangerous and to stifle it: curiosity.  I think curiosity is a wonderful gift from God.  In fact, it might be the very thing that kept Simeon’s hope alive.  It’s the thing that kept Anna going in the Temple.  Curiosity—they wanted to see what God was going to do.  They wanted to see what the Messiah would look like.

Allow yourself the curiosity that drives you to want to see what God has planned next.  Even with the disasters and diseases and deaths round the corner, with trust, we can be curious to see how God will do what he’s always done, how he will raise new life out of every situation.  He always will.

Expect an answer, look for it, and I promise you that you will start to see and hear him more, especially if you don’t rush to rationalize away everything you hear and see.  God’s answers do not have to be booming voices from clouds.  It might as simple as a sunrise, or a child’s question, or a challenge from someone you’d rather avoid.

In this New Year I’m asking each of you to resolve to practice letting your trust in God to help you overcome your fears.  Resolve to listen to your curiosity more, as one of God’s voices.  But don’t do what we tend to do with our other New Year resolutions, when we try and then give up as soon as you stumble.  Forgiveness means that you can immediately forgive yourself, get up, and practice some more.

Find out what happens if you risk sharing yourself a little more.  Sharing your faith. Be more generous.  Say things, do things, and then watch and see how others respond.  Watch and see what God will do with it.  Be curious.  Be hopeful.  Expect an answer.  It’s all a part of waking up.

 

 

And revel in your Christianity a little bit.  What does it mean when something goes right in your life, and then someone tells you to “go ahead and revel in it”?  They are saying that you should enjoy it, celebrate it, and share it!

Let me tell you, that something very big and important has, in fact, gone right in your life!  This is so big, that all your other plans and dreams and hopes and gifts from God are all secondary.  God has claimed you as his child.  He has promised to forgive you, walk with you, guide you, and give you eternal life.  There’s nothing bigger than the grace of God in your life.

I hope your not sick of hearing us tell you that.  And if you are tired of it, then maybe you’ve missed the point that this is the simple and central Christian message.  It’s the gospel; everything else is secondary.  We should never let any other message take a higher place than the grace and love of God for you, and his salvation through Jesus Christ.  Revel in that a bit.

I find it really neat that the word “revel” comes directly from the Latin: “to rebel”.  Like “reveille,” it can be a verb or a noun.  You can revel, celebrate or enjoy something.  Or, you can have a revel, a party, a celebration.

 

 

In his blessing, Simeon said some things that were wonderful, realistic, and harsh.  He told them that because of this child, truth would be revealed.  That Gentiles would be led to the light.  Israel would be glorified, sanctified.  However, some would rise and fall by his words, he would be spoken against, and a sword, a spiritual sword, would pierce Mary’s soul…also.  He spoke of great pain, but a much, much greater glory.  And then, Anna, the old woman and prophet of the temple rejoiced. 

Faithful rejoicing, faithful celebration, like Anna’s, is always a bit rebellious.  It’s not rebellious against God, but against the face of things in the world.

 

 

It’s a rebellion against your own self-indulgent worries and concerns.  It’s a rebellion against all the evidence in the world that tries to tear your faith down.  It’s a rebellion against everything that tries to get you to doubt God’s love for you.  It’s a rebellion against all the forces, old habits, old condescending voices, cutting insults, and all curses that have been laid on your head.  Really, it’s a rebellion against Satan who simply wants to tear you down. 

One of my favorite country songs says that in this life you’ve got to “kick a little.”

 

 

Kick against those darker forces that crowd out your faith and trust.  Kick at those forces that keep you from enjoying the life God has given you.  Kick at those forces that keep you from experiencing the Kingdom of God and Jesus Christ lodged in your heart.  Be stubborn about rejoicing.  That stubborn rejoicing is a decision you have to make everyday, and sometimes several times a day.

You can do it because you are a child of God.  Loved. Forgiven.  Saved.  All those voices and evidence to the contrary can go to hell, …because you are not.

Instead, you will celebrate your Christianity.  You will sing and rejoice.  You will encourage others.  You will pray and listen for God.  You will be different.  And you will let go of fussing over your own self-focused pities and pride.

It’s a bit painful to let go of all that self-indulgent focus and to take risks with others.  It leaves you open to criticism and mistakes, but at the very same time it is incredibly freeing.  It actually provides better protection, because trusting God’s forgiveness means that criticism and mistakes can’t stick to you.  And since your entire eternal life is secure, you’ve really got nothing to lose, and a whole lot to gain. 

You will make mistakes.  You will say things that seem to backfire.  You will do things that will make others look at you strange.  However, I’m telling you that if you risk being more hopeful and loving and expressive of your faith, then you will help more than you hurt, you will inspire more than you turn off, and you will also experience God more and more in your life.

So make these resolutions in the New Year:  Practice greater curiosity.  Practice greater trust in God.  Expect answers.  Practice greater generosity, and trust that you’ll only feel the richer for it.  Practice having more hope, and more joy in the face of all that tries to bring you down.

 

 

Listen to the reveille of heaven.  Here it is: You are a child of God.  Wake up to it!  And revel in it!

 

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