Fruit of the Spirit: Joy

 Luke 1:39-45

February 15, 2015

Mark S. Bollwinkel

 

            Grandmother, a teacher, was sifting through all of the Christmas presents given to her by students and their parents at the kitchen table when three year old granddaughter asked, “Grandma why do you have so many presents?” to which she replied, “Because I know so many kind and generous people who want to give me presents.”   Granddaughter said, “I know why so many people give you presents, Grandma.  It’s because you are the best person on the whole planet!”

            Grandmother explained to me that this was one of those “I could have died and gone to heaven” moments in life.  There are few things better in life that when you are adored by a grandchild.  It is a moment of pure joy.

            Although in short supply joy comes in a variety of forms including surprises. 

The European Union formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its totalitarian Communism would adopt Beethoven’s 9^th symphony as its anthem. During Christmas 1989 in Berlin, Leonard Bernstein directed an international orchestra and choir performing Beethoven’s 9^th symphony, with its fourth and concluding movement commonly referred to as the “Ode to Joy” after the fall of the Berlin Wall.  Now that’s joy! [We sang its melody as our first hymn this morning, “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”.]

Joy can come in every day forms as well.   Getting an “A” on a test when you thought you didn’t do so well.  Your team winning a game against a heavily favored opponent.   The moment your spouse said “yes” to your proposal of marriage.  Making your last mortgage payment.   Remember that joy as a kid when you found yourself surrounded by family in front of the Christmas tree?

            In our gospel lesson this morning we hear the story of Mary’s encounter with cousin Elizabeth just after Mary has learned that she is pregnant by the Holy Spirit to give birth to the savior of the world.

Although very different in circumstance the two women had much in common.  

Both are unexpectedly ‘great with child’; Mary as a young girl pregnant before her marriage, Elizabeth an old woman, long after it was expected she would ever be a mother.  

In the Abrahamic covenant of the Hebrew people (Genesis 12:1-3), a Bedouin people dependent on childbirth for social security, people equated faith with progeny.  Israel was to be a great nation with as many children as the stars.   If you disobeyed sexual laws or failed to have children it was an affront to the community’s religious expectations.  As a result both women are objects of shame in their culture.  Mary pregnant before the wedding.   Elizabeth has been barren into her old age. 

            Both women will see their sons die prematurely as political dissidents.  John the Baptist beheaded as a threat to Herod.  Jesus crucified as a threat to the Roman occupation of Palestine.

            And when both women meet in our text this morning, they have in common their joy.

The apostle Paul writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.” (Phil. 4:4) What the Bible describes as “joy” is a lot different than what the world means with that word.  We often equate joy to be the result of wealth, comfort and the satiation of our appetites.  Happiness comes when we are admired by others and free to do what we want.  That is not what Paul had in mind (Note: Phil 1:4, 2:18, I Thess 5:16).

Paul is in jail as he writes “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.”  He will be imprisoned a number of times before he is finally decapitated by Roman authorities.  Paul will be beaten and stoned by mobs, flogged, tortured and starved almost to death.  Three times he will be ship wrecked, all in the “joy” of the Christian life (II Cor 11:24-29).

The apostle is talking about a happiness not dependent on circumstance but a joy discovered within, even in the darkest times life can offer.  We often think of joy as escape from the pain of this world.  Paul finds joy in the midst of its suffering.

Old time ranchers will tell you that their favorite cattle were the Herefords.  In the heavy winter storms of the prairies, with freezing rains, below zero temps, violent winds and ice, most cattle turn their back to the storm and slowly drift downwind, mile upon mile.  Finally, intercepted by a boundary fence, they pile up against the barrier and die by the scores.  But the Herefords act differently.  Cattle of this breed instinctively head into the wind.  They stand shoulder to shoulder facing the storm’s blast.  You most always find the Herefords alive and well after the storm.  A rancher is quoted as saying, “I guess that is the greatest lesson I ever learned on the prairies…just face life’s storms.” (Norman Vincent Peale, Treasury of Joy and Enthusiasm, Fawcett Press, 1981)

The peace of God cannot be found by running away.  If all you are doing is hiding from the feelings of a broken heart that is not the peace which God offers.  God is near even in the storm.  That’s worth rejoicing about again and again.

At 88 years of age, John Wesley passed away on Wednesday, March 2, 1791. His last words were spoken twice, with great fervor, "The best of all is, God is with us." He lifted his arms and said again, "The best of all is, God is with us."   (James Lawson (ed), Deeper Experiences of Famous Christians (General, 2009) John Wesley by Albert C. Outler).    Of course, that’s also the name of Jesus, “Emmanuel” which means “God is with us” (Matthew 1:23).

            The joy Mary and Elizabeth share at the moment of their encounter…the joy that causes the baby to leap in Elizabeth’s womb…is the joy knowing that even while their nation is under foreign occupation, while they have had to personally face the scorn of shame, even in the mystery of being swept up in divine history, their joy is to know that God is with us.

            It can be our joy too.

             As we come to the last Sunday of Epiphany and begin the season of Lent next Sunday, we recall that we’ve been focusing on the “fruits of the spirit” listed by Paul in his letter to the Galatians (5:22-23).  Epiphany begins as the Magi bring gifts to the new king of Israel born in a Bethlehem manger.  It ends as prepare to journey with Jesus to the cross.

During these seven weeks we have considered the spiritual gifts of “…love, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and joy”.   The Holy Spirit promised to us by Jesus is present and active in the life of the disciple when we see those gifts.

 

As your new pastor it has been a joy for me to get to know Church of the Wayfarer these last seven months.  I am fully aware that many of our core leadership are concerned that we build up the church and get more people to come and join us.

COTW has real strengths on which to build: 

 

-Our leadership and participation in the Joining Hands benefit store is instrumental to its success. 

-Our Monterey Peninsula High School youth scholarship program connects with institutions and area populations of which we would never have access. 

-The spontaneous organization of last December’s “Stop Hunger Now” event which drew 30+ community people into our facility introduced them to COTW and our passion to make a difference in the world.

-Our participation in iHelp connects us with the homeless population of the Monterey Peninsula.

-Every day, visitors to Carmel come to our sanctuary and Wayfarer Garden, if just for a moment, to consider something larger than themselves.  These folk come from all over the world.  The notes they leave on the pages of the memory book in the entry way suggest that our openness really matters.  The addition for contemplative music to the sanctuary draws folk to stay a moment and pray. 

-There is a real sense of loving fellowship and connection amongst the core leadership, deeply committed to COTW.

 

Such strengths may or may not bring people in on Sunday mornings but filling up pews is not our job.  Our “job” is discipleship; to nurture and equip people to grow closer to God and each other.  At Wayfarer we call that “Reaching up, in and out”.  

So often we long-time church members frame our desire for new people to come to church in our need for volunteers on committees and new dollars contributed to pay the bills.  If that is what we mean by “building up the church” we will experience little institutional growth, especially among those under 50 years old.

Why would any non-church member or stranger to Christianity be attracted to an institution that offers them the primary opportunity to do chores and make financial contributions under the guise of joining a warm and loving family?  Maybe we are close to burnout ourselves with the volunteer tasks of the church and the requests for money.  We may be yearning for new, younger ones to pick up our burdens.   Such a motivation for “bringing in new members” guarantees failure, especially for those under 50 years old who are noted for placing little value on institutional loyalty.

What they do seek is non-institutional spirituality.  They seek a connection to God and the chance to make a positive contribution to their community and the world.  A growing majority of them see traditional church life as an obstacle to such goals.  Thus rather than framing our mission as a church to bring people into our sanctuary on Sunday mornings, the emerging church defines mission as those already in the church going out into the community to meet and engage with others.   COTW is blessed with a number of saints already doing just that!

D.T. Niles the famous 20th century evangelist in India once defined “evangelism” as “One hungry man telling another where to find the bread.”   Non-Christians and those identifying themselves as “spiritual not religious” will be attracted to church life when they see its positive difference in our lives. 

In other words, if we want our church to grow institutionally we have to live our faith out in the world, not just visit it on Sunday mornings.  When our passion to bring new members into our church life is based on the joy and purpose we have found as followers of Jesus people will come.  They will want to find what we have found that has made all the difference in our lives.

            When Elizabeth and Mary embraced in the desperation of their shame and the passion of their hope, as the babies in their wombs jumped for joy, they knew somewhere in the depth of their hearts that in spite of the madness of their…our…world, love gets the last word and the light of such promise has and will always overcome the darkness…now that’s joy!

 

            Amen.