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Go
and Tell
Matthew
11: 2-11
Text:&=
nbsp; Jesus
answered (John’s disciples), "Go and tell John what you hear and
see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are
cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news
brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at
me" Matthew 2: 4-6=
. =
Introd=
uction
A
recent story on National Public Radio caught my attention. It was the
story about the history of the invention of television. A boy genius =
from
Meanwhile,
back in New York City, David Sarnoff, the young president of RCA and founde=
r of
Radio City Music Hall, dreamed of the opportunities such an invention might
afford. He imagined the commercial possibilities of radios with the
ability to display visual images, but he lacked the technological backgroun=
d to
develop the unit.
Once
the technology had been invented, however, the sparks figuratively flew bet=
ween
Farnsworth and Sarnoff in what has been described as "a cl=
assic
American tale driven by the conflict between a Mormon
farmer and a Russian
immigrant over the ownership of the most influential invention of the 20th
Century."
The
story on National Public Radio was the account of the director who had righ=
ts
to a screenplay describing this moment in American history. His dilem=
ma
was deciding on the most appropriate way to tell this story. Is the s=
tory
of the invention of television best told as a television documentary, on the
big screen of a darkened movie theater, or as a live, stage production?
It
was this dilemma that stirred my interest in the story. It struck me =
that
I was listening to a radio story about the story that ultimately became a s=
tage
production about the story of the invention of television which is an inven=
tion
used to tell stories! What a wonderful illustration of the reality th=
at
stories beget stories. It gives us all pause this day to think about =
the
power and significance of story in our lives.
Troubl=
e in
the Text
This
morning’s gospel lesson speaks to this issue concerning the power of
stories. Today is the third Sunday in the liturgical season of
Advent. Those of you who were worshiping with us last week will remem=
ber
that Pastor Bill preached on that wonderful text concerning John the Baptist
doing his ministry out in the wilderness along the shores of the
And
One did come and John baptized this One in the Jordan River. Then
scripture tells us, “And when Jesus had been baptized, just as =
he
came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw =
the
Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice
from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well
pleased.’"
John
was there, doing what God had called him to do, in the very presence of the=
One
of whom John had spoken.
As
we turn to this morning’s scripture reading, the lectionary jumps eig=
ht
chapters ahead in Matthew’s gospel where we are presented with much d=
ifferent
images of both Jesus and John the Baptist. By this time in our gospel
account, Jesus has assembled the full cadre of twelve disciples and they ha=
ve
launched their ministry of preaching and teaching and healing throughout the
region in and around
But as Jesus’ f=
ame
and notoriety have begun to grow, John’s prophetic ministry has
waned. On the occasion of this morning’s reading, this once
passionate, prophetic, inspired messenger of God, has been imprisoned for t=
he
crime of speaking truth to power---telling King Herod it was wrong for him =
to
be messing around with his brother’s wife.
For you see, it always
happens this way. Dark, corrupted, self-serving systems can not toler=
ate
the light truth brings. And those bent systems recoil with all the po=
wers
they have to bear, to insure that truth and light remain eclipsed.
It’s in the
darkness of that isolation, that dormant seeds of doubt take root. Do=
ubt
sends its twisting tendrils out to choke what remains of the peace, hope, j=
oy,
and love within a believer’s heart.
John knows that doubt=
we
speak of today. And it’s from his prison cell---in the midst of
these dire circumstances—that John is desperate to know from Jesus,
“Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”=
;
Troubl=
e in
the World
As
we fast forward this morning’s story to contemporary times, I think
it’s safe to say many of us know people who live out their lives in
isolation, who know the experience of quiet desperation. There are th=
ose
among us who know people doing time in prison. Others of us know peop=
le
who are homebound. Still others among us know people who are isolated=
and
cut off from formerly active lives and engaging friendships because of heal=
th
reasons, age, or a lack of transportation. Time and circumstances =
have
their ways of wearing down even the strongest among us. These are=
the
people most vulnerable to the ravages of doubt and despair.
But
it’s not my intention to set up an “us-them” dichotomy th=
is
morning because I believe all of us---at critical times in our lives--- all=
of
us, are vulnerable to the effects of isolation, estrangement, and even
imprisonment behind walls of our own making. Any aspect of life
that becomes obsessive---the blind pursuit of power, security, money, succe=
ss,
good looks, enduring health, youthfulness, vitality---all have the capacity=
to
alienate, enslave, and imprison us in the darkness of isolation and despair=
.
It
doesn’t matter whether we are isolated by circumstances beyond our
control, or whether we are imprisoned behind walls of our own creation.&nbs=
p;
The end results are the same. The darkness of isolation gives root to=
the
seeds of doubt---causing us to ask the same questions in the midst of this
godforsaken world “Jesus, are you the one? Are you the one who =
is
to come, or are we to wait for another?”
Good N=
ews in
the Text
In
this morning’s gospel reading, Jesus doesn’t hesitate in his
response to the questions. 11:4 Jesus answered (John’s disciple=
s),
"Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sig=
ht,
the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised,=
and
the poor have good news brought to them. 6 And blessed is anyone who takes =
no
offense at me."
And
why would Jesus instruct John’s disciples to “go and
tell…what you hear and see?” Because Jesus knows the
power of stories!
To illustrate that power, let’s take a closer look at the story that
drives this season of Advent---the story of the Nativity. When
you’re able to set aside all the tinsel, glitter, and fa-la-la’=
s of
the season, the Nativity story actually describes the birth of a child into
desperate circumstances. It’s the story of an unwed, teenage mo=
ther
traveling with an older man who is not her husband or the father of the
child. They have traveled a great distance under difficult circumstan=
ces,
arrive in a place unfamiliar to them, only to find that they will be forced=
to
endure the indignity, inconvenience, and duress associated with being homel=
ess
during their stay.
And
why have they made this journey at such an inopportune time? Because =
they
have been ordered by the government to report for a census, that will resul=
t in
the imposition of a tax, on money they do not have, to support the military
establishment of an empire, that has defeated, and now currently occupies, =
the
country of their birth. This was the setting into which Jesus was
born. This was the setting into which hope was born that first Christ=
mas
night.
Told in light of these circumstances, the Nativity story has a much differe=
nt
edge to it. And that edge provides all of us with an important Advent
lesson---hope c=
an be
born into the darkness of the most desperate situations!=
But
the Advent lesson does not end with that reality. For you see, after =
the
baby was born, strangers inexplicably began to show up at the birth
place.
First,
there was a scraggly bunch of shepherds. “We heard a message fr=
om
an angel and there were choirs of heavenly voices.” And t=
hey
began to tell their story of how it came to pass that they found their way =
to
the newborn child.
Then
there were travelers from the east. “We saw a star and have bro=
ught
these gifts to share.” And those strangers began to tell=
their
story of the journey from their homeland to this obscure place where Je=
sus
was born.
Even
Joseph had a story. “I had a dream where an angel of the Lord
appeared….” And Joseph shared a story of prop=
hesy
fulfilled.
The
shepherds shared a story. The Wise Men shared a story. Joseph
shared a story. Stories beget stories. And this is a story that=
is
still being shared over 2,000 years later.
The
most profound lesson I’ve learned this Advent season is just
this---. Storie=
s of
faith are like midwives---midwives that deliver the hope being born into the
darkness of our most desperate situations. That’s the power of
story---the power to deliver hope into a dark, desperate world!
Good N=
ews in
the World
Let
me close this morning with a reference to a book many of you read this summ=
er
during our Books and Bagels series. It’s the book by Diana Butl=
er
Bass’s entitled, Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the
In
light of this morning’s scripture reading and our discussion concerni=
ng
the power of story, I was particularly interested in the chapter on the fai=
th
practice of testimony---that occasion where an individual shares a personal
religious experience with another. Testimony is a special form of
storytelling that opens the way for others to experience the unexpected
presence of God in their lives. Testimony reminds us of where we have
been, helps us see where we are, and directs us toward unanticipated paths
(Bass 139).
The
author describes a Congregational Church in New Haven, Connecticut, that has
experienced renewal by creating time and space within community life for
members to share their personal stories of being surprised by God’s l=
ove
and transformed in unanticipated ways (Bass 141).
I
wonder what it would be like to be part of such a community?
I
wonder what it would be like to regularly hear those stories about the ways=
God
is working in and through the life of the community of faith?
I
wonder what it would be like to grow strong enough in faith to actually =
share
a testimony?
I
wonder what it would be like to take those stories outside the walls=
of
the church and share them with a world that so desperately needs to hear th=
em?
Friends,
this morning’s message is clear. Go and tell, what you hear and
see, so that hope might be born this day! In the name of the Father a=
nd
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
References Cited
Guthrie, Shirley C. Christian Doctrine.
Text: Matthew 11: 1-11 =
=
; &n=
bsp;
Date: December 16, 2007
Third Sunday of Advent
Title: Go and Tell<=
/b>
Doctrine: Testimony
Focus: Jesus instructs disciples to =
220;go
and tell” the good news of Jesus’ ministry.
Function: Invite listeners to create space
within congregational life to share their testimonies---the stories of
“who we are, who we are becoming…the stories of being surprised=
by
God’s love and transformed in unanticipated ways” (Bass 138, 14=
1).