NEW YEAR; NEW BEGINNINGS

Transcript

1 NEW YEAR; NEW BEGINNINGS The Second Sunday of Christmas (The 9 th Day of Christmas) January 2, 2011 Lessons Jeremiah 31:7-14 (or Sirach 24:1-12) Psalm 147:12-2 (or Wisdom of Solomon 10:15-21) Ephesians 1:3-14 St. John 1: [1-9] Pastor David J. Risendal drisendal@stplc.org facebook Saint Peter Lutheran Church Saint Peter Lutheran Church 9300 East Belleview Avenue Greenwood Village, Colorado voice: 303/ fax: 303/ Prayer of the Day Almighty God, you have filled all the earth with the light of your incarnate Word. By your grace empower us to reflect your light in all that we do, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. the word became flesh God grants us another chance habits for new life Sermon Grace to you and peace, from God our father, and the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Happy New Year to you all. I hope you had a good celebration at the turn of the year this weekend. My family and I enjoyed our annual tradition: dinner out at Maggiano s Little Italy in Greenwood Village: one of our favorite restaurants. Although this year it was a bit different; we missed our older son, who was in Orlando marching in the Citrus Bowl Parade, so it was just the three of us. But he arrived home yesterday in time to join us as we plowed through the pounds and pounds of leftovers we always seem to bring home after that dinner. That, after all, is our favorite part of the Risendal New Year s tradition. I ve been thinking about New Year s Day this past week, and all the social and cultural traditions associated with it. I have especially been thinking about how the beginning of a new year provides, for us, the promise of a new beginning in our lives. It reminds me of a prayer that was passed around the internet some years ago. Maybe you read it. It went something like this:

2 The Second Sunday of Christmas Year A (January 2, 2011)! 2 Dear Lord, I have to say that I've done pretty well today. I haven't gossiped, I haven't lost my temper, I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent. I'm very thankful for that. But in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed, and from then on I'm probably going to need a lot more help... We want to get it right, don t we? And at the beginning of a new year, we get a chance to have it right for a little while. Maybe it lasts seconds. For those of us who are more capable, maybe minutes or hours, but before long we find that we are again in need of repentance, and a renewed intention to get it right the next time. That renewed intention is what lies at the heart of our New Year s Resolutions, of course. They ve been around forever. 1 A number of historians believe it was the Babylonians around 2,000 B.C. (that s a thousand years before King David!) who were the first to make resolutions at the beginning of the year. Their idea was that the first day of the new year was a perfect time to reflect on past errors, and to plan on improving during the following year. For the Babylonians, New Year s Resolutions usually had to do with paying off debts or returning borrowed equipment or goods. Years later, in Roman times, people carried on this tradition and would make resolutions for promises of good conduct to Janus, the god of beginnings and endings. Janus was said to have two faces, one on the back of his head and one in the front, so he could see both the past and the future. When the Roman calendar was formed, they named the first month of the year, January, after him. Resolutions may have begun as promises of performing good deeds, but these days resolutions center mostly around breaking negative personal habits. I ve seen a number of top ten lists lately lists of what people are most likely to resolve at the beginning of a new year. They almost always include: Spending more time with family and friends. Exercising regularly. Giving up smoking or drinking or spending. Sticking to that diet we ve been considering for so many years. Spending more time helping others. Reading those books that have been piling up on the shelf. Any of those included in your list this year? There is something powerfully hopeful about the beginning of a new year, isn t there? This just might be the year we accomplish some of those resolutions we make year after year. This just might be the year when those hopes we ve been hanging on to are realized. It is a time of new beginnings. It is a time of new possibilities. That's why the first week of January is a good time to read from the first chapter of St. John's Gospel. St. John begins in this way: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him... [St. John 1:1-3a] St. John reminds us of that very first beginning, and then tells us that in Jesus, The Word Made Flesh, God makes the decision to begin again. Some of us have read the Bible cover to cover in the past couple of years. As I have visited with people about their experience in doing so, I usually first hear that there are some troubling stories in the Old Testament that are hard to read. After that, though, the second insight is often that God is described repeatedly as a God of new beginnings. In the book of Genesis, God begins anew with all of creation. 1 Happy New Year: A history of the New Year's resolution. by Lynne Napton. Williston Herald, published on Saturday, January 1, 2011 [

3 The Second Sunday of Christmas Year A (January 2, 2011)! 3 In the book of Exodus, God begins anew with the people Israel, leading them out of their slavery in Egypt and into the promised land. In the books of Kings and Chronicles, God begins anew with Kings Saul and David and Solomon, as Israel becomes a mighty nation. In the prophets, God begins anew by calling a sinful people back to faith, and promising to guard and keep them if they obey again. And in the New Testament, especially in the Gospels, God begins anew by forgiving all who believe in the saving power of Jesus Christ, and renewing them to a right relationship. St. John makes this a central purpose of his book, and tells us so in this morning's lesson: But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. [St. John 1:12-13] John has recorded the story of our Lord's life so that his readers might come to believe that Jesus is the Christ. His purpose is not to entertain them, or arouse their curiosity about a man who lived years ago. His purpose is to help them receive Christ in faith; to give them the power to become the children of God. They will have, in effect, a new beginning with God, receiving the gift of forgiveness and the hope of eternal life. Every New Year we have the opportunity to review our past year's faithfulness, and think a bit about what lies ahead for us in We join many of our friends and neighbors and focus on personal and social values that shape our lives. Here at Saint Peter, we also take time at the beginning of each year to focus on what new beginnings God wants to make happen in our lives. We consider our commitment to Christ, and our faithfulness. One way we do this at Saint Peter is by developing Discipleship Habits in our lives. We have identified five habits that seem to promise some hope for us in helping our relationship with God to grow. You ve heard of them, I m sure, and some of you have most likely made New Year s Resolutions about them in past years. They are: 1. The Daily Habit of Prayer and Bible Study 2. The Weekly Habit of Worship with God s People 3. The Monthly Habit of Service to the Community 4. The Habit of Financial Generosity 5. The Habit of Gathering with Friends in Faith for Support and Encouragement I d like to invite our Hosts to hand out a form that will invite each of us to think about these five habits, and how God wants to make a new beginning in our lives this year. Please take a moment to fill one out for yourself. [ Invite Hosts to hand out 2011 New Year s Resolutions; Discipleship Habits at Saint Peter. ] This morning, St. John calls us to an important new beginning: that of allowing faith to take root in our lives, and shape us and mold us into the people God would have us be. Will we succeed in fulfilling each of these hopes? The odds are against it. A recent study at the University of Minnesota revealed that 80% of all Americans give up on their New Year s Resolutions within two months. At the same time, we believe that the result is different when God is involved. As the Apostle Paul reminds us: We can do all things, through God who strengthens us. [Philippians 4:13] Our hope is that the beginning of this new year might be a new beginning in your life with God. May God empower the resolutions you make in this new year. May your faithfulness increase. May the light of Christ be known through your words and deeds. May we all receive grace upon grace. Amen. David J. Risendal, Pastor

4 The Second Sunday of Christmas Year A (January 2, 2011)! 4 Gospel Lesson; English Text 2 [ 1.1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.] 10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father s only son, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified to him and cried out, This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me. ) 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father s heart, who has made him known. 3 Gospel Lesson; Greek Text [ 1.1 Ἐν ἀρχῃ ἠ ν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἠ ν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἠ ν ὁ λόγος. 2 οὑ τος ἠ ν ἐν ἀρχῃ πρὸς τὸν θεόν. 3 πάντα δι αὐτου ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτου ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν. ὃ γέγονεν 4 ἐν αὐτῳ ζωὴ ἠ ν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἠ ν τὸ φω ς τω ν ἀνθρώπων 5 καὶ τὸ φω ς ἐν τῃ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν. 6 Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος, ἀπεσταλµένος παρὰ θεου, ὄνοµα αὐτῳ Ἰωάννης 7 οὑ τος ἠ λθεν εἰς µαρτυρίαν ἵνα µαρτυρήσῃ περὶ του φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσιν δι αὐτου. 8 οὐκ ἠ ν ἐκει νος τὸ φω ς, ἀλλ ἵνα µαρτυρήσῃ περὶ του φωτός. 9 Η ν τὸ φω ς τὸ ἀληθινόν, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον, ἐρχόµενον εἰς τὸν κόσµον.] 10 ἐν τῳ κόσµῳ ἠ ν, καὶ ὁ κόσµος δι αὐτου ἐγένετο, καὶ ὁ κόσµος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω. 11 εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἠ λθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον. 12 ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτόν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοι ς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεου γενέσθαι, τοι ς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνοµα αὐτου, 13 οἳ οὐκ ἐξ αἱµάτων οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήµατος σαρκὸς οὐδὲ ἐκ θελήµατος ἀνδρὸς ἀλλ ἐκ θεου ἐγεννήθησαν. 14 Καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡµι ν, καὶ ἐθεασάµεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτου, δόξαν ὡς µονογενου ς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας. 15 Ἰωάννης µαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κέκραγεν λέγων οὗτος ἦν ὃν εἶπον ὁ ὀπίσω µου ἐρχόµενος ἔµπροσθεν µου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτος µου ἦν. 16 ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώµατος αὐτοῦ ἡµεῖς πάντες ἐλάβοµεν καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος 17 ὅτι ὁ νόµος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο. 18 Θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε µονογενὴς θεὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο. 4 2 A list of Bible lessons for the coming weeks is available at 3 St. John 1:[1-9] 11-18, New Revised Version Bible ( 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America). 4 St. John 1:[1-9] 10-18, The Greek New Testament, Aland, Kurt, Black, Matthew, Martini, Carlo M., Metzger, Bruce M., and Wikgren, Allen, ( 1983, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft Stuttgart).

5 The Second Sunday of Christmas Year A (January 2, 2011)! 5 Second Lesson; English Text 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14 this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God s own people, to the praise of his glory. 5 5 Ephesians 1:3-14, New Revised Version Bible ( 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America).

6 2011 New Year s Resolutions Discipleship Habits at Saint Peter We encourage everyone to develop Habits of Discipleship in their lives. The beginning of a new year is a great time to make new beginnings in our commitment to these habits. During this morning s sermon, you are asked to make resolutions regarding each of these five habits. 1. The Daily Habit of Prayer and Bible Study When and where will I meet God each day? 2. The Weekly Habit of Worship with God s People. How will I prepare myself for weekly worship? 3. The Monthly Habit of Service to the Community Where will I offer my service each month? 4. The Habit of Financial Generosity How will I become more generous this year, than I was last year? 5. The Habit of Gathering with Friends in Faith for Support and Encouragement With whom will I gather, and how often will we get together?