Sermons from St. Thomas
Thanksgiving, Community, Holiness, and Hope
First Sunday of Advent, 29 November 2015: Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25:1-9; I Thessalonians
3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36
What is your earliest understanding of the gospel into which you are baptized?
A community that cared for you?
A call to care for others?
Jesus loves me this I know?
Bible stories like the ones depicted in our windows?
Or is it of being afraid because of passages like today’s gospel lesson?
We believe I Thessalonians is the earliest letter of Paul in the Bible and the oldest writing in the
New Testament. The resurrection of Jesus was around year 30. Paul’s conversion was probably
in the early 30’s. His missionary journeys to start new churches began in the late 40’s and
continued until he was imprisoned in Rome around year 60. This letter was written around year
51 or 52, just 20 or so years after Easter, before any of the gospels were written. It was written
before Paul wrote the famous passages we read more often, like the description of love in I
Corinthians 13, or his confident hope that nothing will separate us from the love of God in
Romans 8. This is the earliest articulation of Paul’s faith available to us.
We read just a portion of it today so let me summarize other key points in the letter. It is not very
long – you can read it in ten minutes. It begins with thanksgiving – “Grace to you and peace. We
always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers.” The reason for Paul’s
thanksgiving is the community’s commitment to the gospel in spite of persecution and
opposition. Paul writes with tender love and admiration for their faith and says that he hopes to
see them again. Because he could not get away himself, he sent Timothy to greet them.
Timothy’s report back to Paul is the occasion of this letter.
The letter goes on to urge them to live holy lives that are pleasing to God. Love one another and
live quietly and work hard, Paul said. Then there is a short passage about what to expect when
Christ returns. Paul envisioned the dead and the living going up to meet Christ in the air and
welcome him to earth where he will reign forever and the world will be as God first intended.
The letter ends reminding them to “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all
circumstances.”
Paul’s earliest writing about the faith began and ended in thanksgiving. He called them to loving
community and holy living with one another. He encouraged them to hope in the return of Christ
to restore all things to God’s original intention. Thanksgiving, community, holiness, and hope.
We see these same themes in the five short verses we read today.
Thanksgiving – How can we thank God enough for you?
Community – May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all.
Holiness - May he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless
Hope - before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
Thanksgiving, community, holiness, and hope.
Note that in this earliest letter the emphasis is not on anxiety, judgement, or fear. Far too many
people have that experience of Christianity. For them, the faith as they were taught it fostered
anxiety about measuring up rather than thanksgiving for God’s good gifts. They heard a call to
individual salvation only rather than a call to community and the common good. Many heard a
message of judgement rather than an invitation to transforming holiness of life. And many still
live in fear of what God may do to them rather than in the hope of God’s intention to redeem the
whole world.
Sadly, today’s gospel lesson has been used to can spark that sort of fear, which is a shame
because it is actually a message of profound hope. Jesus said these things and Luke wrote these
things when the powers in the heavens were already shaken. The world was already in turmoil.
But the fig tree was also sprouting. In the midst of the turmoil, Jesus said, “Stand up and raise
your heads because your redemption is drawing near.” Jesus was not saying get ready because
Christ is coming to get you. He reminded that he had already come to save us so we never need
to fear. But even this message of hope is often preached through the lens of judgment and fear
rather than thanksgiving, community, holiness, and hope.
The earliest themes in Paul’s letters are also present in baptism. When we baptize Mills and Hart
we will thank God for the gift of water and for all God did to save us in ages past. We will
promise again to live in community – to continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the
breaking of bread and in the prayers. We will commit ourselves to holiness of life – to persevere
in resisting evil and whenever we fall into sin repent and return to the Lord. And we will promise
in hope to work with God to restore all things to God’s original intention – to love our neighbors
as ourselves, strive for justice and peace, and respect the dignity of every human being.
Thanksgiving. Community. Holiness. Hope.
This is the life to which Jesus called his followers. This is Paul’s earliest understanding of the
faith. This is the faith into which we are baptized. If the Christian faith were a Thanksgiving
dinner, this would be the turkey and dressing. This is the feast we share.
Today is the first Sunday in Advent, the first Sunday in a new church year. We come together on
this first Sunday in Advent to remind ourselves of the basics. We give thanks that God has
blessed us with every possible blessing. God calls us and everyone to community with God and
with each other. In community together we strive to be holy. Not holier than thou. Holiness is not
about separation from others and judgment of those who are different. Holiness is a life that
transforms us and others and makes the world more like God’s intention. And we have hope that
God is working that intention out. God’s work started in creation, was demonstrated in Israel,
came to fulfillment in Jesus, and someday will be complete, so we live in hope.
This is the faith into which we baptize Hart and Mills and everyone who comes to these waters.
Let us renew our commitment to this faith.
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© 2015 The Rev’d Grace Burton-Edwards
St. Thomas Episcopal Church
2100 Hilton Ave.
Columbus, GA 31906
StThomasColumbus.org
706-324-4264