DECEMBER 6, 2015
YEAR C, SECOND ADVENT
BARUCH 5:1-9
ST. AUGUSTINE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, MORROW, GEORGIA
THE REVEREND BARRY GRIFFIN, RECTOR
“BURIED IN A LIGHT BLUE LEISURE SUIT”
A few minutes ago we heard a lesson from the book of Baruch.
We don’t hear from Baruch very often. He doesn’t write. He doesn’t
call. He never sends a text… As you know, the vast majority of our
lessons are from the Old Testament and the New. Baruch is from
neither. Baruch is from the Apocrypha.
So, what is the Apocrypha? Our prayer book catechism provides
the answer: “The Apocrypha is a collection of additional books” (that
is, in addition to the Old and New Testaments) “written by people of
the old Covenant” (that is, the Jews) “and used in the Christian
Church.” That’s the Apocrypha.
Anyway, a few minutes ago we heard a lesson from the book of
Baruch. I want to preach about this lesson, but I’m reluctant to do so.
I think the reason must be obvious.
You know why I’m reluctant to preach from Baruch, don’t you?
No? Well, you know what they say: if it ain’t “Baruch”, don’t fix it!
One of the great benefits of clergy is in the realm of wardrobe.
When I dress in the morning my options are very limited. My decisions
are not difficult, and I like that.
Will it be a black clergy shirt or a gray one? Long sleeve or
short? Tab collar or full neckband?
These are simple decisions. As our world grows increasingly
complex I appreciate simplicity more and more. I remember the days
when I had to choose a shirt, a matching tie, matching trousers, and a
jacket that would hopefully “pull it all together.” I’m glad those days
are behind me.
This morning’s lesson from Baruch is about dressing. Baruch
offers poetic instructions on how to dress: “Take off the garment of
your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem, and put on forever the beauty
of the glory of God. Put on the robe of the righteousness that comes
from God; put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting;
for God will show your splendor everywhere under heaven. For God
will give you evermore the name, ‘Righteous Peace, Godly Glory.’”
Take off sorrow and affliction, Baruch tells us, and put on forever
the beauty of the glory from God.
Dressing is about choices, isn’t it? We choose what we wear. In
spiritual matters, we choose sorrow and affliction, or we choose the
beauty of the glory of God. We have choices.
How do you dress?
Advent is a good time to check out your wardrobe. What are you
wearing these days? Hope or despair? Generosity of spirit or smallminded fear? And is it time for a makeover?
Today’s lesson from Baruch points out an essential truth: You
cannot put something on without taking something off. What do you
need to put on, and what must you take off in order to do so?
It’s your outfit. You decide. When all is said and done, we dress
ourselves.
They say that “clothes make the man.” I would add that clothes
make the woman, too.
The point is we choose how we present ourselves. Our
choices determine our identity.
And you cannot put something on
without taking something off. Or, as the author Herman Raucher once
wrote “For everything we take with us we leave something behind.”
This is true for individuals. It’s true for parishes, too.
Recently Bishop Keith Whitmore addressed a gathering of
church leaders. He both inspired and challenged the assembly. One
of his challenges went something like this: Our survival as a church
depends on what we are willing to give up.
Did you hear that? Our survival as a church depends on what
we are willing to give up.
I heard that loud and clear. Bishop Whitmore was talking about
change. He challenged us to consider the things we must change in
order to speak to younger generations.
When it comes to worship, research shows that younger people
are not particularly concerned about matters of high church and low
church, traditional music or contemporary. What they care about is
worship done well. They want excellence, and I think excellence in
worship is a good thing to expect.
The late Robert Shaw was conductor of The Atlanta Symphony
Orchestra for many years. I sang with the symphony chorus, and I
heard Mr. Shaw say on more than one occasion, “God hates wrong
notes.” Young people tend to agree.
Young people are focused on mission. They want the church to
be active in the world. What we do inside these walls matters, of
course, but what we do outside in the world matters most. It’s not
about giving money to worthy causes, though that’s a good thing. It’s
about being involved in a world that’s broken and falling apart. It’s
about following Jesus, not for just one hour on Sunday morning, but
24/7. It’s about changing the world for the better, like Jesus told us to
do.
Young people want opportunities to serve. They want leadership
in the church. They don’t’ want to wait their turn, and I think that’s a
good thing. They want to be involved now. Like all of us, they want to
be respected. Young people are not the future of the church. Along
with the rest of us, young people are the church, right now. Not just
tomorrow.
Research shows that younger people look for excellence in
worship, mission focused on the needs of the world, not the church,
and opportunities to lead and serve.
Back to Bishop Keith’s challenge: our survival as a church
depends on what we are willing to give up.
It’s about changing
clothes. You cannot put something on without taking something off. In
fact, the church has been changing clothes since The Day of
Pentecost: the day the church was born.
Now, the church itself hasn’t changed.
remains the body of Christ.
The Body of Christ
The body of Christ is eternal.
What
changes are the clothes we wear. We change clothes from generation
to generation.
That’s how it’s always been.
church history knows that very well.
Anyone who knows
St. Augustine’s has changed clothes. I’ve been here 21 years,
and I’ve seen us wear several different outfits. This parish dates back
to 1958. If the people who established St. Augustine’s were to visit us
today, I think they would be amazed at what we’re wearing.
Communion every Sunday?
What happened to Morning
Prayer? That’s how we use to worship. Women clergy? Back in our
day women had to cover their heads on Sunday morning. If you forgot
your hat you were given a napkin to wear. And where did all these
colored people come from? (Remember, this was 1958)
Our parish forbearers would be surprised and perhaps alarmed
by what we wear these days. But when we gathered together around
the altar and celebrated eucharist, I think they would feel right at
home. I think they would recognize the Body of Christ. In fact, I think
they would be proud of us. Clothing styles change, but the Church,
the Body of Christ, remains the same.
Advent is a good time to check out your wardrobe. What are you
wearing these days? Hope or despair? Generosity of spirit, or smallminded fear?
Advent is a good time to check out what St. Augustine’s is
wearing these days. Are we willing to change clothes as needed, or
not?
I graduated Brunswick High School in 1973. Back in high school
I had a light blue leisure suit. It had wide labels and bell bottom pants.
I don’t know what happened to that leisure suit. My mama probably
sold it in a yard sale.
I’m glad she did that. The last thing anybody needs is an old
leisure suit. I’d hate to be buried in a light blue leisure suit.
Saint Augustine’s will change its clothes again.
If not, Saint
Augustine’s will be buried in an old leisure suit. That doesn’t have to
happen. I don’t think it will happen.
We are resilient. We have
changed clothes before, and we will do it again as required.
Just remember, you cannot put something on without taking
something off. What do we need to put on, and what must we take
off?
Amen.
If you would like to respond to this sermon or receive future sermons by email,
contact me at barryqgriffin@earthlink.net