Awaiting Our King

The sermon I heard at the Christmas Service we attended with extended family over the weekend was interesting. It was 95% the best sermon I've heard in years -- all about us awaiting, with great anticipation, the coming of Christ (just as they did in the first century). It was really an honest discussion of the fact that life sooner or later will break your heart, and when it does, those are the moments when you will either seek Him (await, with great anticipation, His coming) or you will detach from everything spiritual and everyone around you. It was great reflection on the real spiritual journey and the realities that we all must face.

I hesitate to even mention the other 5%, because I try so hard not to be critical and negative. But I must write about that part too, because it also taught me something. For some unexplained reason, the speaker inserted a brief section about hating political correctness and about us being right and everyone else being wrong, blah, blah, blah. (at least it tied in the preceding drama which had been all about how evil everyone is in trying to take away the phrase "Merry Christmas").

Instead of getting angry about this, I took up some advice I heard back in the early 90's while I was in seminary: when the sermon is bad, I heard, then use the time as an opportunity to reflect on what the real truth is instead of being preoccupied by the lack of quality you are hearing.

I had a realization: many people of this preacher's generation (he was probably in his late 50s or early 60s) remember a world where USAmerican life somewhat reflected the Kingdom of God. So, they are still so motivated by this idea of us versus them, of we have to save America, of America is God's chosen people, and I'll dare they take away Christian principles from the public square, etc., etc., etc. I began reflecting on why I am so nauseated by all of that kind of rhetoric. Why do I just assume that the Kingdom of God is not America, and our mission is not to make it so, while others (many of a previous generation) will make that battle so important that they almost lose sight of love?

I sat there and wished that he would just be Christ's follower -- just do it for the world to see -- instead of lowering himself to debate the world. Why not just live truth in the midst of culture instead of trying so damn hard to yell back at the culture? I just don't get it.

I think I figured out why I feel differently. I didn't grow up in a "Kingdom of God" version of USAmerica. Not saying that I grew up in a bad place -- it was actually quite nice. But rarely did I grow up really experiencing Kingdom reality. I did occasionally at home because I had a good family. I rarely experienced it at church (which is just as much my fault as everyone else's). I never experienced it going to school or interacting with the other functions of my culture. In fact, it was a few close friends along the way, and of course family, that provided glimpses of Kingdom reality.

So I guess I don't believe USAmerica is God's country and that my mission in life is to preserve it, or fight to get it back, or whatever. I like living here -- but that is mainly because I'm a selfish consumer.

I believe my mission is to live out Kingdom reality (the best broken little me can) in the midst of whatever is happening around me in culture.

I guess that's why I won't raise a banner to say "Merry Christmas" instead of whatever, and why I won't vote for the most conservative candidate, and why I don't buy into a lot of what I hear.

But back to the 95% of the sermon. It was great. We all start to find the King in the place where our hearts are most broken. As we grow more mature we learn to go through problems instead of around them -- or maybe we just learn to trust instead of manipulate -- at least sometimes.

Here's to awaiting our King this Christmas.