Preparation and Salvation

A sermon by Ted Virts

August 4, 2013

Sonoma, CA

Theme:

Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord

When wilt thou save the people,

O God of mercy, when?

Flowers of thy heart,

O God are they.

Let them not pass like weeds away -

Their heritage a sunless day.

God save the people!

from Godspell

Scripture: Matthew 3: 1-7

"Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." Matthew 3

It is good to be back with you, and as I mentioned earlier, I am deeply grateful to Loretta Thomas for her work over this past month. This was the longest continuous break I have had since I finished seminary 28 years ago, and to a large part it was a break because I know that Loretta and the leadership of this church could take care of things in my absence.

As we move back into the rhythm of worship with each other, I'd like to start with a few questions for you to ponder this morning. I'm not asking you to respond aloud, but rather to live with the questions during the message this morning, and perhaps into the coming week.

· What did you do to get ready for this morning's worship experience?

· What do you think will happen at worship for you, to you, with you?

· What do you think will happen when you pray?

· Are you lost or do you need saving at this time in your life? Or are you content and comfortable with your life at the moment?

Preparation. Expectation. Need.

There are some here who may have recognized the music Sondra played just before we began this morning. She played "Prepare Ye" from the musical and movie Godspell. Some of you may hear the singing behind our worship theme this morning - it is a partial lyric to "Save the People" from the same musical.

We are spending August on a four week journey that explores core faith themes. Sam Yankovich will be singing for three of the weeks (he was due to sing today, but his family decided Tuesday to take a last minute vacation, so he isn't with us this week). We will be using the musical Godspell to highlight the themes, and the themes will come from the Gospel of Matthew.

Let me give you a brief intro to our three sources.

Sam is one of the children of this church he is 15 and attends high school in an arts focused school in Marin. His love is musical theater. He brings talent, emotion and eagerness of a teen to us. Sam suggested that we might put on Godspell as a church. It was my suggestion that he prepare some pieces as part of our worship experience. I expect he will join us for the last three weeks of this month.

Godspell was an off Broadway musical that opened in 1971 and was turned into a film in 1973. It is loosely based on Matthew's gospel and centers around the Jesus and his parables. Jesus Christ Superstar came out about the same time.

Matthew's gospel is called the "teaching gospel" in that it focuses on what a disciple should do. It is divided into 5 sections - a discourse - saying collection of Jesus, and a response for each section - and then the passion and resurrection. The 5 sections are similar to the 5 books of Moses, and some scholars suggest that this is to establish a new torah for the Christians of Matthew's community.

Matthew's gospel begins with an introduction of the main character: Jesus' genealogy, his divine conception, and the threat he, even as a toddler, poses to the establishment as the Magi and the story of the slaughter of young children by Herod.

Once Jesus is introduced Matthew begins the movement of the story with John the Baptist shouting Repent, and Prepare the way of the Lord.

Godspell picks up with Prepare ye and then moves to an eloquent song "Save the People"

When wilt thou save the people?

...

Not kings and lords, but nations,

Not thrones and crowns, but men! (and women - this was written in the '70's)

Flow'rs of thy heart, o God, are they;

God save the people...

Shall crime bring crime forever,

Strength aiding still the strong?

What is interesting in this song in Godspell is that it is sung by Jesus, and not to Jesus.

Preparation. Salvation.

What is that about? What is that like?

I think you know some about Preparation.

I officiated at a wedding yesterday. Jessica Short and Billy Headington were married. Jess sings with Charlie, and has sung here. They live just down the street from us, so we got a closer view of the wedding preparation than we usually do. This was the kind of wedding I enjoy. Low budget, family chips in talent - mom makes the wedding dress, mom in law makes the rehearsal dinner, folks come to the house after the rehearsal, friends do set up and clean up. Friends sing, relatives do the program.

So preparation involves a lot: bringing stuff in, taking stuff out, thinking, writing, singing practice. In religious talk it is to "make the way smooth" - prepare ye the way, make the paths straight - clear the clutter so that miracle can happen a bit easier.

Jess and Billy got it - this preparation thing, because it wasn't just about the event, which they fully expected to take place, but it was preparation for the families to be together, it was preparation for the future, it was a touch stone for whatever might come in the days and years ahead. The promises and vows were preparation for the journey and adventure that they can only imagine.

We understand preparation for events, for visitors, for action, for adventure, even for trial and for struggle. Preparation is based on an expectation that something real will happen, and that the something real will be made more focused and full by getting rid of what isn't needed, and taking on what is needed.

But if there is no real expectation for the event, the adventure, or the struggle, then the preparation doesn't happen.

Salvation is tricky.

I love Godspell's take on salvation as the musical opens. Jesus is singing to God, when are you going to come across here for these, the flower of your heart? And he sings in a decidedly non personal guilt way:

shall crime bring crime forever, Strength aiding still the strong?

when will you save the people - not thrones and crowns - but men (and women...)

Salvation is tricky in Christianity. It seems that we have personalized this saving and we have moved from being victims to being perpetrators. You need to be saved from your sinfulness, lest God smite you for being bad. Is saving about more than just your behavior?

Are we victims? Are we perpetrators? Are we trapped? Can we work our way out by trying to be "good?"

The word "salvation" comes at its root from the same word as "salve" - to heal, to bring wholeness. It is not unlike "salaam" the Arabic greeting that means "peace" and more than peace - completeness.

Preparation. Salvation.

You know there are some parts of Christian faith that are difficult for us. And they are held in those two themes.

If you don't think something is really going to happen, you don't prepare for it. Just to meddle - how many of you have earthquake kits ready? If you don't really think it is going to happen, you (and I) don't prepare.

So how do you prepare for worship? for Prayer? What do you expect to happen?

And salvation implies that there is some need of saving, some incompleteness, some thing that you, and I, and our town and country and world need to be rescued from or for.

What do we expect God to do, and each other to do? Do we prepare? Do we act?

This is difficult for us often, especially when things are going well enough. Is there some incompleteness, some need? And if not, what are we preparing for - or are we preparing or expecting at all.

The Gospel at its root says that there is some clutter to remove, and some practices to hold in expectation that God will do something to restore, complete, or rescue us.

When we talk about faith, expectation, need and preparation cannot be far away.

· What did you do to get ready for this morning's worship experience?

· What do you think will happen at worship for you, to you, with you?

· What do you think will happen when you pray?

· Are you lost or do you need saving at this time in your life? Or are you content and comfortable with your life at the moment?