Första predikan på Engelska...

Var Hälsade vänner!

Idag har jag, genom Herrens nåd fått möjligheten att hålla min första homilia på Engelska. Det var en mycket speciell upplevelse. Den största skillnaden mot att predika på modersmålet var nog att jag kände mig mer bunden till manuset än vanligt. Naturligtvis märktes det att engelska inte är mitt första språk, men överlag gick det väl och Herren var med mig. Jag klistrar in predikan i sin helhet här nedan för er som är intresserade av att ta del av The Essence of the Prophetic life. Först vill jag bara påminna om en intressant företeelse; nämligen dagens helgon S:t Lucia. Visserligen firas hon inte här i Amerika, men jag kan inte låta bli att tänka på firandet av henne där hemma i Skandinavien. Jag nämner detta med tanke på att man i frikyrklig kontext många gånger helt förkastar vördandet av helgonen... Samtidigt som man åtminstone en gång om året aktivt hyllar ett helgon. Personligen har jag inga problem med detta, då jag menar att helgonen är viktiga exempel för oss i tron och att de är värda att vördas, men INTE tillbes! Problemet är som jag ser det när man säger sig vara emot denna vördnad av helgon och likväl firar Lucia... Reaktioner?
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Och nu dagens Homilia:

The Essence of the Prophetic life Luk 3:10-18, Fil 4:4-13, Sef 3:14-20

“It is not the lack of miracles, which has made the church to stagnate. It is because we have forsaken the angelic life of Pentekost, and reverted to private property. If we could live like the apostles lived, with all things in common, we would soon have converted the whole world – without any miracle.” S:t John Chrysostom

About two years ago, several of the largest freechurches in Sweden got an unexpected, or should I say maybe expected visit. In the midst of the Service a monk named Lars Larsen, stormed in wearing a torn cloak and steal the whole show. He proclaimed that Jesus is the friend of the poor, Sell what you own and share with the homeless, capitalism is whoring with mammon, etc.. In most places (though not quite all) Larsen was literally thrown out by the leaders of the parishes. Why? Perhaps because they didn´t understood what he really said.

I stand here today with fear in more ways than one way, it's not "just" my first homily in English ... More thereto is the Holy Gospel of today hugely challenging ...

I do not know if you recognize the fact that people sometimes say: I have a problem with the Bible in general, or maybe: I do not like the Old Testament and Paul's letters, but I have great respect for Jesus… especially the teaching in the Sermon of the Mount. My question to those who say that is: Have you thought about what Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount? Have you at all considered how radical his words there are?

Someone might wonder what the Sermon on the Mount has to do with the current text. I mean simply that there are many parallels between John the Baptist's message in today's Pericope and Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount.

John the Baptist is a prominent figure in the New Covenant, He stands as a Jew with the Jewish people, literally and symbolically, in the wilderness and preparing for him they were waiting for: the Messiah, Christ, the Anointed One ... Jesus Christ - God's only Son.

Fr Steve taught us last Sunday about John the Baptist's role as a forerunner, and how he offered his own talent and fame for the Lord that was to come. We also taught us four interesting reasons why God chose to make use of John the Baptist:

Can someone recall those four?

God used John the Baptist:
> In order to safeguard the free will of humanity
> Because John was someone that people trusted and knew
> Because God wanted to over time build up a long, consisted faith
> Because God, through His grace wanted to use ordinary people in the great plan of salvation.

Perhaps we can summarize these points with two words: Prophetic Credibility.

John the Baptist's message and his life was one, the words and life, spoke the same language.

(I would say that he is a prophet, among the prophets and we know that the Church recognize him as the last prophet of the Old Covenant.. )

I do not know how you relate to the epithet prophet ...
The early church fathers used to describe a theologian with the following words:
Theologian is the one who prays in spirit and truth and the one who pray in the Spirit and the truth is theologian…

Perhaps one could say that "Prophet is the one who speaks on the behalf God and the one who speaks on behalf of God is a Prophet!?” Greek word προφτης means literally “to carry forward.” That is you have something to be borne forth or passed on to anyone else.

Very often, I think we just imagine prophetism as something that has exclusively to do with the future. If one reads the so-called prophetic books in the Old Testament it will soon became obvious that it is not the whole picture. A prophet speaks in the first place on God's behalf in the present situation, although there also are clear visions of the future as well. The main purpose of the prophets is to reveal who God is and that he appears and speaks to His people in history. He sees them where they are and want to be an active part of their lives.

It is my conviction that the Church must be prophetic, That we as the Body of Christ on earth today just as John the Baptist should let our life speak the same language as our words, or better yet, let our lives speak more loudly than our words..!

Now; Prophetic credibility was the key words. And when you read the Holy Gospel of today, it is clear that John the Baptist, just as we heard last Sunday, had a very good reputation among his contemporaries. The people, soldiers, tax collectors, yes all different kinds of people were represented in His audience. The parallel text of St. Mark, tells that all Judea and all Jerusalem came out to the desert and repent, and became baptized by John…

The first part of the text deals with the issues these people ask John the Baptist about and the answers he gives back….

Three times we hear the question, Master, what shall we do?

The answers given by John is interesting. They are very fundamental:
John demands that people should share, and be fair with each other, and do not be mean and cruel, and also be happy with what they get. These are things we teach our smallest children!

It's about humility, simplicity, contentment, honesty and credibility, to treat others as you want to be treated (sound familiar?). It can sometimes be a temptation to forget to be faithful in the daily and common things and the only include The Lord in things that we consider being big decisions or issues.

Another aspect of John the Baptist's response to these people is that he answers every one particular. It reminds us of the importance of teach people so that they understand and be relevant to the context of our culture. Which I think is also one of the pillars of a prophetic ministry to God in the world.

Church Father Origen, known for his allegorical interpretation of Scripture, said that John the Baptist's words about the person who has two shirts should share with one also had a deeper meaning. Anyone who wants to follow the Lord can not have a double inner garment, one that serves the old Adam, and one that serves the new Adam .. And perhaps it is so. Or even that the external acts reflect the inner conviction and who we belong to ...

The fifteenth verse acts as a bridge between the education of the people, and John's teaching about Jesus, of Him as a person and His authority.

I guess there are some here who wonder what all this in the first part of the Gospel has to do with the later. I will admit that it took time in my preparation before I saw the clear link ... So stay with me here!!

The people are filled with anticipation, they were so satisfied by the message of John and his personality that they became convinced that he was the Messiah.

The following verse is very clear about John's views on that issue:

"John answered, saying to all," I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I is coming, Whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire ... .. "

What is meant by those words? There is a lot we could develop here, but let us look at some aspects.

In the Old Testament you will find some texts about ritual purification with water. Those deemed to have been the basis for the so-called proselyte baptism. This baptism was also expressed by a purifying process and was carried out when a heathen would be incorporated into the Jewish people. (The symbolism of an outward washing to cleanse an invisible blemish was made very familiar to the Jews by their sacred ceremonies for the men's part was done in connection with the circumcision and sacrifice in the temple.) Some biblical scholars have indicated that the baptism of John was a variant of such a baptism, while others interpret it as more unique.

The fact that the baptism that John the forerunner offered was out in the wilderness and in the River Jordan can hardly be a coincidence. It constitutes a strong link with events in Israel's history. Like the people of Israel under Moses' leadership left Egypt physical and spiritual slavery, and went through the water of the Red Sea to meet God in the desert, people now need to re-segregate themselves, make a New Exodus to the Lord in the wilderness and prepare to receive the New Covenant. The prophetic message is bound thereby together with a prophetic act.

Greek word εκκλησια is the word that we translate as Church. Literally, it means “to be called out” or “a crowd that’s called out.” We as the Church of Christ is thus an Exodus movement - a crowd that is called out of the world and into the Kingdom of the Holy Trinity!

The baptism of John is therefore also the clearest pre-type for the Christian baptism, as we of course recognize as an entry into the kingdom of God and receiving forgiveness of sins and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

This is what John the Baptist refers to when he says that He who comes after him will baptize with the Holy Spirit and Fire. Christ and the Spirit can not be separated from each other. They are one with each other and with the Father. That Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit is therefore a proof of God's presence - with Zechariah words two chapter earlier, God has visited His people!

One can also wonder what John means when he says:
“…but one mightier than I is coming, Whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

It seems in our ears to be an odd statement, but The rabbis of Jesus' day taught that a teacher might require just about anything of his followers except to have them take off his sandals. That was going too far! But John says that he is not even worthy to do this for Jesus.

Therefore, my suggestion for the connection between verse 10-15 and 16-18, is that the acts we have seen that John the Baptist calls people to do, join together with his description of who the Messiah is and in our conversion to the God who comes to us.

In other words, the most fundamental essence of a prophetic ministry is that what is taught and performed is pointing to the Lord himself! And of course it is to Him all Christian ministries should point to and exalt. I know it is far from always work that way, but I believe that John the Baptist was perhaps the prime example of how the message pointed to Christ.

But as we know, this is the case because God comes to us. He will dwell among His people as today's Old Testament text testify!

Life, virtues, deeds; let all point to CHRIST…
It is not about the acts themselves, but about Him that they are pointing up to ...

The initial quotation from Chrysostom may seem harsh, but I think there is certainly an essence within there that concern us today. It's just like with the monastic life. It may seem strange to many Christians, but in fact the heart of a monastic life, discipleship and prophetism is for us all! The aim of the faithful life is conversion to Christ! To come back to the God who in Christ has visit us where we are.

So, let´s summaries: What is a prophetic life?

> To speak on God's behalf
> To say the truth in the present situation
> To let life speak more loudly than words
> To speak in a way that is relevant to the people who listen
> To let our lives reflect Christ and His character
> Reflect the light from God and point to Him
> And as John the Baptist; always let the message "beyond" the message and prophetic deeds be the Lord himself.

I mentioned the Swedish monk Lars Larsen in my introduction. One can think critically about his manner and his style, but yet people who have seen and heard him will not forget him. And hopefully they realize his "message behind the message"; Return to God and give Him first priority of life!!

We need these holy fools, or why not "ordinary radicals" taking an extra step. As forerunners and prophets. We must not necessarily become like them, but we need to follow the essence of their message…

Once again, finally: Credibility is a keyword. If the church should be Christ's representative on Earth, it is fundamental to provide a credible image, not to become one with the world and an individualistic lifestyle that is anything but representative of Christ!
Behold the words of S:t Paul in today's epistle:

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength…”

To the greater glory of God!

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!
AMEN!!