“If Only For a Moment” was preached at Princeton
Theological Seminary on Wednesday, December 2, 2015. This sermon was my final project
for the course Preaching Paul. Students were allowed to choose the epistle text
and its respective topic for their message. I chose one of the lectionary texts
for that following Sunday: Philippians 1:3-11. Inspirations for this sermon
included scripture, spiritual disciplines, Wayne Muller, The Schmuel Song, and
the season of Advent.
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Philippians
1:3-11
3 I thank my
God every time I remember you, 4 constantly praying with joy in every one of my
prayers for all of you, 5 because of your sharing in the gospel from the first
day until now. 6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work
among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right
for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart,
for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the
defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for
all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer, that
your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10 to help
you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and
blameless, 11 having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through
Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.
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Long,
long ago, in the beginning of beginnings, there was an artist that surpassed
all other artists. So beautiful; so divine. The architect of eternity; the
designer of infinity. The alpha and the omega of all masterpieces. She was known as the Great Creator. And in
the beginning of beginnings, the Great Creator began to create. She would devote herself to a new piece, a
piece of wonder and beauty. It would be considered one of her greatest works.
As she worked, time ceased to exist. How many days passed as she dedicated
herself to her art? How many years? Centuries? Generations? It was just the
Creator and her work with limitless time to dream and to create. Her fingers
flew and her creation swirled. It was almost like a dance – a grand whirlwind
of color and formation. There was separation. There was configuration. She
shaped it all. Everywhere was individually designed and formed by her touch.
Her
fingerprints were on everything. They built up the mountains. They dug down the
valleys. Every mountain and valley were perfectly molded, a symbolic cohesion
of one’s highs and lows. Rivers like ribbons wove throughout the piece. They
connected to lakes, ponds, and oceans, speckling the creation with ripple and
movement. Light bounced off the waters, devising a mirrored reflection of
dazzling lights that danced with the Creator herself. It was the finest display
of jubilation. She fashioned plants of all kinds that enhanced the piece with
exclusive embellishments. There were trees that climbed their way towards the
sky, and there were sprouts that flecked the ground with animation. Every plant
ideally placed to give her art a purpose. After everything was built and
created, after everything was shaped and crafted, after everything was
fashioned and formed, the Great Creator began to paint.
She
started with blue. Blue everywhere. In the sky and in the waters. There was
blue. Then green to hint at world filled with growth. The plants were given
green. So much green. She used white and black and every shade in between to
distinguish between light and shadows. It gave a contrast to her piece of art.
The sun was given gold and the moon was given silver. Each precious color had
its moment to shine. And when sun and moon would switch dominions, she would
use orange to signal the transition between night and day. She used red here
and yellow there. Every color – every shade of color – was painted into her
piece. She had given beauty to this world. Her hands had formed this world; her
fingers painted it. But she had one thing left to do before her piece was complete.
With
a giant gust of air, the Great Creator breathed into her creation. Every
creature and creation felt her breath like a rushing wind traveling through the
trees, up the mountains, and down the valleys. And with this breath, the piece
was given life. And with that, she was done. Her masterpiece was finished.
Every creature and creation bowed down to the glory of her work. They rejoiced
in their artist. She smiled down upon them, and in that moment she gave
thanks. And when the creatures and creation
saw the Great Creator smile down upon them like a sunrise of dazzling lights, they
too rested and gave thanks. For one moment – for just one small moment – If
only for a moment… all was still. All was beautiful. All was divine.
There
was still so much work to be done. The Great Creator would have to sustain her masterpiece
and eventually she would have to redeem it, but here, here in this moment, she
gave thanks for the work she had done. She took a moment to give thanks for the
gift she had given to her people for it was one of the greatest gifts ever
given. It was a gift to be shared by every creature and creation. It was the gift of life. She paused, she
rested, and she gave thanks. That’s the message we need to hear in the season
of Advent. That’s a spiritual discipline we can practice during the season of
Advent.
When
Paul writes his letter to the Philippians, we have this same message of pausing,
resting, and giving thanks. At this point, Paul has accomplished a big part of
his ministry, and empires – not just people – empires have noticed this. In
fact, when Paul writes to the Philippians, he is currently imprisoned for
spreading a message that is too great for the people to hear. He knows there is
so much more work he and the Philippians both must do. They must spread the
gospel, live actively in their faith, avoid enemies of the cross, obey and
imitate Christ, maintain unity, stand firm in the Lord – there’s so much work
that needs to be done, but here in the first chapter in the letter to the
Philippians, before we hear any of that, Paul pauses and he rests and he gives
thanks.
It’s
almost like a comforting introduction as if he’s saying, “Let us take a moment
just to breathe.” It’s a moment of prayer where Paul writes, “I thank my God every
time I remember you constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for
all of you.” Can we hear Paul’s rejoicing? Can we hear Paul’s encouragement for
the Philippians to rejoice? Every time Paul prays for the Philippians he does
so with joy and thanksgiving. There is an emphasis on joy because the
Philippians are beginning to distinguish things that truly matter from things
that do not. And the good news is the things that truly matter are going well.
The Gospel is advancing. Paul’s ministry is expanding. The work is being done,
and this work will continue to be done until the coming day of Christ when
their work will be complete. In this moment, Paul calls on the Philippians to
rejoice with him. To be joyous and to be glad. Because, yes… there will be
disappointment and worry, but here in this moment the Philippians are called to
remove themselves from that. They are called to pause and give thanks for all
that has been given to them by their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That’s what
Paul doing. Pausing, resting, and giving thanks. If only for a moment. That’s
what we should be doing.
Less
than two weeks ago, we celebrated Thanksgiving and in a little over two weeks
from now, we will be celebrating Christmas. It seems that there is always
something that was just finished or always something that needs to be done.
There’s no break. There’s no rest. There’s just… more. This “more” can
overwhelm us. It causes stress, anxiety, worry, disappointment. We get so
caught up in the preparing that we lose focus on what we’re actually preparing
for. In the season of Advent, we are preparing for the coming of Christ. While
we don’t know when or where, we know that it will happen as it has been
promised to us.
This
promise to the coming of Christ is the epitome of another gift God gave to
God’s people. The same Great Creator who gave us of the gift of life also gave
us the gift of grace. The same Great Creator who fashioned the world out of
nothing also came down in the Word made Flesh to live among us. But instead of
coming to us in extravagance and glory, Christ came as a humble servant born in
a manger. He lived a life serving others – healing the sick, curing the blind
and lame, performing miracles of all kinds. With twelve disciples and hundreds
of followers, he traveled the countryside. He told stories and preached
parables. He lived out God’s love for all us, especially the outsiders – the
least of us. Christ knew something was about to happen to him, so with his
closest friends, he had a special supper. The Last Supper; The Lord’s Supper.
He paused, he rested, and he gave thanks. He broke the bread and poured the
cup. It was a promise to our salvation. Then the people who once loved him turned
on him. The people who Christ loved betrayed him. They sent him to his death.
Christ – the one true Son of God – died an agonizing, painful death on the
cross. With his blood – the red of his blood – the same red used in creation –
the sins of humankind were forgiven with the gift of grace. With his
resurrection, humankind was given new and eternal life. Christ promised to come
again to dwell among us.
The
life, death, and resurrection of Christ is a mighty account! It is exciting and
humbling and sad and glorious. Because of this, we feel the need to prepare –
to do “more.” There will always work that has been done and there will always
be more work to do, but Paul’s message to the Philippians calls us to take a
moment. Paul takes a moment to remind the Philippians that every time he prays
for them, he does so in joy and thanksgiving. Even God – the giver of life –
rested and gave thanks after the great creation. Even Christ – the giver of
grace – rested and gave thanks before his agonizing death.
Give
thanks for what has been done and what will be done. Love will overflow. Knowledge
will be shared. Insight will be spread. The Gospel will be confirmed. We will
be made pure and blameless in Christ. The work has been done. The work will be
done. Breathe and be okay. This is Christ’s promise to us.
Despite
the busyness of the holiday season: pausing, resting, and giving thanks can be
a ritualistic, meditative spiritual discipline to practice. It is an act of
participating in God’s gifts of life and grace. It allows us to embrace and
live in the good news of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. How this
spiritual discipline looks is up to you. Pause, rest, and give thanks every
time you light a candle. Pause, rest, and give thanks every time you smell a
spice while cooking. Pause, rest, and give thanks every time you touch a door
handle or as you enter your home Pause, rest, and give thanks on your drive to
work or pause, rest, and give thanks on the bus or train. Pause, rest, and give
thanks every morning you wake up and every night before you fall asleep. Find something
that works for you. Be intentional about it. Every time you do something,
pause, rest, and give thanks. You decide what that something is. Pause, rest,
and give thanks. If only for a moment.
Continue
to do the work that needs to be done, but give thanks for the greater works
that God has done for you. Take a moment to feel God’s love for you overflow
with joy and thanksgiving. Paul’s message to the Philippians is not one that
asks us to stops what we are doing. We should not just sit back and relax
believing God will do all the work. God promised greater works for us. Our work
is to live a life worthy of those greater works, of those greater gift: gifts
of life and grace. A part of that life is finding the balance between work and
rest. A rhythm between the two. Both should be done in thanksgiving. We live
busy lives, but God calls use to find rest, renewal, and delight in these busy
lives. And when we do, we give thanks. And even when life seems too busy, we
still give thanks because God will provide. Prepare for Christ because Christ
is coming. But also pause, rest, and give thanks for that same reason: Christ
is coming.
Advent
is the time where we await in hope for the coming of Christ. We don’t know when
or where that will happen, but that’s okay. The same Great Creator who gave us
the gift of life and the gift of grace promised us that Christ will come again.
Pause. Rest. Give thanks. Christ is coming. Amen.
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Creator,
Redeemer, Sustainer God.
You have given
us great and loving gifts: gifts of life and gifts of grace. Gifts that we
sometimes forget to cherish. Help us to be thankful for these gifts. Help us to
pause, rest, and give thanks for your mighty works in our lives. Help us to
find renewal. We want to learn from your example. Let us be an imitation of
Christ and let our love overflow more and more for you. Advent is our time to
await your coming, and we do so in hope. In your name we pray.
Amen.
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