'‘Mission’: a call to take sides with poor' - by Philipose John, Gurukul

Text: Amos 2:6-16

Irom Sharmila Chanu is in indefinite fast for the last ten long years. She is continuing her hunger strike against the beastly iron-handed law, the Armed Forces Special Power Act- 1958, enforced in Manipur to counter the insurgency. This law grants immunity to Army and Para-Military forces to shoot at or take into custody anyone who appears suspicious; without the need to wait for the usual judicial and administrative sanctions. This law guarantees the soldier a solid cover against any atrocities committed in the wake of upholding the security of the nation. The army personnel cannot be trialled in a civil court for any crime they commit against the civilians. They can only be trialled at a military court. Irom Sharmila considers that if this law rules, the bodies of the Manipuris will be crushed and their lives will be trampled to dust. She protests against this ruthless law to defend the dignity of the lives of ordinary Manipuris. Lying on the hospital bed in the police custody, she continues her struggle against the might of the Indian military. While the police ironically, takes the role of protecting her life by forcibly feeding her with liquid food. A glaring example of the ethical pauperism of government, which tries to save its face by saving the life of an activist protesting for taking the lives of thousands in Manipur.

Who is there to side with them? It is a pertinent question thrown up to all of us who are called to be in God’s mission.  Through the prophecy of Amos, God calls every one to a mission of taking sides. Mission is a creative response to God’s supreme will for the whole creation through decisive acts of taking sides. Let us think about two aspects of this mission, which are imperative in our missionary journey.

1. Taking sides to affirm the rights.

The text taken for meditation historically situates itself to the first half of 8^th century BCE. The leadership of Uzziah and Jeroboam II led Judah and Israel into prosperous nations. The military victories over the neighbours and the conquering of trade routes brought some peace in the land. But at the same time the gap between the minority rich upper class and the majority poor peasants widened.

In this context, Amos prophesises against the scornful sins committed by Israel, described in V.6. It is the style of wisdom literature to indicate the innumerable, unaccounted, cumulated sins committed, by the usage of ‘Three transgressions and four’. These sins refer to the human rights violations that dehumanised the poor and enslaved them in poverty. Any kind of violence committed by a person or group of persons against another person or group of persons denying others’ freedom comes under the purview of human rights violation. The innocent people in Israel were trapped, convicted and chained by the powerful and rich by bribing the judges. This eventually resulted in the kill of truth in the courts of Israel and the criteria for justice turned to be motives of personal gain.

Since the rich could buy justice from courts of law, the poor were sold as slaves even for meagre sums of debts. The story of Ruth reveals, as we see in Ruth 4:7, about the method of transfer by the exchange of pair of sandals. This was most commonly done with the exchange of commodities. So the selling of human beings for a pair of sandals violates the value of personhood of human beings and commodifies them to be sold in the market.  

In Ancient Israel, dust on the head was a sign of sorrow as we see in Job’s life in Job 2:12. V. 7 confirm that in Jeroboam’s kingdom monetary power got prominence over human values. The injustice of the influential elite took precedence over the rights of poor. They trampled the heads of the poor to the dust of the ground and those who had the will to confront these were disposed out of the way.

God commands Israel to be in favour of poor, in law-suits according to Exodus 22: 25 and 23: 3 & 6. But on the contrary the Israelites to whom Amos was prophesying, was never in favour of poor. The order of the day was that the justice and rights were only for the rich. The human life and dignity was distorted violently. And one should be cognizant that human rights violation is a serious distortion of Image of God. In a broader perception all kinds of violation of rights such as poverty, injustice, exploitation, discrimination amounts to disregarding and dishonouring God’s Image in creation.

We are more or less in the same situation as it was happening in the context of Amos. Poverty is the upshot of our myopia to see our brothers and sisters and stinking selfishness. Money lenders and goonda gangs rampant in Indian public spaces ravage the lives of poor, making their lives undesirable. The loop holes in the law guarantee safe passage to many who violate women and children. Manorama Devi, a Manipuri woman is just one among them to name. She was accused of seditious underground activities by the military. She was picked up by the army personnel her from her house in the cover of the dark, raped and killed.

In the name of development and mega projects, dalits and tribals are uprooted from their ancestral settlements and rehabilitated elsewhere. Their culture, faith and world views are things, which can be easily disposed with, to give way for the mega developmental projects like dams and mines. It is crystal clear that none of these projects are going to benefit the lives of these indigenous people, but it simply adds on to the sophistication and comforts of the super rich stakeholders of such projects. As in the case of the poor of Amos’ time, today’s poor are also bought for a paltry sum like a pair of sandals as they are silenced through assimilation into resettlement and rehabilitation programmes.

Many tribals and social activists of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand regions are indefinitely kept as trial captives in the jails of India to abort any efforts of resistance to the inhuman coercion and displacement by the powers promoting the so called developmental projects. Dr. Binayek Sen, a paediatrician working in Chhattisgarh was arrested and kept in jail without any trial for two years accusing alleged relations with Maoists as he was working for the development of Tribals. If an educated doctor like Dr. Sen had to undergo such kind of torment and trouble what could be the state of poor peasants of rural India. He is one such, who took side to confront the dehumanising programmes of the government to benefit the multi billionaires of the country at the disposal of the rights of the tribal poor. His imprisonment was an instance of disposal of a genuine resistance to defend the sanctity of life.

What has been the main engine of the processes that created a situation of exploitation of the poor during Amos’ and our times? I think it is the fake spirituality, which is constructed and sustained by the unholy alliance of the priests, the judges and the ruling class to conveniently suit their self-seeking agendas.

2) Taking sides to assume a renewed spirituality.

The Spirituality of the Amos’ time was a distorted one. God is speaking through the prophet to those hypocrites who have domesticated religion and temple for their ulterior desires. V. 7b refers to yet another wickedness of the community. The ‘Temple prostitution’ was copied from Canaanites by the Israelites at that time and is said to have performed inside the Temple premises. This expresses the unholy nexus that was built between the stakeholders like priests and judges to sustain the economic luxury, which was also linked with the temple worship. The desire for pleasure that overwhelmed the lives of the religious leaders sought its legitimisation by developing a spirituality, which assures divine sanctions for it. The prostitution done by both the father and son alike to the same girl makes it a perversion that runs through the generations.

The foundation of Israel’s spirituality is the dwelling of God in the house of God, in the midst of God’s people, which is the visible expression of the God who delivered God’s people out of oppression with strong, outstretched hands. They have desecrated God’s temple with these filthy acts which was an abomination to the Lord God.

 The Clothes mentioned in v 8 have much significance in the Hebrew understanding of the honour of a person. Clothes taken in pledge implied ones reconciliation with God and the people, as the honour of a person is understood as a possible experience only in continuum with the glory of God and glory of the people. There were provisions in Hebrew law to safeguard the poor from any possible abuse of this judicial ritual. The divine commandment stipulates that the clothes taken in pledge from the poor are to be returned before the sunset as we see in Exodus 22: 27 and Deuteronomy 24:13. Clothes are the final belonging that one can give in pledge, which shows the unfathomable depth of financial crisis that one goes through.

When clothes are taken from human beings the whole dignity and glory is snatched away from them. They imposed on people fines for default of payment and they enjoyed the wine collected as fines on the cloth collected as pledge, negating the basic subsistence of the poor. This wine symbolises the squeezed outcome of the peasants laborious days, which some are unlawfully enjoying. All the relationships were got corrupted and commercialised. Religion and its leadership forgot the entrusted duty of caring expected of them and indulged in ways of enjoyment and dominated and manipulated the fellow beings.

This manipulating spirituality of Israel draws parallel with today’s spiritualities complying with globalised commercial intends. The places of worship have become spaces ridden by consumer relations. Altar is supposed to be a place where everyone is considered equal. This affirms that every creation is a member of the ‘family of God’ and it confers us the right to call our God Abba and Emma. This family endorses a system of no disparity and each call to the Lord’s Table is to quench the thirst and quell the hunger of the brothers and sisters by offering ourselves as the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Considering ourselves as the part of Family of God is not just our spiritual fervour but it is the core of Christian life. This leads us to a spirituality of care and concern.

Advocate P. A. Cyrus is an epitome of this caring spirituality. He was a leading advocate in the bar of Kerala High court, when he left his lucrative profession in fulfilling this caring spirituality. He went to ‘Vatattupara’, in the high ranges of Kerala, the place where I happened to do my internship program, where he joined with the daily labourers who cut bamboo for their daily living and became part of their life. He became a member of their families, stood for their rights and sowed the seeds of socio-economic changes in peoples’ lives. His is a beautiful model of the siding mission of God with the poor. Even at an advanced age of 80 and more he continues his missional voyage of realising the extension of the family of God in the North Indian villages.

Where do we, as the called ones, find meaningful mission models of taking sides for the rights of the poor and excluded? We see it nowhere else, but in the life and ministry of Jesus. Jesus took his stance with the poor and oppressed and announced the challenging message of the reign of God, establishing justice and fair deal to the poor. This vision of life that was open to the interests of the poor and the weak provoked the powerful of the day and they eventually murdered him. Though he was slain on the cross and suffered a cruel death he could keep his eyes open, to see the pain of his neighbour on the cross. This mind of Jesus should be our desire in our missiological endeavours.

Amos, as his name indicates was ‘laden’, with God’s message to the people of Israel of 8^th Century BCE. In today’s world we, as called for God’s mission are challenged to stand along with the poor for their rights and life? As God’s spokespersons, can we keep silence when the Image of God is distorted in front of our eyes? Would our pale spirituality get lifeblood to indulge with those who stand protesting for the liberation of the poor? Did the Kingdom Family which Christ envisioned take sides to include everyone irrespective of divisions? Let us side with the weak and poor and envision for a renewed spirituality so that justice may roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. May the Christ our Lord empower us for this. Amen.

[Philipose John, the preacher of this sermon, is a final year BD student in Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai, India.]

"Wombs from where the Heaven could sprout" by Ajay T.Oommen, Gurukul

Text: Luke 1: 26 -38

Advent season holds a mystery of waiting. We all are waiting to celebrate the day, which brought the great joy the world have ever known. Often waiting is something, that makes us bored and irritated. But the advent season demands, a waiting that should be kept as creative moments. Those people who dedicated this waiting, as creative moments, have experienced this great joy. To name some of them, Zachariah, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, Simon, Hanna, the Shepherds, the wise men etc.

What we see here in the gospel, is the annunciation to Mary by angel Gabriel. The dialogue between Gabriel and Mary is going to be the ground of our meditation today. It is only with amazement can we realise from this passage that, the Kingdom of God is not descending from heaven, rather it shoots forth from humble people like Mary. Traditionally it is believed that Mary was graciously selected, but I would rather say she was the most qualified person to carry a child like Jesus. It was not because she was a virgin, not because of her lineage, that she was blessed in such a unique manner. The gospel portion itself paints colour to the supreme character she possesses, to be called as Blessed Mary.

1.         In verse 28 and 29 we see, as Mary heard the greeting of the Angel, she was greatly troubled by this words and wondered that what kind of a greeting this is. The evangelist records that she wonders, not after the angel tells Mary that she is going to bear a child, but it was immediately after the angel meets her and greets that ‘the Lord is with you’. If we put ourselves in Mary’s position, we could find that, we are the ones who most commonly hear these words of assurance, that ‘the lord is with you’, in and outside Christian circle. Today itself if we look into our liturgy, how many times we are hearing this assurance, the God is with you. But for us, it often does not bring wonder.

We have seen many times women become troubled as well as wondered, when some guests unexpectedly comes to the house. What would be the reason? They are concerned, whether their house is in a position to welcome the guest.

The reason why Mary was troubled and wondered is that, she seriously doubted that, whether her space was ready to occupy God. She was considering critically the place she reserved for God in her life at the moment she heard the greeting. In her actions she proves to be a theist practically. But if we consider ourselves often we find ourselves as practically atheists without having any response even when we hear that, the god is with us.

We have been like Zachariah, who was not prompted by the presence of God, even in the alter, the most expected place of God. Mary who was troubled and wondered, by the reminder about God’s presence proves to be more theist than the priest Zachariah.

Here, the trouble and wonder that Mary experienced becomes a preparation to hear, the heavy burden she has to bear. If we are not moved or amazed by such reminders about God’s presence in our lives, we fail to fulfil the tasks entrusted to us by God.

If we are troubled and wondered at the remainder that God is with us, it should be taken as a sign, for the next step, God is going to entrust with us, some great tasks.

 2.         In verse 31 and 32, we see the angel commanding Mary to name the child as Jesus. He also gives some promises from the part of the heaven regarding the future of the child, that he will inherit the throne of David, he will reign in the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom will never end. These promises were enough, to make the young girl Mary enthusiastic to accept the command to bear a child, even though she was not married. 

But we see though the angel said, the child is the son of God, he was not born with any of the well-beings of the heaven, except the name Jesus, nothing was given to him by the mighty heavens. Moreover he lost the natural environment needed for a child, from the time he was born.

Mary did not see any of these promises from God being accomplished, in Jesus’ life. But still, Mary groomed that child, to make the claims by himself that, I’m the son of God, I have a kingdom and I will reign on my Father’s throne. Jesus was taught by His mother Mary that he could even say at the age of 12 that he has to sit in his father’s place. Mary seems to be more convinced that Jesus is the son of God, as she asks Jesus to do something immediately, at the wedding of Cana. Mary didn’t raise her son for herself, but for God.

She didn’t burdened Him with the responsibilities that the eldest son of the family need to fulfil, she neither raised Him by telling the inconveniences that the heaven brought to her through His birth, nor by reiterating the unaccomplished promises of the heaven.  We see God in the heaven giving lot much of promises, but it was the poor mother Mary who works for the promises.

About every child the heaven has very high aspirations. But the heaven in its might, doesn’t groom any child. But what we have to introspect today is that, is there any parents like Mary who groom their children according to Heaven’s expectations? If so, you can also become like Mary and your children can also become one like Jesus.

3.         Finally in vs. 36 and 37 we see that Mary is being informed by the angel about the pregnancy of Elizabeth. The gospel writer finds, it is important to present this news, as an integral part of the annunciation to Mary. It was essential for Mary, to find somebody in her own social space who is equally blessed; to take in the things happened to her as blessedness, and not as a curse. A blessing cannot be a blessing, as long as the blessed stands alone. The blessed one needs to find a community of blessed around oneself, to make the blessing a meaningful one. Here Elizabeth becomes her blessed companion, who helped her to ponder upon her blessedness.

 It has become quite common in the Christian circle that, we often become indifferent to the blessedness of others. Often we couldn’t find meaning in the blessedness of others. We use to comfort ourselves, by pointing to the sorrows, and distress of others, which would be greater than ours, but never rejoice in the blessedness of others. This is the reason why, our blessedness and joy do not get converted, into the blessedness and joy for the world.

Pregnancy of Elizabeth became integral to the good news to Mary, because she longed to hear that. When Mary finds the extension of blessing between herself and Elizabeth, she realises that her blessedness and joy, is really going to be the joy to the world.

Today we need to ask the question, why our blessedness and joy are not becoming the joy to the world. Definitely the answer would be, our indifference to the blessedness and joy of others. But this advent season calls for a counter practice.

Dearly beloved in Christ, the advent is not just about waiting for a day, which is of historical significance. It is about experiencing the joy, that the advent brings. 1. It becomes possible through our response to the presence of God. 2. It becomes possible by ensuring, that the expectation of the heaven, is being fulfilled in the life of our children. 3. It becomes possible, when we find meaning in the blessedness of others. 

May the God through His Son and His Holy Spirit, bring us the joy of the advent... Amen

[Ajay T.Oommen, the preacher of this sermon, is a final year BD student in Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai, India.]

"The Royalty of Service is Breaking the Hierarchy" by John Allwyn, Gurukul

The Royalty of Service is Breaking the Hierarchy

(In a missionary perspective)

Text: John: 13:1-17

There are many missionaries who planted a fame and name by their hard and solid efforts in means of propagating Gospel. But it is not the same in all cases. It is anomaly thought of a Christian missionary to think about the welfare and development of a believer. Consciously or unconsciously Christian missionaries have a pride and self identity in means of mission that is gaining the souls in Christ Jesus. There are missionaries really doing their ministry without any pride and self-centered. They renounced all their benefits and profits. Above all they are keeping on maintaining their blameless life before others which is really a tough task. Blameless life does not connote the isolation or the separation from the people or the world, but it is a collaboration with them and being one among people in order to save them through Christ. Especially, they are proving the equality that our Lord Jesus Christ showed. The mission work is not a static but it is dynamic, which flows and spreads ceaselessly. Therefore the missionaries should have such flow to reach people not just up to the level of conversion but the scope of betterments of their welfare.  The missionaries’ part is not ended or stopped at the level of introducing Christ to them, but it has a lot of responsibilities to equip them to live a better life in their struggles. The development of the respected place where a missionary posted is not based on the work of a particular missionary how superior he/she is, but on the outcome or the result of the missionary work how long it has reached the people. In fact, that work should equip the people to stand on their own legs. How long people should depend the missionaries for their betterments? How long they expect the missionaries to meet their needs? These questions came to my mind after my experience in the DMPB mission field.

I was posted as a missionary in the Kalvarayan Hills. The mission work started here before merely more than 50 years. Even though, DMPB have done many works, they have raised only few missionaries as local missionaries. The local missionaries are the original people of the particular land, and they are forbidden by the DMPB mission board not to take any post as leaders of the mission. Though a local missionary has a complete quality for leadership, it has been forbidden by the DMPB missionaries. This shows that, we are failing to follow the models of Jesus in the ministry.

1)         Humility: a tool to break the hierarchy

Here, in this pericope (Jn: 13:1- 17) Jesus exhibits the humility which is a model for all of us. Feet - washing would be understood as a traditional act of  love in one sense in the Old Testament, and also feet-washing will be done when one entered one’s house, not during the course of a  meal. The Passover ritual prescribed a washing of hands after the second cup, but there is no evidence that Jesus’ action was a variant upon that custom. Feet –washing is explained here as being a lesson in humility and Jesus illustrated, by his action this essential feature of his mission and he bids his disciples to follow his example.

The fourth Gospel writer John is very keen in chronology of every event. He pointed out that this feet- washing had taken place before the feast that is Nisan the Passover. John emphasizes his chronology, which differs from that suggested by the synoptists. Moreover, according to John this act of feet-washing had taken time after the meal, exactly at the end of eating. Jesus “got up from the table”. Therefore it is clear that this act is not a matter of purification, or a preparatory act for a meal. It is an act of practical or object-lesson to the Disciples to instruct the Humility. Further, Jesus girded Himself with a towel, as a slave would do, and poured water upon their feet. This act showed us how Jesus the Master served his disciples with humility. John tells us that He not only spoke, but acted what He said. As a rebuke to their worldly strivings, He, their Lord and Master, showed them what dignity is in the Kingdom of God by rendering to them the most menial service that could be asked of a slave. The divine humility shows itself in rendering service. He who is entitled to claim the service of all his creatures chooses first to give his service to them. “The son of man came not to receive service but to give it” (Mk: 10:45).  This kind of attitude should be there in a missionary. 

The self- identity of a missionary should be vanished through the projection of Christ Jesus. But, still missionaries are holding such dignity and status in order to explicit them as a leader for mission. The action of Jesus broke the hierarchy between master and disciples, the superior and inferior. Some of our Christian missionaries do not want such mentality to be humble and treat other as their equals. They want others to remain in the same state where they are, is that the fundamental level of their spiritual entity. Missionaries’ need should be there always to help them by the domination. People always remain dependents. As a famous saying “a good leader does not make any disciples, but rather leaders”, Jesus proved it by both words and deeds. This is not an event that Jesus demonstrated such humility, which limited with itself alone but, a solid teaching which condemns the pride and superior hearts. The Lukcan Gospel clearly records the dispute about the greatness, among the disciples, followed by the institution of the Lord’s supper. It gives the conclusion of that dispute as follows; Jesus told them, “in this world the kings and greater man order their slaves around, and the slaves have no choice but to like it”. But among you, the one severs you best will be your leader. Therefore, the greatness is not based on the sophisticated life of a person but it is on humility and in respecting others. The demonstration of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet is a centre core of mission, which is recalling us to partake in such service. Let us find out the way to reach people with humility and meekness. 

2)         Recognition: a tool to break the hierarchy

The great attitude of a person is to consider others with their qualities. Respecting others and their talents are needed in God’s mission. For most forms of ministry some understanding of people is necessary. There are people those with multiple talents and gifts which are still not recognized in this world. The Christian mission is a platform for this kind of persons, and the hidden persons should reveal out to the light, since our Lord and savior is metaphorically considered as Light of the world. The recognition is also one way to equality. Jesus in his object- lesson taught to disciples the equality by recognizing them even though the disciples did not know about themselves and their talents. For example:  while Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, Peter denied such act of his Lord, that master comes and doing the menial service is somehow humiliation to the master. But, Jesus’ intention is not like the way Peter thinks. It is more than that, Peter said “Lord are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand”. Here Jesus knew that Peter would go to do many things to the world after his ascension, but Peter did not know that at the movement. Jesus’ recognition is so revealed in this verse even though Peter did not know it. Further, Peter said again “you will never wash my feet”, Jesus answered, “But if I don’t you can’t be my partner”. This is a clear cut statement of Jesus that if Peter does not take part in washing then he will lose the equal partnership with his master.  What does the partnership denote here? This might be our question further dealing with this perecope. The partnership is an involvement in God’s mission that Jesus was doing along with his disciples. Jesus identified himself as a servant of God, by doing God’s mission and his open call to everyone to partake in it too. The “part” with Jesus is a sign of accomplishment of God’s mission and importantly the deeper meaning of it is “heritage with Jesus”. The word “heritage” in verse 8 is significant. The Greek expression echein meros can mean simply “to share with; be a partner with”, and this is mean the “more than fellowship”, the word Meros is used in LXX to translate Hebrew Heleq, the word that describes the God-given heritage of Israel. Peter did not understand that at the time but, as per Jesus said he became a great leader later after, Jesus’ ascension. This is what really needed to a Christian missionary, in order to recognize people and respect them with their qualities and uniqueness. 

It is a major question to us that “why there is no recognition given to deserving persons by the Christian missionaries?” it is a sensitive question because people are really not achieving their destination according to their abilities. The reason behind that disregard is if a person is given such privilege then he might perhaps become stronger and superior to a missionary or a Christian leader. In order not to equip the lay people, missionaries do not encourage them up to such leadership levels. In fact those particular missionaries who think like that are not right in sense, but, they are deceiving themselves, moreover they do still know not the self recognition that they are chosen for God’s mission. Nevertheless, the missionaries those who have such mentality, do not recognize their own efforts and motivations that they put in to people’s lives. If the equipped person comes forward up to the leadership state, the inferiority complex of the particular missionary pulls him/her down.  Jesus did not have such thought in his mission, but he gave the recognition and authority to his disciples to go to the world and make all people as disciple of him. 

Dear partners, as so far we have seen the lack which is existing in the mission field and has to be restored with good qualities that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ had done. Our great mission is not to project our own Identity where we are doing ministry but we should follow the steps that Jesus demonstrated at the upper room. The mission of Jesus not ended by His resurrection and ascension but it is been continuing still through us.  He sent us the Holy Spirit to strengthen us to accomplish the mission with humility and equality. There is a good deal ahead of us to succeed that, therefore, my partners let us take part in God’s mission without our Ego and selfishness and let’s start recognizing others who are also partners of God’s mission. Why Because, Jesus had given us an example to follow: “Do as I have done to you” let us do the same. Amen.

[Mr John Allwyn J., the preacher of this sermon, is a final year BD student in Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and ResearchInstitute, Chennai, India.]

‘Advent: the Mission of Hope’ - by Arnela S.

Text: Isaiah 4:2-6

The advent inaugurates the preparation for the coming of Messiah. It is a time when people plan best in order to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ. With a hope to have the best times of merry making and feasting. The well decorated streets and echoes of children singing carol, exchanging gifts both young and old...it is not surprising that people keep themselves busy welcoming the festive season.

Isaiah 4:2-6 is the book-ends to the collection of materials in chaps.2 - 4, surrounding the section full of disaster but with the definite explicit language of Hope. This text is a response to the immediately preceding announcement of judgement on daughter Zion. The content of this unit moves a few steps from a prophetic to an apocalyptic understanding of the future, but formally it resembles prophecies of salvation. This description of future salvation affirms that the prophecies have been effective and that the goal was the purification of the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants. The section has a remarkable concentration of theologically significant expressions. It begins with a temporal phrase “on that day” which many scholars have taken to be eschatological. The context, in which the “branch” parallels the “fruit of the land” strongly suggest a hope for the fertility and fruitfulness of the land.

Christ is described by his names as the branch of the Lord and the fruit of the earth, and by proper epithets of him, as beautiful, glorious, excellent and comely. Christ is called ‘the branch’ but not as God, as human but not as a son, as a servant but not as mediator. A branch being tender denotes Christ’s state of humiliation on earth, he who grew up as a tender plant before God and was contemptible in the eyes of men: yet this branch became beautiful, being laden with the fruits of the divine grace such as righteousness, reconciliation, peace, pardon, sanctification and eternal life. These ‘divine grace’ are given freely to us in grace if the ‘branch’ grows in us. Thus, the advent season of waiting the Messiah is indeed a season of promised hope and blessings. In the text, the Messiah appeared to be excellent in his person as the Son of God and particularly in the fruits and blessings of grace, which grew upon him and come from him. The ‘survivor of Israel’ is the idea of a ‘remnant leftover from judgement’. It is possible that these escapees were thought to have survived because they were more righteous than those who were destroyed. They are accounted as ‘holy’ called with a ‘holy calling’ unto holiness.

Although destruction has been predicted against the filth of Israel, yet the writer had the confidence in God’s will to save. With this hope they persevere in godliness and holiness, we may call them ‘living and persevering Christians in Jerusalem’ whom shall be admitted to the new Jerusalem.

Likewise friends, as we welcome and anticipate for the birth of Christ in our hearts, it is imperative that we are reminded as to how we prepare ourselves to welcome the messiah? The season of Advent, as we see in today’s text, is a season of hope and anticipation for blessings. A blessing under one canopy of God’s love in Jesus Christ, all people will be drawn underneath it. A universal mission of God indeed! A season and arrival of peace where Jesus Christ will be our arbitrator and an era of peace where people will molten their swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks (cf. Isaiah 2:4). In today’s context where tension, hatred, conflict and war exist within and outside the community and between nations, the message of Advent gives us hope of the arrival of love, peace and life. It calls us to engage joyfully in the mission of hope and peace. It reminds us to be agents of peace and reconciliation. The more important question is: how can we be the image of peace and hope? OR, how can we be the witness of peace and hope? In contrary and unfortunately, we Christians engage in some of the unfitting and demeaning activities to our calling. Unless we ourselves are filled with peace and hope, it is clear that we cannot participate in the God’s mission of hope, love and life. For that reason, Advent season prepares us to welcome the blessing of God in Jesus Christ, in our hearts. It is the mission of God that calls us to participate in that universal love as persevere of godliness and holiness.

May God humbles us and gives us hearts to welcome this overwhelming love so that we can be channel and befitting to participate in the God’s mission of hope, peace, love and life.

[The preacher, Arenla S., is a first year MTh Student in the Department of Missiology in Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute,Chennai, India.]

How HIV Virus Infects?

[This short video, The  Destroyer, was shown during the community worship service during World AIDS day, 2010.]