This Sunday (January 1st), we will
gather for worship as we “ring out the old year and ring in the new year.” It will truly be a day of new
beginnings. Of course, new beginnings inevitably
entail change. Change can be good or bad; expected or
unexpected; minimal or hugely transformative; expected or unexpected.
Most of us will experience some changes as we move through the next
year, 2017.
For instance, in my family we
anticipate my daughter graduating from college in 2017. This will represent a major change for my
daughter, as she moves from the life of a student to becoming a full adult—with
all of the freedoms and privileges, as well as responsibilities, inherent in
being an adult. We are looking forward
to this milestone in my daughter’s life.
Yet, at the same time, there is uncertainty and some anxiety associated
with this change--even though it is a clear, positive change.
Our society faces some major change,
as well, as we move into the next year. On
January 20th, Donald Trump will be sworn in as our next President. Although we do not know exactly what will
happen to our country under the new Trump Administration, there clearly will be
significant changes in the laws and policies of our government.
Just as with our country as a whole,
so also my congregation, Christ United Methodist, is deeply divided over the
candidacy and presidency of Donald Trump.
On the one hand, a great many in my congregation strongly opposed the
candidacy of Donald Trump and voted against him. These Christians enter the new year with
great fear for our country and in deep depression. On the other hand, many others in my
congregation supported Donald Trump for President and voted for him. Even though their candidate won the election,
I think that these Christians must be experiencing some level of uncertainty
and anxiety, as well, even if it is more muted than their fellow Christians who opposed
Trump. Although we fully expect change
from his Administration, Donald Trump has sent many mixed messages and made
rapid, dramatic reversals on positions.
And, we just don’t know what the full ramifications of anticipated
policy changes will be.
Within my congregation, there seems
to be a heightened level of uncertainty and anxiety this year over previous
years. I sense that this same heightened
level of uncertainty and anxiety extends beyond my Midwestern congregation to
encompass our society as a whole.
Regardless of political beliefs or other differentiating factors, there
seems to be a heightened sense of uncertainty and anxiety, as we stand on the
brink of a new year, 2017.
As we gather to worship on New Year’s
Day, I want our Christ United Methodist community of faith to reflect on this
heightened sense of uncertainty and anxiety from a biblical and faith
perspective. As my foundational text, I
have focused on Jesus’ discussion of worry and anxiety in Luke 12: 22-31.
To fully understand this text, it is important to notice the context in
which it appears. Just before this
passage, Jesus has told a parable to the crowd of people who had gathered to listen
to him teach.
In this parable, which immediately
precedes our passage, Jesus tells the story of a rich farmer who has an
incredibly good crop yield, one year. In
anticipation of a hugely bountiful harvest, the farmer tears down his barns in
order to build bigger barns, in order to hold and store his incredible
harvest. After all of the crops are
harvested and stored in the new barns, the rich farmer reasons to himself that
he has “amble goods laid up for many years…[so that he can] relax, eat, drink,
be merry” (Luke 12:19). However, in a
great reversal, the rich farmer dies that evening. The point of this parable concerns where we
place our trust. The rich man trusted in
his own ingenuity and good fortune as a farmer, and he used his bounty to serve
himself alone. This proved to be a
misplaced trust. By contrast, Jesus
calls us to trust and serve God.
Jesus follows this parable on the
basis for trust with a discussion of human worry and anxiety. He begins by noting that people frequently
worry about having enough physical resources, focusing on food and clothing. Jesus encourages his followers not to succumb
to worry and anxiety about these needs.
And, he gives five reasons why we should not be consumed by anxiety and
worry:
1.
First, Jesus reminds his followers that “…life is more than food, and …clothing”
(v 23). It’s important to recognize that
Jesus was not speaking to an audience of desperately poor persons, who were
living “hand-to-mouth” and were in desperate poverty. Instead, he was speaking to people who had
enough to eat and who had sufficient clothing.
Christ’s basic point was about keeping perspective.
It is part of human nature to worry
and be anxious. Sometimes, anxiety
breeds more anxiety. We become like
hamsters running on a wheel. The faster
we run, the faster the wheel spins, and the faster we have to run to keep up. So, we end up running faster and faster. Similarly, our anxiety breeds more anxiety,
which breeds more anxiety and we become more and more anxious and worried about
the future. As we stand on the brink of
2017, we face much uncertainty, and it is tempting to become more and more
anxious. However, I think that Christ’s
advice to us in 2017 is that we should remain balanced, keeping our legitimate
fears and worries and anxieties in perspective.
2.
Then, Jesus exhorts his followers to trust in God’s providence. Using the metaphor of birds, he tells the
crowd, “Consider the ravens, they neither sow nor reap, they have neither
storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them.
Of how much more value are you than the birds!” (v. 24). This message of faith remains the same for us
today, despite the uncertainty and anxiety that we face in 2017. We should
remember and trust that God’s love for us continues and that God will guide and
take care of us.
3.
By contrast, obsessively worrying reveals a lack of faith in God and God’s
providential love for us. Jesus says, “Consider
the lilies, how they grow: they neither
toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even [King] Solomon in all his glory was not
clothed like one of these. But if God so
clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown
into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—oh, you people of little faith!”
(vv. 27-28)
4.
Jesus also appeals to our common sense.
He points out that worry and anxiety in the face of uncertainty actually
accomplishes nothing. “Can any of you by
worrying add a single hour to your span of life?” he asks. The answer is obvious: of course, not. So, why be consumed by worry and anxiety,
since it doesn’t really make any actual difference? Similarly, for today, even though there is
high uncertainty around the future and direction of our country, worry,
anxiety, and fear do not accomplish anything positive.
5.
Finally, Jesus observes that when his followers are fully devoted to
pursuing and building his Reign, then they will not need to be anxious about
other things. He exhorts his followers, “strive
for God’s kingdom, and these things [food and clothing] will be given to you as
well” (v. 31). Similarly, in our 2017
context, we must work to establish God’s Reign here on earth; a Kingdom
characterized by justice, equality of opportunity, care for the poor and needy,
as well as good stewardship of God’s Creation.
Undoubtedly, this will entail opposing some change, while
supporting other change.
If you live in the Lincoln, Nebraska
area, I invite you to come, join us as we celebrate the New Year through
Worship this Sunday, January 1st. As we
worship, we will explore Christ’s advice to his followers on coping with
uncertainty and anxiety. And, we will remember that Christ calls us to join
with him in establishing and building the Kingdom of God in the here and
now. Although we normally have two
worship services at 8:30 and 11 am each Sunday, on New Year’s Day we will have
a single worship service at 11 am. Come,
join us.
Everyone is welcome and accepted because
God loves us all.
