November 14, 2004; The 24th Sunday after Pentecost Readings: Malachi 3:13—4:2a, 5-6; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-9; Psalm 98.   The Rev. Dr. Hilary B. Smith Turning It Upside Down The Christian message is one that turns the world upside down. Even as we come here today to celebrate our faith, most of us must acknowledge that the Christian message challenges us. As we come to know God through Christ, as we come to live our days in the power of the Spirit, what we have been taught to believe about the world is challenged. The world tells us that "seeing is believing." But Jesus tells us that "believing is seeing." As we grow in our faith, learning in both intellectual ways and ways of the heart, we do start to see what we believe. We start to see it because we start to live in ways that make God’s promises to our world visible. We start to see it because even in the darkest moments, God’s love is present offering hope beyond understanding. We start to see beyond the present moment with the vision of hope given to us by God. The disciples were troubled by the thought that the temple could be harmed. Rather than comforting them, Jesus affirms their worst fear. Yes, the temple will be destroyed. Everything that you have valued may be taken from you. Jesus is explaining that life with him will be hard to understand. It will challenge them; it will call on them to trust in new ways. Ultimately the call to trust will be the saving grace of their lives. What has been a saving grace in your life? How has that grace challenged the way you viewed the world? How would you like the grace of God to change your understanding of life? Being able to articulate the grace that you would like to receive from God is part of the process of experiencing that grace. Most people are formed at a very early stage of life; our worldview has much to do with our childhoods. My childhood taught me to rely on myself. My parents’ divorce created some chaotic times as I grew, and I felt that the only one that I could count on was me. The saving grace for me was coming to know God’s love for me—God’s care for me. In coming to know God’s love for me; I also knew that God loves everyone. I came to see that we are all connected. As I came into the fellowship of the church, my core understanding of life changed from one of self-reliance to one focused on the strength of community—the strength of our common life as shaped by God. How did this challenge me? Well, it demanded some humility on my part. God and I are still working that out! What was the grace given? Well, it is beyond words, but it has to do with being part of the fellowship, God’s community that has a strength and a power to change lives—my life, your life, and the lives of all those around us. And believing is seeing. I believe it with every fiber of my being, and I’ve been called by God to tell everyone about this love. I have seen what I believe manifested here. So here I am and here you are. I want to serve God in a ways that will make God’s promises known on earth. I want my belief, your belief and our church to help others see. Church for me is so far from a club. It is not an institution at its core. It is not a place to come to make business contacts or find standing in the town. Church is rather a radical experiment in faith and love. Church is the place where we are challenged and where we are given the grace to meet the challenge. Jesus told his disciples to expect trouble, but not to believe in trouble—not to give power to the darkness of the world. The world will tell you many things about the times and their signs, about what to do and what not to do, about who you are and who you are not. Don’t believe it; don’t be led astray; don’t be distracted from God’s truth. By believing and trusting in Jesus, they would know what to say and what to do—they would see God’s glory. They would have to let go of their need to control and allow themselves to be led. That’s a lot to ask for ordinary people. What was the grace promised? The darkness of the world could not really harm them, and that by their endurance they would gain their souls. "By your endurance you will gain your souls." To gain your soul—what might that mean? Perhaps that through believing we start to see God’s promises. We become children of the light, knowing that the darkness cannot overcome us. We find ourselves complete through Christ. To be united within ourselves—heart, mind, and soul—is to be at peace. We find that peace which passes all understanding. Amen.