Listen to Sermon
Pastor Tom Johnson, December 2, 2018
In his letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul tells them his prayer: “Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.” Paul is a world traveler. He is a masterful church planter. He wants to see his sisters and brothers in the faith built up and their faith strengthened. He understands the importance of being face to face. That is his prayer, he says, night and day—he fervently prays that he can be personally present. He understood the importance of physical proximity long before Woody Allen said, “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” Of course, Paul’s letter is much more than words on a page. It is holy Scripture. It is the Word of God. He underscores the importance of close-knit social interaction.
When God first created humanity he saw all that he created and said, “It is very good.” But when he saw Adam in the garden alone. He emphatically said, “It is not good for the human to be alone.” We are social creatures. We interact, grow, learn, and communicate by the words we speak, the gestures we sign, the tones of our voices, the expressions on our face, the multifaceted body language we display, the energy and urgency of our whole being. Intimate communication is integral to our humanity. Close-knit social interaction is essential to who we are. We should not deny the eye, the nose, the ear, the tongue, nor our sense of touch. Matter matters. Presence matters. During the Advent season we long for the presence of Messiah. We pray, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” God promises to be born into humanity—the eternal Son of God in the flesh. And Jesus promises to come again to us in glory.
Ten years ago, a Pixar movie came out called “Wall-E.” It was about a 700 year old robot cleaning up garbage on our abandoned planet. He was alone working in the fields of trash for centuries. And then he met Eva. Yes, the Adam and Eve connection. They go on a journey to a spaceship where the human race had escaped. And what they found is alarming. Humanity had devolved. They are all living self-centered, sedentary, virtual lives. Even though they are all on the same ship, they are constantly looking at their screens. They do not notice the person sitting right next to them. Their excitement comes from the next new drink or toy they could buy right from their tablets. Everything is delivered right to them. They don’t need to travel or interact with anyone. Sound familiar? Next time you take a walk downtown or go to a restaurant, look at how many people are looking at their phones and not the people right next to them. I myself am guilty as charged.
God calls us to increase and abound in love for one another. He calls us to be in community together—face to face—as we build each other up in the the faith. This is Paul’s prayer in our Scripture that together we grow in our love together and toward God. And God is there to enhance our relationships. That is the problem with living virtual lives through technology. The danger is when our phones, tablets, and televisions get in the way of what it means to be human, prevent us from being a sister and brother in Christ, and children of God. It is why a phone call, meeting for coffee, lunch, or going for a walk can be so powerful and bring peace to our relationships. It is no wonder why so many of us feel lonely and alone. We have forgotten or have grown apathetic about having intimate interaction with people. We end up neglecting our call to love God and love one another as Christ loved us.
And just how did Christ love us? Christ did not just love us from afar. He did not just have nice thoughts toward us from his heavenly throne. He did not just send positive energy to us over the prayer waves. He is the eternal Son of God who came from heaven to earth. He is the advent of God in the flesh. He comes to us face to face. He is born of the virgin Mary. He reveals his face to his mother, step-father Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men. His face radiates the promise of God’s love and salvation for all humanity. Jesus comes face to face with people all over ancient Israel and preaches good news to them. He comes face to face with sinners, eats with them, and calls himself their Friend. He comes face to face to heal the sick. He comes face to face with the outcasts, the foreigners, and even those who arrest, mock, and try him. Jesus comes face to face with the scribes and Pharisees and challenges their hypocrisy. He comes face to face with King Herod and Pontius Pilate and reminds them of a higher authority and call to serve in righteousness. He comes face to face with the centurion and those who crucify him. From that world stage on the Cross of Calvary he offers forgiveness and eternal life. And just a few days later his face rises again in glory to give us victory over our sin, the devil, and even death itself. He comes to us in his Body and Blood from this Table.
At the end of the service, the blessing reminds us that God comes to us face to face—not just on Sundays but every day and hour of our lives. “The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up his countenance—his face—upon you and give you peace.”
Amen. And let it be so. Come, Lord Jesus.
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