Partners
Matthew 1:18-25

December 23, 2007


After having spent my first semester in seminary in Halifax, I am just beginning to realize how little I know. Not only about the academic things, but about God and the way that God works. I thought that it would be easier than it has been. Every day I have had my eyes opened a bit wider to the way in which I am supposed to live my life – and help others to live theirs – as I learn new and exciting things. And I can almost keep all of this in perspective – realizing that there is more to learn about the ministry than I or anyone will ever be able to learn in seminary. But what I find more difficult to keep in perspective is the way that God is working inside of me.

Before I left my job in Regina to move to Halifax, I met with one of my managers one final time. She questioned me at length about why I wanted to become a minister. She knew that, although I was a bit afraid, I felt so strongly that God was calling me that I had to just put my fears aside. At the end of our meeting my manager said to me, “You are doing what is right. Any decisions made based on fear will be the wrong ones, but any decisions made based on faith will always be right. You are making a decision based upon your faith.”

After I arrived at the Atlantic School of Theology, called AST for short, I met many first year students my age or older, as well as a number of younger ones. Roman Catholic, Anglican and United Church students attend the school. Many hope to become clergy. Younger and older, we were all pretty scared and anxious. We all felt the call to ministry, but none of us were really certain about what that would actually involve. The two big questions, like dark clouds looming over our heads, were, “How am I supposed to serve God?” and “Am I good enough?” I believe that we all worked hard on the academic things, but the same two questions still remained with us. Our doubts in ourselves were great. Some students, in order to successfully complete their assignments, found that they needed to drop one of their classes at mid-term. Some of us just cried a lot, and said that we did not think that we would make it. Others just continued to silently work on what needed to be done. But none of us quit and went home, and none of us decided that God had not called us to ministry.

As classes drew to a close at the beginning of December, we all congratulated ourselves and each other on the fact that we made it through our first semester. We commented to each other, “It will be easier next semester.” But, do we truly believe that? I am not sure. But, we are ready to start again in January, and do what needs to be done. Although we do not know exactly where our journey will lead, we all know that part of getting to wherever it is that we are meant to be is going to involve learning more about ourselves and about God. We need to be able to understand, and teach to others, the importance of relationship – with God and with our community – based in faith, if relationships are to be formed in our world that will really make a difference to those who are suffering unjustly. And that is why we are in seminary. With the knowledge and insight we gain about ourselves as well as about others, we will be able to do more completely the work that God has planned for us. In spite of living with some fear about our journey, we are still choosing to live out our faith.

In the Matthew reading today, I am drawn to Joseph. We do not hear a word from Joseph in the Bible, but we know that he and Mary both play important roles in the incarnation. Mary is sometimes referred to as ‘the first disciple,’ because she realizes the promises of God that are fulfilled in the Christ. But Joseph is a disciple as well. In his quiet way, Joseph stands there not only as part of the lineage of David, but also as someone who gets caught up and swept away in the drama which will bring Christ into our world. He is faithful, thoughtful and courageous. His faith in God gives Joseph the courage to become part of the incarnation – to become the husband of Mary and her partner in raising the son of God.

God chose Mary and Joseph to bring his humanity to us, through Jesus. Karl Barth, the Swiss theologian, said that God felt such an overpowering love for us that the only way in which he could become close enough to us was to become part of us. God felt that his intimate relationship, his partnership, with us would affect and be affected by us. God tied his own destiny to human destiny so tightly that we became enmeshed with each other – humanity and God – so that we suffer as one and we grow in freedom together. It is almost overwhelming to think that God, our Creator and Sustainer, wanted to become part of us with all of our flaws and frailties. Yet, through the incarnation, and the partnership which was formed by God, Mary and Joseph, the opportunity for us to become more in our relationship with God was given to us, as we welcomed Jesus into our world.

Joseph, as well as Mary, was transformed through their relationship with God. Joseph’s choice of living out his faith, rather than focusing on his fear, changed his life. His faith overcame his feelings of fear, although Joseph was uncertain of where God would lead him. It was enough for Joseph that God called him to act out his faith.

We are all called to do God’s work, just as Joseph was. We all have a special gift, even though many of us have no idea what that gift is. When we choose to put our Christian faith into action, we are using our gifts to help others. Our human gifts are not like Christmas gifts we wrap and place under a tree. They are not identified or recognized until we reach out in love to help others. To say that we are called is to say that we are choosing to act out our faith rather than hold back in fear, even when we do not know what the outcome will be. So, accepting God’s call will not necessarily result in you ending up in seminary. Although, if that is God’s call to you, please do come to Halifax and I will do my best to help you get over the rough spots.

Each time we act through our faith, it is because we are accepting God’s call. When we reach out to someone in love, friendship or concern we are listening to God. We are being part of a dynamic, joyful and exciting relationship with God, and with those whose lives we touch in positive, loving ways. Our individual relationship with God will grow in leaps and bounds the more we come together with others in our community. As our faith grows, our fears will lessen and our courage to reach out even further into our community will result. Our partnership with God and with those in our community, and their relationships with us, will grow and there will be no limits to what will result if we simply put our fears and our uncertainty aside. God will become drawn more closely to the creatures he so dearly loves. And, do you realize, we will be doing the same thing for God as he asked Joseph and Mary to do?

Joseph, a role model for us in our discipleship, shows us that we are alright even when we are afraid of the unknown, are unsure of ourselves, and stand quietly by, maybe even in the background. But he shows us, too, that we must be willing to stand up when things really matter, when we need to act out our faith, when we hear God speaking to us, and choose our faith over our fear. If we choose to act upon our faith amazing things can happen, as Joseph has shown us. May all of God’s children say, “Amen.”

Preached by Heather Rogers
Knox-Metropolitan United Church
Regina, Saskatchewan