Fearful. The world was a fearful place in Jesus’ time. Jerusalem and the surrounding regions were occupied territories, under control of the Roman Empire. Violence exploded in the streets as freedom fighters led insurrections against the foreign military power. The Empire struck back again and again, sometimes slaughtering people in the streets, often lining the highways with dozens of crosses from which crucified men hung in agony. There was much to fear in the world of first century Palestine.

Jesus, who preached a message of peace, flamed the fear for some. One day as they overlooked the great Temple, the disciples exclaimed in awe. The Temple was a marvel, an impressive, unforgettable sight. Josephus, a historian who lived and wrote in the first century, wrote that the gold of the Temple “reflected so fierce a blaze of fire that those who tried to look at it were forced to turn away . . . it seemed in the distance like a mountain covered in snow, for any part not covered in gold was dazzling white.” The Temple was truly one of the most opulent buildings in the ancient world. Yet Jesus prophesied that it would be torn down so that not one stone would be left on another. Jesus prophesied that the marvelous, seemingly eternal structure would be profaned. That prophecy, part of which we heard in today’s Gospel reading, stuck terror in the hearts of the disciples who were impressed with power and majesty. It would be like us standing on the Mall in D.C. and hearing someone we trusted and believed in say that all the magnificent monuments would soon be in ruin, that not one stone would be left on another. Such words would strike fear in us in a way that we might not have imagined before Sept. 11.

For just as the world was a fearful place in Jesus’ time, it is still a fearful place in ours. Jesus’ prophecy about the Temple did come true; it was fulfilled in the year 70 A.D. when Roman troops leveled Jerusalem and tore the Temple to the ground. The things we fear about our own future are yet to be revealed to us. Where we will be, in the lifetime of many of us here, if we do not heed and respond to the threat of global warming? What will happen if terrorism increases in our world because we respond only with war, but without addressing the economic and political issues that make people desperate? What about the hatred that led to the Holocaust in the last century and that still leads to holocausts today in places like Darfur? Our world is filled with much to fear.

But the author of the letter to the Hebrews doesn’t speak of those familiar fears. The anonymous author says instead; “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Why should we fear that? In the sermon at every funeral here at St. Christopher’s we remember that God waits for us with arms wide open. In children’s sermons, particularly those that Ollie the Ostrich preaches, we are reminded that God’s arms are wide open to us and that God waits for us to fall into a loving embrace. In the Prayer Book prayer for mission we say that “Christ Jesus stretched out his arms of love on the hard wood of the cross so that everyone might come into the reach of his saving embrace.” Falling into the loving arms of God, we hear in many ways, is a wonder and a blessing. So what’s fearful about falling into the hands of the living God?

Maybe it’s a difference between what arms do and what hands do – metaphorically speaking. Arms hold, or push away. Hands, because of dexterous fingers, do much more. Hands shape and mold, like playdough in the hands of a child, like rich clay in the hands of a potter. Hands pinch back, pull out, create hollows. Hands create things of wonder and beauty and usefulness. But if I were that clay, being pinched and pulled and pushed, I would hurt. Being shaped hurts, even when we’re being shaped into something more beautiful, more strong and true and good. It hurts because it means that the old shapes are destroyed. The familiar hard edges that scratched and injured other people are softened, and the familiar soft edges that allowed others to trample on us are hardened. When God gets hands on us, we are changed. We are re-formed. We are made new. And that doesn’t come without loss and pain.

Yet God takes us in those loving arms, in those skillful and tender hands, not in order to cause us pain, but to use us to address the fearsome and painful things in this world. God takes us in order shape us into God’s own physical hands for the sake of the world.

Desmond Tutu, now retired archbishop of South Africa, knows much about the fearful things of this world. As a leader in the movement that led to the abolition of apartheid in South Africa, he knows about being shaped by God. As one who saw the suffering of blacks in South Africa at the hands of an unjust political system, he nevertheless knows God’s joy at work powerfully in the world. In his book, God Has a Dream, he speaks of these things – of fear, of being shaped, of becoming God’s hands, and of joy through it all. Near the end of the book, he writes:

“Nelson Mandela spent twenty-seven years in prison. Those twenty-seven years were a furnace that tempered his steel, that removed the dross. And that suffering on behalf of others gave him an authority and credibility that can be provided by nothing else in quite the same way. True leaders must at some point or other convince their followers that they are in this whole business not for self-aggrandizement but for the sake of others. Nothing is able to prove this quite so convincingly as suffering. Could Nelson Mandella have been the Nelson Mandela who was able to take his place in history as a great political and moral leader without that long suffering? I think the anwer is no.”

Tutu then concludes his marvelous book with these words: “If you were in heaven now you would notice the tears in God’s eyes. The tears streaming down God’s face as God looked on us and saw the awful things that we, God’s children, are doing to each other. God cries and cries. And then you might see the smile that was breaking over God’s face like sunshine through the rain, almost like a rainbow. You would see God smiling because God was looking on you and noting how deeply concerned you are. And the smile might break out into a laugh as God said, ‘You have vindicated Me. I had been asking Myself, ‘Whatever got into Me to create that lot?’ And when I see you, yes, you,’ God says, ‘you are beginning to wipe the tears from my eyes because you care. Because you care and you have come to learn that you are not your brother’s and sister’ keeper; you are brother’s brother and your sister’s sister.’ And God says, ‘I have no one except you. Thank you for vindicating Me.’” Endquote.

Yes, living in this world is a fearful thing. Falling into the hands of the living God is a fearful thing. But as we fall into those hands and are molded and shaped and formed, even though suffering, then fear turns to hope – for us and for the world. Then tears turn to laughter. Then chaos and confusion are overwhelmed by the marvelous peace of God.

Amen.

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Daniel 12:1-4a(5-13)

The Lord spoke to Daniel, saying, "At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, keep the words secret and the book sealed until the time of the end."

[Then I, Daniel, looked, and two others appeared, one standing on this bank of the stream and one on the other. One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was upstream, "How long shall it be until the end of these wonders?" The man clothed in linen, who was upstream, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven. And I heard him swear by the one who lives forever that it would be for a time, two times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end, all these things would be accomplished. I heard but could not understand; so I said, "My lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?" He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are to remain secret and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be purified, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked shall continue to act wickedly. None of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. From the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that desolates is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred ninety days. Happy are those who persevere and attain the thousand three hundred thirty-five days. But you, go your way, and rest; you shall rise for your reward at the end of the days."]

Psalm 16 or 16:5-11 Page 599, 600, BCP

Conserva me, Domine

1

Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you; *
I have said to the LORD, "You are my Lord,
my good above all other."

2

All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land, *
upon those who are noble among the people.

3

But those who run after other gods *
shall have their troubles multiplied.

4

Their libations of blood I will not offer, *
nor take the names of their gods upon my lips.

5

O LORD, YOU are my portion and my cup; *
it is you who uphold my lot.

6

My boundaries enclose a pleasant land; *
indeed, I have a goodly heritage.

7

I will bless the LORD who gives me counsel; *
my heart teaches me, night after night.

8

I have set the LORD always before me; *
because he is at my right hand I shall not fall.

9

My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; *
my body also shall rest in hope.

10

For you will not abandon me to the grave, *
nor let your holy one see the Pit.

11

You will show me the path of life; *
in your presence there is fullness of joy,
and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

Hebrews 10:31-39

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But recall those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and persecution, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion for those who were in prison, and you cheerfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you yourselves possessed something better and more lasting. Do not, therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

For yet "in a very little while,

the one who is coming will come and will not delay;

but my righteous one will live by faith.

My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back."

But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved.

Mark 13:14-23

Jesus said, "But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; the one on the housetop must not go down or enter the house to take anything away; the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not be in winter. For in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, no, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut short those days. And if anyone says to you at that time, 'Look! Here is the Messiah!' or 'Look! There he is!'--do not believe it. False messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be alert; I have already told you everything."