12/07/2025 ~ Second Sunday of Advent ~ Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12 ~ The Sunday in Advent on Which We Commemorate Peace ~ Communion Sunday ~ HARPSWELL TV VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvwhTY56pqE.
EKC VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv48snhS3GI

Hearts and Minds

“Change your hearts and minds, for the dominion of heaven has come near. The dominion of heaven is about to break in on you.” — Matthew 3:2.

I think most of you know I was ordained by and have what’s called my “standing” as a pastor with the United Church of Christ. Over the years I have often been a member of a Committee in Associations known as the Church and Ministry Committee.

This is a brief version of that committee work. Committee members keep in touch with pastors in the local churches, guide people seeking to be ordained through the process, offer support to both pastors and local churches should any time of crisis arise.

If misconduct on the part of a pastor become an issue— and that is a crisis— the committee becomes involved. And yes, I’ve dealt with that in my time.

Here’s a happier thought— when guiding people to and through ordination, a joy of this work is reading an “ordination paper” of a candidate. A recent paper had sub-title. (Quote:) “All I Think I Know About God in Twenty Pages.” The paper quotes the late theologian and mystic, Thomas Merton.

(Quote:) “My God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself and the fact that I think that I am following Your will does not mean I am actually doing so.”

“But I believe the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all I am doing. I hope I will never do anything apart from that desire.”

“And I know if I do this You will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust You always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.”

I think these words of Merton understand a relationship with God say we need to be in relationship with God. What’s the hard part of that? We need to rely on God, not ourselves. (Slight pause.)

We find these words in the work known as Matthew: “Change your hearts and minds, for the dominion of heaven has come near. The dominion of heaven is about to break in on you.” (Slight pause.)

A classic New Yorker cartoon occasionally gets repeated. Captions differ over time but invariably the picture has a disheveled person, a latter day Baptizer, holding up a sign on a street corner— “REPENT!” For me the real punch line is, while society assumes repent means being sorry for wrong-doing, the Biblical meaning of repent is an admonition that there is a need to give our hearts to God— the Biblical meaning of ‘repent’— a need to give our hearts to God.

I think we moderns— world-wide, not just Americans— have a parallel mis-understanding. We are convinced we know everything, we are in control of everything and we are right about everything. None of that is true.

However, this knowing, controlling and being right is not just a Twenty-first Century disease. The people to whom John spoke had the same disease.

So I think our First Century cousins in this story had the same blinders we have. They thought they knew everything, were in control and were right. Let me unpack that just a bit.

We hear (quote:) “Pharisees and Sadducees” and we think “those are the bad people.” But in John’s world they would have been the good people, upstanding citizens, the best of the best.

Hence, John’s question (quote:) “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” probably puzzled the Pharisees and Sadducees as they were the upstanding ones and it may puzzle us also. After all, they and we, us church folks, aren’t we the good upstanding ones? On the other hand, did you notice that in this passage no response is recorded from that crew? They had no answer. (Slight pause.)

This is clear: the Baptizer doubts their sincerity and thinks it’s likely they have come to the wilderness just to be Baptized. These folks think if they say the right things, think the right things, participate in the right ritual— this Baptism— their relationship with God will be secure.

But John calls them out. Saying the right things, thinking the right things, participating in the right ritual does not constitute a relationship with God.

And John is clear: a relationship with God only happens when they and by extension we are willing to (quote:) “Change your hearts and minds.” A relationship with God only happens when they and when we are willing to give our hearts to God. So a relationship with God is not about what we think, know or any ritual.

Why? Remember that quote from Merton? Let me offer it again. “My God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean I am actually doing so.”

“But I believe the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all I am doing. I hope I will never do anything apart from that desire.”

“And I know if I do this You will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.” (Slight pause.)

In short, we need to rely on God. And what is even more amazing is God does not, in any way, wish to control us— wow. (Slight pause.)

Today, the Second Sunday of Advent, we commemorate peace. As I said in my News and Notes missive, the peace of God is not about the absence of conflict. The peace of God is about the presence of God.

Once we understand God that seeks to be in relationship with us, seeks to be present to and with us, our hearts and minds can and will be open to change. Why? How? Only then, when we understand we are not in charge and the presence of God, the peace of God is a reality, will we have the freedom to turn our hearts and our minds over to God. Amen.

12/07/2025
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich, New York

ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Choral Response and Benediction. This is a précis of what was said: “I think I have said this fairly often. Do not pay attention to what Scripture says. Ask what does Scripture mean? This an often retold story. It’s said in New Testament times a Roman Centurion went to several Rabbis and said to each of them if they could teach him everything about Scripture while standing on one foot he would convert to Judaism. He then went to the well know teacher Rabbi Hillel who responded ‘Love God, love neighbor. The rest is commentary.’ I think that’s exactly the place John is— love God, love neighbor. Hence, it’s relationship that matters.”

BENEDICTION: Let us be present to one another as we go from this place. Let us share our gifts, our hopes, our memories, our pain and our joy. Go in peace for God is with us. Go in joy for God knows every fiber of our being. Go in hope for God reveals to us, daily, that we are a part of God’s new creation. Go in love, for we rest assured, by Christ, Jesus, that God is steadfast. And may the peace of God which surpasses understanding be with us this day and forevermore. Amen.