Which Script?

The following is an excerpt from my sermon for the fourth Sunday of Advent, preached December 19, 2010 at the Avon Grove Church of the Nazarene. 

On the fourth Sunday of Advent we find ourselves involved in the story of a young Jewish man caught on the horns of a dilemma. What does the dominant cultural script of his day say Joseph should do, when he finds out that his betrothed is pregnant with a child that is definitely not his? The dominant script says that Joseph should throw her away and save face. But Joseph is greater than the script. He loves Mary and wants to protect. So he prepares to back away quietly, rather than accuse her of great sin which would have left her in shame. What he is preparing to do is the best he can imagine. He is preparing to choose a different path from the dominant cultural script - it is a bold, courageous step.

But then Joseph hears from God. 

And God tells Joseph the craziest thing. “Joseph, I know this is going to make you look like a fool, and your so-called friends will simply shake their heads and walk away. And your neighbors will wag their tongues and gossip. And there will be days when you are not sure what to believe. But Joseph - your life just got simpler. Here is what I want you to do. I want you to forget about that dominant cultural script. That’s right - the “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” script. Forget about it. Forget about following rules that call some people clean and others unclean - and the script that says some people will never ever be anything but unclean. 

“Joseph - I am coming into the world and I am bringing an alternative script.  My new script is simple - Love one another. That’s it. Love. And to make it happen, I am coming as a child. That’s right, not coming as a military hero, not as a conquering king. A child. 

So Joseph, do you love Mary? Yes, I thought so. Well then, don’t worry about the old script that says to get rid of her. Don’t worry about what people will say. Don’t worry that it’s just not the way we do things. Don’t worry about any of that. Just love her, and take her as your wife and raise this child. And this child - this child is going to rewrite every script.” 

When we are called to challenge the dominant cultural scripts of our time, and carry out an alternative script, it is never in the abstract. It is always real, personal and specific. The dominant script of our time says that you should avoid pain and suffering at any cost, and the alternative script says to deny yourself and welcome suffering as the way to growth. Which script do you choose to follow? The dominant script says that you are to solve every problem through your own ingenuity and make your own way in the world, and the alternative script says to pray. Which script? The dominant script says to grab, grab, grab, and seek more, more, more, and the alternative script speaks of a conspiracy of giving things away. Which script is yours? The dominant script says to protect yourself, to hit first, and not give an inch, and the alternative script says to turn the other cheek and follow a baby. Which script?

You see - scripts matter, because which script we choose to follow defines which kingdom we choose to give our allegiance. And as we prepare to celebrate the Incarnation, we prepare to pledge allegiance to a king and a kingdom who offers an alternative script.