Matthew 4: 12-17

            Sumner held on during that period, and then he held on as the Red Sox swept the World Series. The day they won it all, to end their 86 year jinx, Sumner mustered up his strength to utter what was just about his last word - it was Yippee! He died the next day, and in the Sports Illustrated article, was lifted up as an example of the total satisfaction and poetic justice felt by Red Sox fans with this long-awaited victory.

            Christian Century commented on the Sports Illustrated story, and the number of people who experienced the victory of the Boston Red Sox as a religious experience. Many of the players themselves gave God credit for the victory. The miraculous nature of the triumph was remarkable - no team had ever won eight games in a row in the postseason; no team had ever come from that far back to survive, much less to win it all. On top of that, nobody was supposed to beat the Yankees last year. Boston fans were asked if this one year could possibly make up for so many years of coming so close, and not quite getting it, and the answer was the same everywhere - You bet! Christian Century wrote that it was not uncommon for people to make a pilgrimage to the cemetery to tell their departed loved ones about the victory. And that churches across Boston were abuzz with thanksgiving prayers. Red Sox fans became a symbol of perseverance and hope - and how long-suffering hope would one day be rewarded. Now, that baton has been passed on to Chicago Cubs fans.

            The Red Sox winning the World Series is not quite on a par with the coming of the kingdom of God - it just feels that way to Red Sox fans. But the Century article compared George Sumner to the biblical figure Simeon, whose story is told in Luke, chapter 2. Simeon, like Sumner, was an old man, and, like Sumner, had been waiting all his life. Except for Simeon, of course, it wasn't a World Series he was waiting for. He was waiting for the Kingdom of God. He was waiting for God to send the Messiah who would save the world. We're just about a month after Christmas now- and it may have been about this time that the infant Jesus was brought to Jerusalem and presented at the Temple. And Simeon was there, and when he saw the baby Jesus he knew his wait was over, and he didn't quite say, "Yippee!" But his joy was just as full; and he said, "Now I can die in peace, for I have seen the salvation of God."

            And it is fair to ask just what that meant. After all, the world didn't stop at that moment. Wars didn't cease; oppression wasn't broken down; the poor didn't suddenly become rich; death didn't cease. For Simeon, that didn't matter. All he needed to see was Jesus, and he knew the salvation of the world had come.

            Since the first Sunday in Advent, I have been preaching through the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew, and up till this Sunday's scripture, it has all been about the preparation. Matthew begins with Jesus' genealogy, then we get the story of Joseph's dream, then Jesus is born in Bethlehem. Then come the three Wise Men, and the decree from Herod to take the lives of all the male children; so the holy family flees to Egypt, and returns later. Then we have the story of John the Baptist, and the baptism of Jesus, that led us to focus a few weeks on the meaning of our baptisms. Then, last week, we read about the temptations of Jesus by Satan in the wilderness. All of that is the preparation for what we read about today - the beginning of Jesus' ministry.

            Matthew 4: 17 says it like this: "From that time Jesus began to proclaim, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"

            The wait is over, says Jesus. The kingdom has come. But again, it's fair for us to ask just what that means. Again, wars didn't cease; oppression did not cease; there are still poor people, tragedy, death from all causes. We might very understandably look around at our world and notice over 200,000 killed by the tsunami; another 100,000 killed by the war in Iraq; millions dead with HIV and AIDS in Africa. Poverty and civil wars across the third world - you know the list; it goes on and on. So...where is this kingdom of hope? What changed when Jesus came on the scene?

            Christians have answered that question in different ways. Some Christians wait for a great day of vindication. Those Christians gravitate toward the Book of Revelations in the Bible, and the Left Behind books today. Yes, our faith in the kingdom of God is tested by the terrible things that happen in this world, but those very things are the signs that God is getting ready to take action, and the day will come soon when Jesus returns to wipe the slate clean, and then all will be set right - the kingdom will be fulfilled. Hope will be fulfilled, but not on earth as we know it. Throughout the centuries, there have been millions of Christians looking to that day.

            Other Christians look for a quieter process, gravitating toward the parables Jesus told about seeds that are planted in the ground, and slowly taking root, and needing to be nurtured and nourished, and most of the time we can't see them, or understand the process, so we just have to trust that God is working there, and that when the process is complete there will be a great beautiful tree that will give shade to the birds and fruits of peace and love and joy. This is a more earthly hope - an emphasis on the kingdom that is taking shape right now.

            And however it is you perceive the fulfillment of God's kingdom - the noisy way or the quiet way - Christians agree with Simeon: once you have seen Jesus, the kingdom is at hand. It is not fulfilled yet; but it is present, because the Savior has come. That's what Jesus proclaimed. And it was his message throughout. The kingdom of heaven is at hand, so listen to my teaching, he said. The kingdom of heaven is at hand, so see how I heal the blind and the lame, and proclaim Good News to those who are imprisoned and oppressed, he said. The kingdom of heaven is at hand, so see how I journey to Jerusalem and confront the evil of this world, and die on the cross because of it, and rise again to defeat death and darkness, he said.

            And he invited us to be part of that kingdom. There is no earthly government that can compare. This past week, we observed one of the high moments of our form of government - the inauguration of an elected president. And whether or not you voted for President Bush, .it is a marvelous thing to observe this democracy at work. And yet, we know how flawed it is. Front page news this week, that one of our highest state officials openly bypasses state campaign regulations by having contributions sent to another state, where the regulations are more lenient. There is not even an attempt to hide those things - they are done in plain sight, every day. And I don't believe there is a better system. I think we have invented the best that is humanly possible; but all that leaves us with is the fact that every human government is sinful.

            Thank God for the kingdom of heaven. Thank God for the kingdom that surpasses any earthly realm. We are citizens of the U.S.; we love our country, and do our patriotic duty. But if we are Christians, we realize that our first loyalty is to another kingdom - the one Jesus brought; the one Simeon and others waited for; the one that cannot be corrupted or bought or manipulated, because it is the one God has ordained, and the one that will stand when all other earthly governments have passed away.

            What does this kingdom look like? The Bible doesn't give a definite picture, but it looks something like seeds of hope growing. It looks something like a lion and a lamb lying down together in peace. It looks something like the hungry being fed, and the naked clothed, and love being shared in tangible forms.

            It looks like Stacy, a four-year old who put all of her allowance in the tsunami offering; it looks like the church woman in California who walked into an elementary school and asked if she could begin to meet weekly with the eight most troubled sixth grade girls. Within months, the attitude and classroom performance of each of the girls improved markedly, and that simple idea has now grown into 60 groups in 38 schools, and an 86% success rate among the most troubled students. The kingdom of God looks like the tribal factions who have been working together in areas of Indonesia to bring relief to those who need it. Let's be real; it's not likely to last. But for this brief moment, a common humanity has stopped the fighting. Who knows what might come of that?

            The kingdom of God looks an awful lot, I think, like this church - where a care committee delivers meals and comforts the sick, a missions team plans a mission trip, children are taught the stories of faith, youth gather for fellowship in the name of Jesus, people serve the Lord day in and day out. This is how love is spread, how people find a purpose beyond themselves, and how the world is given renewed hope. A lot of people are looking for hope these days. A lot of people are looking for a place to put their trust. Simeon and many others found it when they saw Jesus. And we can find it too. At the end of Matthew's Gospel, Jesus gives this promise: 'I will be with you always; even to the end of the age.' And people are realizing that promise in many ways. But one of the most powerful ways is in the kindness that makes a difference in this world.

            When something like the tsunami strikes, or 9/11, or any of the terrible events that occur in this world, the first question on so many lips is, "Where is God?" In our best moments, the answer to that question comes shortly afterward. It comes in terms of kindness and hope. The Bible says this is what the kingdom of God would look like. Jesus said that it is within reach. And to the degree you and I decide to be part of it, our lives will matter, and salvation has come. If you have not yet figured out why your life matters - if you don't feel close to God - here's good news: God's kingdom is at hand - within reach. One simple act of sacrifice, of kindness, of hope. These are keys to the kingdom. Jesus said a little child could find them. So can you. So can I.