A Time is Coming: A Sermon for DaySpring by Burt Burleson

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Burleson</I></div> <div> <B>“A Time is Coming”</B></div> <div> <I>Jeremiah 31: 27-34</I></div> <div> <I>October 17, 2004</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>A Time is Coming </B></div> <bR> <div> There is something to look forward to,</div> <div> All the saints say it’s so… that faith unfolds.</div> <div> One thing gives way to another… </div> <div> at least it should… </div> <div> it can.</div> <div> And in the giving way and in the unfolding… </div> <div> Something new is there.</div> <div> Or laid bare, </div> <div> having been hidden, within the old.</div> <bR> <div> <B>A Time is Coming </B></div> <bR> <div> Faith moves from this to that… </div> <div> Noah’s fear of God gives way to Abraham’s deep friendship.</div> <div> Jacob’s wrestling gives way to Joseph’s submission.</div> <div> Moses moves out of Pharaoh’s house. </div> <bR> <div> <B>A Time is Coming </B></div> <bR> <div> Faith moves… it becomes.</div> <div> Egyptian bondage</div> <div> becomes desert wandering </div> <div> and then Jordan crossing.</div> <div> Promises made are sealed tight, Divine word contained in a golden box.</div> <div> It radiates… </div> <div> it bows the head… </div> <div> is carried with trembling hands. </div> <div> It moves… here and there… faith dwelling in a tent.</div> <div> Then into seeming templed permenance… </div> <div> columned strength… </div> <div> altared assurance.  Finally!</div> <div> But no</div> <div> Faith moves… </div> <div> Jerusalem’s walls crumble… </div> <div> chosen are exiled.</div> <div> Home is where the heart is… and faith written in old static stone… </div> <div> Must now be engraved on a pulsing heart.</div> <bR> <div> <B>A Time is Coming</B></div> <bR> <div> Faith unfolds… the Bible says it’s so.</div> <div> One thing leads to another.</div> <div> In the beginning, faith is rocked into a body and sweetly sung into little ears.</div> <div> And little faith is then encircled by kind faces and warm choruses of amens.</div> <div> Stories are retold… </div> <div> and rules are laid down… </div> <div> and creeds encoded.</div> <div> And faith unfolds…</div> <div> In simple confessions… </div> <div> in agonizing questions… </div> <div> in silent trust.</div> <div> The faith handed to… the faith laid upon… unfolds.</div> <div> Is enfolded… in some interior place, where it is owned.</div> <div> Where rules are seen inside out</div> <div> and the Rule Maker is befriended.</div> <div> And the Maker writes with loving language at the deepest level</div> <div> What takes a lifetime to read.</div> <bR> <div> <B>A Time is Coming</B></div> <bR> <div> It’s this way… all the saints say it’s so.</div> <div> It begins in garden innocence, naked oneness.</div> <div> But can’t remain there… </div> <div> there is the separation… </div> <div> lostness somewhere East of Eden.</div> <div> There is some curse carried, guilt seen, and forgiven.</div> <div> And remembered no more.</div> <div> And a soul takes convincing that it is remembered no more.</div> <div> Living and falling and hearing again, “remembered no more.”</div> <div> Again… “remembered no more.”</div> <div> Again… “remembered no more.”</div> <div> And someday believing it where it matters.</div> <bR> <div> <B>A Time is Coming</B></div> <bR> <div> There is this movement from this to that… or there should be… or can be.</div> <div> Old covenants give way… perhaps only in the face of some exile… </div> <div> Only where something lesser is lost… And something new comes.</div> <div> A nation without becomes a kingdom within… </div> <div> and what was preached to, now flows from.</div> <div> And commandments become beatitudes… </div> <bR> <div> Christ descends with a new law.</div> <div> “Thou shalt not” becomes “blessed are those”…</div> <div> Moses gives way to Jesus… </div> <div> and law to gospel… </div> <div> and tomb to Easter.</div> <div> There is a new covenant, a new way of being, a new creation.</div> <bR> <div> <B>A Time is Coming</B></div> <bR> <div> When certainty fades into mystery… and absolutes into the Absolute.</div> <div> And hearts are lifted and held by what is Eternal.</div> <div> Suspended by gravity from above.</div> <div> There is movement… and upward movement as faith unfolds…</div> <div> it ascends and awakens.</div> <div> Signs become symbols…</div> <div> And symbols touch the real, </div> <div> and water cleanses… </div> <div> and bread feeds.</div> <div> And worship extends out where lives become hymns.</div> <div> And the served become the servants.</div> <div>      And Spirit envelopes all.</div> <div> And the many become one, one body that walks grace into the world.</div> <bR> <div> <B>A Time is Coming</B></div> <bR> <div> Faith unfolds… it is so.</div> <div> Life unfolds… it is so,</div> <div> From old covenant to new,</div> <div> from glory to glory,</div> <div> From Word to flesh and back again… it unfolds.</div> <div> Until all is seen and surrendered,</div> <div> Until all is known as it has been known.</div> <div> Until shadows fall and tears dry.</div> <div> Until all is one, </div> <div> beginning and end, </div> <div> alpha and omega.</div> <div> Amen and amen… thanks be to God.</div> <bR> <div> <B>A Time is Coming.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Burt L. Burleson, Copyright, 2004 </B></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>