Your package has been delivered...

 

“Your Package Has Been Delivered…”

 

Colossians 2:6-15, (16-19)
2:6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him,

2:7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.

2:9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

2:10 and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority.

2:11 In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ;

2:12 when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

2:13 And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses,

2:14 erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross.

2:15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.

2:16 Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths.

2:17 These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

2:18 Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking,

2:19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.

 

 

O-ho the Wells Fargo Wagon is a-comin' down the street,

Oh please let it be for me!

O-ho the Wells Fargo Wagon is a-comin' down the street,

I wish, I wish I knew what it could be!

O-ho the Wells Fargo Wagon is a-comin' now

Is it a prepaid surprise or C.O.D.

 

O-ho the Wells Fargo Wagon is a-comin' down the street.

Oh, don't let him pass my door!

O-ho the Wells Fargo

Wagon is a-comin' down the street

I wish I knew what he was comin' for.

 

O-ho, you Wells Fargo Wagon keep a-comin'

O-ho, you Wells Fargo 

Wagon, keep a-comin'.

O-ho you Wells Fargo Wagon, Don't you dare make a stop

Until you stop for me!

 

You may well recognize these lyrics from a song in The Music Man musical. I left out the verse written with a “lisp” for little Winthrop, played in the first film version by a very young Ronnie Howard.  The song was about the anticipation the famous overland shipping company’s delivery wagons brought to distant—especially West of the Mississippi—customers. 

 

[Funny Ronnie Howard story: a good number of years ago, one of the TV morning shows held a Happy Days cast reunion, and most of the cast was present, gathered together around a sofa. Marion Ross was there, along with TV husband, Tom Bosley. So was Erin Morgan, Don Most, and Anson Williams. After hearing their recollections of working together, along with a few requisite “funny things that happened” outtakes, the morning host welcomed Ron Howard to the show, electronically, via a split screen (now we would say Zoomed him in). After hearing from him, the host invited the cast to greet him. They did, saying “Greetings, Mr. Howard,” or “What are you working on NOW, Mr. Howard,” displaying obvious subordination to the highly successful producer/director. The host joked about this, reminding them this was their beloved “Richie Cunningham.” But they insisted on continuing the “Mr. Howard” line, with Tom Bosley finally chastising the host, “No, no, we’re all out-of-work actors looking for WORK and this is Mr. Ron Howard, one of the busiest and most powerful directors in film and television today. We’re AVAILABLE, Mr. Howard, if you could use us!” The host, “Mr. Howard,” and I’m sure a large segment of America got a good laugh out of that.]

OK, back to Wells Fargo. It’s just a banking company, now, but what has taken its place in provoking such delivery anticipation is AMAZON! We’ve all gone ga-ga over online shopping! Is there ANYTHING you can’t find and order from Amazon? And it’s delivered RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR, and usually within two days. They email you “Your package has been delivered!”, and ask, “How was your delivery?” (Was it good for you?) They send you a PHOTO of your package, sitting on your doorstep. If you have one of their Echo devices, “Alexa” will announce that Amazon Shopping has delivered your goods “From Amazon Shopping, an item for JEFFREY has been delivered!” And we all run to the door. “O-ho the Wells Fargo Wagon…”

 

Since January 1 of this year, I have ordered:

 

                        -About 15 different cell phone cases

                        -Who knows how many DVDs (Amazon knows)

                        -A raft of KN95 disposable masks for COVID

                        -Stainless Steel RIVITS for my workshop

                        -Several Internet SECURITY CAMERAS

                        -A new BIBLE for my mother

                        -LED lights for our kitchen

                        -WATER FILTERS for our refrigerator

                        -A new DECK BOX for our deck

                        -A string of LIGHTS for our deck

                        -Ratchet TIE-DOWN STRIPS for hauling stuff with our car

                        -Green TABASCO SAUCE

                        -New BED SHEETS for our $8,000 BED we got

                        -A DESK LAMP for Dara’s sewing room

                        -A “tool kit” for the Charcuterie Board I made for Dara

                        -A new pair of BEDROOM SLIPPERS for me

                        -A MOUTHWASH PUMP DISPENSOR 

                        -OFFICE CHAIR MATS after we got our new carpet

                        -DRESS SOCKS

                        -A STYLUS PEN for my iPad

                        -A MAGNETIC PIN HOLDER for sewing

                        -An APPLE WATCH BAND

                        -A CLASSIC EDITION TRIVIAL PURSUIT Game

                        -A set of WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES for my sports car

                        -MORE KN95 Disposable Masks for COVID

                        -An LED SHOP LIGHT for over the BAND SAW I bought!

                        -A WEATHER-BLOCKING DOOR SWEEP 

                        -A FABRIC SHOWER CURTAIN

 

AND that‘s all just 2022, and only MY ORDERS. Dara orders her own stuff, usually for her sewing hobby. And, of course, this does not include the books we order through the Kindle accounts we both have, or the videos through our Prime Video account! Our neighborhood in Adams Ridge has so many AMAZON SMILE delivery trucks zooming in and out every day, they are thinking of opening a dispatcher’s office in our CLUBHOUSE, I swear!

 

The genius of what Jeff Bezos did was invent a way for thousands of companies to market their products through his website—AMAZON—and set up an amazing distribution network. Add to that a way for customers to REVIEW their purchases, and you have a pretty amazing system. The shutdown of the global pandemic not only didn’t slow Amazon’s business much, but it actually exploded it, as most of us didn’t leave the house for months. I could pull out my phone RIGHT NOW and order groceries that would be brought right to my front door. 

 

I’m not here to argue over the obvious problems with the Amazon “monster,” ranging from the packaging waste, to labor issues, its effect on local retail, or even the fact that it has created the richest man on earth with an oversized ego. Actually, there are several of those out there, but Bezos shares the spotlight for the power he has amassed. I do want to highlight the “miracle” of our package being delivered, and the almost “organic” system Amazon has created for getting it there. 

 

THE AUTHOR of today’s SCRIPTURE, though, says that God trumped even JEFF BEZOS!

 

I’LL BET that if I asked you to WRITE DOWN all of the needs you have in life, your list might be as long as my shopping list, but our text from COLOSSIANS today says that God already built a DELIVERY SYSTEM to meet those needs.

 

HIS name is JESUS CHRIST! Jesus is a “one size fits all” Savior, yet is custom fit to every child of God, and every need, beginning with, as the Colossians author says, humanity’s need for forgiveness and salvation. Since Colossians is typically ascribed to Paul, we say Paul, uses poetic phrases to describe how the eternally expansive Divine was “packaged” into the human form as Jesus Christ and delivered as a gift to our world. We are not only the beneficiaries of this “care package,” but are now invited to live in full communion with the Living Christ, inspired, empowered, and guided by the “Spirit of Jesus,” the ever-present Holy Spirit. There has never been a “delivery system” like this! I guess God is one thing you will not find on Amazon, but the Bible brings God right to your home. 

 

In today’s text, Paul draws a direct connection between the Godhead and each and every human being who gives ascent to Christ in faith. However, he also cautions against “buying” the restrictive, law-based religion that was prevalent in the Judaism of his day, and that was infiltrating the fledgling Christian church. His cautions are just as appropriate today, as this kind of religion has never gone out of vogue. There are those today who wish to impose human-contrived doctrines and dogmas as necessary precursors to “legitimate” Christianity. In Paul’s words: 

 

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.”

 

The author uses one of his favorite phrases when describing the “juvenile” theology of those who seek to control religious faith: stoicheia tou kosmou, which is translated here, “elemental spirits of the universe.” One could view this as “the devil’s realm,” but I am convinced it refers to this kind of universal, human need to “control” God, or at least keep a tight rein on how God is meted out. Since we can’t actually control God, people—especially religious leaders—instead seek to control ACCESS to God. I know lots of people who think they are God’s business agents, and they try to make God’s grace be a contractual arrangement. Paul clearly juxtaposes this to what God has done and pronounces it “not according to Christ.” Christ is a gift, not a doctrine, not a dogma, and he does not come with strings attached. As a favorite song says of Jesus, “ They cut me down and I leaped up high, I am the life that will never, never die…” Jesus is “Lord of the Dance,” not “Dancer of Doctrine” or “Riverdance of Rules.” Paul’s Jesus “dances,” and is the free gift to all of humanity, rendering each person a child of God. Christ is, indeed, the “complete package.”

 

And WE are made complete in Jesus Christ. In Christ, God does all of the “heavy lifting” in redeeming humankind. In Christ, God meets every need of humans. We are baptized into Christ, as a sign of our continuing transformation. In Christ, we fully participate in the unfolding Kingdom of God. 

 

I think we can get Paul’s point, as this Gospel is meant to be a simple one, delivered to the door of every human heart. One orders the gift by simply believing, and following. Remember the “complex” invite Jesus offered each of the twelve: “Follow me.” We get the same invite, when we “open the package.

 

So, Paul is saying, in a manner of speaking, “Your package has been delivered. How was your delivery?” Only life will tell!

 

O-ho the LORD JESUS Wagon is a-comin' down the street,

Oh please let it be for me!

O-ho the LORD JESUS Wagon is a-comin' down the street,

I know, I know I know what it can be for ME!

 

O-ho, you Lord Jesus Wagon keep a-comin'

O-ho, you Lord Jesus Wagon, keep a-comin'.

O-ho you Lord Jesus Wagon, Don't you dare make a stop

Until you stop for me!

 

Amen.