Sermon: "The Leap of Faith"
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

[This sermon by Bishop vonRosenberg was delivered using the following notes.]

Imagine with me, if you will, a small child standing at the edge of the deck beside a swimming pool, in the summertime. The child has never before jumped into the pool. A parent is in the water, with outstretched arms, far enough away to require a jump, a leap without support.

The child's face mirrors the turmoil of anticipation - excitement and fear, eagerness and hesitation. Each reaction manifests itself quite clearly. The moment prior to decision proves to be a demanding one indeed - a time to take stock of emotion, of inner turmoil, of danger, of trust, and, yes, of life itself.

And the parent, too, knows such conflict in anticipation. The parent has provided for and nurtured and protected the child since birth. And now that parent stands in the pool - encouraging, assuring, waiting. But the parent knows, also, that only the child can finally decide to jump.

A picture of anticipation, of near fulfillment, this is: the child on the edge, the parent in the water, and the jump about to take place.

In the Gospel, we have the opportunity to consider another picture of anticipation and of near fulfillment. In verses just preceding today's reading, Gabriel, God's messenger, has announced a choice to Mary … a choice that will transform her life. In response, Mary's decision would determine whether she would live her life as previously anticipated - as Joseph's wife, living a quiet, respectable, normal life in Nazareth. Or, on the other hand, Mary could choose to become the mother of the Lord of the world! At that moment, Mary responded, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word" (Lk 1:38).

Then, in today's Gospel, the anticipation in Mary's life rises even higher, as fulfillment approaches ever closer. In the encounter with her cousin Elizabeth, the now-pregnant Mary proclaims the familiar words of what we call "The Magnificat": "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed" (Lk 1:46-48).

Mary's pregnancy will continue to possess her with signs of anticipation - excitement and fear, eagerness and hesitation. Her life will never again be the same. Never again will Mary be the one who stands at the pool's edge. Rather, from the time of her decision, she has become the one who jumps.

We, too, stand at a brink, at the edge of another pool. For, you see, today is the Fourth - and last - Sunday of Advent. The time of waiting, of watching, of anticipating is almost over. The moment of decision is at hand. But a jump is required of us, too - a leap without support.

Like a parent, God has provided for us, nurtured us, and protected us all our lives. And, through the centuries, God has promised a Savior, one in whom we may trust, one who will make all the difference in the world to us. God stands in the pool now, with arms outstretched - encouraging, assuring, waiting.

But the leap can be only ours to make. God will not jump for us.

And the leap is this. Is the one whose birth we celebrate on Christmas truly the son of God? Will we take that leap - that affirmation of faith? Will we jump, without the support of science or reason or logic or prior example? Is the one whose birth we celebrate on Christmas truly the son of God?

My friends, this decision makes just as much difference to us as Mary's decision made to her. If we believe that the one whose birth we celebrate on Christmas truly is God's son, then our world has changed.

You see, Gabriel's announcement, Mary's decision, and our acceptance do make the world a different place. If Jesus truly is God's son, then that is the basic miracle on which the world rests. Questions of walking on water or feeding five thousand or rising from death all fall easily into place if Jesus is indeed God's son. If we have made the big leap of faith - the leap of Christmas - then everything else is a baby step.

In addition, if we believe that Jesus is God's son, then our priorities become transformed, our place in creation is assured, and our relationships with everything and everyone around us are enriched. If Jesus is truly God's son, love from God has come into the world in a person - and that love is personally available to us. Further, we must share that love just as surely as we must breathe!

Is Jesus the son of God? Is Christmas what it claims to be?

We stand at the edge. Our faces mirror the turmoil of anticipation - excitement and fear, eagerness and hesitation. This final Sunday of Advent confronts us with the time of decision. And the decision is a demanding one indeed - a time to take stock of emotion, of inner turmoil, of danger, of trust, and, yes, of life itself.

A picture of anticipation, of near fulfillment, this is: we on the edge of the pool, the parent in the water, and the jump about to take place. Will we jump? Will we leap in faith? Our time of decision has come!

Copyright © 2003 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee