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December 24, 2008

Christmas Eve Sermon: The Promise Fulfilled

December 24, 2008 The Promise Fulfilled
Luke 2:1-20, Isaiah 9:2-7

No doubt you’ve seen some elaborate birth announcements, but none like this.
To a group of shepherd on watch in the middle of the night, an angel proclaims:

“I bring you good news of great joy for all the people:
to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
To confirm what I am saying, I give you this sign. When you find the child,
he will be wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manager.”

The announcement concludes with a multitude of singers, praising God for God’s marvelous works!! While the contents of the message seem a bit strange, the messengers give it credibility. It must be from God.

So in the middle of the night, the shepherds go to the city of David, Bethlehem. They look for the barn with the most activity and they find the baby, wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. The shepherds discover the fulfillment of the angel’s message in the baby Jesus. And so begins the life of the long awaited Messiah—born in a barn, his cradle a feed trough, to a young working class family, discovered by marginalized, low class shepherds, who spread the word of his birth to all they meet. And all who heard the events of the Messiah’s birth were amazed by those who were chosen to share it.

Since the beginning, the Israelite people have had an up and down relationship with God (much like you and I). Think of all the ways that God tried to show the people how to have a relationship with Him. Through the 10 commandments and the laws, through the prophets, through exile in foreign lands or wandering in the wilderness, through acts of great drama or decisive victories. However, their relationship with God continued in the typical human up and down pattern.
They were easily swayed to forget about God and focus on themselves. In times of difficulty (and there were many), the people hoped that God would send the promised Messiah—the one who would save them. And God did. He sent Jesus.

Fast forward to 2008. Like many Christians around the world, we have been singing, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel” this Advent season. Emmanuel means God with us. We have been asking God to come and be with us. To save us from those things that keep us captive.

Unlike the Israelites of old, we do not sing for the Messiah to come for the first time. For we believe he has come in Jesus. But like the Israelites, our relationship with God is also a struggle. We have times when we’re living faithful lives strongly connected with God. And we have times when God’s presence seems far, far away. During these times of captitivity, we have been quick to rely on the promises of a broken world that entice us with money, power, comfort, and security for ourselves. And we are once again disappointed when these human promises do not hold true.

And so, each year at this time, we are reminded again. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise. In Jesus, God said, I am with you. I have walked where you walk. I have experienced what you experience. God said, I understand. I love you. This heavenly law-giving, miracle-producing, omnipotent God, tried a new way to reach humanity when Jesus was born. God changed from a top down model to working from the ground up--literally. He became one of us, made of dust and dirt, fragile and vulnerable to the ways of the world.

The birth of Jesus is the ultimate demonstration of God’s love for us. And it is this love that will save us. And then transform us into people who can love ourselves and offer sacrificial love to others. From the very beginning of his life on earth Jesus, represented not fortune, power, and fame. He represented the one thing that cannot be bought and that everyone needs—love. Love not just for the Israelite people, just for United Methodists, Catholics, or Christians. He was Mary’s baby, but he was born for ALL. Jesus was born to love and save each and every person.

And so we gather on this Christmas Eve to celebrate the fulfillment of God’s promise. Emmanuel, God is with us. But that’s not the end of the story. It is just the beginning. Jesus fulfills God’s promise to send a Messiah, one who will save God’s people from their sins and the sins of the world. And in that fulfillment lies the new beginning--a continuation of a love that will save.

God’s love saves us from a multitude of sins, the primary sin being one of self-centeredness. God knows this. Think about someone that you really love. Do you have any room in your heart for anything else when you are experiencing deep love? No. So it is. When God’s love is in our heart, it takes over, just like a light takes over a dark space. When God’s love is in our heart other feelings, such as resentment, anger, depression, judgment, envy, loneliness or fear cannot stay for long. The light of God’s Love’s sends the self-centered feelings packing.

“Beloved, God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him…Those who abide in Jesus, abide in God and God abides in them.” (1 John 5:9 & 16b)

God’s Love as demonstrated through Jesus will prevail. That same love will have the last word and turn the darkness into light. God’s amazing love can live in us as it did in that baby boy, the young mother, the faithful father, the singing angels or the excited shepherds so many years ago. It’s up to us whether it will or not. Tonight, right now, invite the baby Jesus into your heart. Say yes to God’s love for you this night. Believe in the promise that was Jesus! (pause)

It was customary for the local musicians to come and play at a home to celebrate the birth of a baby boy. Tonight, we will hear from the little drummer boy to celebrate the Christ Child’s birth…

Posted by vickie at 07:00 PM

December 21, 2008

For Nothing will be Impossible with God

December 21, 2008 For nothing will be Impossible with God…
Luke 1:26-38,

Here we are December 21, the fourth Sunday of Advent. The wait is almost over. On this special day, we go to the Gospel of Luke to meet the mother of our Lord.
As is his custom, Luke opens a new scene with a time marker, “in the sixth month.” In the sixth month of what? It appears as if the narrator wants the reader to compare two stories—the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus. You see the Gospel of Luke doesn’t begin with the birth of Jesus.

It begins with events leading up to the birth of John the Baptist. Mary’s visit by the angel Gabriel comes in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Elizabeth is Mary’s relative, a much, much older relative. In fact, Elizabeth and her husband, Zechariah, had given up on having any children. But now, they find themselves pregnant with a son. In a visit to the old priest, the angel Gabriel informs Zechariah that his wife will give birth to a prophet. Their son will be the harbinger to Israel’s long awaited Messiah.

And now this same angel Gabriel, who visited the priest Zechariah some six months ago, is standing before Mary with a word from God for her!

What do we know about this young woman Mary? First, Mary is surrounded by solid Jewish families. Her fiancé, Joseph, is from the line of David. Elizabeth her relative is descended from the priestly line of Aaron. And Elizabeth’s husband, Zechariah, belongs to the priestly linage of Abijah (uh BIF duh).

In ancient times, you lived, worked, and worshipped in a small circle of influence. Mary's reality was different than our 21st century Western culture--a place where individuals can leave behind their family of origin and make a new life for themselves if they choose. In Mary’s time marriages where arranged. And your family’s reputation was your reputation. So we have some idea of Mary’s linage. What else do we know about Mary?

She has a strong faith in God. The Angel Gabriel points this out with his opening line. “Greetings favored one. The Lord is with you!” Or to put it another way—“You are to be blessed by God for the grace of our Lord is with you.” Even at her young and tender age, she was probably younger than 14, Mary has a strong faith in God.

Lastly, we know she is a virgin. Some scholars have debated whether the translation of “virgin” is correct. I know some Christians who have said it is not important to them that Mary was a virgin. Is Mary’s virginity an important part of the Christ child story?

It’s mentioned three times in 13 verses. The birth of Mary’s child will be different from other miraculous births in Israel’s history. All other miraculous births occurred when older women, beyond childbearing years, had unexpectedly found themselves pregnant. Very often, the children of these older women influenced Israel’s history in amazing ways.

For example, Sarah, the wife to Abraham, and the mother of the Israelite people gave birth to their son Isaac at an unbelievably old age. Hannah, an older woman, gave birth to Samuel the great prophet. Samuel helped Israel transition from prophets to Kings and he anointed King David.

And Elizabeth, Mary’s relative, is another in this line of older, barren women who are favored by God with a child who later has great influence on the Israelite people. In contrast, God selects Mary—a young woman who has not had sexual relations yet. The annunciation will be God’s greatest work. What does it say about our faith in God if we don’t believe that God could make this happen? If Jesus is God’s greatest work, then it seems appropriate that the woman to carry the Christ child would be a virgin.

How does this young woman respond to Gabriel’s visit? She is perplexed and ponders his words. She is not perplexed by the visit—Luke is very clear here. She is perplexed by Gabriel’s initial greeting. Gabriel continues… “Do not be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God.” We assume that Gabriel is telling Mary not to be afraid of him. But what if Gabriel is say, “do not be afraid to participate in this miraculous act of God.”

So, did Mary know what she was getting herself in for? How could she? Even if she thought that God had selected her to bring the Messiah into the world, there is no way that Mary understood the full impact of what would happen. In God’s ultimate wisdom, God doesn’t give us the full picture up front. We are given as much information as we need to participate. As time goes on, God reveals more and more to help us along the way.

Hearing that she will give birth this amazing child, Mary doesn’t question why or ask how she is supposed to deal with all the questions that will follow. No Mary pragmatically asks Gabriel how this can happen as she is a virgin. Gabriel explains. Then to drive home God’s hand in this, Gabriel offers Mary a sign. "And for a reminder of how God works, your relative Elizabeth is pregnant in her old age. For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Having listened, pondered, and believed, Mary offers her full cooperation. “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

As I reflect on these passages, the words, “Nothing will be impossible with God” just jump out at me. And on the heels of those words, the reply of a young faithful woman, “Ok Lord. Here I am, use me.” I don’t know about you, but I’m hoping Mary was a little scared and uncertain, because I certainly would have been!

John Shea writes that “pondering is the response to angel speak.” Mary is able to move beyond the physical limitations of what is being proposed. Her ability to ponder opens her to the invitation of the Holy Spirit. Her ability to ponder helps her to see beyond her human limitations to the impossible thing that God will do. Being given a glimpse of the impossible is an enticing motivation for cooperating with God.

And so she says, Here I am, the servant of the Lord, use me…

God has not stopped acting in the world. In fact, God is at work all over the world. While Christ is God’s greatest accomplishment to date, we’d be wise not put ourselves above God. We cannot presume that we know what God will or will not do in the hours and days ahead. We do have the choice to participate in God’s actions or not.

I was blessed to participate in God’s activity this past week. It’s a busy time of the year for us in the Christian church—just ask us, we’ll tell you. Busy, busy.

When I got the invitation to the Nutcracker performance at the new Disney Magnet elementary school, I put in my calendar. I’ve been nurturing that relationship and was thrilled to get the invitation. One of my personal goals the second half of this year has been to spend two hours a week with friends of our church, new people who’ve visited or people in our local community. With this in mind, I decided to dedicate the day to building relationships. Little did I know how God’s plan was falling into place!

The day came. It was Wednesday, Dec. 17. The day of the food pantry Christmas distribution. Talk about being used by God to do the impossible… On Wednesday morning between 9:00 am and 12:30 pm, 1,143 people (328 families) were served. In the three weeks of December, 2,304 people where served that made up 707 families. The Holy Spirit was swirling around the place on Wednesday! It was an amazing day!!

Anyway, back to the Nutcracker. The assembly was at 2:45 p.m. As I walked there, I was struck by how crowded the streets and sidewalks were as people converged on the school. It made me ponder what it would be like if it was Sunday morning and people were converging on Irving Park UMC…

But, anyway, the line to get into the assembly hall went out the door and curled around into the parking lot. By the time I got into the hall all the seats were taken. It was standing room only. I stood at the back of the hall trying to decide whether to take off my coat and hold it or keep it on. Out of the corner of my eye, the school principal was waving to me (motion to come here). I have a seat for you, she mouthed. Delighted I started to walk to the front of the assembly. Walking through the standing room only crowd I heard—Vickie, Vickie. I turned and there was our Tammy Rogers and Genevieve standing in the crowd against the wall.

Tammy’s youngest son, Boone, is in one of the second grade classes. I was almost to the front and I could see my seat. It was in the second row. “I have a reserved seat. Would Genevieve like to sit on my lap so she could see the show?” Mother and daughter thought about it for a second. I could tell from the look on both faces that this was not a good idea. I walked over to my seat, and you’ll never guess what I discovered—three empty seats with the sign “Reserved for Irving Park UMC.” Then I remembered my conversation with the school secretary…

On the invitation, it requested that you RSPV, so I did. “I’m coming for sure, and we may have one more person,” I told the school secretary. “I’ll reserve three seats for you,” she replied. And I hadn’t given it another thought until just then. Excitedly, I motioned to Tammy and Genevieve. “There are three seats reserved for our church. Come sit with me!” The Nutcracker was wonderful. Funny, lighthearted, and we even saw Boone up on stage and he saw us. His face lit up when he spotted his mother and sister sitting in the second row.

In and of itself, it’s a neat story. And you’re probably wondering what is so impossible about getting second row seats at a children’s play. The impossible part is the request of a little boy named Boone who told his mother that morning that he wanted her to sit in the second row…

I looked and I looked for amazing stories against impossible odds to share with you this morning as illustrations for this scripture passage. And it finally dawned on me that sometimes just showing up and doing the next right thing, doing that thing that you said you were going to do, is enough. God does the impossible, our job is to stay tuned to the Spirit and keep doing the next right thing. Our part is to trust God in the midst of difficult times and celebrate God in the glimpses that we get.

Notice the futurist focus of Gabriel’s words to Mary. Nothing will be impossible. We are continually being invited to participate in God’s impossible acts. What is considered impossible from a strictly human perspective becomes possible when God is working in and through us.

This has been a wonderful year at Irving Park UMC. Mark and I feel as if God has blessed us to be here with you. God’s spirit is alive here and it’s moving! Many of you have witnessed this and expressed as much to me. And I believe God has some humanly impossible dreams for us.

The question is, when the initial part of the dream is revealed, what will our answer be? I pray that we will be strong enough in our faith to answer, “Here we are faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. Use us God to make your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.”

What is looming ahead of you this coming week? Does it feel overwhelming and impossible? Take a minute and do some pondering. While most of us aren’t blessed enough to be visited by a heavenly angel, we are blessed with everyday angels. People to listen to our situations, people to help us discern which way God is inviting us to respond. While the decision is ultimately ours, as it was with Mary, it doesn’t hurt to be open to some spiritual guidance.

So ponder the possibility that God has a plan for your life—one that is beyond your wildest dreams. That doesn’t mean it will always be easy, clear, and without pain. But what it does mean is this. What seems impossible by our human standards will become possible with God. That’s the kind of life I want to live. What about you?

Posted by vickie at 10:00 AM