With Bells On

December 30, 2018 Colossians 3:12-17 With Bells on 1st Sunday of Christmas Year C Children’s time Lesson: So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above. Object: A kite, balloon, flower, candle Good morning, boys and girls. Isn't this a wonderful day? Do you all know what special festival we are celebrating today? (Let them answer.) That's right. Today is Easter Sunday -- the day that Jesus rose from the dead. We are especially happy today as Christians because of this wonderful thing that God allowed to happen. Today all of us are supposed to remember that we are special to God, too. We are all going to rise from the dead, like Jesus did, so we should keep our minds on heaven. Paul tells us today that we should always be looking at the things that are above -- the things of heaven. To help us do that I brought some things along that have something in common. (Pick up the kite.) What can kites do, boys and girls? (Let them answer.) Kites can fly high above the ground, can't they? When we fly a kite, where do we keep our eyes? (Let them answer.) That's right. We keep our eyes on the kite, up in the sky, because kites usually want to keep going up and up. (Pick up the balloon.) Here is a balloon. Balloons have something in common with kites, don't they, boys and girls? What do they have in common? (Let them respond.) Balloons like to fly above the ground, too. They help us to keep our eyes on heaven, too. (Pick up flower pot.) Here we have a flower. How did this flower get started, does anyone know? (Let them answer.) Probably this one got started from a little seed that got buried in the dirt. Pretty soon that little seed began to sprout, and it grew up and up until it reached the air. Then it just kept growing up toward the sky until it looked like it does now. So kites and balloons and flowers all like to reach for the heavens, don't they, boys and girls? (Let them respond. Light the candle.) Finally, here is a candle. I want all of you to watch the flame. Which way is the flame reaching? (Let them answer.) That's right. The flame is reaching up toward the sky, also. It is sending its little light right up toward the heavens. All of these things today remind us of Jesus' Resurrection, of his coming out of the tomb and reaching up to his heavenly Father. He wants us to remember that we belong up there, too, with himself and with his Father. That's why I want you to think a lot about heaven this week by remembering this kite, this balloon, this flower, and this candle. In fact, you can probably find a lot of other things that keep reaching toward the heavens, toward God. Let's all try to keep our eyes opened for those kinds of things this week -- and then praise God for this wonderful day of Jesus' rising from the dead. Will you do that, boys and girls? Good. God bless you all. Amen. CSS Publishing Company, WE ARE THE CHURCH, by Wesley T. Runk Colossians 8-17 8 But now set aside these things, such as anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene language.9 Don’t lie to each other. Take off the old human nature with its practices 10 and put on the new nature, which is renewed in knowledge by conforming to the image of the one who created it. 11 In this image there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all things and in all people. 12 Therefore, as God’s choice, holy and loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Be tolerant with each other and, if someone has a complaint against anyone, forgive each other. As the Lord forgave you, so also forgive each other. 14 And over all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 The peace of Christ must control your hearts—a peace into which you were called in one body. And be thankful people. 16 The word of Christ must live in you richly. Teach and warn each other with all wisdom by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him. Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible Bells are a big part of our celebrations this time of the year. We have all heard the songs about sleigh bells. And we have images of the sleigh going over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house. But have you ever wondered why the sleigh would need bells? If you are travelling alone, with no stop lights, who is it that actually hears the bells. Unlike the horns on our modern sleigh’s, bells actually have a deeper purpose. Other people can hear the bells coming. But there is a deeper meaning behind the bells. spirits don’t like noise. The bells are a warning not to people, but to all of the elves and fairies living in the woods, to tell them to get out of the way, so that the sleigh can travel safely to its destination. It is a common understanding across many cultures – that spirits don’t like noise. And noise is used in many if not most cultures to keep the spirits away. In Africa, the drum is used to keep the beat and to keep the spirits away. Asian cultures tend to use gongs, or something that makes an off key noise. I have here a native American noise maker. You use this to cleanse a space of spirits. The spirits, will disappear in order to avoid the noise. European cultures tended to favor a more harmonious sound, so they use bells for that purpose. Another interesting addition in European spirituality, is that Europeans believed that not only could you cleanse space of spirits, but you could also cleanse time. If you ring the bell at the beginning of the church service, then any spirits that were hanging around hoping to get in church to cause trouble were scared away and you could worship in peace. If you rung the bell at the very beginning of a marriage, then any spirits hoping to get in the marriage and cause havoc would be scared away and not have a change to ever enter the marriage. And if you rang the bell at the very beginning of the new year, any spirits hoping to get in and wreak havoc in your year were scared away, and you had a good year all year. Not only do spirits, not like noise, but they also hate light. And they hate crowds of people. They really hate to be around crowds of people that are having fun, making a lot of noise, and celebrating. So now does the New Year’s Eve celebrations make sense. We gather together, have fun and celebrate, and at the stroke of midnight, fireworks go off, and we make a lot of noise, and sing. It is a way of bringing good luck into the year, and keeping evil and negativity at bay. So you thought I was just being annoying wearing bells on my shoes for Christmas. And all of the time, I was cleansing the space, and getting rid of the negativity. So I wanted to make sure that everyone got a bell, to ring in the new year, and keep the negative thoughts at bay. On the positive side, we can think of the bells as a reminder that this is a new year, and we can put the old year aside. Our scripture from Colossians actually encourages us to put the old year aside, and to start anew. That is what Christianity is all about – willingingly accepting a new way of life in Christ. I find it interesting that this understanding of the spiritual world stands up across all cultures. I actually learned that spirits don’t like noise in a Tibetan culture – as they were explaining why they got together to celebrate the new year, and have found that all cultures do the same. Have you noticed that we all have some type of celebration to mark the stages of life. Whenever there is a significant event in your life, what do you do – you have a party and invite your friends over to celebrate. You don’t celebrate alone, in the dark, in silence. – that would be inviting trouble. When we worship God, we don’t stay at home and do nothing. We gather together in worship, and we make a lot of noise and sing. Some cultures look forward to gathering and clapping and celebrating the light of life. The louder and the more boisterous the better. And when we leave, our spirits are in a much better place. Just like the bells in church have a dual purpose – of calling the people in and keeping the spirits out. I think that negativity can creep into our lives in many ways. Some of it is inside of us, and some of it may indeed be around us. But there is something sacred about gathering together. There is something even more sacred about gathering together in the spirit of Christ. The message of Colossians is perfect for the new year. It starts our by acknowledging all of the negative things that we as humans do to one anothers. But once you are a gathering in Christ. You take off the old and put on the new. In Christ, we are all one, and there are no divisions. Paul encourages us to be clothed in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. These are all important qualities, because these are the attributes of God. These are things that only come from God. But these are things which make a difference in the world. These are the things which ensure good luck in our lives, because they are positive and they give positive vibes in the world. If we are forgiving, peaceful and loving – it makes a difference to everyone that we meet in the year. We are encouraged to worship – by listening to the word, singing, and showing gratitude. But the message for us is that what we do as we gather together – doesn’t make a difference unless we live it out there. We don’t just ring the bells on new years, but every Sunday. And we don’t just worship for one hour on Sunday, but every day, in all times and in all things. It is Christ who keeps the evils spirits at bay. But we have to power to bring Christ with us whereever he is needed. As we gather for worship, we will celebrate new years in many ways – some of us alone, some of us with loved ones, some of us in a crowd. Some of us will be sleep way before midnight, and others may be up late into the night. Some of us will watch tv, some of us prefer to sit in silence. Whereever we are, let us know that we are united in Christ. And that when we show compassion, kindness, forgiveness and patience – that we are cleansing the earth and keeping negativity at bay. Colossians reminds us that in Christ, we are chosen, we are holy and we are loved. Let us remember how important that is – this coming year. Let us pray. Amen.

Bless the Lord O my Soul

December 9, 2018 Luke 1:68-79 Luke 3:1-6 Second Sunday of Advent Bless the Lord O my Soul Year C Children’s Time Lighting of the second advent candle Luke 3:1-6 Common English Bible (CEB) John the Baptist’s message 3 In the fifteenth year of the rule of the emperor Tiberius—when Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea and Herod was ruler[a] over Galilee, his brother Philip was ruler[b] over Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was ruler[c] over Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas—God’s word came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 John went throughout the region of the Jordan River, calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins. 4 This is just as it was written in the scroll of the words of Isaiah the prophet, A voice crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight. 5 Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be leveled. The crooked will be made straight and the rough places made smooth. 6 All humanity will see God’s salvation.”[d] Footnotes: This week our nation laid our 41st president to rest. I took advantage of the national day of mourning to watch all of the ritual on tv. It was interesting to watch all of our living presidents gather together to say goodbye to one of our leaders. I watched both funerals on both days. It was interesting to see all of the pomp and circumstance and protocol. I watched with fascination as the military carried the American flag and the presidential flag with precision. I was shocked that after the both flags were bought into the church, the honor guard kept control of the presidential flag, but turned the American flag over to a priest, who held it in front of the congregation while they sang a patriotic song. As a pastor, I have never seen the military turn an American flag over to the church. As a matter of fact, the church had their own American flag already in place. I think it was a very powerful symbol of who George HW Bush was as president. And also what the American flag represents. The presidential flag always represents the president. The American flag represents the fact that there have been 45 presidents. The fact that when one falls, there will always be a standing president for our nation. It represents who we are as a nation of people. It honors those who have sacrificed their lives so that we could have freedom. I think that as George HW Bush planned his funeral, he wanted to remind us that the power of our nation stands in the people. – it stands at the bottom, not at the top. That is an important lesson a lesson of faith, that has been demonstrated many times before. If you look at the beginning of our scripture today – it starts out by naming the political leaders of the day the emporer Tiberius, Pontius Pilate, Herod. It even names the religious leaders of the say Ananias and Caiphas. They were all important people. But scripture says that the word of God didn’t come through or to any of them. The word came to John, son of Zecharius, while in the wilderness. God’s word came to no on special, in the middle of nowhere. When John started his ministry, he didn’t start with the leaders in Jerusalem – but in the middle of nowhere – talking to everyday people. I have a friend who said that if you are looking for God – look at where the excitement is. Look at where the energy is. Look at what is already happening, and get on the band wagon. When you are trying to find God, - you probably don’t want to look to the leaders, but amongst the people. Not in the rich, but amongst the poor. Not in the capital, but in the wilderness. Not in the populated place, but in the middle of nowhere. I have been fascinated that the wilderness seems to be where faith begins. When Jesus is trying to find his ministry and calling – he spends some time in the wilderness. And now, when John fortells the coming of Christ – he is a voice crying out in the wilderness. Calling out to the people – to repent. To turn from the way of the world and listen to God. John calls out for the people to come to the water and to be baptized into repentance. John’s challenge to the people is to change their hearts, to live in righteousness and to ask God for forgiveness for your sins. A cleansing ceremony is a big part of many religious ceremonies. Before entering worship space for muslims, they will wash their feet and hands, before entering the temple you would also wash, even for us as Christians, the baptismal font is at the entrance of the sanctuary, so that we can remember our baptism before we come in to worship. William Barclay tells how at the coronation service in Westminster Abbey after all the congregation was seated, a squad of cleaners unexpectedly emerged with brushes and vacuum cleaners and proceeded to sweep the carpets so that they would be absolutely clean for the coming of the queen. So here is John, the messenger for the King saying the same thing. Get things cleaned up before Christ comes. John is challenging us to come and to take a part in the coming of Christ. Water is important to clean the outside, but we are being challenged to also get cleaned in the inside, inside of our hearts. Metanoia – means repentance, it means to have a change of heart. From the things of the world to the things of God. Not to look to our leaders for change, but in the wilderness. What is God up to in your neck of the woods? In order to know and be a part of it – we have to prepare our heart for something different. Most of us like the idea of change, but we really don’t like the process of change. We don’t want to admit that we are sinners, and that there are some things in our life that we need to do different. John is inviting us to just come – come to see what God is up to in the world today. God is inviting us to be willing to go along and to participate. To realize that God is in charge, and that God is present. And that God invites us to all participate. This is our country, this is our world, this is our salvation. We can prepare ourselves for the journey of life with God. Just as our country belongs to the people, the church also belings to the people. I thought that it was interesting, that when George HW Bush’s funeral was over, the military took both the American flag and the presidential flag out with the casket, and it stood behind the casket. But The priest also took the cross out and it stood over the casket as well. Once the casket was in the hearse, the honor guard stood at attention until the cross was bought back into the church and the church doors were closed. We are all citizens of this nation, but we are all children of God. God oversees our world, but God also invites us to participate in the salvation of the world. We are all invited to see what God is doing in the world today – and to jump on and be a part. But before we get in the game – we have to get cleaned up. The Work of the Church At the Annual Conference of the Methodist Church in Sierra Leone, West Africa. The meetings were held in the large sanctuary in the capital city, Freetown. Each day as we entered the large doors into the sanctuary there was a young girl, maybe about the age of 8, who begged at the door. She looked ragged, dirty, her hair was matted and knotty, and she had on tattered clothes. No one seemed to know her, and people brushed her aside upon entering. Some of the pastors tried to tell her to go away. We were busy doing the work of the church. She was a bother. This went on for several days. As I sat in the pew observing the Conference one day, my peripheral vision caught some motion outside. I looked out the window, and there on the patio, outside the sanctuary was a woman, a lay member of the conference. She found a bucket and some soap. Although dressed in a beautiful traditional tie-dye gown, she pushed up her sleeves, and she was giving that 8-year-old girl a bath. She soaped up her hair and was tenderly making her all clean and new. She washed the clothes the child had been wearing, and they were spread out on the bushes in the sun drying. The woman went out and got another dress for her to wear, too. Hundreds of pastors and devoted laypersons poured into the Methodist Church of Freetown to do the work of the church. But outside, on the edges, quietly and without notice, the work of redemption - the work of Jesus Christ was being done. It was not the work of committees and reports and programs. It was the work of soap and water and human touch and being able to see the face of Jesus in that of an abandoned 8-year-old girl. Sharon Rhodes-Wickett, Collapsing the Distance between Heaven and Earth God is still in the saving business, and all of us are invited to be a part of it. Change does not come from the top, but from the bottom, not in the city square, but in the wilderness. And it is not what we can see on the outside, it is what is inside of our hearts. Won’t you take John’s challenge – and repent and turn to God. Amen. Other illustrations…. A Higher Standard of Living Max Lucado tells the story of a man who had been a closet slob most of his life. He just couldn't comprehend the logic of neatness. Why make up a bed if you're going to sleep in it again tonight? Why put the lid on the toothpaste tube if you're going to take it off again in the morning? He admitted to being compulsive about being messy. Then he got married. His wife was patient. She said she didn't mind his habits . . . if he didn't mind sleeping on the couch. Since he did mind, he began to change. He said he enrolled in a 12-step program for slobs. A physical therapist helped him rediscover the muscles used for hanging up shirts and placing toilet paper on the holder. His nose was reintroduced to the smell of Pine Sol. By the time his in-laws arrived for a visit, he was a new man. But then came that moment of truth. His wife went out of town for a week. At first he reverted to the old man. He figured he could be a slob for six days and clean up on the seventh. But something strange happened. He could no longer relax with dirty dishes in the sink or towels flung around the bathroom or clothes on the floor or sheets piled up like a mountain on the bed. What happened? Simple. He had been exposed to a higher standard of living. That's what confession and repentance do for us. That's what Jesus does for us. Billy D. Strayhorn, Thunder in the Desert John at Christmastime The First Sunday in Advent begins with apocalyptic images that, in the popular imagination, are as non-Christmasy as can be imagined. Now in the Christian tradition the Second Sunday in Advent confronts the church (and the world) with John the Baptist, whom the church has also long insisted is an absolutely necessary character in the Advent drama. But even most Christians don't want John at Christmas. We don't put John on Christmas cards. We have no John the Baptist Christmas tree ornaments. No child plays John in Christmas programs, and he's nowhere to be seen on front yard manger displays. John is too untidy, too dangerous for Christmas. Invite John to your holiday party and he'll spill eggnog all over your Persian rug as he flails his arms around talking about the need to repent. He's too shrill. If we let John in the door, he'll wake the baby in the manger. Then again, if we do not let John in, if we will not or cannot tolerate his uncompromising message that Christ is Lord of all, then that baby in the manger may as well just go on sleeping forever and ever. Because if we can't let John in, we're not ready for the baby to wake up anyway. If we don't like what John says, we won't like what that baby will eventually say, either. And then Christmas is over before it really began. Scott Hoezee, comments and observations on Luke 3:1-6.

The World turned upside down

December 2, 2018 First Sunday of Advent Year C Luke 21:25-36 The World Turned Upside Down Luke 21:25-36 Common English Bible (CEB) 25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On the earth, there will be dismay among nations in their confusion over the roaring of the sea and surging waves. 26 The planets and other heavenly bodies will be shaken, causing people to faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world. 27 Then they will see the Human One[a] coming on a cloud with power and great splendor. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, stand up straight and raise your heads, because your redemption is near.” A lesson from the fig tree 29 Jesus told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 In the same way, when you see these things happening, you know that God’s kingdom is near. 32 I assure you that this generation won’t pass away until everything has happened.33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away. 34 “Take care that your hearts aren’t dulled by drinking parties, drunkenness, and the anxieties of day-to-day life. Don’t let that day fall upon you unexpectedly, 35 like a trap. It will come upon everyone who lives on the face of the whole earth. 36 Stay alert at all times, praying that you are strong enough to escape everything that is about to happen and to stand before the Human One.”[b] Footnotes: a. Luke 21:27 Or Son of Man b. Luke 21:36 Or Son of Man Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible Children’s Sermon: Lighting of the advent candle Very early in my ministry – as Associate in Aurora Wesley. I went with the Senior Pastor to meet a parishioner in the hospital dying of cancer. Apparently she had been sick for some time, because the pastor and many of her friends were preparing her for death. Many told her that she had been a faithful Christian all of her life, so she did not have to be afraid to go to be with God. Eventually I knew her well enough to visit on my own. And in that first visit alone, she asked me if I thought this was the beginning of her life or the end. She was having a hard time understanding where God was in this process, and wondering what she should be preparing herself for. I told her that honestly, I don’t think God gets caught up on defining beginnings and endings. Because we have to explain and understand everything, we tend to think in straight lines. On a straight line, the beginning is in one place and the ending is on the opposite end. We as people like straight lines, but God seems to prefer circles. In a circle the beginning and the end are random points. In every beginning is an ending and in every ending is a beginning. But the other cool thing about a circle is it goes around in a continuous loop. So instead of life happening in stages, life happens in cycles. As we begin advent, fall has ended and winter is coming. Winter turns into spring, and spring turns into summer. In life, we are born, we live, we die, our spirits are resurrected. A story begins, it ends and it starts all over again. Yeah – I truly believe that God favors circles, not straight lines. The conversations that I had with her, have stuck with me for 24 years. Because visitors came to her telling her to remember her faith and not to be afraid of death. But she told me that she was not ready to go. She enjoyed being to wake up everyday and to look at the sunrise, and to smell the flowers and to experience the love for her family and she was not ready to give that up. I told her that life was a gift from God, and it was hers, and if she was not ready to give it up, she didn’t have to. God would be with her on this side and the next. There would be days in the next few weeks, they had to increase her morphine levels to stop the pain, and she was not able to talk as much, but she would say she didn’t know what to ask me, but she just wanted me to keep talking to her about God, about circles and enjoying life. I visited her and talked and held on, and eventually she moved on to the next phase in life. This is the first Sunday of advent – the beginning of the Christian new year. A time of preparation for the coming of Christ into our world. Every advent – instead of starting at the beginning, we start at the end. Our scripture in Luke talks about what to expect at the end of time when Jesus comes back to earth. Jesus says that it will be a stressful time, when everyone is afraid and worried. There will be climate change and earthquakes. That seems like a common occurance in our world today. But the message for us who are expecting Christ to come in the clouds, is not to get stressed out, not to go along with the hopelessness of the world. To be encouraged, and to look forward to what is to come. Advent is a time for us to take account of our lives and to get right with God. To remember that God is the center of our circle, not the events in life. A major theme of advent – is repentance and recentering. The Eternal Words of Christ You have perhaps heard the story that comes out of the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War Two. There was a battleship whose forward watch spotted a light that appeared to be heading straight for the battleship. A radio message was sent saying, "Unidentified ship: you are on a collision course. Change direction 10 degrees starboard." The reply came back: "No. You need to change direction." The battleship again sent a message saying, "This is a United States warship. Change direction 10 degrees starboard." And once again the reply came back, "No." The admiral was awakened and notified and the battleship sent yet another message again repeating, "This is a warship on official maneuvers. You are ordered to change direction. Signed, Admiral Peacock." A moment passed and the reply came back, "No. Signed Seaman Smith, Tender of the Light House." Often it is WE who are the ones who need to change course. The clear light of God's Word for us doesn't change. Donald Deffner, Seasonal Illustrations, San Jose: Resource, p. 67. Adapted. Advent is intended to be our message that it is time to recenter, rethink and get right with God. Because God is about to come, and we need to be ready. The beginning of advent is a time of transition and preparation for a change. The end of some things and the beginning of new things. We always first hear a dire warning to get ready for the second coming of Christ. That is a time of stress for most people. Because they don’t know what it going to happen. They don’t know what changes the transition will bring. Jesus also says that the transition time will be a time of darkness, and fear. But that we should rejoice, because God is a circle God. So the darkness is just one phase – another will come. When we are going through troubling times, we should celebrate because better days are coming. Once again if life were a straight line, things would only head in one direction, but in a circle what goes around comes around. The good news for us is that in each phase on the circle God comes to be with us and to help us to make it to the next phase. It would have been about the same time that I went to Aurora Wesley, that Bishop Sprague came to the Northern Illinois Conference. And he spent a lot of time meeting with people in the conference so that we could know him. At one session, someone asked him if he believed in the second coming of Christ. He said that he believed that the second coming had already happen. As a matter of fact, he said that he believed in the third and fourth coming of Christ. Christ comes to the world over and over again as we need him. Advent comes every year, so that we can get ready for Christ to come to the world – again. To make things new, to bring life and death, to bring darkness and light. To bring hope in every situation and phase that we face in life. The point for us to remember, is that we have to be prepared for each coming of Christ. And not surprised when we meet Christ in our everyday life. A Colleague talked about his toddler daughter. She was very skittish, and everything scared her. At night she would cry for someone to come to take care of her. But whenever he would come in the room to get her, she would be afraid and cry even more. He wondered why she would cry and be so surprised that as her father he responded. We are like that little girl. We pray – but don’t always know what to do if God actually answers. Jesus tells us this advent – that God has heard our prayers. Wait in anticipation of his visit, and not to be caught off guard when he comes into our lives again. Let us pray. The Eternal Words of Christ You have perhaps heard the story that comes out of the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War Two. There was a battleship whose forward watch spotted a light that appeared to be heading straight for the battleship. A radio message was sent saying, "Unidentified ship: you are on a collision course. Change direction 10 degrees starboard." The reply came back: "No. You need to change direction." The battleship again sent a message saying, "This is a United States warship. Change direction 10 degrees starboard." And once again the reply came back, "No." The admiral was awakened and notified and the battleship sent yet another message again repeating, "This is a warship on official maneuvers. You are ordered to change direction. Signed, Admiral Peacock." A moment passed and the reply came back, "No. Signed Seaman Smith, Tender of the Light House." Often it is WE who are the ones who need to change course. The clear light of God's Word for us doesn't change. Donald Deffner, Seasonal Illustrations, San Jose: Resource, p. 67. Adapted. Second Coming and Faithfulness During his 1960 presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy often closed his speeches with the story of Colonel Davenport, the Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives: On May 19th, 1780 the sky of Hartford darkened ominously, and some of the representatives, glancing out the windows, feared the end was at hand. Quelling a clamor for immediate adjournment, Davenport rose and said, "The Day of Judgment is either approaching or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for adjournment. If it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. Therefore, I wish that candles be brought." Rather than fearing what is to come, we are to be faithful till Christ returns. Instead of fearing the dark, we're to be lights as we watch and wait. Harry Heintz All Roads Lead To Bethlehem - Luke 21:25-36 by Leonard Sweet Jesus came to save humans from being rat packs feeding on each other instead of sheep feeding with each other. This was never made so clear than in the recent “Black Friday” images of people stomping on each other and fighting it out, all done to the musical background of Christmas music. Our sentimental — yet always cynical — culture likes to start singing Christmas carols the moment Thanksgiving turkeys come out of the oven. But listen carefully: You’re hearing a lot more choruses of “Jingle Bells” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” than carols like “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” or “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” The world wants, the world needs, to celebrate Christmas. But the world does its best to keep Jesus out of it. Perhaps the first “Christmas carol” Christians should sing, in keeping with the theme of “Advent,” is the Willie Nelson special “On the Road Again.” As stores keep having cut-rate sales and on-line deals; and as holiday partying, parades, and posturing swamp every level of our lives: it is good to stand back and look at the bigger picture. What is the purpose for which Jesus came into this world in the first place? Let’s get “on the road again” with the first journey to Bethlehem, and the reason that journey was taken… Just a Minute, Jimmy! It is hard for us to understand Jesus' delay in his coming. God's time clock is certainly out of sync with ours as Little Jimmy learned one day as he was laying on a hill in the middle of a meadow on a warm spring day. Puffy white clouds rolled by and he pondered their shape. Soon, he began to think about God. "God? Are you really there?" Jimmy said out loud. To his astonishment a voice came from the clouds. "Yes, Jimmy? What can I do for you?" Seizing the opportunity, Jimmy asked, "God? What is a million years like to you?" Knowing that Jimmy could not understand the concept of infinity, God responded in a manner to which Jimmy could relate. "A million years to me, Jimmy, is like a minute." "Oh," said Jimmy. "Well, then, what's a million dollars like to you?" "A million dollars to me, Jimmy, is like a penny." "Wow!" remarked Jimmy, getting an idea. "You're so generous... can I have one of your pennies?" God replied, "Sure thing, Jimmy! Just a minute." Little Jimmy wasn't ready for that response was he? Our text this morning seems an unlikely scripture for Advent. It has nothing to do with Mary and Joseph, the Wise Men, of shepherds watching their flock. Instead it is lesson about being prepared, getting ready. In that sense then this is an Advent lesson, for this is the season of preparedness. Brett Blair, www.Sermons.com. The Power of an Imminent Crisis Folks back in Arkansas have always been fascinated by the New Madrid Fault, which runs along a line from Memphis up through southern Missouri. Back at the turn of the century, that area suffered one of the biggest earthquakes to ever hit North America. In fact, the Mississippi River ran upstream for several hours. In the fall of 1990, a scientist predicted that another major earthquake would occur in the New Madrid Fault on Tuesday, December 4. His prediction gathered a lot of attention in newscasts, public assemblies and private conversations. People stowed away precious possessions, stockpiled groceries and kerosene, and learned how to shut off their gas and water lines. Schools and businesses announced that they would be closed that week and several residents temporarily left the area. On December 2, 1990, the First Sunday in Advent and two days before the predicted quake, churches were packed. Many people stayed awake all night on December 3. But December 4, 1990, passed with no tremor. Then December passed, and the winter. Flashlight batteries drained. Extra food spoiled or was consumed. Fuel tanks sat empty once more. When a crisis seems imminent, we have no trouble keeping alert and awake. But when the threat of danger seems remote, our eyelids grow heavy and we sleep. Mickey Anders, Keeping Watch Princeton preacher James F. Kay puts it this way, “If the Gospel is good news, it is not because it predicts a bright, shiny future based on our morality or piety. The Gospel is neither a cocoon that insulates us from the sufferings of this present age nor a pair of ear plugs that shuts out the groaning of creation....The Gospel is Good News, not because it predicts a future based on our good behavior or other present trends; the Gospel is Good News because it promises a future based on God’s faithfulness to Jesus Christ.” (The Seasons of Grace, Eerdmann, 1995, p. 7). James F. Kay, quoted by William Willimon, “Lo, He Comes With Clouds Descending” Preparing Ourselves for Christ Coming in the United States Americans spend six hours a week doing various types of shopping, and they go to shopping centers on average once a week - more often than they go to church or synagogue. Some 93 percent of American teenage girls surveyed in 1987 deemed shopping their favorite pastime. The 32,563 shopping centers in the country surpassed high schools in number in 1987. Just from 1986 to 1989, total retail space in these centers grew by 65 million square meters, or 20 percent. Shopping centers now garner 55 percent of retail sales in the United States, compared with 16 percent in France and 4 percent in Spain. Alan Durning, "Asking How Much Is Enough" in State of the World: 1991, (New York: W.W. Norton, 1991), 163-64. I Must Go Myself The story is told of John Henry Newman, who, in the 1800’s, was an Anglican minister in England. His religious pilgrimage ultimately took him to Rome and the Roman Catholic Church. He ultimately would become a cardinal in the Catholic Church and the most preeminent leader of that church in Europe. If you go into almost any Catholic church today you will find a Sunday school class called the Newman class. That was named after John Henry Newman. While serving as Cardinal, he received a message from an English priest from the tiny village of Brennan, a dirty little mill town north of Birmingham. It seems that an epidemic of cholera had decimated the village and the priest was asking for the help, for another priest to assist him in the giving of the sacrament, administering the Last Rites, and to do funerals, so many people were dying. Newman read the letter in his office, an office that is still there today. It has not been changed since the day he left it. Newman read the letter and he spent the next hour in prayer. Finally a secretary came in and said: Cardinal Newman. We must give an immediate reply to Brennan. Your eminence, what shall we do? Newman answered: The people are suffering and dying. How can I send a priest to do this work? I must go myself. At Advent God looked down upon his dying people--dying from sin and distraction, pride and preoccupation. How, under the circumstance could he send a substitute? He came himself—in the person of Jesus Christ. Advent is about repentance and salvation. Brett Blair, www.Sermons.com An Understanding Most Folks Don’t Know In his award winning book, The Education of Little Tree, writer Forest Carter writes of life with his Cherokee grandparents. He tells of sitting with his grandfather watching the morning sun rise over a mountain one winter morning. "... we watched the mountain while we ate. The sun hit the top like an explosion, sending showers of glitter and sparkle into the air. The sparkling of the icy trees hurt the eyes to look, and it moved down the mountain like a wave as the sun backed the night shadow down and down. A crow scout sent three hard calls through the air, warning we were there. And now the mountain popped and gave breathing sighs that sent little puffs of steam into the air. She pinged and murmured as the sun released the trees from their death armor of ice. Grandpa watched, same as me, and listened as the sounds grew with the morning wind that set up a low whistle in the trees. 'She's coming alive,' he said soft and low, without taking his eyes from the mountain." 'Yes sir,' I said, 'she's coming alive.' And I knew right then that me and Granpa had us an understanding that most folks didn't know." Little Tree learned from his Grandpa how to read the signs of nature. Reading signs, not the printed ones we see on our streets and highways, but the signs of nature and life and living is an art that takes time, practice and patience. The reward is what Little Tree called, "...an understanding that most folks don't know." John Jewel, Signs of the Times Are You Ready? In our gospel reading Jesus tells his followers that they must always be ready for his coming. It is a peculiarity of our lectionary readings that the readings for the first Sunday of Advent always come from the end of the gospels where Jesus is talking about readiness for a second coming when he will come in glory as Lord of all. In our Advent preparation and Christmas services, the theme and the scriptures will turn to the birth of Jesus. Yet, the theme of "readiness" for the coming of Christ is the main point of our Advent preparations. And so it is appropriate and important to ask: "Are you ready for Christ to come to you?" John Jewel, Signs of the Times Reflections on Black Friday On Black Friday, the day following Thanksgiving, I was observing shoppers standing in line, waiting to pay for their bargains. The lines were long and you could see the anxiety on their faces. Some were talking on cell phones, conversing with loved ones someplace else in the shopping mall who were looking for great deals. There was some pushing and shoving and some unkind words as people pressed toward the cash registers. In addition, finding a parking place was next to impossible. People were in a hurry and I observed many near misses. It was a day that was shoulder to shoulder and bumper to bumper. Instead of kindness and cooperation, there was despair and hopelessness. I thought, if God is ready to come and end this insanity, this would be a good day to do it. Keith Wagner, Hope for the Overwhelmed The Hope of a New Birth Unfortunately, our gospel lesson doesn't at first seem to instill us with any sense of hope at all. In fact, after reading this passage, we can be overwhelmed with a sense of hopelessness. This passage sounds a bit like the one we heard two Sundays ago, only this one has more doom and gloom, more destruction, more chaos and catastrophe. We hear of these mysterious signs in the sun, moon and stars. There are images of people fainting. Heaven and earth pass away, there is talk of a trap, and our hope for escape, and by the end of the reading, it seems the walls are closing in on us. And yet, in the midst of the chaos of this reading, if you look closely enough, calmly enough, there are some words of hope in the midst of the confusion. Jesus says, "when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near . . . when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near." He speaks of fig trees, an image which may not communicate much to us, but his hearers in that time knew that the fig tree was a symbol of life out of death, a symbol of the hope that comes after the winter, the hope of new birth. Beth Quick, Ready or Not..., ChristianGlobe Network, Inc.