Marching to Zion

November 27, 2022 First Sunday of Advent Year A Isaiah 2:1-5 Marching to Zion Opening Song Welcome Advent Song Comfort, O Comfort My People by Sally Ahner Advent Candle lighting Call to Worship (Isaiah 2, Psalm 122) I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord! In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains. Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord!(United Methodist Ministry Matters, Laura Bartlett) Song O Come, O Come, Emmanuel UMH 211 Children’s Sermon Come rushing in, pretending to look for lost items or appearing very frazzled… Oh no, I’m late, it’s my turn to talk, where are my things? I’m not ready for this at all…where did I put the…? Oh, hi, kids! Well….I’m sorry. It looks like I can’t find…I’m not sure…you know, I am not very prepared right now. See, it’s my clock’s fault! (Hold up broken clock, or day planner or calendar). Yeah, it doesn’t seem to be working, so I didn’t realize what time it really was, and I didn’t know that… well, I guess I’m just not very ready today. Have you ever felt like something was happening, and you weren’t prepared for it? Maybe you had a test at school you didn’t study for…or a game or performance that you wanted to practice for more. Or you woke up late and felt rushed. What about preparing for visitors? What kinds of things do you have to do if you have a friend coming over, or family visiting for holidays? You probably have to clean your room, make sure you have plenty of snacks, figure out when company will arrive…(allow some child responses) Well, today we are talking about a very special sort of preparation. We are talking about getting ready for Jesus! Now, we are entering the season of Advent…do you know what “Advent” means? It means “coming”, and we are getting ready for the coming of Jesus! A lot of people around this time of year get ready for Christmas, maybe by shopping or decorating or getting busy with baking and wrapping andthings…but in the church, we are getting ready to honor the birth of Jesus. God came to Earth as a baby… the people in that time had been hearing prophecies and predictions about Him, and they were eagerly awaiting the birth of the Messiah. We know that Jesus already came, and we get to celebrate and be grateful for how God kept His promises in that way! But guess what? Jesus is going to come back someday! The Bible tells us that Jesus will return again, and all the sadness will go away and he’ll scoop us up and take us to Heaven! Do you know when that will be? Well…me neither. In fact, no one knows when Jesus will come back again. It might be tomorrow…it might be in a hundred years! But He tells us to be ready…wait…how can we be ready for something if we don’t know when or how it will happen?? Well, we want to prepare our hearts. God is always present with us, and He wants us to be mindful of that presence and live in a way that pleases Him. We should daily be in prayer and study our Bibles. And we can be excited that He will come back again. So as we get ready for Christmas, remember to be thankful for the coming of Jesus. And rejoice in the excitement that we will one day see Him face to face! Children’s Prayer MomentDear God, Thank you for coming to Earth for us Thank you for keeping your promises to save us Help us to live in your presence And know what it means to prepare our hearts for You Thank you for your love We love you, God! Thank you for Jesus. In His name, Amen! (Kristin Schmidt) Confession and Grace We gather together in this season of Advent anticipating hope, praying for peace, attempting to cultivate joy and share love amidst commotion, grief, despair and uncertainty. Moment of silence All: In a world full of hopelessness, We have sometimes forgotten that you are our hope, dear God. Consumed by the chaos of the world, We lean into helplessness instead of your loving embrace. We cling to the stony roads and the bitter rods Felt in days when unborn hope had died; We’ve forgotten that you promised us hope for a future. So, stimulate our memory, dear God. Remind us of that hope you assured us of. Be with us as we cling to it in the midnight hours of waiting. WORDS OF GRACE Let us know that God gives us unmerited hope for a future, peace like a river, joy everlasting, and love. No misstep can separate us from the gifts of God. Amen. (United Church of Christ, Rev. Mia McClain) Responsive Reading Psalm 122 UMH 845 Passing of the Peace Scripture Isaiah 2:1-5 Sermon Marching to Zion Advent always starts upside down and at the ending. There is a popular Facebook post that has been circulating for a few weeks now. Advent is about learning to wait and preparing ourselves. But the post explains, we are not waiting and preparing for Baby Jesus and Christmas. We are waiting and preparing for a better world. We are waiting and preparing for the second coming of Christ. In order to prepare for a better world, we have to get in touch with what needs to change about this one. Because of rumors and the images of films and television. We all have a vision of what the end of the world will look like. It is going to be a terrible time. There are going to be earthquakes, the government is going to fall apart, people are not going to have access to food and essentials. There is going to be a lot of chaos and confusion. And then Jesus comes out of the sky. And then comes the day that we have all been dreading – judgment day – Where we are on one side of the scale and a feather is on the other side, and we get punished for all of the bad things that we have done in life – and we have to beg Jesus to let us into heaven because deep down inside we are a really nice person living in bad circumstances. That is not how it works. That is not what judgement day is all about. God’s judgement is not intended to punish us, it is intended to hold us accountable. And it doesn’t happen at the end of the our lives, or even the end of the world as we know it. It happens in the midst of our lives. In a lot of ways the book of Isaiah is known as the book of judgement. The entire book is a warning of God’s impending doom on the nation if they do not return to the ways of God. People have gotten greedy, self centered. They think that life is about their comfort and not about the wellbeing of all people. Isaiah is reminding them that God is watching them and calling them back to being a kind and caring people who take care of one another. But instead of speaking judgment as a bad thing – Isaiah speaks judgement as a primary source of hope. Isaiah 2 – the beginning of a very long book is a vision of the way things could be. It is a vision of peace, justice and wellbeing. Even us who read it today – know that things will never be this way. It says Jerusalem will be the place where everyone will come to know peace. It is the nature of the wolf to kill the lamb, and yet Isaiah says that the wolf will lie with the lamb, and the weapons of mass destruction will be turned into tools used for feeding people. And then the world will turn back to being a place where God is the center of everything and we love one another. We all know that will never happen. That is about as likely as Jesus coming back to earth and living amongst us a second time. And yet Isaiah tells that story and the people find hope in it. And it is that hope that sustains them. Insert Martin Luther story. I Would Plant an Apple Tree The story is told of the Reformation leader Martin Luther being asked what he would do if he were to discover that the world were coming to an end tomorrow. Luther’s response: “I would plant an apple tree.” It was Luther’s way, I suspect, of asserting that our calling is ever to trust in God’s faithfulness and to seek to be faithful followers of Jesus, day in and day out. Our calling is to embrace the sharp edge of expectant hope, to affirm that, even now, God may well be at work in the world around us. Joel D. Kline, The Sharp Edge of Expectation As Christians – we are told that we are the people who should carry that hope to the rest of the world. And yet where does that hope come from in a world that is so obsessed with violence. So much so, that we spend thousands of dollars on ways to kill others. We all see the stories of the war in Ukraine, and how they are being ravished with weapons of mass destruction. And there have been countless wars before that one. The history of society has been the history of war. The story of Isaiah is told in the backdrop of a violent take over, where their country was being destroyed by opressors. And Isaiah reminds us that in order to find the peace of God, first we have to put down our weapons. And turn them into plowshares. Guns aren’t the only weapons that hurt people. There are many things that we use to tear down others. Monty Python. Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition In Monty Python's sketch, "The Spanish Inquisition," a man is being questioned in a way that surprises him and he says, "Mr. Wentworth just told me to come in here and say that there was trouble at the mill, that's all - I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition." As if on cue, inquisitors burst into the room and one of them says, "NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise…surprise and fear…fear and surprise…. Our two weapons are fear and surprise…and ruthless efficiency…. Our three weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency…and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope…. Our four…no… Amongst our weapons…. Amongst our weaponry…are such elements as fear, surprise…. I'll come in again." The inquisitors exit the scene to re-enter and begin the speech again. Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition. "If the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into" (Matthew 24:43). The Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. Mary Hinkle Shore, The Element of Surprise How are people being hurt today? What are the weapons besides guns that need to be turned around? How do we hurt others? What weapons do we need to put down? Story In the late 1930’s, Max Schneider, a tenant farmer, was having a tought time of it on the land he farmed in North Dakota. The great depression still had a tight grip on the nations, and farmers ere victoims perpahs as much as anyone in the country. Prices for cash crops had hit rock bottom and for Max and oter farmers, it cost as much to raise the crops as the money they received for harvest. Max countly continue to fee his family. As he and his wife discussed the situation, Max told her what he had hears from other farmers when he was in town. I don’t know if it is true or not, he said, but I hear that scrap dealers are buying up old rusted machinery – in fact, metal of any kind. I thought I would scout around the countryside and collect some of those old rusted pieces we see in the fields and sell the stuff to a dealer – I hear there’s one not too far from here. What in the world do they do with the stuff? His wife wanted to know. I a not sure Max replied after thinking about it for a moment. But I have heard that a lot of that scrap metal is being sold to Japan for war. They need it to make bombs and guns for a war that started in the Far East. His wife thought it was horrible to turn old machinery into bombs. Max agreed, but was willing to sell it if it meant some extra money. They needed it for the kids school clothes. For the next few years, Max roamed all over the county to find scrap iron. He did not make a lot of money, but it did help a little. Years passed, and the kids grew up, went to college, moved out of the house. He stopped selling to Japan when WWII started and they were not allowed to sell to Japan. When they retired they moved to Arizona. While there, they noticed that there were acres and acres of old planes just sitting as if they were in a junk yard. Max got an idea – what if he bought some of those planes and sold them for scrap metal. When he told his wife, she chuckled and asked if he was in the business again. I cant imagine what they would do with scrap metal now. Perhaps they will turn it into innovative farm machinery he said. It is not just a matter of putting our weapons down – how can we turn them into creative ways to help people to live better lives. When we think of Isaiah’s story – we think that it is not possible. When we look at our world – to think that we will never live in peace. And yet Isaiah’s message is that it is possible and that it starts with us. In order for the world to change, first we have to change. Little girl – I Don’t Like This World The door slammed. There was a rush upstairs. The man looked at the clock; it was time for his daughter to be home from school. Fourth grade was not going very well, and from the sound of the slam of the door, it had not improved. He went up to her room and asked about her day. “It was awful,” she said, and then she filled in the details. When she unzipped her backpack at school, her homework was nowhere to be found. Her normally charming teacher snarled at the class. The morning dragged on to lunch, when none of the cafeteria choices looked appetizing. The class went outside to the playground and her best friend decided to play with somebody else. To top it off, a big kid named Kevin had made fun of her on the bus. “It was a rotten day,” she sobbed, and he held her. After about ten minutes, she stopped quivering. He rubbed her back and she blew her nose. One more hug, and then he went downstairs. About a half hour later, he thought it sounded unnaturally quiet, so he sneaked upstairs to see what was happening. To his surprise, she was down on her knees with her hands clasped and her eyes shut, and she was murmuring something. “Honey,” he said, “is everything all right?” “I’m okay, Daddy, I’m just praying.” “That’s good,” he whispered. “What are you praying for?” “Dad, I’ve decided I don’t like this world, so I’m praying for a new one.” Whether she knew it or not, cute as she was, she was rooting herself in thousands of years of Christian tradition. Ever since Jesus appeared among us, Christians have been praying for a whole new world. That’s what lies behind Scripture texts like the one we heard from the twenty-first chapter of Luke. William G. Carter, Praying for a Whole New World, CSS Publishing Company That is what Advent is all about – praying for a new world. Being aware of the chaos and confusion and understanding that just because that is who it is, it doesn’t have to be that way. We are not getting ready for Christmas, we are getting ready for Christ’s reign in our lives and in the world. Judgement is not about punishment, judgement is about justice. Where there is justice, there is peace, where there is peace there will be wellbeing. Shalom only happens when God is the center of everything that we do. We don’t have to fight for God, or create God, or make people do anything different. All we have to do is recognize God in the world around us and stay focused on what God calls us to do for others. If Christ did come back, it could happen, would we even know that he looks like? Probably this advent – there is some work for us to do to get ready for his return. First we have to see the chaos and confusion of the world. We have to get in touch with the needs of the world for a saviour. Second we have to see the vision for how things can be better. Have hope that Christ has the power to make it so. And that Christ will use that power – one day. Every good deed that we do to help others puts us one step closer to Christ and his fulfillment of peace, justice and wellbeing for all people. This advent our them will be the hope of Isaiah. He encourages us to imagine a world of peace and set forward to live in it. We have to have the freedom to imagine that world and the courage to redeem it. This advent as we make our journey up to the house of God – Isaiah vision does include us. In verse 5 Isaiah has instructions for each of us – Come children of Jacob – let us walk in the light of the world. Amen. Song We’ve a Story to Tell the Nations UMH 569 Pastoral Prayer God of love and mercy, thank you for your great gift of your Child, Jesus Christ, who fills us with all that we need. Merciful God, we are fully aware that not all your children are able to bask in joy or peace during this season. We pray for peace within all walls: walls within our own homes, walls that surround each city and town. We pray that during this season of Advent we may usher your promise of salvation into our lives and that we may share the Good News of our Savior with others. We pray that the promise of your birth may be the promise that we live in and share at home, at work and at school. May we be moved to compassion and action in your name. We pray this in the powerful name of Jesus Christ who taught us all to pray, saying... (United Methodist Board of Discipleship, Rev. Elizabeth Aguilar) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment (only print the prayer) Invitation to the Offering If this Advent is to be about more than going through the motions, then we must get ready for the Prince of Peace in new and radical ways. What can we do to signal our readiness for the coming of Christ into this very place? We can start with a total commitment of our resources and our lives to the cause of God’s peace in the world. When we give our financial gifts to the ministry of this church, the benefits travel widely through the connections of our denomination, but nowhere is the impact greater than in our own hearts. I invite you to use this time of offering as an opportunity to get ready for Christ’s arrival. Offering Prayer (Isaiah 2, Psalm 122, Matthew 24) Thank you, God. Thank you for the wake-up call, reminding us to be ready. Thank you for not giving up on your vision of peace. Thank you for the opportunity to gather each week in your house, that we might encourage one another to stay on your path. And thank you for the opportunity to give these gifts for your ministry, that together we might help the world be ready to receive the Prince of Peace, in whose name we pray. Amen. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Laura Bartlett) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook As you begin the journey of Advent, remember that you are partners with Christ in bringing in the realm of God, and that in the days of uncertainly as the world is transformed, be watchful and stay awake, remembering that Christ prays for you, and draws you into the very heart of God. May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and may God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, remain with you always. Amen (Presbyterian Outlook, Barbara Chaapel) Community Time Benediction Go forth and walk the path of the Lord. Go forth and live as one instructed in the ways of the Lord. Take the weapons of your life and turn them into instruments of peace and justice. Praise be to our God who shows us the way! (United Methodist Board of Discipleship, Randy Clay) Additional Illustrations Keeping Hope Alive At the university there was a piano teacher that was simply and affectionately known as "Herman." One night at a university concert, a distinguished piano player suddenly became ill while performing an extremely difficult piece. No sooner had the artist retired from the stage when Herman rose from his seat in the audience, walked on stage, sat down at the piano and with great mastery completed the performance. Later that evening, at a party, one of the students asked Herman how he was able to perform such a demanding piece so beautifully without notice and with no rehearsal. He replied, "In 1939, when I was a budding young concert pianist, I was arrested and placed in a Nazi concentration camp. Putting it mildly, the future looked bleak. But I knew that in order to keep the flicker of hope alive that I might someday play again, I needed to practice every day. I began by fingering a piece from my repertoire on my bare board bed late one night. The next night I added a second piece and soon I was running through my entire repertoire. I did this every night for five years. It so happens that the piece I played tonight at the concert hall was part of that repertoire. That constant practice is what kept my hope alive. Everyday I renewed my hope that I would one day be able to play my music again on a real piano, and in freedom." Source Unknown Modern Day Perils I will never forget one particular testimony I heard on one particular occasion in the church I served in Atlanta. He was a seminary professor, and he and his family were joining the church. And when it came his turn, he said, “I’m joining this church because those cannons across the street on the grounds of the State Capitol Building are pointed directly at us.” I thought at the time, “That’s a strange answer.” I had never noticed the cannons across the street. And I would look for them the next day, and, sure enough, there they would be, sitting there as mute relics of some war and pointing straight at the stone gothic sanctuary of my church across the street. I would note that, were they loaded, they could blow away the whole narthex. But at that particular moment in that particular Session meeting, I thought to myself, “That’s a strange answer.” “I’m joining this church,” he said, “because those cannons are pointed directly at us.” People join the church for many reasons, but have you ever heard a reason like that? As I got to know this seminary professor, I began to understand why he would join a church because of cannons pointed at it. Holding a Ph.D. from Duke, he was a student of Stanley Hauerwas. If you’ve never read any Hauerwas, I hope you will before you leave this place. Hauerwas has written widely about the modern-day perils of attempting to follow Jesus Christ in this culture. He and others have described Christians in our time as being something like “resident aliens” — faithful colonists in an otherwise hostile, post-Christian, secular society. He has tracked the decline of what he calls “the Constantinian arrangement” between the church and the powers-that-be, and he has asserted — rightly, I think — that that arrangement between the church and the emperor, which got started with Constantine, is breaking down in our time. I know enough about Stanley Hauerwas to have a sense of why a student of his would be intrigued at the thought of joining a church because it sits across the street from a hall of power and has cannons pointed at it. Theodore J. Wardlaw, Ethics and Eschatology Never Give Up Hope In Anne Tyler's novel, “The Amateur Marriage,” we witness a sad series of events. The book's main characters are Michael and Pauline, a pair of World War II-era sweethearts who get married and eventually have three children. But then one day their oldest child, Lindy, just disappears. She runs away from home and promptly falls off the face of the earth. For the first days, weeks, and even months, they watch for her return. They seize on any and every clue as to her whereabouts. The pace, they peer out windows, they listen for a key scratching at the front door's lock, they sit bolt upright each time they think they hear footfalls on the driveway. But Lindy does not return. Over the years, her absence becomes just another part of life. They never finally give up on the idea that they'd see her again, but they stop watching for her. At first they were certain she'd be back soon. They would not have been at all surprised had she walked back through that front door. Years later, though, the surprise flipped: after a while, they would have been surprised if she had come back. Lindy does return eventually, although her mother Pauline never lives to see it. When Lindy shows back up, her father says to her, "Your mother never gave up hope, I could tell." Of course, Pauline had gotten on with life. But she just had a way of glancing out the window that let you know the hope was still there. When she had the chance to take a cruise with a group of friends, she refused. She came up with a dozen excuses but everyone knew that deep down the real reason was that she didn't want to be gone in case Lindy came back. We may not live to see our Lord's return. But as we go through our routines in these days of Noah, we certainly want it to be true that as people look at the shape of our lives, they can say of also us, "Those Christians never give up hope. We can tell." Scott Hoezee, Comments and Observations

A Word from God

December 10, 2017 Isaiah 40:1-11 Second Sunday of Advent A Word from God Year B Children’sTime Preparation: Read (or re-read) all or part of Psalm 85 Lesson: Can anyone tell me what a “blessing” is? . . . A blessing is something good given to us, usually from God. What blessings do you have in your life? . . . parents, homes, church, food, shelter, friends, etc. In Psalms 85, we read about some other blessings. “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.” That sounds kind of silly, doesn’t it--righteousness and peace kiss each other”? This is the Psalmist’s way of saying that if we love God, our lives will turn out right and we can be calm trusting God. The night that Jesus was born, the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those God favors” (New Living Translation). They were telling us that God gives us peace if we love Him. How do you show your love to God? (obeying parents, reading the Bible, praying, being here in church this morning) Remember that God showed His love for us by giving us a blessing of peace. Dynamic Preaching, Children's Sermons, by King Duncan Isaiah 40:1-11Common English Bible (CEB) Comfort for God’s people 40 Comfort, comfort my people! says your God. 2 Speak compassionately to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her compulsory service has ended, that her penalty has been paid, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins! 3 A voice is crying out: “Clear the LORD’s way in the desert! Make a level highway in the wilderness for our God! 4 Every valley will be raised up, and every mountain and hill will be flattened. Uneven ground will become level, and rough terrain a valley plain. 5 The LORD’s glory will appear, and all humanity will see it together; the LORD’s mouth has commanded it.” 6 A voice was saying: “Call out!” And another[a] said, “What should I call out?” All flesh is grass; all its loyalty is like the flowers of the field. 7 The grass dries up and the flower withers when the LORD’s breath blows on it. Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass dries up; the flower withers, but our God’s word will exist forever. 9 Go up on a high mountain, messenger Zion! Raise your voice and shout, messenger Jerusalem! Raise it; don’t be afraid; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” 10 Here is the LORD God, coming with strength, with a triumphant arm, bringing his reward with him and his payment before him. 11 Like a shepherd, God will tend the flock; he will gather lambs in his arms and lift them onto his lap. He will gently guide the nursing ewes. Footnotes: a. Isaiah 40:6 MT; DSS (1QIsaa), LXX I Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible In the middle of my sermon prep, I looked on my blog to see what I written 4 different sermons on Isaiah 40. I have been a solo pastor preaching every Sunday, since 2007. And as I looked back, each time this verse came up, I have preached on it. Before that time I was an Associate, pastor, so I will have to look even further to see how many time I preached on it, those sermons are not online, so I didn’t have easy access to them. But obviously, this is a very important message to me. I think that it is a very important message for advent. Besides it being the words to a song in Handel’s Messiah – it is one of the most well known verses in the bible and one of the most well quoted of all verses in the world – Comfort Ye, Comfort Ye my people. This is the first chapter in what is known as Second Isaiah. Chapters 40-55. The entire book of Isaiah is 66 chapters. But those chapters cover a timespan of over 600 years of history. So experts tend to believe that Isaiah was written by as many as three different people who were addressing three different difficult times in the history of Israel. They are amazed, that even though there are three distinct styles of writing in the book, they all seem to have one complete message and theme, that is why it is just called Isaiah. The message of Isaiah is one of love and forgiveness in the midst of sin, and hope in the midst of a dark time. Things have been rough, but it will get better. God Godself will come has heard the cries of the people and will send help, and that help will come in the form of a shepherd King – strong enough to bring justice, yet kind enough to bring mercy to all of the world. This scripture is so rich in its message, I could spend forever telling you about it. But if you read our scripture for today – you will see that it have four distinct messages, with four distinct voices. Interestingly enough, the voice bible tells you who is speaking in each part of the bible. But in these verses it does not use names – each section starts out by saying a Voice cries out. The first voice is God speaking in a court scene in heaven telling the angels to send a message of comfort to hurting people. The second voice is that of an angel who responds and says to send a message to the people to prepare the way for God coming, the third voice is a prophet who reminds that people that God is faithful, and the last voice is another prophet encouraging the people of Jerusalem to not be afraid to spread the message of the coming of God to Earth. This is the prophecy that Mark is telling the world that has been fulfilled. The One that Isaiah speaks of has really come to earth. The One who is both gentle and kind, but strong and mighty. His comfort is like the little girl who came home from a neighbor’s house where her playmate had died. "Why did you go?" questioned her father. "To comfort her mother," replied the little girl. "What could you do to comfort her?" the father continued. His daughter answered, "I climbed into her lap and cried with her." Into the Bethlehem crib God climbs to cry with us, to live with us, to suffer with us, to laugh with us, to die with us. This is the comfort that says much, much more than simply, "I care about you." This is the comfort that moves into our life and takes over, overwhelming us with His love and mercy. Jesus is coming to the world – as a little baby to transform the world. And there is so much for us to do to get ready. We are in the midst of getting ready for Christmas. But Advent tells us that there is even more for us to get ready for. We have to get ready physically, but more importantly we have to get ready spiritually. We have all heard the familiar words of Isaiah 40 - make a level highway for God. Fill in the valleys, tear down the mountains and hills, make the crooked places straight and the rough places plain so that the Lord can get through. This would have rung a familiar cord with the original audience of second Isaiah. He was writing to the Isrealites who would have been taken to Babylon as prisoners, and who longed to go home to Isreael, but they knew there was nothing to go home to. They would have watched every year as the Gods of Babylon were paraded through the streets. This parade was just as popular as the Macy’s thanksgiving parade. Every year Marduk the God of Babylon was paraded through the streets. He would start in the countryside and them come down a special highway in the capital city. He was always first in the parade throughout the land, and them the Gods of those people who were conquered would follow behind. It was mandated that the roads that he traveled on had to be perfect in order for him to pass through. Roads had to be widened, paved, straightened in order for the God’s to come through. Every time I drive down 102 – I cant help but to think – this is so not the road that Isaiah was talking about. The road is not supposed to accommodate the river, the river is supposed to accommodate the road. A straight, wide smooth road. But I digress. I am sure that every year that the Isrealites stood on the side and watched this parade they felt left out. They would not dare make an image of God to parade down the streets. And yet what would it be like, if that parade was for our God and not theirs. And here, God says – prepare the roads because I am coming – not as stone, but as a living breathing person. God is coming to town! Advent is one big construction project for us. We have some mountains to tear down, mountains of hatred, and oppression and exclusion. We have some valleys to fill in – Valleys of poverty, and sickness to. We have some crooked people who need to be straightened out. And some rough situations that need to be smoothed out – there is a lot of work that needs to be done on this world, in this church, in our lives. One of the first lines of the prophecy says a voice is crying out – prepare a way for the Lord. One of the last lines in the prophecy is do not be afraid to speak. Whenever the divine comes in contact with the people – the first thing said is always do not be afraid. Whenever God speaks, God says – do not be afraid. Just do what I tell you – it will all be okay. God knows that life is hard, God knows that we are looking for answers, God knows that people are struggling. This is why God sent his son to us – to make things better. Like a shepherd God will tend his flock. He is coming with strength. Only God can overcome all circumstances to bring love to the world. What then will be the word that we speak at Advent? It will be a word of hope. Mother Teresa related an encounter she had with an old man in Calcutta: "Who is this Christ of Mother Teresa's?" "He's our Guru, old man, our Lord and our God." "What God is this?" "He's a God of love, old man. He loves all of us -- me and you too!" "How could he love me, Mem Sahib? He doesn't even know me." "Oh, yes, he does! Didn't he reach out across the city for you? Didn't he send his Sisters to the slums of Motijhil to bring you here? Doesn't he love you then, old man?" After a pause the old man said: "Could I love him, do you think?" This advent we have a lot of work to do, this is a huge construction project and we need all hands on deck in order to prepare the King’s highway – to get the message out – that the Lord is coming right here to bring comfort to the people. Let us pray…… Additional Sermon Illustrations….. "Of course you could -- it's easy to love him -- we'll love him together, old man, but sleep now. We'll talk again in the morning. Sleep now old man."2 s like a story that Philip Yancey tells about the composer Beethoven, a man not known for social grace. Because of his deafness, Beethoven found conversation difficult and humiliating. When he heard of the death of a friend's son, Beethoven hurried to the house, overcome with grief. He had no words of comfort to offer. But he saw a piano in the room. For the next half hour he played the piano, pouring out his emotions in the most eloquent way he could. When he finished playing, he left. The friend later remarked that no one else's visit had meant so much." (2) Let me ask you a question. Which means the most in our lives presents as in gifts or presence as in someone being there for us? When we are children, we think it is the gifts that make Christmas. As we become adults, we come to see that having someone there who loves us and whom we can love is far more important. God comes to us and comforts us. People without a country. Fathers and mothers trying to hold their frustrated families together by telling and re-telling the ancient stories of the good old days in far-off Jerusalem, now lying in ruins, the smoke of her ashes still twisting to the sky. People trying to eke out the best existence possible under the thumb of their Babylonian overlords. Those are the people to whom these glorious and triumphant words of Isaiah were first shouted. If you were ever a prisoner of war, or if you were ever someone waiting for a war to be over and a loved one to come home, or if you were in the front lines when the news came, "the war is over," then you can appreciate these words more than the rest of us. One day, a letter came to his desk addressed in shaky handwriting to God. He thought he should open it to see what it was about. He opened it and read these words: Dear God, I am a 93-year-old widow, living on a very small pension. Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had $100 in it, which was all the money I had until my next pension check. Next Sunday is Christmas, and I had invited two of my friends over for dinner. Without that money, I have nothing to buy food with. I have no family to turn to, and you are my only hope. Can you please help me? Sincerely, Edna The postal worker was touched. He showed the letter to his fellow workers. Each of them dug into their wallets and came up with a few dollars. By the time he made the rounds, he had collected $96, which he put into an envelope and sent to the woman. The rest of the day, all of the workers felt a warm glow for the kind thing they had done. Christmas came and went. A few days later another letter came from the old lady addressed to God. All of the workers gathered around while the letter was opened. It read: “Dear God, How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me? Because of your gift of love, I was able to fix a glorious dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day and I told my friends of your wonderful gift. By the way, there was $4 missing. I think it must have been those thieves at the Post Office. Sincerely, Edna.” (1) Well, the folks at the Post Office tried to help. Helping people is what life is all about, isn’t it? Which brings us to one of the most beautiful passages in the Scriptures. From Isaiah 40:1-11 we read these selected passages: Do you know who Rachel Naomi Remen is? She is Clinical Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. She is especially known for her work with cancer patients and is an outstanding writer. In her book, Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal, she tells about an event that changed her life forever. She writes that in the beginning of December the year she turned thirteen, her father declared bankruptcy. It was a devastating thing to happen to their family just before Christmas. The result was that the family that year made homemade Christmas presents for one another instead of exchanging store-bought gifts. Rachel knit a colorful muffler for her Dad, and, using copper wire, she made a bracelet for her Mom. In spite of their financial situation, Remen says, the morning of Christmas was as lively as it had always been--the presents, though they were homemade, where just as festive as ever. Young Rachel ran her eyes over the gifts, and noticed that among them lay a small velvet box. Rachel knew that such a box was not likely to contain something homemade. She looked at it with suspicion. While she looked and wondered what could be inside, she heard her father say to her, “Open it . . . it’s your Christmas present.” Rachel unwrapped the present and found in the small box a pair of twenty four karat gold earrings. To say she was surprised is an understatement. For some 2 minutes, she ran her eyes from her present to her dad. “Come on . . . put them on . . . they’re yours,” said her father. She ran straight into the bathroom, closed the door, and put them on her ears. Cautiously she looked into the mirror. Then something sad happened. All Rachel could see was how absurd those expensive earrings looked on her homely face. With tears rushing down her cheeks, she headed straight to where she had left her father. “How could you do this?” she shrieked at her father. “Why are you making fun of me? Take them back. They look stupid. I’m too ugly to wear them. How could you waste all this money?” She flung the earrings to the floor and burst into tears. All this while, her dad said nothing. Then he came to her, cuddled her in his arms and whispered, “I know they don’t look right now. I bought them because someday they will suit you perfectly.” Rachel Naomi Remen writes, “I am truly grateful to have survived my adolescence. At some of its lowest moments, I would get out the box and look at the earrings. My father had spent a hundred dollars he did not have because he believed in the person I was becoming. It was something to hold on to.” (4) Young Rachel was comforted by those new earrings because they symbolized her father’s love for her. And, of course, that is the meaning of Christmas. “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son . . .” And that is why we exchange gifts with one another. Christ came to us not because we deserve it, nor because he approves of everything we are or have done. He came because of his Father’s great love for us. Take a few moment this Christmas to listen again to the opening lines of Handel’s Messiah. Listen as the tenor sets the mood: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned.” Then continue to listen as he sings, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness; prepare ye the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Then listen as moves into a brief aria: “Ev’ry valley shall be exalted, and ev’ry mountain and hill made low; the crooked straight and the rough places plain.” Then you will hear the entire choir break into that glorious refrain: “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” What good news to all those who have ever needed to be forgiven. I believe, friends, it’s good news for you and me. Eleanor Roosevelt kept a crushing schedule of appointments with good organizations, human and civil rights organizations and all sorts of charities. You remember that she got a reputation in her latter years for being a "do-gooder". She spent all of her time giving support to organizations that she felt were doing good for human kind. Even when she was old and physically frail, she kept doing it. There is a story about her coming to a meeting that was on her schedule. She was worn out, completely exhausted. Her friend begged her to forego the engagement and go home for rest. But stubborn Eleanor would not respond. A man greeted her and opened the door of her car. She said to him, "You'll have to help me out. My head is heavy." She was so frail, and had been so busy, that her energy was gone and she was dizzy; she couldn't walk on her own. She got out and stood by him and said, "You'll have to steady me as I walk." He took her arms and they walked toward the crowd. As she approached the crowd, a little black girl with her arms filled with flowers came up to Mrs. Roosevelt. Mrs. Roosevelt took the flowers and said to her friend who had scolded her for over-work, "You see, I had to come, I was expected." If a human being like Eleanor Roosevelt is that faithful, how much more faithful is the Lord Jesus Christ. He will come, if you expect Him, and you will be aware of his coming if you prepare by being hopeful and joyful, and by living patiently. I remember some years ago taking one of my first walks in San Francisco with my then three-year-old twins. I looked at the map, and it didn't seem like such a big deal to go from one place to the other. After all, it looked flat on the map! But as my wife and I began the trek we quickly realized that this was going to be no easy stroll. Shouldering backpacks filled with three-year-old paraphernalia and dragging tired twins behind, we climbed high and hiked low. We were quickly exhausted. We stood on the corner, with children crying and the two of us questioning our sanity, wondering what we would do next when a taxicab pulled up right beside us. I leaned into the window as the driver stretched across the passenger seat. We met eye-to-eye, nose to nose. "Where are you going?" he said. We didn't have much money, and I stammered as much back to him. "I didn't ask you about money," he said. "You're my free fare of the day! Every day I give one free ride, and you folks look like you could use it." He couldn't have been more right. We climbed into the cab and the steep San Francisco hills melted away as we glided to our destination. "Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low ..." (Isaiah 40:4a). That day, those words somehow began to mean a little more. I learned that the steep hills we must climb and the low places we have to navigate can be made easier with the help of human hands. I don't know about you, but I would like to know exactly what's expected here. What does it mean to "prepare the way of the Lord?" All this talk about straight highways, lowered mountains, and raised up valleys. It's like we're supposed to be some major construction company for God. It may work for some, but my own self-image doesn't involve bulldozers and highway crews. I'm more the "let's sit down and talk over a cup of coffee" kind of guy.

The Power is in the Water

Harriette Cross Englewood United Methodist Church Rust Memorial United Methodist Church December 16, 2012 Isaiah 12:2-6 Luke 3:7-18 Third Sunday of Advent There is Power in the Water Year C The history of John the Baptist I spent my vacation watching James Bond movies. I was never much into the movies until this year. One of the things that I learned, was that James Bond was not much of a Christian. And up until this new movie, there was not much of a chance that he would be. I actually hesitated to continue my series, because in many ways, that lifestyle contributes to the sickness of our society, and its numbness to violence. James bond likes to drink, and gamble. And there is really a lot of violence in the movies. James bond is the alter ego of the author – Iam Fleming, who was very intentionally not a Christian. But his lifestyle may change in the coming years, because they have run out of Ian fleming stories, and now have to write the stories from scratch. But one of the reasons that I continued to watch the movies, was because of the symbolism of who James Bond is. And there is a lot of very subtle symbols in the movie. But the one I was most interested in, was James bond’s relationship with the water. And in every james Bond movie, there is always a lot of water. But it is as if he gets energy and strength whenever he falls into the water. In his last movie, he is shot on a moving train, he falls into the river, and the river bed literally pulls him in and he come out well again. Whenever he had a fight, you know he has the upper hand in the water. In one movie his girlfriend drowns underwater, but he is underwater just as long as she is – but is okay. And in another movie he is buried at sea, a submarine takes him in and unwraps his body – and he is fully dressed in uniform and starts commanding the ship. There is something about the water that gives him super powers. Hmmm. What was even more fascinating to me was that I was able to find research on other symbols in the movies, but no one had anything to say about the water – when you can tell that there is a very intentionally relationship there. So the best I can tell, there must be power in the water. James Bond represents the strength and power of the british nation, and the best explanation that we can come up with is the Britain claims it empire, by its ability to sail the seas to far away places. In order to do that – they had to in some way conquer the water. They believe that in order to conquer the waves, their Navy had to have a special relationship with the sea. So James bond has that same relationship. I still say, that the power is not in James Bond – but the power to heal, to cleanse, to make whole is in the water. Ultimately, there is power in the one who made the water and who does have control of the water. Take a look at the power of water in Genesis If you look back at the creation story in the book of genesis – it says in the beginning, god created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Water was present before creation. As you continue to read the story, all of creation comes out of the water. God creates order, out of the chaos of water. Water is an important part of God’s creation, and of who we are as children of God. John the Baptist and water Perhaps that is what led John the Baptist in his ministry to lead people back to the banks of the water. When you life has become chaotic and sinful, perhaps what there is to do, is to go back into the water- and repent- turn back to God, to who god created you to be. Diamonds in the water A jeweler gives, as one of the surest tests for diamonds, the water test. He says: “An imitation diamond is never so brilliant as a genuine stone. If your eye is not experienced enough to detect the difference, a simple test is to place the stone under water. The imitation diamond is practically extinguished, while a genuine diamond sparkles even under water, and is distinctly visible. If a genuine stone be placed beside an imitation one under water, the contrast will be apparent to the least experienced eye.” There is power in the water, for you and for me too. When we get to the baptism that Jesus offers – we will see that there is even more power in the water. The water has to power not to drown you, but to save you. But today, John makes it clear that the time is not here for that yet. We are preparing for the day and waiting for the messiah to come. But in order to stand before God, we have to pass through the waters of repentance. The brood of vipers And even John was surprised at the response that he got. Normal people in his life, people who disrespected him, who ignored him, who knowingly did what was wrong. There were many people who wanted to turn their lives around. Who wanted to live a life in relationship with God. You brood of snakes, how can you have to nerve to be saved. Many of them asked what must they do to be saved – and the answer was simple – do what is right. Scripture says don’t take more that what you deserve, leave some for others, don’t make a profit off of others, and don’t threaten others, be satisfied with what you have. James Eckard makes an ethical decisions In the 70’s the Eckard drugstores were the biggest chain in the country. Eckard was not a Christian, but he had a Christian friend. He had no intention of living a Christian life, until one day he listened to his friend. He came to understand what God expected of him – he came to learn truly what was ethical behavior. And he realized that his drugstores were buying into the glamorous lifestyle of do what you want. People could come into the store and at the front counter buy penthouse and play boy magazines. He sold so many magazines that he was making 3 million dollars a year. But after he has stood by the waters and been cleanses by god - he decided that it was not right to sell the magazines. I love god enough to give up three million dollars. But it didn’t stop there – he called all of the other drugstores and convinced them to stop selling the magazines also. You cant go to the drugstore chains to buy inappropriate magazines anymore. That was the power of one man’s repentance. Through his repentance, doing what was right before god was more important than making money. In this advent season, John reminds us that the first step to preparing our hearts for salvation, is to stand on the waters of repentence, and to see our glory shining as God intended. In order for us to get to the joy of the season. We have to stand before God and take an honest toll of ourselves. Our sins, our vulnerabilities, our weaknesses. And turn them truly over to God. When we subject ourselves to god’s judgment, we also have to subject ourselves to God’s mercy. God’s strength to give us a better life. A heart changed by God is a heart that brings forth fruit. How does god need to change your heart- sometimes we don’t realize until we see our selves in the reflection of the waters of repentance. What does it mean to live in a way that is truly pleasing to God? You have to pass through repentance to get to salvation William Willimon, Chaplain at IDuke University, says that John the Baptist reminds us of boundaries we must respect and gates we must pass through. At Duke, Willimon reminds the students, "If you are going to graduate, you must first get past the English Department. If you are going to practice law, you must pass the bar. If you want to get to medical school you must survive Organic Chemistry." Likewise, "If you want to get to the joy of Bethlehem in the presence of Jesus, you must get past John the Baptist in the desert." The word from John is "repent," which means "about-face" or turning 180 degrees. Joy in the presence of God In this third week of advent, that is our focus on joy. Joy is not the absence of trouble, it is the presence of God in our lives. And more importantly the presence of god in our actions. And the realization that even for the most seasoned Christian, that there is a difference in what we do , when with god, then without God. We must never forget that we were made in the image of God, and not in the image of humans. Who we are should reflect God. Joy is what we are chosen for to serve god, and joy is what we have to give to others. The joy of being a child of god. Regal water In the chemistry class we learned how acids act on different substances. In the course of our experiment the professor gave us a bit of gold and told us to dissolve it. We left it all night in the strongest acid we had, and tried combinations of acids, then finally told him we thought gold could not be dissolved. He smiled. “I knew you could not dissolve gold,” he said, “none of the acids you have there will attack it; but try this,” and he handed us a bottle labeled “Nitromuriatic Acid (Aqua Regia).” We poured some of its contents into the tube that held the piece of gold; and the gold that had resisted so easily all the other acids quickly disappeared in the “royal water.” The gold at last had found its master. The next day in the classroom the professor asked, “Do you know why it is called Royal Water?” “Yes,” we replied, “it is because it is the master of gold, which can resist almost anything else that can be poured on it.” Then he said, “Boys, it will not hurt the lesson today if I take time to tell you that there is one other substance that is just as impervious as gold; it cannot be touched or changed, though a hundred attempts are made upon it. That substance is the sinful heart. Trial and affliction, riches and honor, imprisonment and punishment will not soften or master it. Education and culture will not dissolve and purify it. There is but one element that has power over it—the blood of Christ the Saviour, the aqua regia of the soul.” There is power in the water. There is power in the baptism water of jesus. There is power in what Jesus has in store for us. during this advent season, we must remember john’s words – I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come and baptize you with the holy spirit. Repentence, a honest look at who you are, and a honest look at who you can do, and a willingness to see yourself as god sees you. A life in relationship with god will change you, and change the world. But it starts with repentance. With a new actor, and a new writer, and a new era I have faith that one day, James Bond will turn his life around and give his life to Christ Maybe there will be change in our world But here is a practical application. John the Baptist was concerned about the politicians, the supervisors, those in charge. He wanted them to make good decisions and to hold god accountable in our decisions. May our politicians will make decisions about guns that will prevent all of these shootings. But in the midst of tradgey, Mister rogers said that his mother always said look for the helpers, those who know that change come first with them. Change in the world comes with you and your repentence. Be one of those helpers….but I have even more faith in you. Time to Act Once the eminent philosopher John Dewey found his son in the bathroom. The floor was flooded and he was mopping furiously trying to contain the water in that room, keeping the damage to a minimum. The professor began thinking, trying to understand the deeper ramifications of the situation. After a few moments, the son said, "Dad, this is not the time to philosophize. It is time to mop!" Baptism is our statement that we are ready to stop philosophizing and ready to start mopping. Zig Ziglar reminds us that the largest locomotive in the world can be held in its tracks while standing still simply by placing a single one-inch block of wood in front of each of the eight drive wheels. The same locomotive moving at 100 miles per hour can crash through a wall of steel reinforced concrete five feet thick, but it must be moving first. King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.sermons.com Blessed Are They Who Find Christmas… Blessed are they who find Christmas in the age-old story of a babe born in Bethlehem. To them a little child will always mean hope and promise to a troubled world. Blessed are they who find Christmas in the Christmas star. Their lives may ever reflect its beauty and light. Blessed are they who find Christmas in the joy of giving lovingly to others. They shall share the gladness and joy of the shepherds and wise men of old. Blessed are they who find Christmas in the fragrant greens, the cheerful holly and soft flicker of candles. To them shall come bright memories of love and happiness… The rest of this illustration, as well as many additional illustrations and sermons for this week, Advent and Christmas can be accessed at www.Sermons.com. —King’s Business I was once invited to a luncheon where thirty or forty Christians—ministers and laymen—were gathered together for discussion of a certain problem of Christian work. A well-known layman was asked to return thanks before the meal. I have heard the blessing asked hundreds of times, but suddenly my attention was aroused. The man who was praying said, “We thank Thee for all these gifts, for our food, for our water … ” I do not know what else was said in the prayer, but that thought gripped me. Thank God for the water … I have asked the blessing before thousands of meals, but that day for the first time, I thanked the Lord in spirit and in truth for common ordinary water, and for the Living Water. I then began to think of other common things for which we never thank God, and began thanking Him. —Donald Grey Barnhouse —Reformatory Record A customer talked overtime on a long-distance call from a pay telephone booth. Even with my friendly reminders, he refused to deposit his overtime coins. Instead he slammed down the phone, irate and verbally abusive. A few seconds later, he was back on my line--somewhat calmer. "Operator, please let me out of the phone booth--I’ll pay, I’ll pay, just let me out!" The customer mistakenly thought I had control of the phone booth’s doors and had locked him in! He gladly paid the overtime charge and with my advice gave the booth door a hefty kick to free himself. -- Lillian Pearsall, Moravia, N.Y. "Lite Fare," Christian Reader. (Copied from Bible Illustrator) Story of Eckard