Sermons From My Heart

Have you ever heard of the old saying, “Good things come to those who wait”? If so, the story of Simeon, Anna and the baby Jesus in the temple in Luke 2:22-40 is a good example. The coming of Christ involved all manner of waiting on God. A young maiden, a dying man and an old widow all model hearts yielded to God.

The tale of Simeon and Anna is a tale of grace. Anna’s name means “grace”, an early reminder by Luke that his gospel is a story of God’s free gift of self to us through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Simeon and Anna are recognized and graced by God. That is why the aged Simeon, over a long period of waiting and from the numerous children brought to the temple recognized God’s salvation in Christ.

Simeon and Anna waited for years for the coming of the Messiah. In Simeon’s case, the centre of his joy was the privilege of being God’s servant, and in return, God let him see the salvation of the world as it dawned. Simeon saw the baby Jesus as the fulfillment of all the hopes and dreams of the Jewish people throughout the years. In the Old Testament, God promised Moses that a prophet would come who would be unlike any other prophet. God promised David a son who would reign forever. God told Isaiah that a son would be born of a virgin and he would be called Emmanuel-God with us. The prophet Micah predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

Anna was an eighty-year-old widow who stayed close to the temple and served God through fasting and praying. In return, God blessed her by allowing her to see the Saviour of the world as a tiny, newborn baby. God fulfilled the promise he made to Simeon that he would not die before he saw the Messiah. When God fulfilled that promise, Simeon uttered the words that are part of the funeral liturgy in the Anglican Church-the Song of Simeon, also known as the Nunc Dimittis- “O Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which hath been since the world began”.

Simeon and Anna are symbolic and representative figures. The world has never been without people like them, people with a forward look in whom there burned a great hope, people on tiptoe, the flame of freedom in their souls, the light of knowledge in their eyes, living in hope and expectation that a great day was coming when wrong would be righted, when justice would be done, when God would reveal his arm and bring salvation to mankind. One night over two thousand years ago, the Word became flesh in a baby born in Bethlehem. One day, it will become flesh again when Christ returns to set up his kingdom here on earth.

Simeon also told Mary of the suffering and death Jesus would have to endure for all of his people. Most people thought of the redemption of Jerusalem and God’s people in terms of freedom from Roman rule, but some had a vision of an even greater redemption-a vision of spiritual renewal. God’s salvation is for all of us, but not all of us will accept it, just like some people did not accept Christ and his teachings and salvation. Those who reject Christ are already condemned.

God’s salvation doesn’t mean that we will never suffer troubles, illness, rejection or death. It happened to Jesus. It happened to Mary. It will happen to us, but if we endure hardships with faith, we will have a great future. It takes faith to know a blessing from God. It is the joy of celebrating God’s goodness in the midst of our chaotic, suffering world.

As life passes us by, how do we grow old in such a way to end well and finish awaiting Christ’s message, “Well done, good and faithful servant”? Since many of us will end our earthly pilgrimage alone with our spouse preceding us, how will we finish when we will be alone and old for some of those years? We are never too old, weak or sick to make a difference. Our attitude and behaviour will make a difference. Like Anna, God will guide us to share the story of Jesus with everyone we meet.

We have also been told of the coming Christ. Like Simeon and Anna, we are heirs of a promise. We are prompted by the same Spirit. We long to see the same face. To do so successfully, we must wait forwardly, patiently and vigilantly. When we look at Jesus’ face, we will know that it is time for us to repent and come home to our heavenly Father, just like Simeon knew it was time for him to go to his heavenly home when he saw the face of the baby Jesus.

We have just come through the season of Advent and Christmas, and during those seasons we, like Simeon and Anna, had to wait and prepare for the coming of the Messiah. God works in a time zone where a day is as a thousand years. For those who have walked the long road of faith, who have held the long cord of life in their hands and felt all of its frays and burrs, but also found it very sturdy, for those who have waited on the Lord while holding on for their lives, they have received the reward of joy

When our dreams don’t come true in a day, we, like Simeon and Anna, need to keep in mind that God is still at work. He is still wrapping the package. He is still preparing the gift to fit our needs. We need to pray, not just for the gift, but also for patience to wait for God’s unveiling. As we practice faith, hope, attentiveness, submission and patience, we see the Christ child.

Like Simeon, our eyes have seen God’s salvation. When we receive the bread and wine during Holy Communion, we are holding Christ’s very body and blood, which was nailed to the cross and poured out for our forgiveness. We have seen it with our own eyes and felt it with our own hands and on our tongues. Having been saved, we glorify God and depart in peace to share Christ’s salvation throughout the world.

 Bibliography

1. Stanley, Charles F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers: 2009)
2. “Jesus: The Consolation of Israel”. Retrieved from crosswalkmail.com
3. Pastor Bob Coy, “Anna”. Retrieved from crosswalkmail.com
4. Exegesis for Luke 2:22-40. Retrieved from sermonwriter.com
5. Pastor John Barnett, “Simeon and Anna: Single-Hearted Devotion”. Retrieved from dtbm.org
6. Phil Ware, “Heartlight Daily Verse”. Retrieved from crosswalkmail.com
7. Max Lucado, “Waiting Forwardly”. Retrieved from crosswalkmail.com
8. Jill Carattini, “Remember Me”. Retrieved from rzim.org/Slice
9. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions: Feast of the Holy Family”. Retrieved from preacherexchange.org.
10. David Timms, “Sacred Waiting”. Retrieved from ChristianityToday.com/global/printer.html?/moi/2011/006.december/22.22.html
11. Jamieson-Fawcett-Brown Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package.
12. Matthew Henry Concise Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package.
13. Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package.
14. ESV Study Bible. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package.
15. MacArthur, John: MacArthur Study Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006;2008)
16. Larson, Bruce; Ogilvie, Lloyd J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 26: Luke(Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc., 1983)
17. The Rev. Dr. Ozzie E. Smith. Jr. “A Sight for Certain Eyes”. Retrieved from day1.org/1125-sight_for_certain_eyes.print
18. The Rev. Beth Quick, Sermon 12-29-02. Retrieved from bethquick.com/sermon12-29-02.htm
19. The Rev. Dr. William K. Quick, “Seeing and Believing”. Retrieved from day1.org/702-seeing_and_believing.print.

 

Have you ever stumbled around in the dark-either at night or during a power outage? It’s not a very pleasant experience, is it?

Darkness is associated with a number of unpleasant things. When we are in the dark, we tend to move slowly or wander aimlessly. We tend to be scared in the dark, mainly because we can’t see the dangers that would be apparent if it were light. There is something about darkness that makes us scared.

We can also wander around in spiritual darkness. That darkness is caused by our lack of knowledge in or faith in Jesus. When we receive the Light of Christ, we don’t have to be afraid of darkness or evil. Christ will be with us. When we are faithful, we will be rewarded.

The prophet Isaiah wrote this passage during a time of spiritual darkness. Israel was at war with Assyria and was on the verge of being conquered because of their disobedience to God. Throw in a crop failure, no welfare system, an economy that relied solely on agriculture, no technology to preserve food and no system to distribute the food and the result is a very bleak situation.

For Isaiah, the answer to this crisis was God’s ability to intervene at a moment in history and accomplish his purpose for his people. Isaiah emphasized peace and the end of war-a plan that was appealing to a nation that had been eroded by warfare and strife. Isaiah’s vision for the people was to live in a world where God’s light would penetrate the darkness of sin.

Isaiah’s vision happened because of his faithfulness. God showed him the revelation of the future and the Messiah who was to be born. The Messiah would conquer death and would be the great light of hope that would shine on all of humanity. He will make His people more abundant, increase their joy and break the rods of their oppressors.

In the Bible, darkness points to both known ignorance and willful blindness. People are either lacking knowledge about God or they reject him or both. The seasons of Christmas and Epiphany point to the glory of God as revealed in Jesus’ birth in that humble Bethlehem manger. His birth was the dividing line between the age of darkness and the age of light.

Our world is full of darkness and sin. Our leaders sometimes make decisions that don’t make sense to us as Christians. They don’t trust God. We must not allow despair to overwhelm us. We are to live in the light of God’s presence. He is the deliverer, the ultimate agent at work in the world.

Isaiah speaks of the area of Galilee in the northern kingdom of Israel experiencing humiliation at the hands of the Assyrians. However, a time would come when a great light of salvation through the messianic King would dispel the dark gloom of judgment. When Jesus began his ministry in Galilee, the fulfillment of this prophecy was set in motion. Isaiah compares this King’s victory over Israel’s enemies to the day of Midian, when Gideon and his outnumbered Israelite army defeated the Midianites through God’s powerful intervention.

God’s light brings life, clarity and safety. It drives away gloom and brings hope. The deeper the darkness, the brighter the light. If you light a match in a deep cave, it is a torch. Those who live in darkness receive the shining light of Christ. When sin closes in on us, God sends His light into the world. Those who prefer flickers to flame won’t see the light. People who live in the dark yearn for bright light, and God will give it to them.

There will be no gloom or sorrow for those who are suffering or in bondage to sin. Those who suffer will be saved from the yoke of their oppression. Not even the darkest gloom of sin and despair can keep the light of God’s presence from shining, even on those who live in the darkness known as the shadow of death. That’s why we have “deathbed conversions.” That’s why the thief who hung on the cross beside Jesus repented. The light of God’s presence spreads to every corner of the earth. That light conquers death and sin. It provides comfort for those who suffer for their faith at the hands of those who prefer to live in the darkness of sin and evil.

Bibliography

 

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 890-891)
2. McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 17: Isaiah 1-39 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1993; pp. 135-138)
3. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
4. Calvin Aardsma, “Light in Our Darkness.” Retrieved from thisistoday.net
5. Exegesis for Isaiah 9:1-4. Retrieved from lectionary.org
6. Amy Oder, “Commentary on Isaiah 9:1-4.” Retrieved from workingpreacher.org

 

 

 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God”. This is John’s version of the nativity story. It doesn’t begin with shepherds and angels and a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. John’s nativity story takes us back to the beginning of creation and time, and it echoes the creation story in Genesis. In John’s Gospel, the very God who created the heavens and the earth and who breathed life into Adam was the same God who became flesh and lived among us. Jesus is the exact representation of God’s nature because he is God himself. This fulfills the purpose of John’s Gospel; namely, to prove that Jesus and God are one and the same.

Prior to Christ’s birth, there had been 400 years of silence since God spoke through the prophet Malachi. During this period of silence, the people were straining to hear a word from God, so God sent the Word. But first, he readied the world for the gospel. Because of the influence of Alexander the Great, the spreading of the Greek language made communication much easier. Also, because of the roads and general peace of the Roman Empire, missionaries could travel everywhere with less difficulty. Finally, with all of the Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire, evangelists had many synagogues from which to preach the Good News throughout the known world.

The first Christians were Jewish, but the Gospel spread quickly to the Greeks, who knew nothing of the messiah or the fulfillment of prophecy. John had to translate these concepts into language that the Greeks could understand and appreciate. The Greek idea of “word” was “the mind of God”, or reasoning. In their minds, everything that exists was made by God. John is saying to the Greek world, “Jesus is the mind of God in human form”.

It is a concept that is so big our finite minds have difficulty understanding it. Jesus was in heaven with the Father and the Holy Spirit, but he came down to earth in the form of a human being. He walked among us and subjected himself to our human weaknesses even though he was God in human form. He walked on the earth for 33 years, but most people never even recognized him. They thought of him as being the carpenter’s son.

Whatever Jesus does, he does with grace. Whatever Jesus says, he says in truth. If we want to understand what God is like, all we have to do is look to Jesus. God came to us in Christ. When hostility and enmity exist, we can break the silence because of Christ and offer what God has offered us-a word of Grace. The true light came on the first Christmas-the light that shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it. This does not mean that darkness won’t attempt to overcome the light; however, its efforts will be unsuccessful because the light of God always prevails, even in the darkest hours of history.

Light equals life. The Light of Christ has come into our lives. Do we see it as a disturbance, or do we see it as the Light of life, like the shepherds did? This light brings peace, comfort, reconciliation and joy into our lives. The light came into the world where he could be seen and enlighten human understanding, but in spite of all that, the world failed to recognize him-did not understand him-rejected him-crucified him.

There is a story about two brothers, named Tom and John, whose father had died. He had willed the farm to the two of them to keep his sons together. It had not worked that way. John had married and lived in a small town with his family. Tom, who remained single, lived alone in the old farmhouse. “John is always preoccupied with his family,” Tom thought. “I do more than my share of the work.” He began to resent his brother. “Tom is always so grouchy,” thought John. “He is jealous of my wife and children.”

A wall of resentment built up between them. They would hardly speak to each other. They attended the same little church in town and sat on opposite sides of the nave during the Christmas Eve service. John was troubled because they had hardly acknowledged each other’s presence as they sat in church. On the way home John said to his wife, “Tom is alone and has no one to share Christmas. I know he won’t come here. Maybe we can take a warm dinner to him.” His wife prepared a delicious meal and John put it into a sleigh and started from the small town to the farmhouse in the country. Meanwhile, Tom, sitting alone, said to himself: “Life is too short for this. John is my only brother and he has it hard with his wife and family. I will load my wagon with wood for the fire and gifts for the children.” So he loaded his wagon and drove toward town.

Down in the valley between the farm and the town they met. They were silent for a moment and then they embraced with shouts of “Merry Christmas!!!!” Reconciliation took place at that moment, and the true light of Christmas was bright with a glow that could be seen for miles around.

In the Anglican Church, we do not have altar calls, spelled “A-L-T-A-R”, but Jesus always issues an altar call, spelled “A-L-T-E-R”. He calls on us to change our lives for a better fit. He calls on us to change habits that drag us down. He calls on us to read our Bibles and pray daily. He calls on us to help the less fortunate. By doing these things, we will shine the light of Christ and the light of this Christmas season on all of humanity throughout the year and draw others to him.

Bibliography

 

1. The Rev. Wm. McCord Thigpen, “Christmastide: A Reminder Where Our Hearts Belong”. Retrieved from day1.org
2. John Munro, “The Mystery and Mission of Christians”, Decision Magazine, Dec. 2010, pp. 30-33.
3. Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASV
4. Exegesis for John 1:1-18. Retrieved from sermonwriter.org.
5. Pastor Steve Molin, “Do You Like Beginnings?” Retrieved from sermonwriter.org
6. Pastor Steve Molin, “Alter Call” Retrieved from sermonwriter.org
7. Pastor Vince Gerhardy, “God Has a Word for You”. Retrieved from sermonwriter.org
8. Harold Sala, “The Incarnation”. Retrieved from www.guidelines.org
9. Jill Carattini, “To the World as We Know It”. Retrieved from rzim.org/Slice
10. Arthur J. Schoonveld, “Christmas Response”. Retrieved from thisistoday.net
11. Notes from Peter Anthony’s Bible Study on the Book of John, 2010-2011
12. Pastor Jim Collins, “Success Scripture of the Week: Dec. 20, 2009”. Retrieved from beyondpositivethinking.org
13. Anne Graham Lotz, “The Revelation of God”. Retrieved from angelministries.org
14. Matthew Henry Concise Commentary. Part of Wordsearch Bible software package
15. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch Bible software package

 

Do you know that God speaks to his people?

It’s true. He speaks to us today just like he spoke to his people in the past. God spoke at various times and in various ways. He spoke to people such as Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses. He spoke through thunder; the sound of a trumpet; in a still, small voice or in visions and dreams; in human form and angelic visitations; through foreshadowing and parable and more.

When God spoke to the people in Old Testament times, he pointed his final revelation in Jesus. Through Jesus, God provided the perfect vehicle of expression. He translated deity into humanity, and this revelation was absolute, infallible and authoritative. The world in its entirety was given to Christ as the heir of all things. As executor of the divine will, he will return one day to enforce all of its clauses.

In Christ we have God’s final message. He is the fullness of the Godhead. He is the Lord of everything. He is the eternal word of God. He came to earth to take away our sins. Before Jesus came to earth, the Jews had to have their sins taken away.

Jesus is better than everything and anything because of his relationship with God. He is also better because he is royalty. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is also better because of his reputation. His domain is never-ending. His delight is unequalled. He never changes. His reign is unchallenged. In fact, the only angel who has ever challenged his authority was Satan-and Satan was kicked out of heaven.

God’s very nature-his glory and the express image-is revealed perfectly in Jesus, because Jesus is God. The Son-who existed before time, was at the beginning of time, and will be at the end of time-is the One who upholds all things by the word of His power and thereby controls history. Jesus is God’s final, divine revelation of himself. Jesus is the Son of God, the agent of creation, the very glory of God and the one who saves us from our sins. He inherits all of creation from God. He is the imprint of God. Jesus is the mind of God in human form as illustrated by the Gospel of John. Because Jesus came to earth, God knows us and love us. He loves us just as much as Jesus does.

In Bible times, a person’s name was the outward expression of who they were, encompassing not only a person’s proper name but his or her identity-including rank, authority, fame and character. The more excellent name Jesus inherits is “Son”. He is the eternal Son of God. While Scriptures sometimes refer to angels as “the sons of God,” nowhere does God say of angels, “You are My Son, today I have begotten you.” Only to Jesus does the Father speak in such personal, familial terms.

The title “firstborn” does not mean that Jesus was created but refers to His exalted status and authority as Ruler of all creation. His superiority to angels is also proven by the fact that all the angels of God worshipped Him at His birth and worship Him now at the throne of God. The angels are Christ’s ministers. Although angels are not superior to or equal to Jesus, they occupy an important role in the lives of believers today as “ministering spirits.”

The Jews believed angels were the highest beings next to God. To prove that Jesus is much better than the angels, the writer of Hebrews quotes several of Israel’s own Scriptures. The word “better” occurs 12 times in this book, indicating Jesus’ superiority to all of creation and to the Old Covenant. The job of angels is to worship God, and hence to worship Jesus by doing His will. Since only God is worthy of worship, this is evidence of Jesus’ full deity.

Angels work in hidden ways to carry out God’s will and protect God’s people. They are part of our lives even if we aren’t aware of them. They are part of an unseen army that is fighting Satan and his followers.

Jesus is supreme above any angels because:

1. God speaks to us through His Son.
2. Jesus is the heir of all things.
3. God made all things through Jesus.
4. Jesus is the express image of God the Father.
5. He upholds all things with the word of His power.
6. He purged our sins.
7. Jesus is the Son of God, not a servant as are the angels.
8. He is worthy of our worship.
9. Jesus is God Himself.

When God the Father refers to Jesus as the eternal God, it is one of the Bible’s most irrefutable proofs of the deity of Christ.

One day the worlds God created will be folded up like a linen garment, but Christ will remain. He will be the same as He always has been, and His existence will never end.

Bibliography

 

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1744-1746)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
4. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
5. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 1689-1690)
6. Joni Eareckson Tada, “Like Father, Like Son.” Retrieved from communications@joniandfriends.org
7. Billy Graham, “What Do Angels Look Like?” retrieved from arcamax.com
8. Berni Dymet, “A Picture of God.” Retrieved from com@crosswalkmail.com
9. Bayless Conley, “The Supremacy of Jesus.” Retrieved from com@crosswalkmail.com
10. Jeremiah, David: Hebrews: The Supremacy & The Sufficiency of Christ, Volume One (San Diego, CA: Turning Point for God, 2012, pp. 9-30)

 

 

 

December can be a hectic month. Calendars fill up with end-of-year activities, social obligations, holiday preparations and celebrations. The stress of the season begins to take its toll. Temptations to overdo and overspend begin to mount. All of these things can edge God out of the celebration of Jesus’ birth. How can we keep from losing focus during this busy season? What can we do to keep Jesus front and centre in our lives? Well, for starters we can let Mary’s perspective encourage us to keep our eyes on God.

Advent is God’s promise of mercy. Can we remember what it feels like to know mercy? To feel mercy toward others? To extend mercy? Even if we can’t, God does. Those we would assume are against God are actually remarkable witnesses for God.

Mary didn’t need a pulpit to preach a message of hope for the future, of justice ringing out across the land, and of the day when Jesus will return to shouts of welcome. Mary’s song of God, also known as The Magnificat, rang out then, and it still rings out today. Her song of joy about the coming birth of her son tells us what God has already done. He has humbled the proud pulled the powerful down from their thrones, sent the stuffed away empty-handed, lifted up the disempowered and filled the hungry with good things.

Mary’s song expresses great confidence in what God is about to do. God is a God who has acted in history and is present today. Because of her willingness to submit to God’s plan for her life, “all generations will call her blessed.”

Mary’s song mentions three attributes of God:

1. He is all mighty and knows everything that goes on in our lives.
2. God is holy. Can you imagine what people in her village were saying? “Did you hear that Mary is pregnant? She said that the Holy Spirit conceived the child in her! We don’t believe that. She must be put to death by stoning?” Her reputation and Joseph’s honour were at stake, but Mary could say in her innocence, “Holy is His Name.”
3. God is merciful. She sang of personal mercies and gave humble, sacred thanks. She knew she was sinner and deserved to be punished for her sins, but she also knew that her son would die to pay for her sins and for the sins of the whole world.

Verses 52 and 53 speak of God turning things upside-down. In many parts of the world, Christians read these verses as a promise of revolution, which is quite unlike the way we deal with the Magnificat. Jesus said that he came not to bring peace but a sword. His birth changed everything. He brought down the mighty and raised up the lowly.

The words of the Magnificat are the most revolutionary words even spoken. The Messiah would bring the mighty low and raise the humble and lowly. Jesus reverses all human values, and this scares the members of the establishment. This is the type of revolution that we need today, and it will be caused by Christ’s love for us and our love for our Christian brothers and sisters.

God isn’t influenced by wealth, honour or office when He confers favours on His people. He looks for the humble and contrite. He will give His rich blessings to those who feel they need them and who will bless Him for them. Even Mary recognized herself as a lowly human in need of a Saviour; she was not divine, nor did she believe herself to be. She was simply divinely blessed.

Mary isn’t the only humble person who has been used by God. People are often raised by hard work, talent and God’s favour from humble places such as a farm or a mechanic’s shop to places of great trust in the church or government. If these people have the right feelings, they won’t hate their former jobs or their former co-workers. They won’t think less of their parents or friends. God in His mercy lifts up the humble out of sheer grace.

Mary, in her natural humility, was now able to sing about how proud she was that God had chosen her to bear His Son. In true humility, she praised God that she was especially blessed. She went on to say that her spirit rejoiced in God her Saviour. In order for a person to have a Saviour, they must be a sinner. Mary was a sinner just like all of us. The child she carried in her womb was God in human flesh. He was born so that He could die on the cross in order to pay for all the sins of humanity. In doing this, He became the Saviour of the world.

The phrase, “that fear Him,” doesn’t mean that we are to be scared of God. It is the fear that a child has of a kind father-a fear of hurting his feelings, dishonouring him by our life, or by doing anything which he would disapprove of. Those who fear God will receive His mercy and wisdom, and so will his or her descendants. Truly pious people will also praise God so that others are made partakers of His mercy and goodness.

The theme of mercy plays a significant role in the events leading up to Jesus’ birth. Pure love and compassion prompted God to go to such great lengths to respond to the miserable plight of His people, sending His own Son to save them.

Apparently Mary knew Scripture and understood that her Son was the fulfillment of the divine promises made to Israel down through the centuries, beginning with God’s covenant with Abraham. The words of the Magnificat reveal that Mary’s heart and mind were saturated with the Word of God. She knew that she needed the true God as her Saviour.

We know how unlikely and impossible we are as choices for doing God’s work in the world, or to be God’s messengers. This is how God works. He chooses people to do His work in the world not because they deserve it or look the part, but because God likes to surprise us. He looks for hearts that revel in God’s greatness, hearts that know that all we can depend on is God’s divine mercy.

The Magnificat is a roadmap for anyone who is facing the storms of life. Mary started by admitting her own need for a Saviour, and that is a good starting point for us as well. Mary trusted that God keeps His promises from generation to generation, and we can trust God as well. We can choose to embrace the joy of God’s plans for us no matter how hard or sorrowful they are. We can trust that God will make a path for us, and that He will sustain us, carry us and rescue us.

Bibliography

 

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p.1384)
2. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 12 Bible software package.
3. Larsen, B. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 26: Luke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983; pp. 37-41)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. John Van Schepen, “Mary’s Song.” Retrieved from today@thisistoday.net
6. Tony Robinson, “Lowly.” Retrieved from dailydevotional@ucc.org
7. Dave Wyrtzen, “Blessed Through the Ages.” Retrieved from truthenote@gmail.com
8. Sharon Betters, “Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat.” Retrieved from dailytreasure@markinc.org
9. Shelley Cunningham, “Luke 1:46-55.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu
10. Jill Carattini, “Theology as Doxology.” Retrieved from sliceW@sliceofinfinity.org.
11. Kathy Sweeney, “Are You Prepared to Answer God’s Call?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
12. Karoline Lewis, “A Merciful Advent.” Retrieved from workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=4225
13. David Tate, “Luke 1:39-45 (46-55).” Retrieved from http://blogs.baylor.edu/truettpulpit/2015/12/14.luke-139-45-46-55/
14. Alan Brehm, “Song of Hope.” Retrieved from http://thewakingdreamer.blogspot.com/2013/01/sing-of-hope.html
15. Gordon Fram, “Mary’s Magnificat: The Mercy of God.” Retrieved from biblearchaeolgy.org/post/2008/12/11/Marys-Mangificat-The-Mercy-of-God

 

In our Old Testament reading today, we heard from someone that we rarely hear from during the church year-the prophet Micah. Like John the Baptist, Micah prepared the people for the coming of the Messiah. He did so through his prophetic words. His prophecy is a vision for a life lived in the divine presence, and it’s this vision that we need to keep in our thoughts as we prepare to remember both Christ birth on that first Christmas over 2,000 years ago and his Second Coming at some point in the future.

Micah’s prophecy identifies Bethlehem-Ephrathah (Ephrathah was a lesser clan of the tribe of Judah) as the place and origin of the Messiah, the hoped for just ruler of Israel. That little town’s life and struggles are compared to birth pangs of a woman in labor. In ancient cultures, and even until recently, women’s status in secular and religious society was zero. Not only the town but also the heroine of Micah’s prophecy are small, of little note, of no significance in civil and religious life.

Micah’s prophecy included both the First and Second Coming of Jesus. He was born in Bethlehem and will some day establish his rule over the entire world in a kingdom of peace. By stating that Jesus will come from Bethlehem, Micah suggests that he will be a new David. This agrees with statements made by other prophets in Isaiah 9:6, Jeremiah 30:9, Ezekiel 34:23-24 and Hosea 3:5. Like David, Jesus will defeat Israel’s enemies and protect the Israelites from would-be invaders.

Micah prophesied that the Messiah would come in the majesty of the name of Yahweh, his God. In the culture of Micah’s time, a person’s name was more than a label to identify him or her. Something of that person’s identity was considered to be tied up in that name. The belief was that the person’s name expressed something of the person’s character. Something of the power of that person was embedded in their name. Jesus fits into this belief. Jesus was God in human form with all of God’s character and power.

The Old Testament is a trail that leads to the Messiah. God gives us clear clues in Scripture so we can recognize the true Messiah when he returns. These same signs were given to people in Old Testament times so that they would know when and where Christ would be born.

So why did God choose an insignificant person such as Mary to bear His Son? Why did God choose Bethlehem as Jesus’ birthplace? Well, God always chooses ordinary people, places and things to do extraordinary things for him. With God, we must expect the unexpected. It was prophesied that Bethlehem would be Jesus’ birthplace, and that prophecy was fulfilled on that first Christmas. Where we are from is not nearly as important as what God is creating us to be.

God is a God of surprises. He addresses impossible situations on the most unlikely ways. In the case of the birth of Jesus, God acts small. His plan was for the Messiah who would deliver the people to come from Bethlehem, which was the birthplace of David’s father Jesse.

Jesus reigns at God’s request, and it was prophesied that Jesus would be a descendant of David. Jesus was the fulfillment of that prophecy. Jesus’ rule and protection of his people was the result of God’s authority and power. That rule, protection and authority are for all who believe in Jesus, so they can live with him without fear. They will be united.

The world is constantly searching for peace, but that search is an empty one. Instead of looking to Jesus, the world looks to drugs, alcohol, money and relationships. These do not provide peace. They only provide turmoil. How many lives have been ruined by drugs and alcohol? How many marriages have suffered because of drug or alcohol abuse or adultery? True peace can never be found in worldly pleasures. True peace can only be found by knowing Jesus, the long-prophesied prince of peace. He stands with open arms waiting to welcome us.

This does not mean that we should not pray for peace and harmony in our world, especially in light of the recent attacks in Paris and San Bernadino. On the contrary, we are commanded to pray for peace and unity. Jesus will bring peace to our hurting world one day. In the meantime, he offers peace to the hearts of those who love him.

God’s reign speaks of hope that comes from disasters, strife and suffering. His reign speaks of hope and salvation that will come from people and places that are nothing in the eyes of the world. Micah-a minor prophet from an obscure village-addresses this in his prophecy. God values what the world does not value. He takes what the world sees as worthless and holds it closest to his heart. We as humans, especially people who the world sees as nothing, are close to God’s heart, and it is because we are close to him that he gave us the greatest Christmas gift of all-Jesus. In return, we are to give back to him by loving others as he loves us. We must give true justice to everyone we meet. We must treat others in the same fair way that we want them to treat us and in the same fair way God treats us. We must have compassion for others just as God has compassion for us. In these troubled times when many of us don’t feel safe, Micah reminds us that God has promised security and peace, and that security and peace comes from the Prince of Peace himself.

The issue that confronts us as people of faith sooner or later becomes, “If I call myself a Christian, then will I actually choose to live like one?” Am I willing to let the grown-up Jesus rule, as Micah put it. Am I willing follow where Christ leads, to do what Christ asks? I mean, if we seriously consider the things that Jesus commanded, then choosing to sign on with him is not an easy choice to make. Have you really listened to some of the stuff He requests of us? There is an old saying that actions speak louder than words. It’s fine for us to say that we want to live like a Christian, but our deeds must show that we want to live like Christians. The only way for us to have true peace is to say that we want to live like Christians and then act like we want to live as Christians. The only way that can happen is if we welcome the Prince of Peace into our lives with open arms. Only then will we have the peace of Christ.

Bibliography

 

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1211)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. David McGee, “Peace.” Retrieved from crossthebridge.com
4. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010)
5. Ed Young, “A Daily Word.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
6. Exegesis for Micah 5:2-5. Retrieved from lectionary.org
7. Melinda Quivik, “Commentary on Micah 5:2-5.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1484
8. The Rev. Dr. Wiley Stephens, “The Place Where Heaven Will Touch the Earth.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/1612-the_place_where_heaven_will_touch_the_earth.print
9. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 4^th Sunday of Advent-C.” Retrieved from preacherexchange.org
10. Butch Odom, “Fourth Sunday of Advent 2015-Micah 5:4-5”. Retrieved from comment-reply@wordpress.com
11. The Rev. Dr. Michael Brown, “The Baby is the Easy Part.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/690-2-the_baby_is_the_easy_part.print.
12. “Volume 2 Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 20, 2015.” Retrieved from volume2@lists.opssouth.org

 

Anne couldn’t think of a good reason that God should give her a grandchild. And even though it was one of her deepest desires, she had almost given up on the idea. God had already blessed her with two wonderful children. Her son decided to remain single and had devoted his life to Bible translation in a faraway country. Her daughter was married and working hard as a teacher in an inner city elementary school, but had been unable to conceive for fifteen years. It seemed that grandchildren were not in Anne’s future.A few days earlier while she was cleaning out her attic, she came across an old poem that had been given to her by her aunt on her wedding day. It brought tears to her eyes as it brought back memories of that happy day. She had no idea that her happiness would be short-lived. Her husband died tragically after only seven years of marriage. God’s grace was the only explanation for h

ow she and her children had made it through, and God’s grace became the basis of the rest of her life. She decided that God would be the only other husband in her life, and time had not changed her feelings. He sustained her through the children’s growing up years, and now in her old age, he continued to be her hope and joy.

But that didn’t stop her from thinking often about how nice it would be to have a little bundle of joy to cuddle, and the old poem drew her thoughts to the subject again. It spoke of legacy in love and of joy overcoming sorrow. She saw her life reflected in its lines. The hope with which it ended kindled a similar feeling in her heart. She silently told God what she was feeling, and then went back to work with a deep sense of peace.

Over the next few days, she felt a sense of expectation during her prayer time. She wasn’t sure what it meant, but the sense of peace never left her. Monday morning the phone rang, and when she heard her daughter’s words, “Mom, I’m pregnant!” the peace seemed to explode in joy. She would finally become a grandmother. As she thought about how her wish had been granted and how God rekindled her hope, she felt that she wanted to write something too.

The lines spilled out of her soul onto the paper. She wrote of God’s faithfulness. She described how her longing was fulfilled after waiting in patient hope. She rejoiced at how much joy could flow into her heart. She praised God for the hope that this new life brought. When her grandson was born, Anne read the poem over him as a prayer, trusting that God would be as faithful in this newborn’s life as he had been in hers.

The Gospel reading from Luke 1:39-45 reflects both the sense of expectation Anne had and the sense of expectation that many of us have as Christmas approaches. Mary, Elizabeth, and Elizabeth’s unborn child were among the many people who at that time were hoping and praying for the long-awaited Messiah to come. The only difference is that Mary and Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s unborn child, who was John the Baptist, knew when and how the Messiah was coming. The promise of new life was being fulfilled after many centuries. It brought a sense of joy to many people at that time, and it still brings a sense of joy to many people today. It offers new life and hope to a sin-filled world

Along with the sense of anticipation there was a sense of uncertainty and fear, especially on the part of Mary. After all, here she was, a young virgin girl who was betrothed (but not married) to Joseph, and yet she was pregnant. Can you imagine the fear she must have felt, especially since in the culture of her time an unwed woman who was pregnant was considered to be an outcast or unclean? Can you imagine how Mary must have felt? She probably felt very lonely. Can you imagine how her family must have felt? They probably felt the same way Joseph did in Matthew 1:18-19. Joseph wanted to quietly divorce her, and he had the right to do that under the law at that time, but he was stopped by an angel of the Lord.

In contrast, Mary’s cousin Elizabeth reacted joyfully. She knew that Mary was pregnant with the long-promised Messiah, and that Mary did not likely understand its full significance. Mary’s response to Elizabeth’s greeting is known as the Magnificat, or the Song of Mary. Mary knew that God used her, a sinner in need of a saviour, to fulfill his promise to send a Saviour to our world. She sacrificed her life, her plans and her dreams to fulfill God’s will for her life, just like her unborn child fulfilled God’s will for his life by dying on the cross to save us. We, like Mary, have to adjust our plans when God intervenes in our lives. We have to surrender our control over our lives to God. We have to trust God when we submit to his will.

What would have happened if Mary had not believed in the words of the angel Gabriel? Would she have refused to be the mother of Jesus? She did believe and she did obey God, and her obedience set the stage for God’s blessings. He fulfilled his word and used her to bring his prophecy to a lost and dying world.

We don’t know what Mary looked like, but we do know that she had a beautiful personality because she served God joyfully and she sought God by immersing herself in the Scriptures. She was an extraordinary woman who played an important role in God’s plan for salvation. She obeyed God’s will for her life, and as such she has a lot to teach us. If a simple, young woman can obey God’s will for her life, we can also obey God’s will for our lives. He did not force his plan on her-she freely chose to accept it. Likewise, he does not force his will on us. We have a choice-accept him or reject him. The choice we make affects our eternal destiny, just like Mary’s choice affected her eternal destiny.

Mary did what most women do when they find out they are pregnant. She went and told a friend-namely, her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth proclaimed that the Holy Spirit was present and acting on behalf of humanity. In other words, God’s Word was being fulfilled in Mary’s unborn baby. Elizabeth and Mary, like their unborn children Jesus and John the Baptist, learned to trust God when the mighty ignore him and turn on him. God made a promise and it would not be stopped. God was gracious to Elizabeth and Mary, and we are also recipients of his grace when we say “yes” to his plans for our lives.

Mary wanted to share her good news, and God wants us to share the good news of salvation. Mary needed a friend to affirm and bless her, and we as Christians need someone to affirm and bless us. We need to have love expressed in attention paid to us when an earth-shattering event happens to us, just like Mary needed Elizabeth to pay attention to her when she received her earth-shattering news.

Sometimes how God works doesn’t make sense to us. We might ask ourselves “Why did God choose Mary instead of someone from a more prestigious background?” After all, if he had, Jesus would have been accepted more readily. Well, unfortunately that would not have fit into his plans. He had other criteria. He wanted someone who was obedient and gave herself over to him. He preferred the obscure and insignificant to the prestigious and popular. His plan was encased in the fragility and the strength of Mary and Elizabeth. They consented to God’s purpose for their lives, and that consent bore much fruit.

God came to Mary and Elizabeth in a time of harsh reality, and they continued to believe and hope in a God who can do extraordinary things. They did this in a world very much like ours and that is why God came to them, not because they were protected from harsh reality, but because they continued to be open to God’s call. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. God noticed everything in the lives of Mary and Elizabeth, just like he notices everything in our lives. In the words of a song we often hear at Christmastime:

He sees you when you’re sleeping

He knows when you’re awake

He knows if you’ve been bad or good

So be good for goodness’ sake

Sometimes following God’s plan isn’t the most popular thing to do. Mary and Elizabeth accepted God’s blessings even though they came at a cost. For Mary, she had to live with the stigma of sexual impurity because most of the people in her society would have found the concept of spiritual impregnation absurd. Mary and Elizabeth trusted God and were blessed. If we trust God, our hearts will be transformed so that we will receive the desires of our hearts, just like Anne in the story I read earlier was blessed with a grandson after many years of waiting. In order for us to have faith, we have to make room in our hearts for God. We must make our hearts hospitable, and to make our hearts hospitable we must show love and generosity, and not just at Christmastime. When we allow Christ into our lives, he will reshape us by replacing our old lives with a new creation.

God makes the impossible possible. He caused a virgin and an elderly woman to conceive and bear children. He can make the impossible possible for us today if we have faith. With God, the possibilities are endless, and if we have faith our blessings will be endless. God blessed Mary and Elizabeth when they were at messy points in their lives. In return, they responded with faith. He spoke to them in the mess, and he can speak to us in the messes of our lives.

John the Baptist is Elijah returned, the prophet who prepared the way of the Lord. Jesus is Lord bringing salvation and peace to people. God came to earth in the form of Jesus to restore our living relationship with him now and for all eternity. In order to restore that relationship, Jesus had to turn the world upside down. He came to give dignity to those who are not valued by society. He came to give hope to the hopeless, peace to those whose hearts are in turmoil, and love to those who are broken. Jesus came to give us the greatest gift of all. He will undermine the political structures and call the elite to accountability. He will call on people to show compassion to the poor and help them, just like many of you are helping the poor at this time of year. God does his best work with powerless people whose lives are defined by the world as impossible-people such as Mother Teresa and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Many of us are willing to takes risks in business deals or in extreme sports, but few of us are spiritual risk takers. Few of us are willing to place our total trust in God’s promises instead of our own plans. God wants to see unwavering faith and complete trust in him. No matter what our circumstances, God will use us if we are willing to follow him and step out in faith. When we recognize that we are nothing and God is everything, God moves into action through us. We are small, but God can do much through us. Dr. Charles Stanley, who is the head of In Touch Ministries and the author of one of the study Bibles I use in my sermon preparation, coined the phrase, “Obey God, and leave all the consequences to him”. If we obey God’s will for our lives like Mary and Elizabeth and Anne did, we will be richly blessed like they were because we will be blessed by the light and life of Christ-a light that shines brightly in our dark, sinful world, especially at Christmastime. All we have to do is let the light of Christ shine in our lives.

Bibliography

1. Chicken Soup for the Soul Bible, NLT (Colorado Springs, CO: Pinon Press)

2. Stanley, C.F, The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.: 2009)

3. Swindoll, Charles R., Insights on Luke (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2012)

4. Pastor John Barnett, “Unfading Beauty (Part 2)”. Retrieved from http://www.dtbm.org

5. Sharon Jaynes, “Free to Fulfill an Extraordinary Purpose”. Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

6. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year C”. Retrieved from http://www.preacherexchange.org

7. Dr. Michael Youssef, PhD, “Trusting God’s Promises”. Retrieved from http://www.leadingtheway.org

8. Rick Warren, “God is Mindful of You”. Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com

9. Mark D. Roberts, “Is Faith the Key to being blessed by God?” Retrieved from Newsletter@TheHighcalling.org

10. Ron Moore, “The Generous Gift of Life”. Retrieved from http://www.thejourneyradioministry.com

11. Larson, B. & Ogilvie, L.J., The Preacher’s Commentary Series: Volume 26: Luke. (Nashville, TN; Thomas Nelson, Inc.; 1983)

12. The Rev. Dr. James D. Kegel, “With God Nothing is Impossible”. Retrieved from http://www.sermonwriter.com

13. Dr. Heather Entrekin, “Making a Place for Hospitality”. Retrieved from http://www.sermonwriter.com

14. Dr. Mickey Anders, “The Magnificent Mess”. Retrieved from http://www.sermonwriter.com

15. Exegesis for Luke 1:39-45. Retrieved from http://www.sermonwriter.com

16. “The Baby Leaped for Joy”. Retrieved from today@thisistoday.net

17. King Duncan, “Mary’s Song”. Retrieved from http://www.esermons.com

18. Brett Blair, “Elizabeth & Mary”. Retrieved from http://www.esermons.com

19. Kelly McFadden, “Disgraced Mary”. Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

20. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, Year C-Advent 4. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslikegod.org/archives/year-c-advent-4/

21. Peter H. Harries, O.P., “Salvation is Close at Hand”. Retrieved from http://torch.op.org/preaching_sermon_item.php?sermon=5718

Does it seem strange to you that some of the first words in Luke 3:7-18 are harsh and critical, especially during this season of Advent? Do they seem harsh and critical during a time when we are preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus? Well, they are harsh and critical, because John the Baptist had a strong message for his audience, and he has the same message for us. During the season of Advent, we don’t just welcome to our world a prophet who tells us the truth about ourselves and baptizes us with water as a representation of our repentance. We welcome a baby grown to a man, a crucified and resurrected Saviour who comes with mercy, but also with judgment. He comes with the Holy Spirit’s burning power.

John’s words to the crowd were scathing. They came to hear and be baptized, but John didn’t welcome them. They didn’t come because they wanted to change but because they were afraid that John might be speaking the truth. They had no intention of repenting, and John knew that.

John told the peopl how they could prepare for the coming Messiah. We are not saved by our works, but by grace. When the thief on the cross repented, Jesus told him that he would be with Jesus in Paradise. If we repent and believe in our last hour of life we don’t need fruits. If we are living the life of faith we are bearing fruit. Any genuine love of God moves a person to real acts of love toward others. In other words, we are bearing fruit. Our faith must bear fruit, but if we rely on these fruits on Judgment Day, we will be disappointed. There is only one way to be assured of our salvation-belief in Jesus.

Faith is not inherited. It doesn’t matter how faithful and devout our parents or grandparents were. What does matter is how faithful and devout we are. If we trust that the faith of our parents will get us into heaven, we shift the focus of faith away from God. That will spiritually fatal.

A converted heart produces new works. Doing good works doesn’t make us repentant, but true repentance produces the proper, good fruit. Repentance is a way out of our sinful lives. The way things are isn’t how they have to be. We can be different. We can heal ourselves and the world. John challenges us to put true repentance into action. It’s a good example of the old proverb that “actions speak louder than words.”

When we repent, we have to do something. We have to change our way of living. There has to be evidence that we’ve had a change of heart and turned back to God. That’s why John tells us to donate an extra coat to someone who needs one. That’s why John tells us to be fair in our dealings with other people. When greed and self-interest influence our dealings with other people, we do nothing but perpetuate injustice and suffering.

The key is how we use our power. We can use it to control things and events in our own self-interest, or we can use it to promote the common good and fight injustice. Jesus’ coming affects every area of our lives, including how we regard each other and our ethical obligations to each other.

God’s forgiveness does not depend on our doing. Our doing depends on God’s forgiving. True repentance anticipates absolution from our sins. The freedom of forgiveness cleans out the closet and gives away the extra coat. The good news of John’s exhortation is the end of our comfortable relationship with dishonest ways and vain striving after wealth and power. All of this is made possible by the “more powerful One” who follows John.

True repentance always manifests itself in changed behaviour, as the apostle Paul would later note in Acts 26:20. Truly repentant people share what they have with the less fortunate, treat people fairly, and refuse to use positions of power to enrich themselves at others’ expense. How does the coming of the Messiah compel us to live? If we have more, we share with those who have less. If we are in positions of power, we do not exploit the powerless.

John came to prepare the way for God’s mighty Son. He calls us to recognize our faults and failings and humble ourselves before God. The Messiah’s baptism is not an empty, meaningless ceremony. It is God’s antidote to the deadly poison of sin. It washes away our sins and delivers us from death and hell. It saves us from God’s destructive wrath.

John was able to reject the notion that he might be the Christ on several counts. The Messiah would be more powerful, worthy of far more reverence, and have a broader ministry. Also, the Holy Spirit would work differently in the Messiah’s ministry, supplying it with a purifying, judging, and saving aspect that John’s did not have.

God wants to take the time to sort out and sift through what is good and what is not so good in us. No one is beyond God’s reach. He keeps sorting out what is worth keeping in us and tosses aside all the rest. Our God is a God who separates. Injustice is separated from justice. Righteousness is separated from unrighteousness. Holiness is separated from evil. Light is separated from darkness. How can we avoid separation? How can we avoid being cut down and burned? How can we end up being on the better side?

God’s wrath is part of God and punishment is coming from God in the future. God’s wrath and punishment will work themselves out in our daily lives. God’s wrath will be part of the final judgment. Jesus will return to be our judge on the final day of history. He will separate believers from non-believers.

The Messiah’s baptism is a cleansing ritual, but it is also a fire that purifies. It transforms people and deals with their sins. It also empowers us and strengthens us to do what we are called to do. The burning Spirit of fire not only burns away all injustice and evil we may commit or suffer at the hands of others. It also starts a fire in our hearts with a passionate desire for God’s justice and mercy-not just for ourselves but for the world around us. It’s our duty to serve God wherever He places us. Nowhere can a person better serve God than in their daily work. We are to “bloom where we are planted.”

What if we determined to seek out opportunities to be honest, kind and hard-working? What if we determined to seek out such opportunities because we’ve heard that extraordinary acts of grace are within reach of ordinary people? What if we believed-and acted on the belief-that being honest, kind and hardworking in a culture that is impatient, immature and fearful really makes a difference?

Are we turned back to God, or are we only going through the motions? Will our lives be destroyed by the fire of judgment, or will we be purified by the fire of the Holy Spirit? Repentance means reconsidering the biases we bring to life and the presuppositions that shape us. It means embracing God’s way of looking at the world. It means calling into question everything we have ever believed. It means giving ourselves up to the changes God wants us to make.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p.1389-1390)

2. Larsen, B. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 26: Luke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983; pp. 68-76)

3. Stanley, C.F: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2005)

4. Macarthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

5. Pastor David J. Risendal, “Fruits of Repentance.” Retrieved from http://www.OneLittleWord.org

6. Cameron Howard, “Luke 3:7-18.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu

7. Lois Malcolm, “Luke 3:7-18.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu

8. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Flee the Coming Wrath.” Retrieved from lhm@lhm.org

9. Br. David Vryhof, “A Call to Repentance.” Retrieved from http://www.ssje.org/2012/21/16/a-call-to-repentance-br-david-vryhof.

10. David J. Lose, “Advent 3C: Ordinary Saints.” Retrieved from http://www.davidlose.net/2015/12/advent-3-c-ordinary-saints

11. The Rev. Janet Hunt, “A Winnowing Fork in Jesus’ Hand: Good News for today.” Retrieved from http://words.dancingwwiththeword.com

12. Alyce McKenzie, “Welcome to Our World: Reflections on Luke 3:7-18.” Retrieved from https://www.patheos.com/progressive-christian/2012/12/welcome-our-world-alyce-mackenzie

13. Rick Morley, “A Winnowing Fork in the Road-a Reflection on Luke 3:7-18.” Retrieved from http://www.rickmorley.com/archives/211/

14. Pastor Edward Markquart, “John’s Preaching on Repentance: Gospel Analysis.” Retrieved from http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/seriec_c_johns_preaching_of_repentanceGA.html

15. Rev. Bryan P. Stoffregen, “Luke 3:7-18.” Retrieved from http://www.crossmarks.com.brian/luke3x7.htm

How do you handle your mail? On those days when you are overwhelmed by sheer quantity, I’m sure you occasionally take all the junk mail and drop it right in the wastebasket. But how do we know when we have truly received something special and just for us in terms of spiritual messages? How do you sort out your spiritual mail—the fourth class from the registered first-class air mail? How do you know which message is from God and has your name on it?In this passage we just heard from Luke’s Gospel, John the Baptist’s message does not sound unlike the one we hear on the street corners in every large city in the land. “This is the Word of the Lord. Repent and believe.” Most of us ignore those people we hear from time to time on the street corners of great cities, while John the Baptist catches our attention. The message is not what is said. The message is wrapped in the personality delivering the message.

John was the message. John had such authority and authenticity that crowds came out to listen. That kind of popular appeal is a rare occurrence in any time and in any nation. Society would seem to encourage mediocrity rather than greatness. Those who excel must be very gifted innately or else be special instruments of God.

Just like the word of the coming Messiah came from an unexpected source, the word of God can be found in places where we least expect it and with whom we least expect it. If the word of God can come from John-roughly clad, honey stuck to his beard, shouting on a river bank-who knows who and what might be next?

In Old Testament times, a monarch travelling in wilderness regions would have a crew of workmen go ahead to make sure the road was clear of debris, obstructions, potholes and other hazards that made the journey difficult. In a spiritual sense, John was calling the people of Israel to prepare their hearts for the coming of the Messiah.

The wilderness isn’t a place of desolation. It’s a place of hope. It’s a promised fresh start. The first step is the baptism of repentance. That baptism releases us from sin, but it requires overturning the world as we know it.John made people uncomfortable.

No one wants to hear that they must change. Maybe John had to preach in the desert because neither Roman rulers nor religious authorities wanted him in court in temple precincts. He would have upset the status quo and challenged the compromises religious leadership had worked out with the secular government. The “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” means that we will be asked to make sacrifices and admit wrong doing. Our society doesn’t like that kind of talk, and neither do religious institutions.

Sometimes we make wrong turns in our spiritual lives. We think we are going in the right direction only to discover it was never God’s will for us to enter that relationship, make that business deal, hire that person-the examples are limitless. God can make our crooked places straight. He can make our mistakes right. It might mean some consequences for those decisions, but He will always allow our actions to work together for good if we repent and seek Him fully to make things right. These lessons can even contribute to greater wisdom in our lives if we learn from our mistakes.

God chose a nobody to prepare the way for Jesus to come amongst us. God chooses people whom the world sees as insignificant through whom to do marvelous things. John the Baptist, Mary the unwed teenager, the shepherds at the very bottom of the economic ladder who serve as the audience for the heavenly choir. God chooses people the world can easily ignore to participate in God’s world-changing, world-saving activity.

John was an unusual attraction for several reasons. First of all, God had been silent for four hundred years in speaking to His people through an authentic prophet. But it was believed that prophecy would rise again when the Messiah was about to come. So, all Israel was waiting for one who might be that authentic prophet. John was such a prophet, and throngs came out to hear this one who might prove to be the harbinger of the Messiah.Further, John was saying hard words, usually an indication of an authentic prophet. Somehow we know that those who speak for God do not offer us easy discipleship or cheap grace. Those things that are costly are ultimately the most worthwhile at any level. The first word of the gospel is repent-a person must turn from sin. Jesus kept warning those who heard Him that discipleship would be difficult; that while foxes had holes, He had no place to sleep.

John came baptizing, and the idea of baptism was new for the Jews. Only the Gentiles, the outsiders who became Jews, were baptized. John was preaching that being born a Jew did not assure a right relationship with God; the Jews must be baptized just like the outsiders. Because of this unusual emphasis he was called John the Baptist.

John’s essential message was simply that we be what we seem to be. If we want to seem godly, then we are to be godly, with no sham. He spelled out what that meant. He addressed himself in specifics to the ethics of the time: soldiers, don’t intimidate and coerce; tax collectors, collect no more than is your due. He spoke of sharing with those in need. But this was not a new ethic. The rabbis had been saying all these things. But John was preaching that those ethics were to be a way of life. The crux of his message was, “God has told us what to do and be. Do it, and don’t pretend to be something you’re not.”

John is calling for a change of heart, soul and mind. He is calling for a radical change of behaviour. John is preaching the coming realm of God, and this kingdom of God is the state of forgiveness, where sin is forgiven and wiped away.

It is crucial to be regular at worship, to pray, to give-to everything that God has given us to do-so we can receive His blessings. But these outward forms mean absolutely nothing unless we have entered into a personal relationship with Jesus. John makes this clear in Luke 3:3 when he says, “Turn back to God and be baptized! Then your sins will be forgiven.”

John’s call for us to prepare the way for the Messiah seems a little rude to us today. For us, our valleys are gentle and rolling, and our mountains are just the right height. There aren’t any crooked places or rough places on the roads we travel-or so we think. What seemed to be an easy road to travel led to a dead end. What looked like the right way to do things was actually a disaster. We are in a spiritual wilderness, and we are lost.

The Good News is that the Word made flesh has found us in the wilderness. The Good Shepherd has left the 99 sheep to search for the one who is lost. He has shown us the error of our ways. He has shown us the crooked and rough roads we have been travelling. He has created a new path for us. We will get off course many times. Sometimes we will have to turn around, but we will need to adjust our course occasionally to make sure we are travelling in the right direction. That’s what it means to repent and prepare during this season of Advent.

Preparing for the coming of God’s realm means washing the lens of our willing self-deceit. It is a disciplined practice of seeing the heart of evil-a practice that needs a community of discernment to remain honest. Preparing the way of the Lord means making a choice. We must decide what we are to focus our lives on. We have to decide what to keep. We have to decide to surrender to God’s control of our lives. Only then can we get our lives in order. We have to choose to confront the temptations in our lives that will lure us away from God.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p.1389)

2. Larsen, B. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series. Vol. 26: Luke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983; pp. 68-76)

3. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

4. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers: 2010)

5. Os Hillman, “Recalibrate Route!” Retrieved from http://www.marketplaceleaders.org

6. Jennifer Brownell, “The Someones.” Retrieved from dailydevotional@ucc.org

7. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, 2nd Sunday of Advent ( C ) December 9, 2018”. Retrieved from http://www.preacherexchange.org

8. Glen L. Monson, “Second Sunday of Advent, Year B, Gospel.” Retrieved from http://crossings.org/text-study/2nd-sunday-in-advent-yr-2-2/?print=print

9. Judith Jones, “Commentary on Luke 3:1-6.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentaty_id=2702

10. David Lose, “Commentary on Luke 3:1-6.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentaty_id=491

11. The Rev. Dr. John Westerhoff III, “Live Prepared.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/4361-live-prepared.print

12. The Rev. Dr. Wiley Stephens, “Uncluttering.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/1610-uncluttering.print

At first glance the passage from Luke 21:25-36 seems to be out of place during Advent. After all, most of us think of Advent as a time to prepare for Christmas. That is only partially true. Advent is also a time to remember and prepare for Christ’s Second Coming, and that preparation includes watching for the signs of his return. On the Third and Fourth Sundays in Advent the readings will focus on Christ’s First Coming over 2,000 years ago. Luke wrote his Gospel several years after Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension. At that time the church was undergoing suffering and injustice. Luke wrote his Gospel to encourage the church and remind the people that God is in control of events and has a time set for Christ’s return. Luke’s message applies to us today. Luke wants us, like the believers he wrote to, to be ready to meet Jesus when he returns and in the meantime we are to stand firm and witness to his name. According to Luke, we live in the time between Christ’s triumph over death and his Second Coming. This “in-between” time is filled with both tension and hope. The hope can be found in the beginning and ending of the story of the church (and therefore our story), which has been secured by Christ. We are also living in the time of the Gentiles, which began with the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. This time will end when Christ returns. The end times will begin when armies surround Jerusalem. The end time disasters will be orchestrated by God for the sake of warning sinners and calling on them to repent. At this time the Messiah will return and defeat evil. In today’s reading from the Gospel of Luke Jesus gives us some of these signs. The signs mentioned in this passage are supernatural in nature. They are orchestrated by God. They will awaken humanity out of its spiritual slumber before Christ returns. Jesus will return at the end of the Tribulation period. He will defeat his enemies and begin his one thousand year reign of peace on a restored planet. Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension were testimonies to God’s faithfulness through the signs of Christ’s return. Jesus used the parable of the fig tree to explain to his followers how to interpret the signs of the end times. Just like a fig tree behaves in predictable ways, prophecy can reliably point to future events. We can understand prophecy if we take time to read it carefully. For example, just like the leaves of the fig tree come to life after winter, the kingdom of God should not come as a shock to us. Some of you might look at world affairs and wonder if they are signs of Christ’s return. Your concern is certainly understandable considering the world situation today. Only time will tell if these are early signs of the end times, but in any event we must keep our faith strong. The world will see these signs and quake with fear. On the other hand, Christians will see these signs as a prelude to Christ’s return and their own redemption. Redemption refers to Christ’s return, and at that time mortality puts on immortality, and the redemption of the body takes place. For Christians, difficult times do not mean that God has deserted them but that God will fulfill all of his word-both the difficult parts as well as the delightful ones. When Jesus referred to “this generation,” he was not referring to the disciples. He was referring to the people who would see the signs of the end times. These people won’t die until Christ the King returns in power and establishes his kingdom here on earth. These events will happen quickly. Jesus claimed to be the divine Son of God. He also called on his followers to put as much confidence in his teachings as they did any other portions of Scripture, and he calls on us to have the same confidence today. His words and teachings are for all time. They are permanent.Jesus also called on his followers to watch and pray to do his will. When hard times come, praying for escape is not wrong. Even Christ prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane that he would escape the cross, but he surrendered himself completely to God’s will. We can and should pray for escape when times are tough, but ultimately we must surrender to God’s will for the particular situation we find ourselves in. God’s Word is our security in times of turmoil. In the words of the hymn, “Will Your Anchor Hold”: We have an anchor that keeps the soul Steadfast and sure as the billows roll Fastened to the Rock which cannot move Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s loveJesus doesn’t talk about wars, rumours of wars or natural disasters to scare us. He wants to prepare us for his Second Coming. We are not to be afraid. We are not to be led astray by false teachers or people claiming to be Jesus. We are to take advantage of the turmoil that will precede his return to spread the Good News of salvation. As I mentioned earlier, his return is not catastrophic for believers because his return will usher in their redemption. It will be a time for hope, anticipation and glory. On the other hand, his return will be catastrophic for non-believers because it will lead to a new world where evil will be ended and creation will be restored to God’s design. Jesus tells us to watch for the signs of his return, but in the meantime we have work to do. We must spread the Good News to a sin-filled world. We must also continue to prepare for Christ’s return.When we see natural disasters and conflicts, we can be sure that Christ’s return is near. We must be ready, because he could return at any time. The promise of his return offers us hope. There are times when we don’t believe that God offers hope, and some of you might be in that situation right now. We might like the outward appearance of Advent with all of the decorations, parties and shopping, but do we let Advent and its promise of Christ’s return change us? We need to let it get into our feelings and open our hearts. Many times Christians have expressed the desire for the day to just get here already. They want to end the wars and suffering… the waiting… and get on with Christ’s return. They read the Scriptures, looking for details, for signs, that Christ is coming soon. Groups form and debates rage about the finer details of the end times.God appreciates our interest in and desire for his arrival, but do we really know what we’re really asking for when we say that we want him to hurry up and return? Are we really ready? Is the world really ready? If we had to stand before Christ tomorrow, would we be ready? Would your life reflect service to him? Love of him? Submission to him?

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3. Exegesis for Luke 21:25-36. Retrieved from http://www.lectionary.org

4. Larsen, B. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol.26: Luke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983)

5. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles, 2005)

6. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishing; 2006)

7. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, First Sunday of Advent (C).” Retrieved from http://www.preacherexchange.org

8. David Lose, “Commentary on Luke 21:25-36.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=480

9. The Rev. Dr. Susan Andrews, “A God’s Eye View.” Retrieved from http://www.day1.org/488-a-gods-eye-view.print

10. Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on Luke (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2012, pgs. 473-474)

11. Sarah Phillips, “The Last Days.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com