Christmas sermon with response

CHRISTMAS SERMON 2022

How exciting!  The day we’ve been waiting for is finally upon us.  No doubt there are plenty of happy children and many happy adults too.  But this day also contains heart ache, suffering and pain – even the very first Christmas was not without its own share of the dark.  However…

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.”

 

Mary, was a young woman who said “Yes” to God and then become pregnant by the Holy Spirit, but the man she was engaged to was going to divorce her.  In their culture Joseph could have had her stoned to death for seemingly to have been an adulteress.  I suspect it must have felt like a big dark cloud was looming over her at that time.  However….

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.”

 

Joseph was compassionate, but when he had decided to quietly divorce Mary, an Angel confirmed that Mary had been telling the truth about the child in her womb, so he took Mary as his wife.  Still Joseph must have heard the whispers from others who didn’t believe and thought Joseph was taking on an adulteress wife.  They would have made jokes about him and spoken cruelly about the situation.  How clouded in darkness that time must have felt.  However…

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.”

 

Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem and there was no room for them there…. No suitable place to stay… and Mary was in labour, about to give birth.  This was a time of darkness and anxiety.

Mary had helped her cousin, Elizabeth, when Elizabeth gave birth.  Now it was Mary’s turn and she was in a town, away from home… she was in nothing more than a stable…  who would help her?  Women were known to die in child birth….  This was a night of fear and darkness.  However…

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.”

 

What would a tiny candle mean to you in a black out?  When you’ve spent a long time walking in a dark tunnel or cave and you see a light, what does that feel like?  Faith is like a candle in the dark.  Faith is not always easy and doesn’t mean we don’t have doubts or hard times.  Joseph and Mary had faith that kept them trusting in God’s provision, but I’m sure that there were plenty of times they felt scared, unsure and like they were walking in the dark of mystery and the unknown.   But their faith was like a candle in that dark and we know….

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.”

 

The Shepherds in the field were not people of influence.  They were not leaders or even religious leaders.  They cared for the sheep who were mostly to be slaughtered…. Caring, protecting and even loving those whose life was limited.  And they worked in the day and they worked in the night.  While others were in the embrace of loved ones, they were in the fields, exposed to the elements and the dangers of the dark.  But..

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.”

 

When it feels like all around you is hopeless and meaningless, how important it is to have someone give you the gift of hope and faith.  Darkness is sometimes deep darkness, where evil and lies are celebrated, justice is thwarted and truth is condemned.  At times we have all experienced this, and our land and our community are subject to this.  Unless we can see Gods light, it seems like the darkness wins and all we can feel is the pain of injustice and the grief of loss.  But Christmas means that….

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.”

 

At Christmas we celebrate that 2022 years ago something happened in the history of the world.  A child was born.  When Herod found out, he tried to kill him and the darkness threatened and caused hurt to many.  Herod, like us all, had free will and he chose the darkness.  But…

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.”

 

“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  Jesus was born and we came to understand that this was no ordinary man, but this was the Son of God…. Christ, The visible expression of our invisible God.  This is the word made flesh… he existed with God when the world came into existence.  He is the one who was, is and will be  - the alpha and omega… Though he is the son, he is named wonderful Mighty God and Everlasting father ….Emmanuel – He is God with us.

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.”

 

God loved the world so much that he sent his only son to die for us… to give us life.  Life eternal.  The name Jesus means, “God Saves”!.  We live in the light of Christ, but in a world where there is still darkness…. And suffering… and heartache and pain.    Into this darkness Christ wants to bring his light to our world.  The Endless peace that Christ brings is not an earthly peace, but an eternal peace between us and God.  Love broke through and now nothing separates us from the love of God.

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.”

 

Christ is the light of the world.  Who stepped down into our world of darkness…  He sent His Holy Spirit so that he would always be with us and through us, continue to be the light of the world.  We, like Herod, have free will and can choose the dark or the light.  Will we let Christ shine his love into the dark places in our own life where there is discouragement, disillusionment and heartache?

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.”

 

We are the body of Christ.

His Spirit is with us!

This day, let us consciously decide to shine the light of Christ to the world.  We receive the light of Christ for our own healing and then we allow him to shine through us, to light up all the dark places in this world where ever he would have us go.  We simply, like Mary, say “Yes” – let it be to me, according to your will.  God is always knocking… no longer looking for a room at the Inn, but on the door of our hearts.  He calls us to respond to His love.  Will you receive His love and light this day?   And then we will see that…

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.”

 

We give you an opportunity to mark this occasion with an action.  You are invited, if you’d like, to show your response by lighting a candle.  If you’d like to receive the light of Christ for yourself or a loved one, you are invited to light a candle from the Christmas "Christ" candle.  Our God who became vulnerable to save us, wants to be the light in your life… to bring healing and life.  Most importantly we respond in our heart, but we can also respond by lighting a candle.

We will play a song and while it is playing you are invited to take the candle taper and take light from the Christ candle and light your own candle up on the table.

The light has come.... what will we do with it?

Message for the Midweek CHRISTMAS service.

 

We are in the year 2022.  What that means is that we are approximately 2022 years from the first Christmas.  This is an event that has been celebrated for such a long time.  Its significance means the world.  For God so loved the world that he sent he only son, that all who believe in him might be saved.  This is a gift of grace.  An incredible gift of God’s grace.  Without this gift, where would we be?

 

While John Lennon might ask us to imagine there is no Heaven, claiming a Nirvana without religion, but I suspect that without Heaven and without the influence of the coming of Christ the world would be in a lot more chaos.   it is a fact that many good things in the world exist because of Christianity.  From Wikipedia there is an article about the effect of Christianity on civilization.  It says; “The Bible and Christian theology have also strongly influenced Western philosophers and political activists.[6] The teachings of Jesus, such as the Parable of the Good Samaritan, are among the most important sources of modern notions of human rights and the welfare commonly provided by governments in the West. Long-held Christian teachings on sexuality, marriage, and family life have also been influential and controversial in recent times. Christianity played a role in ending practices such as human sacrifice,[7] infanticide and polygamy.[8]: 309  Christianity in general affected the status of women by condemning marital infidelity, divorce, incest, polygamy, birth control, infanticide (female infants were more likely to be killed), and abortion.[9]: 104 ”  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role_of_Christianity_in_civilization#:~:text=Christianity%20played%20a%20role%20in,be%20killed)%2C%20and%20abortion.

 

The Bible tells us that all had gone astray.  None could save themselves.  I am sure there were some pretty good folk throughout all time - Just as there are now.  Yet the Bible also tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.  All of us need a saviour.  To sin, simply means to fall short of perfection… we all fall short.  It is a condition common to all humanity, and we could all feel rather concerned about eternity, except for one thing – Christmas!  God himself came to be born as one of us. 

 

There may be many religions in the world, but there is none like this.  It is an historical fact that Jesus lived.  He is written about by non-Christian historians, as a man who performed wonders and was crucified.   Our faith is more than a belief.  There are some elements that are undeniable facts. 

 

Jesus declared himself to be God.  That is why the authorities were able to crucify him and feel justified – they believed he was blaspheming.  They didn’t understand their own sacred scriptures.  They knew that a Messiah was coming, but didn’t understand his nature… however, listen to this from Isaiah: “ For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

This child that was prophesied about is named Mighty God and Everlasting Father.   How can the Child be named this unless his nature is divine?  Jesus is the Word of God…  the visible expression of God – the word made flesh.  This birth that we celebrate is the incarnation.  It is just too amazing to fully comprehend.

 

What’s more amazing is that all this happened because of God’s great love for us.  God proved his love for us by becoming one of us and dying to save us.  He defeated death by rising from the dead, and when we belong to Christ, we are assured that this same power through which Christ rose from the dead is with us.  We are assured of eternal life because Christ still lives.

 

Isaiah also tells us; “His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom.”  This endless peace is not an earthly peace…. We misunderstand the scriptures if we think this.  The peace that is spoken of and promised as endless, is the peace between us and God.  There is assurance that God accepts us…. Endless peace between us and God because of Jesus and no matter what we do.

 

But what is our response to this absolutely incredible reality? 

 

There were shepherds in a field.  They were watching their sheep.  An Angel suddenly stood before them and the glory of the Lord was all around.  The Angel declared to them the Good News that the Messiah was born.  It was a message of great joy for all the people and it came, not to kings and dignitaries, but to the shepherds. 

 

These were ordinary people who experienced something extraordinary.   They discussed it among themselves to begin with and then these ordinary shepherds responded to the Good News.  They went off in search for the baby and found him.

 

Once the shepherds found the baby Jesus, they didn’t stop responding to the Good News.  They continued to respond by telling all they had heard and seen to others, and all those they told were also amazed.

 

We have received the Good News also, but how do we respond? 

 

Our scripture reading from Isaiah tells us; “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.” 

 

Our lives in 2022 are not all sunshine and rainbows.  There are certainly areas of darkness that need the light of Christ.  Will we allow that light to shine through us today?  After all… we are the body of Christ and his Spirit is with us….  The word “Angel” literally means, “Messenger of God”.  Today we can be the Angel bringing tidings of Good News and bringing the light of Christ to world that is silently crying out for a saviour….  A world in darkness, longing for the light. 

 

Receive the Light of Christ, may he shine within our hearts.  May Christ himself, so fill us with His light, that we go forth into the world he loves and bring His light to others.

Waiting - Reflecting on Advent 4A 18th December 2022

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT   Year A   December 18, 2022

·       Isaiah 7:10-16  • Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19  • Romans 1:1-7  •  Matthew 1:18-25

We are celebrating our fourth week in Advent… a time of waiting.  We wait for Christmas.  We remember the time the world was waiting for salvation.  We reflect on how we wait now for the second coming of Christ.  More importantly, in so many ways, there are people today waiting and crying out for Christ to come and save them from physical and emotional struggles – maybe that person is you.  No doubt, those in Ukraine are waiting also… for the world to change.

Ahaz, mentioned in our first reading, was the King of Judah and he was not a king who was inclined to believe the prophet Isaiah.  But at that time, the kingdom of Judah was waiting to be saved from two armies.  When Isaiah tells Ahaz that God wants him to ask for a sign, he replies with a rather pious sounding statement that he won’t put God to the test.

 

How is this like us? What might we say if someone, claiming to be God’s prophet came to us and asked the same thing?  And why might we answer the same way?  What would be our thoughts behind our saying, “no I don’t need a sign – I won’t put God to the test”? 

 

We are in the 4^th week in Advent and we are the people of God.  King Ahaz was leader of Judah, the chosen nation of God.  We believe in God.  That is why we are here.  But what do we believe about God?

 

You see, things were not going well for the people of Judah and there were armies coming against them.  What do we believe, and what is our faith, when we are under pressure?  King Ahaz was under pressure.  He saw the physical reality and couldn’t believe that God would save them.  Isaiah had come to tell him that God was there to save him and, as proof, was prepared to give him a sign…. Whatever it would take to encourage Ahaz to have faith. 

 

God still does this.  He wants us to have a relationship with him, such that we have faith in him.   God goes above and beyond to try and get our attention and, in the case of Ahaz, God was prepared to let Ahaz name the sign.  But in the absence of Ahaz’s cooperation, God himself choses the sign, “Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.”

 

Judah was saved, as God was true to his word, but what of the prophecy, “For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.”  ?

 

It is obvious that this was a prophecy for the near future, but also, we know because of Matthew’s Gospel, that it was prophecy about the coming Messiah.

This is yet another example of the wonderful way that prophecy works, and a little glimpse into the ways of God.  Prophecy generally has a number of fulfillments.  One for the time of the prophets, one in the time of the Messiah and one for the time of Jesus second coming.

 

According to my research it is believed that the first fulfillment happened when a young woman in the royal household conceived a son, and unknowingly named him “Immanuel.”   Immanuel meaning, “God with us”.

 

In the book of Revelation, which largely deals with Jesus’ second coming, with language that is full of allegory, it speaks of a woman giving birth.  We suspect that this is indicating the nation Israel who gives birth to the Christian church.  But a multitude of that book, being shrouded in imagery, it is pretty obviously not meant to be clear.  It is a book for the church to be encouraged, and to know that God has a plan which will be revealed when the time is right.  My thoughts are that the biggest mistake we can make with the book of Revelation, is to put a definitive interpretation on it and close our minds to what God might wish to reveal to us through waiting on him for the answers.

 

The most incredible fulfillment of this Isaiah prophecy, is that which we celebrate each Christmas, which happened at the birth of Jesus.  Matthew appears to change one word in the prophecy, “young woman” becomes “virgin”.  The difference is actually only that one is in Hebrew and the other in Greek.  But Matthew is very clear about what the prophecy says and means, and make no mistake, this is a miraculous conception and a sign that can only mean one thing; God is with us.

 

Saint Luke’s account of this same story, just prior to Christmas, focuses on what is happening in the life of Mary.  Saint Luke was a learned man, a physician writing to a Gentile audience, but Matthew is writing for, and concerned with the Jewish perspective.  Saint Matthew follows the genealogy of Joseph and traces him clearly back to King David and then to Abraham.  This is important as it also establishes Jesus as the fulfilment of the prophecies that the Messiah would be the “Lion of Judah”. 

From Joseph’s perspective, he was engaged to a woman who was found to be “with child”…. He knew he was not the father.  I’m guessing that Mary told him the nature of this pregnancy, but well…. What would you think if you were in his shoes?

 

The challenge of this week, is the challenge to believe God.

 

King Ahaz didn’t want a sign, not because he was pious, but because it might mean he would have to acknowledge God.  Ahaz wasn’t interested in a sign, or anything that God had to say.  Ahaz didn’t believe and didn’t want to believe.  On the other hand, of Joseph we read, “Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.” 

 

What a stressful time this must have been for Mary.  She knew the truth, but the fact is that in their culture she could have been stoned to death for being thought to be an adulteress.  I suspect most modern men would not have been anywhere near as gracious as Joseph.  For most of us, when we believe we have been wronged, we want to expose the guilty person and cause them as much grief as possible.  Consider Joseph….. He felt he’d been wronged, but rather than expose Mary to this shame, he decided he would divorce her quietly.

 

Joseph was a man who could forgo justice for himself for the sake of another.  He was a man who considered all the consequences before he acted and could put aside his needs or wants for the benefit of another – even if that other had hurt him.  His heart was compassionate and courageous, and this was a man that God chose to be the father and protector of His son, Jesus.

 

I suspect Joseph longed for the confirmation that what Mary was telling him was true…. and he needed a sign.  Perhaps he even prayed for one.  Certainly, he received that confirmation, as an Angel appeared to him in a dream and told him the truth…. And the rest is history.

 

Where are we in this Advent story as we journey to celebration of the Nativity?  Are we Ahaz, who belonged to the chosen people, but didn’t really believe in God’s power to save him from the physical circumstances?

 

Are we Joseph?  Genuine people of God, with hearts open to hearing God’s word?  We might find things hard to believe at times, but we want to believe. And sometimes we need to pray for a divine intervention to stop us making the wrong choices.

 

It is important that we deliberately choose to believe God and be open to hearing God’s truth.  Mary was vulnerable to be stoned to death without the intervention of Joseph.  Today, there are many in the world who are vulnerable in many ways.  Maybe their hearts have been stoned to near death by others.  We don’t know what act of spiritual protection God might call us to make for another, but unless we have the compassionate, courageous heart of Joseph and a desire and willingness to hear from God and act, there are precious ones who may be lost. 

 

The sign that we are called, chosen and loved by God is this; “The virgin will be with child…”  God is with us… the name Emmanuel means “God is with us”.  It is no fairy tale, but a reality.  God himself came to be among us, to live as one of us and to die for us and to rise from the dead, promising a life beyond.  By His Holy Spirit He is with us still.  Let us decide this day to believe and to pray for his word to direct our actions so that we can bring his love to this world.  And Christ can be born/ manifest into our community.  For this, the world is waiting……