Christ Is the Joy of Our Salvation-- Sunday sermon, Dec. 16

Yesterday was the 3rd Sunday in the Advent season, the "joy" Sunday.  I chose the Isaiah 12:2-6 passage that speaks of salvation.

The written sermon is always different from the given sermon.  That proves true yesterday.  You won't find Eeyore in written form in the transcript, but if you listen to the recorded link, you will find that Eeyore made it into yesterday's sermon.  I don't know how that happened.  Call it Holy Spirit nudgings or whatever you want.  I try to be open as I share, but sometimes even I question what I share.

I'm including a link to the opening song, "Gloria" by The Piano Guys.  That was a moving video and song.  The exhortation after the song to #sharethegift was encouraging too.

I saw a meme on Facebook earlier in Advent and quoted it last week in the sermon.  Early yesterday morning, I sent it to our tech guy at the one church I would be at and asked if he could put it on the screen.  He was able to do so and I shared it again this week. "The Advent journey: Hope becomes peace. Peace becomes joy. Joy becomes Love. Love becomes Christ." -Bobby Schuller.

Yesterday was a joyful Sunday.  Even though we had some folks missing for various reasons, there were others who made it in.  As the Sparks family lit the 3rd candle on the Advent wreath, my heart was warmed to see father surrounded by two daughters.  Family gathered to share God's love and to love one another.  Family that is chosen and family that is related by blood.

As the Advent season continues, may hope, peace, joy, and love continue to grow in each of us as we experience the love of God and the love of others and as we love God and love others.

Debra

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Recorded sermon at Flintstone UMC on December 16, 2018

“Christ Is the Joy of Our Salvation”

Isaiah 12:2-6 (CEB)

December 16, 2018 (3rd Sunday of Advent)

Flintstone UMC

Isaiah 12:2-6 (CEB)

²God is indeed my salvation;
    I will trust and won’t be afraid.
Yah, the Lord, is my strength and my shield;
    he has become my salvation.”

³ You will draw water with joy from the springs of salvation.
⁴ And you will say on that day:
“Thank the Lord; call on God’s name;
    proclaim God’s deeds among the peoples;
    declare that God’s name is exalted.
⁵ Sing to the Lord, who has done glorious things;
    proclaim this throughout all the earth.”
⁶ Shout and sing for joy, city of Zion,
    because the holy one of Israel is great among you.

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THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD.

THANKS BE TO GOD.                      

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Today is the third Sunday of Advent, and we are focusing on the word “joy”. Notice how the light continues to grow on the Advent Wreath.

The joy candle is traditionally rose and today is also called “Gaudete” Sunday because the word in Latin means ‘rejoice’. 

As we continue the Advent season, today we focus on Christ being the joy of our salvation.  In today’s passage, we see the word “salvation” four times--  3x in verse 2 and 1x in verse 3—God is indeed my salvation; I will trust and won’t be afraid.  Yah, the LORD, is my strength and my shield; he has become my salvation.” You will draw water with joy from the springs of salvation.

(Yah is short for Yahweh, the Hebrew name for God.)

Today’s text is a song of celebration that offers praise, gives thanks, proclaims divine deeds, and anticipates what is coming. (Feasting on the Word, Year C, Volume 1, Rossetta Ross, 56)

Verse 2 is similar to Exodus 15:2, the song of celebration of Moses and the people after crossing the Red Sea.

Exodus 15:2-- The Lord is my strength and my power; he has become my salvation. This is my God, whom I will praise, the God of my ancestors, whom I will acclaim.

What that lets us know is that when people are set free from situations that hold them back, there is joy and celebration.

When you think of God as your salvation, as your strength, do you sense joy?

As we think about joy today and Christ being the joy of our salvation, what is bringing you joy this Advent season?

Have you been able to slow down enough to reflect on things to ask yourself some questions during the first weeks of Advent?  If not, let’s do that today.

Think back to the first and second week of Advent:  where do you experience hope?  Where have you felt peace?  Or, maybe the questions need to be:  Where do you need hope and peace?  Allow some time to reflect on these questions.

Now, we return to “joy”.  What is bringing you joy?  Or, where do you need joy?

If we quieten our spirits to hear the voice of God, we can listen to the answer. 

We find “joy” in other places in the Scripture:

Philippians 4:4—“Rejoice in God always; again I will say, Rejoice.”

Nehemiah 8:10—“The joy of the LORD is your strength.”

As we continue to journey through this Advent season toward the birth of Christ, we can experience joy in our decorations, baking, Christmas card writing, present wrapping, celebrations with friends and family, in our quiet times, etc.

As we celebrate the coming of Jesus and talk about the joy of Christ’s salvation, we are quick to note that joy is not that bubbly emotion of giddiness that overflows, but is more like the peace that passes understanding, flowing deeply underneath.  This is a time of year that can be very difficult for many who have lost loved ones, feel the financial crunch, deal with social expectations, etc. 

We come together to worship in spirit and truth, as we are, recognizing who we are and whose we are.  In that authenticity, we rejoice in our salvation, drawing strength for the journey.

Today’s hymn reminds us to share our experiences of God’s deliverance and to witness to our experiences of God’s grace.

As we share our faith experiences with another, we grow in our relationship with Christ and with one another.

This Wednesday we are having a family dinner, a time of food, fellowship, and singing after we eat.

I would also invite you to prayerfully consider preparing to answer these two questions for me for our December 30^th service: (1) What does God mean to you?  (2) What does this church mean to you?

If you are willing to allow me to video your responses, let me know and I will get as many done on Wednesday night as possible.

As we close today, I share this reading from Carlo Carletto on the coming of Christ:

“God presents himself to us little by little.  The whole story of salvation is the story of God who comes.

     It is always he who comes, even if he has not yet come in his fullness.  But there is indeed one unique moment in his coming; the others were only preparations and announcement.

     The hour of his coming is the Incarnation.

     The Incarnation brings the world his presence.  It is a presence so complete that it overshadows every presence before it.

     God is made human in Christ. God makes himself present to us with such a special presence, such an obvious presence, as to overthrow all the complicated calculations made about him in the past.” (A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants, 27-28)

May we make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world as we await the coming of the Christ child.

 Amen.