Believe! Sermon from the 4th Sunday in Advent, Flintstone UMC

December is half way gone. I haven't posted any blogs in a while because my focus has been on weekly sermon writing.  In the past, I would post my sermons, but since I started my Provisional Elder journey, I haven't done so.  Mainly because of time constraints.  Each week I read, research, and write a sermon and then preach it at one or two of the three appointed churches.  Then, the process begins again.  I just haven't squeezed in any time to post the sermons or write about any of the other things going on in life... such as the Advent Word/Photo Journey with AliveNow that I'm participating in (along with many others).  That has been a refreshing way to walk and pray this Advent season.

These past two weeks I've felt that I would squeeze in some time to post a sermon or two.... and maybe some other things.  We'll see.

The sermons written are not what comes out during the service.  Things get re-ordered, added, omitted, and otherwise edited.  However, what you will see here is the basic premise of what was shared. 

One edit for example is that today, I added a story that was shared during our prayer time that fit well into listening to God's nudges and whisperings and following through. 

May there be something in the words and message for you today. 

Blessings on your journey,

Debra

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"Believe!"

December 20, 2015 (4th Sunday of Advent)

Luke 1:39-45 (NRSV)

Flintstone UMC

Luke 1:39-45 (NRSV)

³⁹ In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, ⁴⁰ where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit ⁴² and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. ⁴³ And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? ⁴⁴ For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

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

THANKS BE TO GOD.                                                                          

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Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent.  Slowly but surely we are making our way through the Advent season toward the celebration of the birth of Christ.  Our Advent Wreath is getting brighter each week as we add to the light.  

"The gift of a believing community can make all the difference in the form our challenging waiting seasons take." (Enuma Okoro, 67)

"A community helps us discern how God calls us and speaks into our lives, keeping us accountable to spiritual integrity and affirming or challenging our discernment as necessary.  It is important to have people with whom we can prayerfully share our spiritual journeys and who can help us name the new realities that God might be birthing in our lives.  A community can support us as we name these new realities and learn to live into our expanding or changing sense of identity as flourishing children of God." (83-84)

BELIEVE!

• God's promises
• God's blessings
• God's mysteries (including God's child)

God's Promises-- One of God's greatest promises is "I am with you."  Throughout the Old Testament, to the leaders and the prophets and into the New Testament with Mary and Joseph, God promises: "I am with you."  God, the great I AM, becomes God with us, Emmanuel. 

Just a few examples:

• Genesis 26:24-- God speaks to Isaac: "And that very night the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you and make your offspring numerous for my servant Abraham’s sake.”
• Genesis 28:15--God speaks to Jacob: ¹⁵ Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 
• Isaiah 41:10-- God assures Israel: "do not fear, for I am with you,
      do not be afraid, for I am your God;
  I will strengthen you, I will help you,
      I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."

One example of Jesus speaking this:

• Matthew 28:20-- Jesus speaks to the disciples after his resurrection on how they are to live out their calling: ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

God's Blessings-- There are many ways to consider God's blessings.  [The backstory to today's passage.... Elizabeth is with child... a miracle and blessing in itself. (Luke 1:5-20)] In today's passage, God blessed Elizabeth, who in turn blessed Mary.  Elizabeth wondered why she had been blessed.  Mary came to visit Elizabeth and it was in that visit that Elizabeth recognized a second blessing, that of Mary carrying the Lord (verses 42-43). Elizabeth and Mary were able to walk a journey together and encourage one another.

God's Mysteries-- God chooses to bring about mystery with human help.  Have you thought about that?  We may not be able to answer all the questions surrounding mystery, but in the midst of the mystery, God chooses to use humans.  He used Mary and Joseph to bring one of the greatest mysteries into the world, the divine Christ child.

Romans 16:25-27-- ²⁵ Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages ²⁶ but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— ²⁷ to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.

Colossians 1:27-- ²⁷ To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Colossians 2:2-- ² I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ himself,

As we look to see how God delivers his promises, blessings, and reveals his mysteries (when they are revealed), it is most often in community. COMMUNITY!  We are called to be in community.  To live out this faith journey together, to walk together, just as Elizabeth and Mary and many others.  We can offer encouragement, support, prayer, assistance as we live out our faith together.  In doing this, we help one another discern the invitations that God offers us to join in where God is working.

Where have you felt God inviting you to join in?  How have you experienced God's whisperings in your life to be a part of something bigger?

Just this past week, one invitation to join in something that God is doing was the YMCA Backpack Blessings.  I want to thank you for saying "yes" to this invitation.  We had 7 Flintstone folks, 1 Simpson person and one other person there to fill royal blue backpacks for 400 kids so that they would have food for the Christmas break.  It's quite an operation.  It's a time of community coming together for a greater need.

Sometimes those nudges or whispers from God seem to take us a little longer to answer, do they not?  I am guilty of hesitating in my "yes" to God at times.  It's not that I want to say "no" to God, but sometimes I'm questioning: 'Is this really you God?' or 'Do you really think I can do this God?' or just plain: 'What?!?!?'

Even in the hesitancy to say "yes" to God, can we consider that God's promise "I am with you" is for you and me, that God's blessing of encouragement in community awaits us, and that God's mysteries are waiting to be unfolded through Christ in our lives?

As you and I continue to ponder these things this last week of Advent, may we like, Elizabeth, have reason to have that joy leap within us and may we be able to passionately exclaim belief as did Elizabeth.

It is moving into belief that draws us closer to the growing light of Christ.  It is what we are called to do and be as disciples of Christ, as Christ followers.  In my reading this week, I read this: "Being a disciple is moving from unbelief to belief in every part of your life." (BiVo: A Modern Day Guide for Bi-Vocational Saints, Hugh Halter, 33-34)  Think about that for just a moment.  We are to move from unbelief to belief in EVERY part of our life.  That's a big area.  I don't know about you, but I know God still has work to do in my life as a disciple.  I still have room to grow as a disciple.  It's an ongoing journey.  It's about saying "yes" to God over and over again, in trust and stepping out in faith and obedience.  It's about recognizing that Emmanuel, God with us, is in our midst and something inside us leaps for joy.

Listen once again to Elizabeth's proclamation over Mary for Mary's belief, but hear these words as if they were being spoken to you.....  Therefore there will be space where the pronouns "she" and "her" are in the verse for you to insert your name.  This morning, if you are ready to take the step of bold belief, faith, and trust and obedience and follow God's leading, hear these words: "And blessed is ______ who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to _______ by the Lord."

May it be so.

Amen.

From Doubt to Belief..... readings and reflections for the journey

In preparation for tonight's mid-week Vesper's service, I turned to this week's readings in A Guide to Prayer For All Who Seek God.  The title?  "From Doubt to Belief".

As I glanced over the Scripture selections for the week and read several of the choices (John 10:31-42, Psalm 146, and Mark 12:28-34), though there were encouraging and admonishing words in all, the Mark passage is the one that stood out to me at this time.

Mark 12:28-34 (NRSV)

²⁸ One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” ²⁹ Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; ³⁰ you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ³² Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; ³³ and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’—this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.
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This passage may be the one that stood out to me those verses are ones I desire to live by.  Or, it could be that I need to live more faithfully into these verses.  Or, it could be a "both/and" answer.  Likely, it's the latter.

Doubt is a normal part of belief.  It is normal to have doubts, to ask questions, to seek answers along the journey of belief.  Doubt can come because of many things and reveal itself in many forms, yet the one thing to remember is to not fear it, reject it, or deny it.  It has its place on the journey.  Working through doubt allows one's belief to become more clear.

In the reflection readings for this week, several of the quotes spoke to me.  I will share them.  Maybe there is something for someone else in these words.

Rueben Job writes:

     "We move away from doubt at out own pace and with our own set of doubts and beliefs to master.  While our first step is a matter of belief and ultimate trust in God, there are many other and some even more difficult steps to take in our movement from doubt to belief.
     One step along the journey that causes many people to stop and struggle is the step of actually believing God loves them and that they can be lovable in God's sight.  This more than any other step along the journey makes men and women, young and old, stumble and fall from faith to doubt.  Why is it so hard for us to believe that God's love really is unconditional and that we should imitate God's love not only for others but also for ourselves?
     Perhaps we have regarded self-centered behavior too harshly.  We are unwilling or unable to give ourselves the same gentle grace that God offers us and that we believe should be offered to others.  Leap from doubt to belief and remember that God loves you, delights in you, and yearns for your response of faith in God and in God's creation." (389-390)

Another quote that stood out to me is by Joan Chittister from Illuminated Life:

     "Life, the contemplative knows, is a process.  It is not that all the elements of life, mundane as they may be, do not matter.  On the contrary, to the contemplative everything matters.  Everything speaks of God, and God is both in and beyond everything.
     Having the faith to take life one piece at a time--to live it in the knowledge that there is something of God in this for me now, here, at this moment--is of the essence of happiness.  It is not that God is a black box full of tests and trials and treats.  It is that life is a step on the way to a God who goes the way with us.  However far, however perilous." (391-392)

And lastly, a quote by Tilda Norberg from Ashes Transformed:

     "The more healing I experience, the more I understand one of the most magnificent truths of the Christian faith: God can turn our worst pain into the source of our giftedness.  It is no accident that my life's work involves helping people invite Jesus into the worst moments of their lives." (393)

These are just a sampling of the reflection readings and the Scriptures for the week.  They are the ones that stood out to me at this time.  The others might meet you more where you are on your journey.  You might consider using A Guide to Prayer For All Who Seek God (The Upper Room) in your faith journey.

As you read the reflection readings above, what stands out to you?  What speaks to you?  Where do the words intersect with where you are on your journey?

For me, I am reminded that God is with me, every step of the way.... even when it doesn't "feel like it".  I am reminded that I can experience God in the midst of any situation and that God does turn pain into something that is used for the good of the Kingdom and God's glory.

Here is a Charles Wesley hymn that I ran across in A Guide to Prayer For Ministers and Other Servants (334). 

"Father, I Stretch My Hands to Thee"

[Link from hymnary.org]

Father, I stretch my hands to Thee,
No other help I know;
If Thou withdraw Thyself from me,
Ah! Whether shall I go?

On Thy dear Son I now believe
O let me feel Thy power
And all my varied wants relieve
In this accepted hour

Author of faith! to Thee I lift
My weary longing eyes
O let me now receive this gift
My soul without it dies

Surely Thou canst not let me die;
O speak, and I shall live;
And here I will unwearied lie,
Till Thou Thy Spirit give.

How would my fainting soul rejoice
Could I but see Thy face
Now let me hear Thy quickening voice
And taste Thy pardoning grace

I do believe, I now believe
That Jesus died for me.
And that He shed His precious blood
From sin to set me free

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Fellow journeyer, in closing, I leave with you a poem I read in the same week's lesson that I read the Charles Wesley hymn in A Guide to Prayer For Ministers and Other Servants (331-332).  The poem is by Susan Ruach.

"A New Way of Struggling"

To stuggle used to be
To grab with both hands

and shake

and twist

and turn

and push

and shove and not give in

But wrest an answer from it all
As Jacob did a blessing.
But there is another way
To struggle with an issue, a question-
Simply to jump

off

into the abyss

and find ourselves

floating

falling

tumbling

being led

slowly and gently

but surely

to the answers God has for us-

to watch the answers unfold

before our eyes and still

to be a part of the unfolding

But oh! the trust
necessary for this new way!
Not to be always reaching out
For the old hand-holds.

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Blessings on your journey,

Debra