Illustrations for December 2, 2007 from Emphasis
Illustration
Object:
Preaching The Psalm
Psalm 122
In this day of turmoil and violence in the Middle East, a call to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem," is a poignant one indeed. Originally said by pilgrims coming from across Israel to Jerusalem, this psalm today holds a broader and deeper significance.
As body counts rise and anger increases, it is a prayer worth repeating. May "peace be within your walls, and security within your towers." Certainly the Middle East is convulsing with violence, even as these words are written. But the peace of Jerusalem is also the peace of the world. This psalm resonates with voices that pray for peace throughout our world. Across the globe today there are wars virtually everywhere. Indeed, in the United States, the expenditure on arms is in the trillions of dollars. It is hard to have "security within our towers" when all the resources of the nation are squandered on military adventures. It is difficult to have peace within our own walls when we ourselves are not agents of peace.
By all means, let the people pray for the peace of Jerusalem. But the children's hymn of old comes back in haunting echoes. "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me." Let there be peace on earth and let us call our own nation to account in its military spending and pre-emptive wars. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with a nation who offers food, healing, and medicine rather than trade in arms and munitions. Let there be peace on earth, and let the voices of our citizens call for diplomacy and cooperation rather than threats and confrontation.
"For the sake of our friends and relatives," and for the sake of our sisters and brothers around the world, let this be the moment that people of faith commit to working for justice and for peace. Let this be the moment that prayers for peace become holy actions for peace. And, as the final words of this psalm indicate, let us seek the good of all, for the sake of the house of our God. For the sake of the planet created by God, for the sake of the many wonderful lands and cultures, let us look beyond ourselves and dedicate our lives to seeking the good of all.
As we prepare to welcome the Prince of Peace, can there be any other prayer? Any other focus for our lives?
Illustrations for December 2
Isaiah 2:1-5
The late Fred Rogers was a beloved children's television personality and also a minister. He had this to say about how to handle anger: "Confronting our feelings and giving them appropriate expression always takes strength, not weakness. It takes strength to acknowledge our anger, and sometimes more strength yet to curb the aggressive urges anger may bring and to channel them into nonviolent outlets. It takes strength to face our sadness and to grieve and to let our grief and our anger flow in tears when they need to. It takes strength to talk about our feelings and to reach out for help and comfort when we need it" (from The World According to Mr. Rogers [New York: Hyperion, 2003]).
Beating swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks is an act of strength, not weakness.
Isaiah 2:1-5
I have a new hobby of making leather belts. I put an announcement in the church bulletin asking for any old belts or scraps of leather so that I could retool and reuse the leather in my various belt-making projects. One parishioner brought in a very used, but very sturdy and handsome long strip of leather. I cut it in two and made two leather belts and was even able to retain the original metal strap adjusters that were part of the original strap.
I was curious what the strap had been used for previously, so I inquired. It turns out it was a gun sling that belonged to her slightly eclectic grandfather who liked to hunt. It pleases me greatly that something used to hunt and kill is now being used for the delightfully peaceful purpose such as holding one's pants up.
Isaiah 2:1-5
Alison and her mother always seemed to be at odds, never quite getting along, not agreeing on much of anything. Every December, her mother would spend a day baking a variety of Christmas cookies. The family would enjoy some of the cookies while others were given to neighbors, coworkers, and friends from church.
Something prompted Alison to ask her mother if she could help with making the cookies. Her request caught her mother by surprise, but she readily agreed. It was just the two of them as they baked, decorated, and frosted cookies all afternoon. As they were hand rolling the cookies, mother and daughter began talking in a way they never had before. They talked without anyone interrupting them. Her mother told her stories of her own years growing up that Alison had never heard before, and Alison shared experiences with her friends at school.
That afternoon, Alison realized for the first time in her life how much she was like her mother. The two shared the same outlook as well as other personal characteristics. That day mother and daughter grew closer together. Both came away with a better understanding and appreciation of each other.
Advent is the time when we draw closer to God -- the way we do so is by spending time with God. The prophet Isaiah invites people to the "mountain of the Lord" where God "may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths."
Isaiah 2:1-5
When one looks at the St. Elias mountain range, which borders Alaska, northern British Columbia, and the Yukon, one thinks of majesty and stability -- it is rock solid, right? Not really. The St. Elias range of mountains is located in one of the most earthquake prone places in North America. One result of all this shaking and rolling of the earth is that the St. Elias mountains are growing at a rate of four centimeters per year, approximately the same rate that our fingernails grow. In 1899, one particularly severe earthquake caused the mountains to rise ten meters in two minutes!
Isaiah foresees a time when the Lord's mountain, Zion, will be the highest of all the world's mountains. It is either growing right now, or some cataclysmic event will catapult it upward to its great peak.
Romans 13:11-14
The choir director and pastor were feuding. The pastor announced his sermon, "Progressing In Service," for which the choir director chose the hymn, "I Shall Not Be Moved." The next Sunday, the sermon was "Giving," and the hymn, "Jesus Paid It All." Then the sermon was "The Sin Of Gossip," accompanied by the hymn "I Love To Tell The Story." The pastor announced he was considering resignation, and the choir director chose "Why Not Tonight?" The pastor resigned, saying Jesus had called him to a different ministry. The hymn was, "What A Friend We Have In Jesus."
Our quarreling and jealousy look silly to others, and are doubly foolish when compared with salvation in Christ. How should we live, realizing how near Christ is to us this moment and knowing that he will return soon?
Romans 13:11-14
"Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." Paul used a word that means "clothe." We are supposed to dress with Christ's purity and goodness. If those were your suit or dress when you left your place today, would you make a fashion statement for the Lord or be fit for a nudist colony?
You might be thinking, "Well, I don't get drunk, I don't revel, and I don't live licentiously." That's commendable. Praise God. But if you had to remove one garment for each of your jealous thoughts, for each time you became impatient, or thought too much of yourself today, would you look like a Hanes display? Paul wanted us to know what time it is and what kind of clothes we need because the day of Christ may be imminent. What clothes will you wear today or tomorrow, if it comes?
Romans 13:11-14
Although the passage does not speak specifically of grace and mercy, it certainly does in Romans 13:14 and is evident as we, "put on the Lord Jesus Christ." Similarly mercy and grace will be evident as we are clothed in him.
Judge Kaufman presided at the trial of the Russian spies, the Rosenbergs. They were charged with, and convicted of, treason against the United States and sentenced to death.
In his summation at the end of the long and bitter trial, the Rosenbergs' lawyer said animatedly, "Your Honor, what my clients ask for is justice."
Judge Kaufman replied calmly, "The court has given what you ask for -- justice! What you really want is mercy. But that is something this court has no right to give."
Justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is getting favor we don't deserve. Grace is the good will and mercy of God as revealed in Christ; the inner help and strength God gives to men and women through his Spirit. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ; let him be your costume designer.
Matthew 24:36-44
Back on November 19, 2002, the New York Times ran an article under the ominous headline: "Astronomers Foresee Enormous Collision of Two Black Holes." The article begins, "Two giant black holes have been found at the center of a galaxy born from the joining of two smaller galaxies and are drifting toward a cataclysmic collision that will send ripples throughout the universe ... That joining, astronomers said, will result in a monumental release of radiation and gravitational waves that should stretch across the universe."
Each of these two newly discovered black holes -- "collapsing objects so dense that their gravity draws in all material around them, including light" -- is about the size of our inner solar system. Place one of them within our solar system, in other words, and it would stretch clear from the sun to Mars. When these two vast, celestial objects collide, it's likely that a new galaxy will be born -- much like our own Milky Way, which astronomers believe was formed in a similar way. "We're seeing our own future," said Dr. Steinn Sigurdsson of Penn State University, explaining the significance of the announcement.
Given the ominous nature of this prediction, it's remarkable that it attracted so little attention at the time -- or, even more remarkably, in the five years since. The reason it didn't is the timing. The collision of the two black holes is due to take place in about four billion years. By then, astronomers predict, there should be no one left on Earth to witness it -- because they expect the Sun to have exploded into a nova about a billion years previously.
It's all in the timing. "But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Matthew 24:36).
Matthew 24:36-44
Thirteen years ago, a concert musician, Barry Faldner, and Chip Altholz, a manager and promoter for musicians and actors, invented a device: a digital clock that does more than simply tell you the time. By imputing your age and gender, it will display the remaining amount of time you have to live, based on standard mortality tables, in hours, minutes, and seconds.
The idea came out of a fascination with Beethoven. Faldner remembered reading a book in his youth about Beethoven which described him, at the end of his life, being angry with God and saying, "I need more time! I need more time!" Faldner concluded that if a great musician like Beethoven needed more time on earth, then everyone must. So they came up with the idea -- a clock that tells you, literally, how much time you have left to live.
Matthew 24:36-44
Katie collected information about families in the school district who were struggling financially. She thought it would be nice if people in the congregation would buy new toys and gifts for the children at Christmas. She explained one Sunday morning that every child should receive a new present on Christmas day. The congregation rallied behind the idea. Some of the older members of the church had not bought toys in decades and actually enjoyed buying gifts. In the weeks before Christmas, the gifts began piling up in the back of the church.
The Saturday before Christmas, the families were invited to the church to pick up gifts for their children. One of the first people to arrive that morning was a mother of three young children. She stated that she could not believe that people in the church would buy gifts for her children -- people who did not know her or her children. Alone in the church, this mother shared her story with Katie. She told of working at a job that did not pay very well, struggling over abuse issues in her own life, and of wanting the best for her children. Katie prayed for the woman and her children. The two women hugged.
Katie thought the church was just giving away gifts at Christmas, but realized it was much more. It was an opportunity to connect with people in their community who needed to feel love and support. A few Sundays into the New Year, this mother and her children began attending Sunday school where they were made to feel welcome.
Advent is about expecting the unexpected. We need to remain alert since God continues to be at work in our lives.
Matthew 24:36-44
At a recent neighborhood watch meeting, the police presented several important ideas on how to secure a home against home invasion. They were all pretty obvious yet most residents hadn't put them into practice. Here are just a few:
Door frames should be reinforced; hinges pinned or screwed; strike plates should be anchored with three-inch or longer screws; the lock set should have an escutcheon plate and a dead bolt; glass in or beside the door should have burglar-resistant glazing; patio doors should have security bars and be pinned on the track; windows should be pinned or have a locking mechanism; shrubs should be cleared from around the doors and windows; and lights, that dispel shadows around doors and windows, should be installed. Surprisingly, the officer disliked the idea of lights on timers as the patterns are easily learned.
Most of the attendees probably went home and at least took inventory of their home security and some installed a few of the ideas. It is all pretty easy.
Jesus suggests that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. And being ready is just as easy as securing one's home: Stay alert!
Psalm 122
In this day of turmoil and violence in the Middle East, a call to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem," is a poignant one indeed. Originally said by pilgrims coming from across Israel to Jerusalem, this psalm today holds a broader and deeper significance.
As body counts rise and anger increases, it is a prayer worth repeating. May "peace be within your walls, and security within your towers." Certainly the Middle East is convulsing with violence, even as these words are written. But the peace of Jerusalem is also the peace of the world. This psalm resonates with voices that pray for peace throughout our world. Across the globe today there are wars virtually everywhere. Indeed, in the United States, the expenditure on arms is in the trillions of dollars. It is hard to have "security within our towers" when all the resources of the nation are squandered on military adventures. It is difficult to have peace within our own walls when we ourselves are not agents of peace.
By all means, let the people pray for the peace of Jerusalem. But the children's hymn of old comes back in haunting echoes. "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me." Let there be peace on earth and let us call our own nation to account in its military spending and pre-emptive wars. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with a nation who offers food, healing, and medicine rather than trade in arms and munitions. Let there be peace on earth, and let the voices of our citizens call for diplomacy and cooperation rather than threats and confrontation.
"For the sake of our friends and relatives," and for the sake of our sisters and brothers around the world, let this be the moment that people of faith commit to working for justice and for peace. Let this be the moment that prayers for peace become holy actions for peace. And, as the final words of this psalm indicate, let us seek the good of all, for the sake of the house of our God. For the sake of the planet created by God, for the sake of the many wonderful lands and cultures, let us look beyond ourselves and dedicate our lives to seeking the good of all.
As we prepare to welcome the Prince of Peace, can there be any other prayer? Any other focus for our lives?
Illustrations for December 2
Isaiah 2:1-5
The late Fred Rogers was a beloved children's television personality and also a minister. He had this to say about how to handle anger: "Confronting our feelings and giving them appropriate expression always takes strength, not weakness. It takes strength to acknowledge our anger, and sometimes more strength yet to curb the aggressive urges anger may bring and to channel them into nonviolent outlets. It takes strength to face our sadness and to grieve and to let our grief and our anger flow in tears when they need to. It takes strength to talk about our feelings and to reach out for help and comfort when we need it" (from The World According to Mr. Rogers [New York: Hyperion, 2003]).
Beating swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks is an act of strength, not weakness.
Isaiah 2:1-5
I have a new hobby of making leather belts. I put an announcement in the church bulletin asking for any old belts or scraps of leather so that I could retool and reuse the leather in my various belt-making projects. One parishioner brought in a very used, but very sturdy and handsome long strip of leather. I cut it in two and made two leather belts and was even able to retain the original metal strap adjusters that were part of the original strap.
I was curious what the strap had been used for previously, so I inquired. It turns out it was a gun sling that belonged to her slightly eclectic grandfather who liked to hunt. It pleases me greatly that something used to hunt and kill is now being used for the delightfully peaceful purpose such as holding one's pants up.
Isaiah 2:1-5
Alison and her mother always seemed to be at odds, never quite getting along, not agreeing on much of anything. Every December, her mother would spend a day baking a variety of Christmas cookies. The family would enjoy some of the cookies while others were given to neighbors, coworkers, and friends from church.
Something prompted Alison to ask her mother if she could help with making the cookies. Her request caught her mother by surprise, but she readily agreed. It was just the two of them as they baked, decorated, and frosted cookies all afternoon. As they were hand rolling the cookies, mother and daughter began talking in a way they never had before. They talked without anyone interrupting them. Her mother told her stories of her own years growing up that Alison had never heard before, and Alison shared experiences with her friends at school.
That afternoon, Alison realized for the first time in her life how much she was like her mother. The two shared the same outlook as well as other personal characteristics. That day mother and daughter grew closer together. Both came away with a better understanding and appreciation of each other.
Advent is the time when we draw closer to God -- the way we do so is by spending time with God. The prophet Isaiah invites people to the "mountain of the Lord" where God "may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths."
Isaiah 2:1-5
When one looks at the St. Elias mountain range, which borders Alaska, northern British Columbia, and the Yukon, one thinks of majesty and stability -- it is rock solid, right? Not really. The St. Elias range of mountains is located in one of the most earthquake prone places in North America. One result of all this shaking and rolling of the earth is that the St. Elias mountains are growing at a rate of four centimeters per year, approximately the same rate that our fingernails grow. In 1899, one particularly severe earthquake caused the mountains to rise ten meters in two minutes!
Isaiah foresees a time when the Lord's mountain, Zion, will be the highest of all the world's mountains. It is either growing right now, or some cataclysmic event will catapult it upward to its great peak.
Romans 13:11-14
The choir director and pastor were feuding. The pastor announced his sermon, "Progressing In Service," for which the choir director chose the hymn, "I Shall Not Be Moved." The next Sunday, the sermon was "Giving," and the hymn, "Jesus Paid It All." Then the sermon was "The Sin Of Gossip," accompanied by the hymn "I Love To Tell The Story." The pastor announced he was considering resignation, and the choir director chose "Why Not Tonight?" The pastor resigned, saying Jesus had called him to a different ministry. The hymn was, "What A Friend We Have In Jesus."
Our quarreling and jealousy look silly to others, and are doubly foolish when compared with salvation in Christ. How should we live, realizing how near Christ is to us this moment and knowing that he will return soon?
Romans 13:11-14
"Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." Paul used a word that means "clothe." We are supposed to dress with Christ's purity and goodness. If those were your suit or dress when you left your place today, would you make a fashion statement for the Lord or be fit for a nudist colony?
You might be thinking, "Well, I don't get drunk, I don't revel, and I don't live licentiously." That's commendable. Praise God. But if you had to remove one garment for each of your jealous thoughts, for each time you became impatient, or thought too much of yourself today, would you look like a Hanes display? Paul wanted us to know what time it is and what kind of clothes we need because the day of Christ may be imminent. What clothes will you wear today or tomorrow, if it comes?
Romans 13:11-14
Although the passage does not speak specifically of grace and mercy, it certainly does in Romans 13:14 and is evident as we, "put on the Lord Jesus Christ." Similarly mercy and grace will be evident as we are clothed in him.
Judge Kaufman presided at the trial of the Russian spies, the Rosenbergs. They were charged with, and convicted of, treason against the United States and sentenced to death.
In his summation at the end of the long and bitter trial, the Rosenbergs' lawyer said animatedly, "Your Honor, what my clients ask for is justice."
Judge Kaufman replied calmly, "The court has given what you ask for -- justice! What you really want is mercy. But that is something this court has no right to give."
Justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is getting favor we don't deserve. Grace is the good will and mercy of God as revealed in Christ; the inner help and strength God gives to men and women through his Spirit. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ; let him be your costume designer.
Matthew 24:36-44
Back on November 19, 2002, the New York Times ran an article under the ominous headline: "Astronomers Foresee Enormous Collision of Two Black Holes." The article begins, "Two giant black holes have been found at the center of a galaxy born from the joining of two smaller galaxies and are drifting toward a cataclysmic collision that will send ripples throughout the universe ... That joining, astronomers said, will result in a monumental release of radiation and gravitational waves that should stretch across the universe."
Each of these two newly discovered black holes -- "collapsing objects so dense that their gravity draws in all material around them, including light" -- is about the size of our inner solar system. Place one of them within our solar system, in other words, and it would stretch clear from the sun to Mars. When these two vast, celestial objects collide, it's likely that a new galaxy will be born -- much like our own Milky Way, which astronomers believe was formed in a similar way. "We're seeing our own future," said Dr. Steinn Sigurdsson of Penn State University, explaining the significance of the announcement.
Given the ominous nature of this prediction, it's remarkable that it attracted so little attention at the time -- or, even more remarkably, in the five years since. The reason it didn't is the timing. The collision of the two black holes is due to take place in about four billion years. By then, astronomers predict, there should be no one left on Earth to witness it -- because they expect the Sun to have exploded into a nova about a billion years previously.
It's all in the timing. "But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Matthew 24:36).
Matthew 24:36-44
Thirteen years ago, a concert musician, Barry Faldner, and Chip Altholz, a manager and promoter for musicians and actors, invented a device: a digital clock that does more than simply tell you the time. By imputing your age and gender, it will display the remaining amount of time you have to live, based on standard mortality tables, in hours, minutes, and seconds.
The idea came out of a fascination with Beethoven. Faldner remembered reading a book in his youth about Beethoven which described him, at the end of his life, being angry with God and saying, "I need more time! I need more time!" Faldner concluded that if a great musician like Beethoven needed more time on earth, then everyone must. So they came up with the idea -- a clock that tells you, literally, how much time you have left to live.
Matthew 24:36-44
Katie collected information about families in the school district who were struggling financially. She thought it would be nice if people in the congregation would buy new toys and gifts for the children at Christmas. She explained one Sunday morning that every child should receive a new present on Christmas day. The congregation rallied behind the idea. Some of the older members of the church had not bought toys in decades and actually enjoyed buying gifts. In the weeks before Christmas, the gifts began piling up in the back of the church.
The Saturday before Christmas, the families were invited to the church to pick up gifts for their children. One of the first people to arrive that morning was a mother of three young children. She stated that she could not believe that people in the church would buy gifts for her children -- people who did not know her or her children. Alone in the church, this mother shared her story with Katie. She told of working at a job that did not pay very well, struggling over abuse issues in her own life, and of wanting the best for her children. Katie prayed for the woman and her children. The two women hugged.
Katie thought the church was just giving away gifts at Christmas, but realized it was much more. It was an opportunity to connect with people in their community who needed to feel love and support. A few Sundays into the New Year, this mother and her children began attending Sunday school where they were made to feel welcome.
Advent is about expecting the unexpected. We need to remain alert since God continues to be at work in our lives.
Matthew 24:36-44
At a recent neighborhood watch meeting, the police presented several important ideas on how to secure a home against home invasion. They were all pretty obvious yet most residents hadn't put them into practice. Here are just a few:
Door frames should be reinforced; hinges pinned or screwed; strike plates should be anchored with three-inch or longer screws; the lock set should have an escutcheon plate and a dead bolt; glass in or beside the door should have burglar-resistant glazing; patio doors should have security bars and be pinned on the track; windows should be pinned or have a locking mechanism; shrubs should be cleared from around the doors and windows; and lights, that dispel shadows around doors and windows, should be installed. Surprisingly, the officer disliked the idea of lights on timers as the patterns are easily learned.
Most of the attendees probably went home and at least took inventory of their home security and some installed a few of the ideas. It is all pretty easy.
Jesus suggests that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. And being ready is just as easy as securing one's home: Stay alert!
