Sermon Illustrations for Advent 4 (2022)
Illustration
Isaiah 7:10-16
This passage preceded the conversation between God and King Ahaz from the second Sunday in Advent (Isaiah 11:1-10), with Isaiah as the Lord’s emissary. Ahaz intended to enter an unwise alliance with the king of Assyria in the face of a threatened alliance between the kings of Israel and Syria. When Ahaz refuses to listen to God’s prophet, the Lord speaks once more: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” Instead, he wrapped himself around a single verse which he takes out of context.
“I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” (7:12)
He won’t ask because he doesn’t want God to send a sign that would confirm what Isaiah was sent to tell him, so instead he took a verse out of context. Ahaz was referring to Deuteronomy 6:16 — “Do not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.”
This is a reference to the time in the desert when the people of God complained to Moses that they had been brought there to die of thirst. Despite having seen the signs and wonders in Egypt that led to Pharaoh letting them go, and afterwards, with their backs against the Red Sea, walked on dry land to the other side after which Pharaoh’s mighty army, including its charioteers, came to a bitter end, they cried aloud against God. Moses struck the rock and water miraculously flowed forth. The place was nicknamed Massah and Meribah to commemorate the grumbling of the people.
Moses in Deuteronomy 6:16 was warning the people, in a farewell speech, not to forget all that God had done for them, and once more cried out against their leaders. Ahaz was misquoting the verse by only using half of it, in a situation where God freely offered to perform whatever sign Ahaz asked for.
It’s clear — no surprise — that God knows exactly what is going on. The Hebrew word for “sign” is the one used in Exodus for the signs and wonders performed through Moses. God’s response is that a sign will be given nevertheless. A young woman will give birth and bear a son whose name will be Immanuel, which means “God is with us.” By the time he’s old enough to eat solid food and knows good from evil your lands will be desolate because of that ally you’re courting — Assyria!
Two things. First, Jesus quoted the same Deuteronomy verse to Satan when the latter misused Psalm 90 and tried to get Jesus to jump from the highest tower of the temple. Way to go, Jesus.
The point is — just because someone throws a verse at you doesn’t mean they know what they’re talking about! King Ahaz didn’t. Neither did Satan. Know what they were talking about.
Frank R.
* * *
Isaiah 7:10-16
A man and his son had several chickens in their coop. As the boy was feeding them one day, there was a sonic boom that panicked the chickens, so they began flapping their wings, squawking, and bouncing from one side of the coop to the other. The boy knew there was nothing to be afraid of, but he couldn’t do anything to calm the birds. In his frustration he asked his dad what to do. “If you could only become a chicken and tell them everything is okay,” his father replied.
The name “Immanuel” means “God with us.” In the context of this verse, King Ahaz gets a third sign from God through the prophet Isaiah. Before the child of the young woman is grown enough to know right from wrong, the kingdoms of those who threaten Ahaz will be desolate. In a larger sense, this passage, later referenced by Matthew, points to the time when God will become human to redeem humans. Jesus is God in the flesh. God is not far away and oblivious to our situation. As Paul later wrote, “who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death — even death on a cross” (Philippians 4:6-8).
Bill T.
* * *
Romans 1:1-7
I don’t know about you but when I start a letter, I usually say “dear” as my first word, and even my closings of business letters may have my name and title, but I don’t go into the detail Paul does. It’s as if Paul knows there will be those from his old hometown who will not be able to believe he has become an apostle, a follower of Jesus, and a proclaimer of the faith he now holds so dear. When I decided to go to seminary and then to be ordained, I am sure there were some people who laughed and said, “Bonnie, a minister! I can’t believe it!” Maybe I would have needed those explanations as well. After all, I was the plump, sometimes shy, not very popular, girl who sang in the choir in school, not the religious one. I wonder what Paul’s contemporaries thought of his transformation. Paul takes not chances, being clear about the change in his life and he thanks the faithful in Rome for the faithful changes they have made as well. Sometimes, my friends, only God knows where we will end up.
Bonnie B.
* * *
Romans 1:1-7
Jesus’ birth through a virgin and his saving work in the resurrection are truly mysteries which defy explanation. Encountering such limits, recognizing how reason falls short in understanding the ways of God, is a good thing. Seventeenth-century Anglican priest Jeremy Taylor put it this way once: “A religion without mystery must be a religion without God.” Albert Einstein thought that mysteries are good things. Through them we experience awe, as he once put it:
The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery each day. ("Old Man's Advice to Youth: 'Never Lose a Holy Curiosity.'" Life Magazine [2 May 1955], p. 64)
Mysteries are never fully resolved, and without the Spirit, the glory of these mysteries cannot be known. John Calvin thoughtfully notes:
This glory, however, is not made known to us, until the same Spirit imprints a conviction of it on our hearts. And that Paul includes, together with the wonderful energy of the Spirit... the testimony which all the faithful feel in their hearts... (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol. XIX/2, p.46)
Mark E.
* * *
Matthew 1:18-25
Fundamentalist Baptist pastor John McArthur nicely explains what is at stake for faith in the virgin birth:
Mary’s virginity protected a great deal more than her own moral character, reputation, and the legitimacy of Jesus’ birth. It protected the nature of the divine Son of God… Jesus had to have one human parent, or he could not have been human, and thereby a partaker of our flesh. But he also had to have divine parentage or he could not have made a sinless and perfect sacrifice on our behalf.
In a sermon on this text, Martin Luther elaborated on that significance of these insights for everyday life:
We must both read and meditate upon the Nativity. If the meditation does not reach the heart, we shall sense no sweetness nor shall we know what solace for humankind lies in this contemplation. The heart will not laugh nor be merry... Truly it is marvelous in our eyes that God should place a little child in the lap of a virgin, and that our blessedness should lie in him. And this child belongs to all mankind. God feeds the whole world through a babe nursing at Mary’s breast... Then will the heart be suffused with all joy and will be strong and confident against every assault. (The Martin Luther Christmas Book, pp. 22-23)
Mark E.
* * *
Matthew 1:18-25
I don’t know if chicken soup is the cure-all some claim it to be, but as more than one comic has noted, “It couldn’t hurt.” We do know that folk medicine sometimes really works!
One folk remedy in ancient times was the practice by ancient Christians of writing a prayer or a bible verse on a strip of papyrus (the ancient equivalent of paper) and wearing it around the wrist or neck. This was called an “amulet.” These might be often worn for specific ailments, such as headaches, or for protection against diseases such as the flu. Church authorities spoke out against the practice but there has always been a conflict between what church leaders say and what ordinary believers do.
Obviously, people in ancient times didn’t have knowledge of germ theory or access to modern medical procedures. Still, while wearing a Bible verse might not actually prevent disease or cure headaches, it was kind of like chicken soup -- couldn’t hurt!
Scholar Brice C. Jones published the text of an amulet that included the words …an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid…. from Matthew 1:20. They are the words spoken by an angel in a dream to reassure Joseph that his fiancé Mary’s pregnancy was part of God’s plan for salvation. Jones suggests Christians felt words spoken through an angel in a dream had great power, and who wouldn’t want to share the emotional, spiritual, and/or physical healing that comes with the divine word?
(For more information see “A Greek Papyrus Fragment with a Citation of Matthew 1:20, by Brice C. Jones, Journal of Biblical Literature, no. 1 2018, 169-174)).
Frank R.
* * *
Matthew 1:18-25
I heard the story of an army chaplain who was visiting a mobile hospital one afternoon. He came to a soldier who had only one arm. He sat down next to the young man, touched him gently and said, “Hello son. I see you lost an arm in this war.”
Without hesitation the young man replied, “No sir. I did not lose it. I gave it.” There is not a better statement than that to describe the acts of Jesus. Joseph was told to call him “Jesus for he will save his people from their sins.” Make no mistake. Jesus did not lose his life. He gave his life, willingly, for all of us. Max Lucado wrote, “You come before the judgment seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes. Because of his justice he cannot dismiss your sin, but because of his love he cannot dismiss you. So, in an act which stunned the heavens, he punished himself on the cross for your sins. God’s justice and love are equally honored. And you, God’s creation, are forgiven.”
Bill T.
This passage preceded the conversation between God and King Ahaz from the second Sunday in Advent (Isaiah 11:1-10), with Isaiah as the Lord’s emissary. Ahaz intended to enter an unwise alliance with the king of Assyria in the face of a threatened alliance between the kings of Israel and Syria. When Ahaz refuses to listen to God’s prophet, the Lord speaks once more: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” Instead, he wrapped himself around a single verse which he takes out of context.
“I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” (7:12)
He won’t ask because he doesn’t want God to send a sign that would confirm what Isaiah was sent to tell him, so instead he took a verse out of context. Ahaz was referring to Deuteronomy 6:16 — “Do not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.”
This is a reference to the time in the desert when the people of God complained to Moses that they had been brought there to die of thirst. Despite having seen the signs and wonders in Egypt that led to Pharaoh letting them go, and afterwards, with their backs against the Red Sea, walked on dry land to the other side after which Pharaoh’s mighty army, including its charioteers, came to a bitter end, they cried aloud against God. Moses struck the rock and water miraculously flowed forth. The place was nicknamed Massah and Meribah to commemorate the grumbling of the people.
Moses in Deuteronomy 6:16 was warning the people, in a farewell speech, not to forget all that God had done for them, and once more cried out against their leaders. Ahaz was misquoting the verse by only using half of it, in a situation where God freely offered to perform whatever sign Ahaz asked for.
It’s clear — no surprise — that God knows exactly what is going on. The Hebrew word for “sign” is the one used in Exodus for the signs and wonders performed through Moses. God’s response is that a sign will be given nevertheless. A young woman will give birth and bear a son whose name will be Immanuel, which means “God is with us.” By the time he’s old enough to eat solid food and knows good from evil your lands will be desolate because of that ally you’re courting — Assyria!
Two things. First, Jesus quoted the same Deuteronomy verse to Satan when the latter misused Psalm 90 and tried to get Jesus to jump from the highest tower of the temple. Way to go, Jesus.
The point is — just because someone throws a verse at you doesn’t mean they know what they’re talking about! King Ahaz didn’t. Neither did Satan. Know what they were talking about.
Frank R.
* * *
Isaiah 7:10-16
A man and his son had several chickens in their coop. As the boy was feeding them one day, there was a sonic boom that panicked the chickens, so they began flapping their wings, squawking, and bouncing from one side of the coop to the other. The boy knew there was nothing to be afraid of, but he couldn’t do anything to calm the birds. In his frustration he asked his dad what to do. “If you could only become a chicken and tell them everything is okay,” his father replied.
The name “Immanuel” means “God with us.” In the context of this verse, King Ahaz gets a third sign from God through the prophet Isaiah. Before the child of the young woman is grown enough to know right from wrong, the kingdoms of those who threaten Ahaz will be desolate. In a larger sense, this passage, later referenced by Matthew, points to the time when God will become human to redeem humans. Jesus is God in the flesh. God is not far away and oblivious to our situation. As Paul later wrote, “who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death — even death on a cross” (Philippians 4:6-8).
Bill T.
* * *
Romans 1:1-7
I don’t know about you but when I start a letter, I usually say “dear” as my first word, and even my closings of business letters may have my name and title, but I don’t go into the detail Paul does. It’s as if Paul knows there will be those from his old hometown who will not be able to believe he has become an apostle, a follower of Jesus, and a proclaimer of the faith he now holds so dear. When I decided to go to seminary and then to be ordained, I am sure there were some people who laughed and said, “Bonnie, a minister! I can’t believe it!” Maybe I would have needed those explanations as well. After all, I was the plump, sometimes shy, not very popular, girl who sang in the choir in school, not the religious one. I wonder what Paul’s contemporaries thought of his transformation. Paul takes not chances, being clear about the change in his life and he thanks the faithful in Rome for the faithful changes they have made as well. Sometimes, my friends, only God knows where we will end up.
Bonnie B.
* * *
Romans 1:1-7
Jesus’ birth through a virgin and his saving work in the resurrection are truly mysteries which defy explanation. Encountering such limits, recognizing how reason falls short in understanding the ways of God, is a good thing. Seventeenth-century Anglican priest Jeremy Taylor put it this way once: “A religion without mystery must be a religion without God.” Albert Einstein thought that mysteries are good things. Through them we experience awe, as he once put it:
The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery each day. ("Old Man's Advice to Youth: 'Never Lose a Holy Curiosity.'" Life Magazine [2 May 1955], p. 64)
Mysteries are never fully resolved, and without the Spirit, the glory of these mysteries cannot be known. John Calvin thoughtfully notes:
This glory, however, is not made known to us, until the same Spirit imprints a conviction of it on our hearts. And that Paul includes, together with the wonderful energy of the Spirit... the testimony which all the faithful feel in their hearts... (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol. XIX/2, p.46)
Mark E.
* * *
Matthew 1:18-25
Fundamentalist Baptist pastor John McArthur nicely explains what is at stake for faith in the virgin birth:
Mary’s virginity protected a great deal more than her own moral character, reputation, and the legitimacy of Jesus’ birth. It protected the nature of the divine Son of God… Jesus had to have one human parent, or he could not have been human, and thereby a partaker of our flesh. But he also had to have divine parentage or he could not have made a sinless and perfect sacrifice on our behalf.
In a sermon on this text, Martin Luther elaborated on that significance of these insights for everyday life:
We must both read and meditate upon the Nativity. If the meditation does not reach the heart, we shall sense no sweetness nor shall we know what solace for humankind lies in this contemplation. The heart will not laugh nor be merry... Truly it is marvelous in our eyes that God should place a little child in the lap of a virgin, and that our blessedness should lie in him. And this child belongs to all mankind. God feeds the whole world through a babe nursing at Mary’s breast... Then will the heart be suffused with all joy and will be strong and confident against every assault. (The Martin Luther Christmas Book, pp. 22-23)
Mark E.
* * *
Matthew 1:18-25
I don’t know if chicken soup is the cure-all some claim it to be, but as more than one comic has noted, “It couldn’t hurt.” We do know that folk medicine sometimes really works!
One folk remedy in ancient times was the practice by ancient Christians of writing a prayer or a bible verse on a strip of papyrus (the ancient equivalent of paper) and wearing it around the wrist or neck. This was called an “amulet.” These might be often worn for specific ailments, such as headaches, or for protection against diseases such as the flu. Church authorities spoke out against the practice but there has always been a conflict between what church leaders say and what ordinary believers do.
Obviously, people in ancient times didn’t have knowledge of germ theory or access to modern medical procedures. Still, while wearing a Bible verse might not actually prevent disease or cure headaches, it was kind of like chicken soup -- couldn’t hurt!
Scholar Brice C. Jones published the text of an amulet that included the words …an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid…. from Matthew 1:20. They are the words spoken by an angel in a dream to reassure Joseph that his fiancé Mary’s pregnancy was part of God’s plan for salvation. Jones suggests Christians felt words spoken through an angel in a dream had great power, and who wouldn’t want to share the emotional, spiritual, and/or physical healing that comes with the divine word?
(For more information see “A Greek Papyrus Fragment with a Citation of Matthew 1:20, by Brice C. Jones, Journal of Biblical Literature, no. 1 2018, 169-174)).
Frank R.
* * *
Matthew 1:18-25
I heard the story of an army chaplain who was visiting a mobile hospital one afternoon. He came to a soldier who had only one arm. He sat down next to the young man, touched him gently and said, “Hello son. I see you lost an arm in this war.”
Without hesitation the young man replied, “No sir. I did not lose it. I gave it.” There is not a better statement than that to describe the acts of Jesus. Joseph was told to call him “Jesus for he will save his people from their sins.” Make no mistake. Jesus did not lose his life. He gave his life, willingly, for all of us. Max Lucado wrote, “You come before the judgment seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes. Because of his justice he cannot dismiss your sin, but because of his love he cannot dismiss you. So, in an act which stunned the heavens, he punished himself on the cross for your sins. God’s justice and love are equally honored. And you, God’s creation, are forgiven.”
Bill T.
