Something To Get Excited About
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Zephaniah's exhortation to rejoice and exult in God's salvation gives us something to rejoice in. Will the hope that the United States will put a space station on the moon give us something to rejoice in? Will this effort save us, as a people, in any real sense? Probably not. True salvation comes from Jesus Christ coming into the world. James Killen writes about getting excited about Jesus' coming. Scott Suskovic writes another view and there are illustrations, a worship resource, and a children's sermon.
Something To Get Excited About
By James Killen
NASA has announced that they intend to have a manned space station on the surface of the moon by the year 2020. That is exciting. Since its beginning, the exploration of space has been a kind of a shared human adventure that represents to many our moving out to enlarge the perimeters of our existence. Those who can remember the first landing of an astronaut on the moon can remember that it really did represent a "giant step for mankind."
This news gives us something to get excited about just when we need it. So much of the news that has reached us recently has been oppressive. We hear about militant hatred, militant fear, the threat of terrorism, the nightmare of the war in Iraq, the bad news that most of the people of the world are getting poorer, and that includes the citizens of what was once called "the land of opportunity." We need something to get excited about.
But there is something else to get excited about. It is the Advent message, the always-new news that God is doing something in our midst to save. That saving work of God manifests itself in everything that is a genuine source of hope in human history, maybe even the exploration of space. That furnishes us, not just a distraction from the dreariness of things going on in our lives and in our history, but the promise that the new thing that is happening can and will make a real difference for good. Zephaniah 3:14-20 and Philippians 4:4-7 invite us to recognize what is happening and to rejoice.
THE WORLD
Progress is a word we love to hear. Any real evidence that humanity is moving forward in any significant way stirs up some excitement in most of us and makes us feel that we are indeed participating in something hopeful and good. Visit the homes of the people who were employed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or any of their contractors and you are likely to find their den walls adorned with framed certificates of appreciation for their work in helping to accomplish some particular mission along with an embroidered mission emblem. They take great pride in having been a participant in something that made history. Most of us feel some pride in being a part of the human race whenever we can feel that the human race is moving forward in any significant way. In the time right, after the first astronauts landed on the moon, many people found themselves looking up at the moon in the night sky, that awesome distant body that has been worshiped and made the subject of mythologies in the past, and smiled because we knew that some of us had finally gotten there. We have been expecting that a moon base would be built ever since. It is exciting to think that it is happening. It is the sort of thing that invites the human spirit to soar.
We need some news like that because most of what we have heard about in the news lately can certainly not be thought of as progress. Most of us yearn to see a more profound kind of progress in our world, progress toward a time when all people can live together in peace and basic well-being and when every person's humanity will be affirmed and invited to grow. The stories that crowd our newspapers seem to describe movements in the opposite direction. And we know that these things do impact our lives and the lives of those we love.
Those who take seriously their participation in human history can see conflicting currents swirling around them, some seeming to move humanity forward, some seeming to move humanity backward, and some just bewildering in their significance. How we hunger for some really good news that something really good is happening.
THE WORD
The song of celebration in the last chapter of the book of Zephaniah seems very appropriate for the season of Advent. It announces that something good is happening. It announces that God, the savior is present and that God will act to save, and that the people should rejoice.
The background of the book is a little curious. It was written by a prophet who lived in Jerusalem during the days of King Josiah who carried out the last significant reform movement in Judah. The prophet himself may have been related to King Hezekiah and may have had some African ancestry (son of Cushi). He composed an eloquent exposition on the subject of the coming day of the Lord. He followed the classic themes. He said that the day of the Lord would be both a day of judgment and a day of salvation. These things were to apply, not only to the people of Judah, but to the whole world. The first two thirds of the book paint frightening pictures of the desolation that will come as a result of the judgment of God. Then, in the first part of the third chapter, the prophet describes a time of worldwide repentance. The song of celebration follows.
This song is especially appropriate for our celebration of Advent and Christmas because it does not speak of the coming of the Lord as a future event. It speaks of God as present. "The Lord your God is in your midst..." (3:17). It speaks of some things that God has done in the past tense, "The Lord has taken away the judgement against you," and of some things God will do in the future tense, "... he will rejoice over you with gladness and renew you in his love." (This seems to reflect the themes of justification and sanctification in Christian theology.) This is very appropriate for the celebration of the one who came to be "God with us."
It is important to notice that the concept of salvation that is at work here is not the individualistic and otherworldly concept that is so popular among us. God did not just come so that we can go to heaven when we die. The prophet works with a concept of salvation that is typical in the Hebrew scriptures. God acts in life and in history to make a real difference in the life and the destiny of his people. Zephaniah speaks of God taking away judgment, turning away enemies, relieving the people of fear, renewing the people in love, dealing with oppressors, saving the lame, gathering the outcasts, and changing shame to praise. That is all pretty practical stuff. We will serve our people well by helping them to understand and appropriate that aspect of the promise of God's salvation.
The brief passage from Paul's letter to the Philippians comes from a time after the event in which we believe that the promise of the day of the Lord was fulfilled. He teaches us, who live after the event, to live with the awareness of that God has come to be God with us. He says that we should rejoice, that we should trust God to be at work to save and to make our needs known to God with thanksgiving, and that we should allow the knowledge of God's presence give us peace that surpasses understanding that will guard our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
I believe that, in crafting this sermon, I would start with the three paragraphs included above as introduction. If you can remember the first moon landing, you can make reference to the excitement that attended the event.
I would then move to try to evoke the congregations yearning for something promising to happen. This can be done by reference to the discouraging things that crowd our news programs or by talking about some local discouragements (closing of local factories that employed church members, increasing difficulty of financing a college education, and so forth), or perhaps some reference to conversations that have been going on in the community and congregation.
Then I would talk about the meaning of the season of Advent and the promise that the reading from Zephaniah embodies, the promise that God will come to be among us to save.
Then I would remind the people that all of those Christmas trees they are seeing everywhere mean that God has indeed come to be God with us. "Jesus is the reason for the season." Spend a little time just enjoying that recollection, then move on to ask, "But just what does that mean? What does that have to do with all of the stuff that is going on in our world and in our lives?"
Now it is time to help the people see that it has a lot to do with the things that are going on. God came to be among us to make a difference in what is going on in the world.
The Hebrew scriptures tell us that God is at work in history to save. That means that in the bewildering mix of things going on around us and sometimes within us, there are always some things that represent the saving work of God. Things like the exploration of space that evoke the human spirit may indeed be seen as parts of what God is doing in the world. Things that represent love working to make life better for all of the people of the world certainly represent the saving work of God. What other things can you name that may represent God at work among us? The work of a bipartisan commission to decide what to do about the war in Iraq? A rock star (Bono), trying to attack world poverty? Some things going on in the local community? All of these things represent the presence of God with us. That realization should give us hope. It should be something to get excited about.
It will be good to remember that the one who came also came to teach us how we can participate in the saving work that God is doing in our world and in our lives.
Think a little about the fact that all of the Christmas trees mean that we are living on "this side" of the coming of Emmanuel. We do not live in a hopeless and God forsaken world. God is with us and God is at work among us. The text from Philippians, which was also written on this side of the coming of Jesus, can give us some guidance about how to live out that understanding.
In conclusion, I believe that I would go back to remind the people that both of the scripture lessons call us to rejoice. I would summarize the reasons for rejoicing and then call them to join in the celebration. The hymn, "Joy To The World," may be a useful conclusion. Try to help them to experience the rejoicing.
ANOTHER VIEW
By Scott Suskovic
The Most Unlikely Place
The fourth grader came home from Sunday school and showed his mother a picture he had drawn of the Christmas story. There were airplanes overhead dropping bombs, army men leaping over fences, and buildings engulfed with flames. Soldiers were carrying people over their shoulders, dodging bullets, and bringing them safely from behind enemy lines to safety.
The mother looked at the picture as her son pointed out all the details. After a moment's pause, she asked him curiously, "Is this what they taught you in Sunday school today about Christmas?"
There was a pause as the boy searched for words. Finally he said, "Not exactly. But if I told you what they told me, you would never believe it!"
He's got a point.
We love the amazing. We are drawn to the extraordinary. When they talk about the billions of dollars to build a space station on the moon in 2020, our eyes light up and our imagination goes wild.
I suppose this is why John drew so much attention outside of Jerusalem. He was different. His message was fiery and bombastic, "You brood of vipers!" It did not contain much hope, "Who warned you to flee from the wrath that is to come?" There was no escape, "The axe is cutting at the very root of the tree and will be thrown into the fire."
What a far cry from what we are taught about being affirming, loving, and building on the felt needs of the congregation!
And yet they came. That's the amazing part. The people came. From all over Judea, people came to hear John's message and to be baptized by him. Why did they come? I have no idea. That's not the way I've been taught to draw a crowd and build up a church. I've been told that the secret is adequate parking, well-lit nurseries, multimedia sanctuaries, and clean women's restrooms.
Maybe they came for the same reason that a multi-billion dollar space station on the moon decades from now captures our attention. We love the spectacular. We seek out the amazing.
What would have happened if John would have told them the Christmas story the way it happened, the way that that Sunday school teacher told that fourth grade boy? Would you believe it? Would it get your attention? Or would it get lost in the ordinariness of life?
There is a painting by a Flemish painter (whose name I've forgotten) of those days before that first Christmas. What is so striking about it is that it is so ordinary. It is of ancient Bethlehem, overrun by travelers who have come for the census. It looks like one of those paintings of "Where's Waldo." It is chaotic. People everywhere: dogs, cats, chickens, and sheep wandering alone. People turned in every direction, some unpacking, some sleeping, and some wandering from inn to inn. But if you look closely, there is an older man leading a tired donkey. And on top of the donkey is a young, olive skinned, peasant girl -- obviously pregnant. They look as if they cannot find a place. The man is searching for a place, anyplace to give the girl some rest.
And that's it. No angelic choir. No trumpets blaring. No red carpet. So ordinary. So simple. So common. If this were John's message, he would be preaching to an empty house. Nobody would have traveled out to the desert. Nobody would have believed it. They were expecting a messiah riding in on a white horse, leading a large army, defeating the Romans, and reestablishing the kingdom of Israel. They were expecting the lion to lay down with the lamb, the child to play by the adder's nest, a feast full of fat things, and a peace that would last forever. But this... this is absurd. Nothing has changed, has it?
One of the Jewish arguments against Jesus being the messiah is that he did not usher in the messianic age. Nothing changed with his coming. The messiah was supposed to usher in a lasting peace. It was to be far reaching and undeniable. It was to be both personal and international. But nothing has changed.
According to the Peace Research Laboratory, since the eighteenth century, the world has seen only 11 years of peace -- not all consecutive. Since recorded history, some 3,500 years, only 280 have been peaceful. More than 8,000 treaties have been signed and broken. The United Nations declared 1986 as the International Year of Peace and the world responded with more than 100 wars according to the Center for Defense Information in Washington. Following the fall of the wall in Eastern Europe, NBC anchor, Tom Brokaw, said, "Peace on earth seems more possible now than at any time since World War II."
Where is the peace promised? Nothing has changed, has it? We were looking for the spectacular. We were waiting to be amazed. This was to be even bigger than a multi-billion dollar space station. What happened?
Why did people come out to listen to John? To get a tongue lashing? To be told they are going to hell? No. John offered them the amazing. The extraordinary. The winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. Imagine John's own astonishment when he found out he was wrong. The messiah did not meet his expectations. The messiah did not come wielding an axe and driving out the Romans. The messiah came as a surprise. He touched the lepers, he ate with tax collectors, he welcomed the child, and he loved the unlovely. Everyone was caught off guard, even John. In the end, even John wasn't sure. He had to send disciples to Jesus and ask, "Are you the one or should we look for another?" This Jesus came in the most unexpected way.
Where have you been seeking this child? Perhaps you've been looking in the wrong places. The peace he offers is in the heart. The change he brings is to our lives. The hope he restores is to everlasting life.
How? If I told you, would you believe it?
ILLUSTRATIONS
"In the Boston Public Library is a series of murals titled The Triumph of Religion. A Mural Celebrating Certain Stages of Jewish and Christian Religious History. The artist... John Singer Sargent chose the subject matter and the title for what John Dillenberger has called '... the most comprehensive religious painting scheme in the late nineteenth century...'
"In the center of [one] panel is a triad of figures. Adult male and adult female, fully clothed, kneel as they present a nude, preadolescent male who steps forward between them. The child's left hand holds the right hand of the woman, and his right hand, the left hand of the man. On either side is a pair of nude males who open massive doors that would have blocked the child's entrance toward the viewers. In the left-center foreground a dog plays with a lamb. Creating an arched border is magnificent foliage that abounds with various fruits; and intertwined in it is a fabric streamer which falls from the foliage behind the child's head in front of the kneeling man and ends at his knees.
"This is a vision of the fulfillment which Zephaniah presents. Paradise is once again available to humanity. The great gates... are now opened by the arrival of an innocent child, 'God in our midst.' Mary/Eve and Joseph/Adam make the presentation, as 'I restore your fortunes before your eyes,' says the Lord."
-- Roger Wedell, Lectionary Homiletics
* * *
"Yet in this little letter the words joy and rejoice appear 14 times, culminating in the summary declaration, 'Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice!' These verses bear the marks of Paul's own personal experience of God. Though in a place of distress, he is calm because the Lord is near. Whatever happens can only result in additional opportunities for him to enjoy (or extend) the reality of Christ's presence. So he can say with perfect honesty that nothing need disturb him; he can be content whether he is well fed or hungry, has plenty or is in need... The impetus to rejoice is a positive reality, which Paul describes as the peace of God that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
"As Karl Barth put it, the joy that Paul describes is a defiant 'nevertheless,' which draws strength from the gospel story and from laying one's deepest concerns before God 'with thanksgiving.' This joy seems to take root even in darkness. It is encouraged by the spread of the gospel, the growth of a young church, but most of all by the deep joy of God's presence and the hope this gives for whatever the future may hold."
-- William Dyrness, The Christian Century, 11/23-30/94
* * *
come, God-with-us:
who braves our rejection and hurt,
to show your love and acceptance.
come, God-for-us:
who whispers
in our ears
that we --
each of us --
are your Beloved children.
Come, God-under-us:
who cradles us
in the arms that never grow weary;
whose lap has room enough
for all.
Come, god-over-us:
who watches
in the long silence of the night,
that we might rest in your peace.
Come, God-beside-us:
who steadies us
when we falter,
who lifts us up
when we fall.
Come, God-behind-us:
who picks up the faded dreams
we drop along the way,
weaving them into your hope.
O come, O come, Immanuel:
and we will rejoice forever.
-- from Candles and Conifers (The Iona Community)
* * *
The Promise: Some might ask what the reason is for the rose candle on the Advent Wreath. This is the Sunday we light the Rose Candle. The third Sunday in Advent is known as "Gaudete" Sunday. The word is from the Latin "Gaudeo... Rejoice!" And why do we rejoice? Obviously, we rejoice because the Lord is near. His birth is immanent, as is his coming again. Both arrivals are signaled in every human heart that wishes to do the will of God. And so the Rose candle is a reminder of the joy of anticipation at the savior's coming. In some churches rose vestments are worn this day. And thus in our Advent Wreaths we blend the white of joy with the purple of penitence as we eagerly await the coming of Jesus. The Long Promised Savior approaches!
* * *
Something New. The old Hymn begins this way "New every morning is the Love." It is a stirring lyric with a lilting tune. It makes me smile to think of many a hymn that stirs the human heart with joy. The scripture says; "weeping may spend the night, but joy comes in the morning!" (Psalm 30:5). It makes me mindful that perhaps a hasty word or two at night is followed by a simple "sorry" with a smile in the morning. Ah yes, "new every morning is the love!"
* * *
The Unexpected: Many expected a savior who would rectify the politics of the Middle East. The Roman Occupation forces needed to be expelled. Perhaps Jesus would bring the Justice of God on the heads of the hated enemy. But what did he bring instead? He brought us something totally unexpected: forgiveness for all; love for all. He brought the power of God on a cross to die for all. Perhaps we're still waiting on a political savior. But he brings us something totally unexpected. It will always be something of a surprise to us. He brings forgiveness, love, and the power of God over death for all!
* * *
Humans are increasingly aware of their vulnerability and seeking a technological fix that will secure their existence. Columnist Gwynne Dyer recently reported the following. Stephen Hawking, the famous astrophysicist, recently warned that "the long term survival of the human race is at risk so long as it is confined to a single planet.... Sooner or later, disasters such as an asteroid collision or nuclear war could wipe us all out... but once we spread out into space and establish independent colonies, our future should be safe. There isn't anywhere like earth in the solar system, so we would have to go to another star." Then Dyer reminds us, "Any technology that can take us to the stars can probably also destroy whole planets at interstellar range. No matter how far we go, we can never get away from ourselves." Which raises the question, if we cannot save ourselves from ourselves, then who do we look to for salvation?
* * *
In the October 9 issue of Time, Andrew Sullivan made an interesting observation that suggests how counter-cultural Jesus is.
"The mystery that Christians are asked to embrace is not that Jesus was God but that he was God-made-man, which is to say, prone to the feelings and doubts and joys and agonies of being human. Jesus himself seemed to make a point of that. He taught in parables rather than in abstract theories. He told stories. He made friends. He got to places late; he misread the actions of others; he wept; he felt disappointment; he asked as many questions as he gave answers; and he was often silent in self-doubt or elusive or afraid."
Perhaps instead of looking for a spectacular technological fix to our problems, we need to look, as Jesus did at the most ordinary of human interactions. Maybe that is where we will discover our most profound experience of the divine.
* * *
I am in favor of our reaching for the moon, Mars, and the stars. I am in favor of us reaching not out of fear but in wonder. I agree with William Sloane Coffin who said: "Human life aspires beyond its grasp. As God led Moses to the mountaintop at Nebo, so life leads us to a place where we can view a land that is promised but never reached. To me, it is hard to believe a loving God would create loving creatures that aspire to be yet more loving, and then finish them off before their aspirations are complete. There must be something more" (Credo, p. 170). "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established" (Psalm 8:3), I understand the attraction of Advent. God is not through with us and there is a wonder to behold. Look for it everywhere.
WORSHIP RESOURCE
Call To Worship
One: God comes! So don't let go
of all the reasons to rejoice.
All: We will sing a song of Advent
to the One who fills our lives with joy.
One: God comes! Son don't stop
lifting your prayers with thanksgiving.
All: We will sing a song of Advent,
to the One who hears our words and silence.
One: God comes! So don't stop
giving your hearts to God.
All: We will sing a song of Advent
to the One who graces us with a peace
we cannot begin to understand.
Prayer Of The Day
Advent God:
like a mother lullabying a baby,
you sing over us;
like a father picking up
his kids after school,
you bring us home.
Jesus Christ,
Wellspring of salvation:
may we draw near
and drink deeply of
your living waters,
so we might be renewed to life,
and restored to wholeness.
Holy Spirit,
Peace surrounding
our hearts and minds:
help us to set aside
our fears and worries,
and to rejoice in
what God has done
and is doing in our midst.
God in Community, Holy in One,
in the midst of us,
in this holy time and sacred space,
in every moment and place we live,
hear us as we pray, saying,
Our Father...
Call To Reconciliation
Don't be afraid! God does not turn away from us, but comes toward us. God does not hold what we have done against us, but takes away the judgments against us. Join me as we pray to our loving God,
Unison Prayer Of Confession
How can we think of rejoicing, God of all times, when we face our world, and who we are? Called to gentleness, we can be angry and hurtful people. Called to generosity, we tighten our grip on our clothes, our food, and our love. Called to fairness, we can easily reject those who are different from us.
Yet, you are our salvation, Joy of our hearts, and you forgive us. Renewed in your love, we can be more loving; restored to new life, we can give ourselves away to others; as you rejoice over us with gladness, may we share the joy of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, with everyone we meet.
(Silence is observed.)
Assurance Of Pardon
One: This is the good news proclaimed to us:
The Lord is near, the Lord who is our
salvation.
All: We give thanks to God, who has come
bringing peace, bearing hope, carrying
joy into our lives. Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Sacrifice?
Object: some cash -- the larger the bills the better
Good morning! People have always wondered how to please God. Most people decided the best way to please God would be through "sacrifice." Can any of you tell me what a "sacrifice" is? (let them answer) A "sacrifice" is when we give something important to us away. Many people have thought that they should give important things away so that God would love them.
Money is important to many people. I brought some with me this morning. If I gave lots and lots of money, I might think that God would love me even more. Money is important to me and by giving it to God, I might be tempted to think that God would appreciate it and might like my giving it away.
God gave us a whole new idea of how to please God. We please God NOT by our sacrifices -- by what we give up. No, we please God by what we receive. God gives us Jesus. By receiving -- believing in Jesus -- that's all we need to be accepted by God!
Christmas is coming soon. Christmas is about what God gives us. What Christmas gift does God give us? (let them answer) God gives us Jesus. We cannot please God by what we give; we please God by receiving what God gives us -- Jesus! I guess that is why Christmas is such a beautiful time of the year. Money will not help us please God, but believing in the gift of God -- Jesus -- is all we need!
(Optional: Say, "Since God has given me Jesus, I am so happy. I wonder how I can show my happiness? I know -- [at this point get up and put the money you have brought for the children's sermon in the offering plate]. There -- that's just a little way I can show God how happy I am for the wonderful Christmas gift of Jesus.")
Dearest God: Thank you for the great Christmas gift that is Jesus. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, December 17, 2006, issue.
Copyright 2006 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
Something To Get Excited About
By James Killen
NASA has announced that they intend to have a manned space station on the surface of the moon by the year 2020. That is exciting. Since its beginning, the exploration of space has been a kind of a shared human adventure that represents to many our moving out to enlarge the perimeters of our existence. Those who can remember the first landing of an astronaut on the moon can remember that it really did represent a "giant step for mankind."
This news gives us something to get excited about just when we need it. So much of the news that has reached us recently has been oppressive. We hear about militant hatred, militant fear, the threat of terrorism, the nightmare of the war in Iraq, the bad news that most of the people of the world are getting poorer, and that includes the citizens of what was once called "the land of opportunity." We need something to get excited about.
But there is something else to get excited about. It is the Advent message, the always-new news that God is doing something in our midst to save. That saving work of God manifests itself in everything that is a genuine source of hope in human history, maybe even the exploration of space. That furnishes us, not just a distraction from the dreariness of things going on in our lives and in our history, but the promise that the new thing that is happening can and will make a real difference for good. Zephaniah 3:14-20 and Philippians 4:4-7 invite us to recognize what is happening and to rejoice.
THE WORLD
Progress is a word we love to hear. Any real evidence that humanity is moving forward in any significant way stirs up some excitement in most of us and makes us feel that we are indeed participating in something hopeful and good. Visit the homes of the people who were employed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or any of their contractors and you are likely to find their den walls adorned with framed certificates of appreciation for their work in helping to accomplish some particular mission along with an embroidered mission emblem. They take great pride in having been a participant in something that made history. Most of us feel some pride in being a part of the human race whenever we can feel that the human race is moving forward in any significant way. In the time right, after the first astronauts landed on the moon, many people found themselves looking up at the moon in the night sky, that awesome distant body that has been worshiped and made the subject of mythologies in the past, and smiled because we knew that some of us had finally gotten there. We have been expecting that a moon base would be built ever since. It is exciting to think that it is happening. It is the sort of thing that invites the human spirit to soar.
We need some news like that because most of what we have heard about in the news lately can certainly not be thought of as progress. Most of us yearn to see a more profound kind of progress in our world, progress toward a time when all people can live together in peace and basic well-being and when every person's humanity will be affirmed and invited to grow. The stories that crowd our newspapers seem to describe movements in the opposite direction. And we know that these things do impact our lives and the lives of those we love.
Those who take seriously their participation in human history can see conflicting currents swirling around them, some seeming to move humanity forward, some seeming to move humanity backward, and some just bewildering in their significance. How we hunger for some really good news that something really good is happening.
THE WORD
The song of celebration in the last chapter of the book of Zephaniah seems very appropriate for the season of Advent. It announces that something good is happening. It announces that God, the savior is present and that God will act to save, and that the people should rejoice.
The background of the book is a little curious. It was written by a prophet who lived in Jerusalem during the days of King Josiah who carried out the last significant reform movement in Judah. The prophet himself may have been related to King Hezekiah and may have had some African ancestry (son of Cushi). He composed an eloquent exposition on the subject of the coming day of the Lord. He followed the classic themes. He said that the day of the Lord would be both a day of judgment and a day of salvation. These things were to apply, not only to the people of Judah, but to the whole world. The first two thirds of the book paint frightening pictures of the desolation that will come as a result of the judgment of God. Then, in the first part of the third chapter, the prophet describes a time of worldwide repentance. The song of celebration follows.
This song is especially appropriate for our celebration of Advent and Christmas because it does not speak of the coming of the Lord as a future event. It speaks of God as present. "The Lord your God is in your midst..." (3:17). It speaks of some things that God has done in the past tense, "The Lord has taken away the judgement against you," and of some things God will do in the future tense, "... he will rejoice over you with gladness and renew you in his love." (This seems to reflect the themes of justification and sanctification in Christian theology.) This is very appropriate for the celebration of the one who came to be "God with us."
It is important to notice that the concept of salvation that is at work here is not the individualistic and otherworldly concept that is so popular among us. God did not just come so that we can go to heaven when we die. The prophet works with a concept of salvation that is typical in the Hebrew scriptures. God acts in life and in history to make a real difference in the life and the destiny of his people. Zephaniah speaks of God taking away judgment, turning away enemies, relieving the people of fear, renewing the people in love, dealing with oppressors, saving the lame, gathering the outcasts, and changing shame to praise. That is all pretty practical stuff. We will serve our people well by helping them to understand and appropriate that aspect of the promise of God's salvation.
The brief passage from Paul's letter to the Philippians comes from a time after the event in which we believe that the promise of the day of the Lord was fulfilled. He teaches us, who live after the event, to live with the awareness of that God has come to be God with us. He says that we should rejoice, that we should trust God to be at work to save and to make our needs known to God with thanksgiving, and that we should allow the knowledge of God's presence give us peace that surpasses understanding that will guard our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
I believe that, in crafting this sermon, I would start with the three paragraphs included above as introduction. If you can remember the first moon landing, you can make reference to the excitement that attended the event.
I would then move to try to evoke the congregations yearning for something promising to happen. This can be done by reference to the discouraging things that crowd our news programs or by talking about some local discouragements (closing of local factories that employed church members, increasing difficulty of financing a college education, and so forth), or perhaps some reference to conversations that have been going on in the community and congregation.
Then I would talk about the meaning of the season of Advent and the promise that the reading from Zephaniah embodies, the promise that God will come to be among us to save.
Then I would remind the people that all of those Christmas trees they are seeing everywhere mean that God has indeed come to be God with us. "Jesus is the reason for the season." Spend a little time just enjoying that recollection, then move on to ask, "But just what does that mean? What does that have to do with all of the stuff that is going on in our world and in our lives?"
Now it is time to help the people see that it has a lot to do with the things that are going on. God came to be among us to make a difference in what is going on in the world.
The Hebrew scriptures tell us that God is at work in history to save. That means that in the bewildering mix of things going on around us and sometimes within us, there are always some things that represent the saving work of God. Things like the exploration of space that evoke the human spirit may indeed be seen as parts of what God is doing in the world. Things that represent love working to make life better for all of the people of the world certainly represent the saving work of God. What other things can you name that may represent God at work among us? The work of a bipartisan commission to decide what to do about the war in Iraq? A rock star (Bono), trying to attack world poverty? Some things going on in the local community? All of these things represent the presence of God with us. That realization should give us hope. It should be something to get excited about.
It will be good to remember that the one who came also came to teach us how we can participate in the saving work that God is doing in our world and in our lives.
Think a little about the fact that all of the Christmas trees mean that we are living on "this side" of the coming of Emmanuel. We do not live in a hopeless and God forsaken world. God is with us and God is at work among us. The text from Philippians, which was also written on this side of the coming of Jesus, can give us some guidance about how to live out that understanding.
In conclusion, I believe that I would go back to remind the people that both of the scripture lessons call us to rejoice. I would summarize the reasons for rejoicing and then call them to join in the celebration. The hymn, "Joy To The World," may be a useful conclusion. Try to help them to experience the rejoicing.
ANOTHER VIEW
By Scott Suskovic
The Most Unlikely Place
The fourth grader came home from Sunday school and showed his mother a picture he had drawn of the Christmas story. There were airplanes overhead dropping bombs, army men leaping over fences, and buildings engulfed with flames. Soldiers were carrying people over their shoulders, dodging bullets, and bringing them safely from behind enemy lines to safety.
The mother looked at the picture as her son pointed out all the details. After a moment's pause, she asked him curiously, "Is this what they taught you in Sunday school today about Christmas?"
There was a pause as the boy searched for words. Finally he said, "Not exactly. But if I told you what they told me, you would never believe it!"
He's got a point.
We love the amazing. We are drawn to the extraordinary. When they talk about the billions of dollars to build a space station on the moon in 2020, our eyes light up and our imagination goes wild.
I suppose this is why John drew so much attention outside of Jerusalem. He was different. His message was fiery and bombastic, "You brood of vipers!" It did not contain much hope, "Who warned you to flee from the wrath that is to come?" There was no escape, "The axe is cutting at the very root of the tree and will be thrown into the fire."
What a far cry from what we are taught about being affirming, loving, and building on the felt needs of the congregation!
And yet they came. That's the amazing part. The people came. From all over Judea, people came to hear John's message and to be baptized by him. Why did they come? I have no idea. That's not the way I've been taught to draw a crowd and build up a church. I've been told that the secret is adequate parking, well-lit nurseries, multimedia sanctuaries, and clean women's restrooms.
Maybe they came for the same reason that a multi-billion dollar space station on the moon decades from now captures our attention. We love the spectacular. We seek out the amazing.
What would have happened if John would have told them the Christmas story the way it happened, the way that that Sunday school teacher told that fourth grade boy? Would you believe it? Would it get your attention? Or would it get lost in the ordinariness of life?
There is a painting by a Flemish painter (whose name I've forgotten) of those days before that first Christmas. What is so striking about it is that it is so ordinary. It is of ancient Bethlehem, overrun by travelers who have come for the census. It looks like one of those paintings of "Where's Waldo." It is chaotic. People everywhere: dogs, cats, chickens, and sheep wandering alone. People turned in every direction, some unpacking, some sleeping, and some wandering from inn to inn. But if you look closely, there is an older man leading a tired donkey. And on top of the donkey is a young, olive skinned, peasant girl -- obviously pregnant. They look as if they cannot find a place. The man is searching for a place, anyplace to give the girl some rest.
And that's it. No angelic choir. No trumpets blaring. No red carpet. So ordinary. So simple. So common. If this were John's message, he would be preaching to an empty house. Nobody would have traveled out to the desert. Nobody would have believed it. They were expecting a messiah riding in on a white horse, leading a large army, defeating the Romans, and reestablishing the kingdom of Israel. They were expecting the lion to lay down with the lamb, the child to play by the adder's nest, a feast full of fat things, and a peace that would last forever. But this... this is absurd. Nothing has changed, has it?
One of the Jewish arguments against Jesus being the messiah is that he did not usher in the messianic age. Nothing changed with his coming. The messiah was supposed to usher in a lasting peace. It was to be far reaching and undeniable. It was to be both personal and international. But nothing has changed.
According to the Peace Research Laboratory, since the eighteenth century, the world has seen only 11 years of peace -- not all consecutive. Since recorded history, some 3,500 years, only 280 have been peaceful. More than 8,000 treaties have been signed and broken. The United Nations declared 1986 as the International Year of Peace and the world responded with more than 100 wars according to the Center for Defense Information in Washington. Following the fall of the wall in Eastern Europe, NBC anchor, Tom Brokaw, said, "Peace on earth seems more possible now than at any time since World War II."
Where is the peace promised? Nothing has changed, has it? We were looking for the spectacular. We were waiting to be amazed. This was to be even bigger than a multi-billion dollar space station. What happened?
Why did people come out to listen to John? To get a tongue lashing? To be told they are going to hell? No. John offered them the amazing. The extraordinary. The winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. Imagine John's own astonishment when he found out he was wrong. The messiah did not meet his expectations. The messiah did not come wielding an axe and driving out the Romans. The messiah came as a surprise. He touched the lepers, he ate with tax collectors, he welcomed the child, and he loved the unlovely. Everyone was caught off guard, even John. In the end, even John wasn't sure. He had to send disciples to Jesus and ask, "Are you the one or should we look for another?" This Jesus came in the most unexpected way.
Where have you been seeking this child? Perhaps you've been looking in the wrong places. The peace he offers is in the heart. The change he brings is to our lives. The hope he restores is to everlasting life.
How? If I told you, would you believe it?
ILLUSTRATIONS
"In the Boston Public Library is a series of murals titled The Triumph of Religion. A Mural Celebrating Certain Stages of Jewish and Christian Religious History. The artist... John Singer Sargent chose the subject matter and the title for what John Dillenberger has called '... the most comprehensive religious painting scheme in the late nineteenth century...'
"In the center of [one] panel is a triad of figures. Adult male and adult female, fully clothed, kneel as they present a nude, preadolescent male who steps forward between them. The child's left hand holds the right hand of the woman, and his right hand, the left hand of the man. On either side is a pair of nude males who open massive doors that would have blocked the child's entrance toward the viewers. In the left-center foreground a dog plays with a lamb. Creating an arched border is magnificent foliage that abounds with various fruits; and intertwined in it is a fabric streamer which falls from the foliage behind the child's head in front of the kneeling man and ends at his knees.
"This is a vision of the fulfillment which Zephaniah presents. Paradise is once again available to humanity. The great gates... are now opened by the arrival of an innocent child, 'God in our midst.' Mary/Eve and Joseph/Adam make the presentation, as 'I restore your fortunes before your eyes,' says the Lord."
-- Roger Wedell, Lectionary Homiletics
* * *
"Yet in this little letter the words joy and rejoice appear 14 times, culminating in the summary declaration, 'Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice!' These verses bear the marks of Paul's own personal experience of God. Though in a place of distress, he is calm because the Lord is near. Whatever happens can only result in additional opportunities for him to enjoy (or extend) the reality of Christ's presence. So he can say with perfect honesty that nothing need disturb him; he can be content whether he is well fed or hungry, has plenty or is in need... The impetus to rejoice is a positive reality, which Paul describes as the peace of God that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
"As Karl Barth put it, the joy that Paul describes is a defiant 'nevertheless,' which draws strength from the gospel story and from laying one's deepest concerns before God 'with thanksgiving.' This joy seems to take root even in darkness. It is encouraged by the spread of the gospel, the growth of a young church, but most of all by the deep joy of God's presence and the hope this gives for whatever the future may hold."
-- William Dyrness, The Christian Century, 11/23-30/94
* * *
come, God-with-us:
who braves our rejection and hurt,
to show your love and acceptance.
come, God-for-us:
who whispers
in our ears
that we --
each of us --
are your Beloved children.
Come, God-under-us:
who cradles us
in the arms that never grow weary;
whose lap has room enough
for all.
Come, god-over-us:
who watches
in the long silence of the night,
that we might rest in your peace.
Come, God-beside-us:
who steadies us
when we falter,
who lifts us up
when we fall.
Come, God-behind-us:
who picks up the faded dreams
we drop along the way,
weaving them into your hope.
O come, O come, Immanuel:
and we will rejoice forever.
-- from Candles and Conifers (The Iona Community)
* * *
The Promise: Some might ask what the reason is for the rose candle on the Advent Wreath. This is the Sunday we light the Rose Candle. The third Sunday in Advent is known as "Gaudete" Sunday. The word is from the Latin "Gaudeo... Rejoice!" And why do we rejoice? Obviously, we rejoice because the Lord is near. His birth is immanent, as is his coming again. Both arrivals are signaled in every human heart that wishes to do the will of God. And so the Rose candle is a reminder of the joy of anticipation at the savior's coming. In some churches rose vestments are worn this day. And thus in our Advent Wreaths we blend the white of joy with the purple of penitence as we eagerly await the coming of Jesus. The Long Promised Savior approaches!
* * *
Something New. The old Hymn begins this way "New every morning is the Love." It is a stirring lyric with a lilting tune. It makes me smile to think of many a hymn that stirs the human heart with joy. The scripture says; "weeping may spend the night, but joy comes in the morning!" (Psalm 30:5). It makes me mindful that perhaps a hasty word or two at night is followed by a simple "sorry" with a smile in the morning. Ah yes, "new every morning is the love!"
* * *
The Unexpected: Many expected a savior who would rectify the politics of the Middle East. The Roman Occupation forces needed to be expelled. Perhaps Jesus would bring the Justice of God on the heads of the hated enemy. But what did he bring instead? He brought us something totally unexpected: forgiveness for all; love for all. He brought the power of God on a cross to die for all. Perhaps we're still waiting on a political savior. But he brings us something totally unexpected. It will always be something of a surprise to us. He brings forgiveness, love, and the power of God over death for all!
* * *
Humans are increasingly aware of their vulnerability and seeking a technological fix that will secure their existence. Columnist Gwynne Dyer recently reported the following. Stephen Hawking, the famous astrophysicist, recently warned that "the long term survival of the human race is at risk so long as it is confined to a single planet.... Sooner or later, disasters such as an asteroid collision or nuclear war could wipe us all out... but once we spread out into space and establish independent colonies, our future should be safe. There isn't anywhere like earth in the solar system, so we would have to go to another star." Then Dyer reminds us, "Any technology that can take us to the stars can probably also destroy whole planets at interstellar range. No matter how far we go, we can never get away from ourselves." Which raises the question, if we cannot save ourselves from ourselves, then who do we look to for salvation?
* * *
In the October 9 issue of Time, Andrew Sullivan made an interesting observation that suggests how counter-cultural Jesus is.
"The mystery that Christians are asked to embrace is not that Jesus was God but that he was God-made-man, which is to say, prone to the feelings and doubts and joys and agonies of being human. Jesus himself seemed to make a point of that. He taught in parables rather than in abstract theories. He told stories. He made friends. He got to places late; he misread the actions of others; he wept; he felt disappointment; he asked as many questions as he gave answers; and he was often silent in self-doubt or elusive or afraid."
Perhaps instead of looking for a spectacular technological fix to our problems, we need to look, as Jesus did at the most ordinary of human interactions. Maybe that is where we will discover our most profound experience of the divine.
* * *
I am in favor of our reaching for the moon, Mars, and the stars. I am in favor of us reaching not out of fear but in wonder. I agree with William Sloane Coffin who said: "Human life aspires beyond its grasp. As God led Moses to the mountaintop at Nebo, so life leads us to a place where we can view a land that is promised but never reached. To me, it is hard to believe a loving God would create loving creatures that aspire to be yet more loving, and then finish them off before their aspirations are complete. There must be something more" (Credo, p. 170). "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established" (Psalm 8:3), I understand the attraction of Advent. God is not through with us and there is a wonder to behold. Look for it everywhere.
WORSHIP RESOURCE
Call To Worship
One: God comes! So don't let go
of all the reasons to rejoice.
All: We will sing a song of Advent
to the One who fills our lives with joy.
One: God comes! Son don't stop
lifting your prayers with thanksgiving.
All: We will sing a song of Advent,
to the One who hears our words and silence.
One: God comes! So don't stop
giving your hearts to God.
All: We will sing a song of Advent
to the One who graces us with a peace
we cannot begin to understand.
Prayer Of The Day
Advent God:
like a mother lullabying a baby,
you sing over us;
like a father picking up
his kids after school,
you bring us home.
Jesus Christ,
Wellspring of salvation:
may we draw near
and drink deeply of
your living waters,
so we might be renewed to life,
and restored to wholeness.
Holy Spirit,
Peace surrounding
our hearts and minds:
help us to set aside
our fears and worries,
and to rejoice in
what God has done
and is doing in our midst.
God in Community, Holy in One,
in the midst of us,
in this holy time and sacred space,
in every moment and place we live,
hear us as we pray, saying,
Our Father...
Call To Reconciliation
Don't be afraid! God does not turn away from us, but comes toward us. God does not hold what we have done against us, but takes away the judgments against us. Join me as we pray to our loving God,
Unison Prayer Of Confession
How can we think of rejoicing, God of all times, when we face our world, and who we are? Called to gentleness, we can be angry and hurtful people. Called to generosity, we tighten our grip on our clothes, our food, and our love. Called to fairness, we can easily reject those who are different from us.
Yet, you are our salvation, Joy of our hearts, and you forgive us. Renewed in your love, we can be more loving; restored to new life, we can give ourselves away to others; as you rejoice over us with gladness, may we share the joy of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, with everyone we meet.
(Silence is observed.)
Assurance Of Pardon
One: This is the good news proclaimed to us:
The Lord is near, the Lord who is our
salvation.
All: We give thanks to God, who has come
bringing peace, bearing hope, carrying
joy into our lives. Amen.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Sacrifice?
Object: some cash -- the larger the bills the better
Good morning! People have always wondered how to please God. Most people decided the best way to please God would be through "sacrifice." Can any of you tell me what a "sacrifice" is? (let them answer) A "sacrifice" is when we give something important to us away. Many people have thought that they should give important things away so that God would love them.
Money is important to many people. I brought some with me this morning. If I gave lots and lots of money, I might think that God would love me even more. Money is important to me and by giving it to God, I might be tempted to think that God would appreciate it and might like my giving it away.
God gave us a whole new idea of how to please God. We please God NOT by our sacrifices -- by what we give up. No, we please God by what we receive. God gives us Jesus. By receiving -- believing in Jesus -- that's all we need to be accepted by God!
Christmas is coming soon. Christmas is about what God gives us. What Christmas gift does God give us? (let them answer) God gives us Jesus. We cannot please God by what we give; we please God by receiving what God gives us -- Jesus! I guess that is why Christmas is such a beautiful time of the year. Money will not help us please God, but believing in the gift of God -- Jesus -- is all we need!
(Optional: Say, "Since God has given me Jesus, I am so happy. I wonder how I can show my happiness? I know -- [at this point get up and put the money you have brought for the children's sermon in the offering plate]. There -- that's just a little way I can show God how happy I am for the wonderful Christmas gift of Jesus.")
Dearest God: Thank you for the great Christmas gift that is Jesus. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, December 17, 2006, issue.
Copyright 2006 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 517 South Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804.
