Celebrating The Lord's Day
Sermon
Songs For A Savior
Sermons And Worship Services For Advent And Christmas
Opening Sentence
Micah 5:2, The Message
"But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the least of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days."
Greetings
We are blessed that you have chosen to worship with us today! May the living God draw near you today and touch you at your point of deepest need.
Parish Announcements
Prelude Suggestions
Carol Medley -- Hayes
While Shepherds Watched -- M. Mauro-Cottone
I Wonder As I Wander -- J. J. Niles
Choral Introit
*Call To Worship
Leader: O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord! He will establish justice upon the earth. Distant lands eagerly wait for his teaching.
People: O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
Leader: He will open the eyes of the blind and set free those who sit in dark prisons.
People: O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
*Processional Hymn
O Come, All Ye Faithful
*Welcome One Another
Please greet those around you and introduce yourself to two persons you do not know by name.
Advent Candle Lighting Ceremony1
Leader: Christ came to bring us salvation and has promised to come again. Let us pray that we may always be ready to welcome him. (Light the first candle)
People: Come, Lord Jesus.
Leader: That the keeping of Advent may open our hearts to God's love. (Light the second candle)
People: Come, Lord Jesus.
Leader: Two Advent candles have been lit as a symbol of Christ, our present and coming Lord whom God has given to us.
All: Lord God,
your Church joyfully awaits the coming of its Savior,
who enlightens our hearts
and dispels the darkness of ignorance and sin.
Pour forth your blessings upon us
as we light the candles of this wreath.
May their light reflect the splendor of Christ,
who is Lord, for ever and ever. Amen.
Children's Message
Anthem Suggestions
Break Forth O Beauteous Heavenly Light -- J. S. Bach
Will We Know Him? -- Besig
Call To Confession
Isaiah 40:3-4
"A voice cries out, 'Prepare in the wilderness a road for the Lord! Clear the way in the desert for our God! Fill every valley; level every mountain. The hills will become a plain, and the rough country will be made smooth.' "
Prayer Of Confession
God, forgive us for we are fragmented persons. We are pulled in many directions. We pursue goals that are sometimes contradictory. We are concerned for the poor but not enough to change our lifestyle. We feel sympathy for those weighed down by the burdens of life but we also resist getting involved. We see those who are victimized by their own sin and by abusive relationships yet we justify our distance by thinking there is nothing we can do to help. Forgive us, O God. Let this season be a time of healing for us. Through your compassion, have mercy upon us and help us to have mercy on others. Help us to cast aside our doubts and fears and to place our whole trust in your promise of life. Through Jesus Christ, the giver of life, we pray. Amen.
Words Of Assurance
Isaiah 40:2
"Comfort my people," says our God. "Comfort them! Encourage the people. Tell them they have suffered long enough and their sins are now forgiven."
Silent Prayer
Pastoral Prayer And Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Giving Of Tithes And Offerings
Offertory Suggestions
Mary's Boy Child --ÊJ. Hairston
Lullay, Thou Little Tiny Child
with Infant Holy, Infant Lowly -- Torrans
*Presentation Response
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him all creatures here below; praise him above ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
*Prayer Of Dedication
First Lesson: Isaiah 11:1-9
Leader: God always blesses the reading of the Word.
People: Lord, open our hearts to you.
Second Lesson: Micah 5:2-4
Leader: This is the word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Sermon
The Prophets' Song
Part two in the series, Songs For A Savior
*Hymn Suggestions
I Want To Walk As A Child Of The Light
Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
*Blessing
If you wish, you are invited to join hands for the Blessing. Before you depart, greet those around you. Introduce yourself to people you don't know by name.
*Congregational Response
Let Us Now Depart In Thy Peace
*Postlude Suggestions
Shepherds, Rejoice -- D. Luca
Festive March in D -- Rebikoff
* * * * *
*All who are able are invited to stand.
____________
1. Advent candle lighting ceremony adapted from "Blessings of the Advent Wreath" from the Book of Blessings, additional blessings for use in the United States of America © 1988 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc., Washington, D.C. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright holder.
The Prophets' Song
Part two in the series: Songs For A Savior
Second Sunday Of Advent
Isaiah 11:1-9; Micah 5:2-4
I began last week's message by saying, "Advent is a time between two times." During the Advent season, we look back with thanksgiving on the first coming of Jesus Christ in humility and vulnerability as an infant. We look forward with hope to the second coming of Christ in power and glory. Advent provides the occasion for us to reflect on what it means to live between these two significant realities. We are challenged to grapple with what it means to be faithful witnesses to the living God and his Son, Jesus, while we await with eagerness the consummation of all God's plans for Creation. As we found in "Zechariah's Song," we can best do this by being open, expectant, watchful, and teachable.
Today we examine the "Prophets' Song" and explore what the prophets Isaiah and Micah have to say to us about living faithfully in this in-between time. Isaiah and Micah were contemporaries, although their audiences were quite different. Both were called by God in the latter part of the eighth century before Christ. Isaiah was born in Jerusalem and was related to the royal family. Micah came from Moresheth, near Gath, about thirty miles southwest of Jerusalem.
Isaiah was very much aware of and involved with the politics of Jerusalem. His heritage gave him an inside track on what was happening in national and international politics. He spoke to the sophisticated and the elite. Micah, by contrast, having been born and raised in a rural area, was less familiar with the inside matters of Jerusalem. He lived near the coastal road over which traders, pilgrims, and soldiers traveled between Egypt, Jerusalem, and points to the north. He addressed concerns about the moral and spiritual corruption brought by foreign alliances and their negative impact on both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.
By that time in history, the nation had been divided. The Northern Kingdom was called Israel with Samaria as its capital. The Southern Kingdom was known as Judah with Jerusalem as its capital. During Isaiah's and Micah's prophetic term, the Northern Kingdom made an alliance with Syria and attacked the Southern Kingdom (ca. 740 B.C.). This alliance was unsuccessful and was later defeated by another strong enemy, the Assyrians, who destroyed Samaria and took over the Northern Kingdom (722 B.C.). The Assyrians also pushed forward to Jerusalem and laid siege to it. Had it not been for the intervention of God, the holy city would have been defeated as well.
In the midst of this vortex of international intrigue and spiritual turmoil, these prophets were commissioned by God to speak to the people. We will focus on the two passages we read this morning. Both texts are messianic in nature. In other words, they address the hope that God's Anointed One will be raised up and will bring help and renewal to a nation in the throes of seismic change.
In the midst of the siege by the Assyrians, Micah declared hope. This hope came in a strange form and from a strange place. "But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from old, from ancient days" (Micah 5:3).
Bethlehem was a small town in Judah located about six miles from Jerusalem. God inspired the prophet Micah to let the people know that this was to be the birthplace of the Messiah. God chose a small, rural village, instead of the nation's capital, to manifest God's greatness. God chose the smallest Hebrew tribe, the tribe of Benjamin (see Numbers 1:35-36), to be the ancestral family in which the Messiah was raised.
The first faith lesson I want to underscore is the surprising nature of God's activity. God has a surprising habit of doing great things with what the world considers least or unlikely. Holy scripture bears witness repeatedly to this fact. For example, God chose David to be anointed for kingship when he was still a young boy tending sheep. David was the youngest of the eight sons of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:13). The cultural norm would have expected the eldest son rather than the youngest, but God looks not on age or stature but with the eyes of the heart.
This truth was driven home by a video I watched titled the Tom Papania Story: From Mafia to Minister.1 Mr. Papania offers a moving testimonial to God's surprising grace. He grew up in an abusive home with a father who worked several jobs, drank heavily, and beat him regularly. His mother, however, was a faithful woman of prayer.
By fifteen years of age, Tom had hardened his heart against the pain and the rejection he felt from his father. He found out that his grandfather had been in the Mafia, a family secret about which his parents did not talk. Against their wishes, he rejected his family and aligned himself with these criminals, committing himself to becoming a leader in the New York Gambino crime family.
Tom pursued his life of crime with brilliance and violence. He became the third closest person to Paul Castellano, the head of the organization, and answered directly to him. Although he spent time in jail, he was always loyal to the Mafia Family. They put him in charge of restaurants, bars, gambling, prostitution, construction companies, and the like. He was bringing in tens of thousands of dollars a month. He was worth millions. He had piles of jewelry, a new Mercedes Benz, a wonderful mansion. He was highly successful at living by the law of violence, corruption, and deceit.
One factor, however, which he could not control was his mother's prayers. She prayed constantly for him, despite his separation from the family. Through a set of circumstances orchestrated by God, Tom came face to face with his own emptiness. With all his wealth and success, he felt hollow inside. In 1984, at the age of 43, having spent nearly 28 years in the Mafia, Tom had a dramatic encounter with God. God said to him, "Tom, you control all this, but you do not control me. You may think you are in charge now, but you aren't in charge of your future. You are going to hell." Having grown up in the church, Tom knew about hell. For the first time in his life, this hardened Mafia man was afraid, very afraid.
God brought him to the place of deep conviction about his sinful and debauched life. God used a country preacher to turn this man to Christ. He cut his ties with the Gambino family and survived repeated assassination attempts as a result of a $250,000 contract put out on his life. He gave away all the wealth he had accumulated and found a job. Tom's past caught up with him and he was sent to Atlanta Federal Penitentiary to await trial. The trial was one of Atlanta's longest, lasting eleven and a half months. God used the maximum security cells of the Federal prison to mold and develop a new Christ-like character for all to see. During this time, he had a face-to-face encounter with three imprisoned hit men who had been charged with eliminating him. Instead of trying to kill them, God told Tom to love these men, to forgive them, and to tell them about Jesus Christ. When he did, all three of them gave their hearts to Jesus Christ!
After almost a year, Tom was set free by the grace of God. He continued in his commitment to Christ and is now an ordained evangelist and Executive Director of "God's Saving Grace Ministries" based in Powder Springs, Georgia.
Tom Papania has been reconciled with his father. His mother got to see him once again before she died; this time it was as a Christian instead of a convict. He tours the country and the world telling thousands about what God has done for him and what God can do for them, if they will believe in Jesus Christ and accept the wonderful, surprising grace of God for themselves.
Friends, we serve a loving God who will go to surprising, extreme lengths to save his children. If God has a place in his heart to love Tom Papania (and clearly God does), then God has a place for you and me as well.
Could it be that God has been reaching out to you? Perhaps God wants to use you as God did Tom's mother, to pray unceasingly for a wayward child, family member, or friend. Let us never underestimate God's willingness to work on our behalf.
If God is putting it on your heart to pray either for yourself or another situation, I encourage you to begin praying with a trusted Christian friend. Perhaps start by meeting weekly for prayer. If meeting with another person is too difficult, why not begin praying daily and asking God to meet you at your point of greatest need? God is willing and able to do surprising things. Prayer is often the prelude to seeing God work mightily.
Not only do people of faith encounter the surprising nature of God activity, we also experience the hopeful nature of God's activity. This is the second faith lesson. The prophet Isaiah declared the unflinching, unrelenting hope that following a time of national brokenness and destruction, new life would emerge. This passage is located in the second of eight volumes within the book of Isaiah and is referred to as the "Volume of Immanuel" which means "God is with us." Isaiah wrote, "There will come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch will grow out of his roots" (Isaiah 11:1). The image is that of a tree (in this case, a nation) which has been cut down. Nevertheless, the roots and stump are not dead. They send forth new life. When all looks hopeless on the surface, God instills deep, abiding hope.
Years of ministry have confirmed the hopeful nature of God's activity. I am amazed and gratified to see the resilience of the people of God in times of difficulty and pain. The loss of a job, the death of a loved one, a difficult or unexpected divorce, the move of a true friend, a terrible accident, a violent or abusive relationship, the failure of one's health are all examples of events which sometimes precipitate crisis, loneliness, and depression. Nevertheless, I have watched and prayed for and been encouraged as I have seen these circumstances turned by God into occasions for growth, maturation, and wisdom. With God's help, these negative experiences can be transformed into healing and restorative opportunities.
When God is at work, hope prevails against despair; love overcomes fear. When God is at work, faith conquers unbelief and trust vanquishes doubt. As long as God is at work, the weary can find rest, the restless can find peace, and the searching can find their home in Christ Jesus. Thanks be to God!
We have explored the surprising and hopeful nature of God's activity. A third faith lesson is the contrasting nature of God's activity. By this I mean that God works in contrasting ways with the world. During Isaiah's and Micah's time, those who ruled were often derelict in their duties. Much like our day, corruption and immorality were rampant. By contrast, Isaiah proclaimed, "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest of him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding [which is discernment and truth beneath appearances], the spirit of counsel and might [which is discretion and authority], the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord [which is practical insight and reverent piety]. And his delight shall be in the fear [meaning awe] of the Lord" (Isaiah 11:2-3).
Isaiah continues, "He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear" (Isaiah 11:3). To put it another way, this shoot from the stump will look with the eyes of the heart and his ears will search diligently until they recognize the authentic word of truth.
Reading on, "But with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth [those who are poor and meek have a special place in the heart of God]; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth [with judgment], and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked [all evil will be destroyed when he appears]. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins" (Isaiah 11:4-5). In other words, he will wrap himself tightly with the garments of holiness which most please God.
Isaiah's proclamation culminates in a vision of what has been termed the "peaceable kingdom." Wolf and lamb, leopard and young goat, calf and lion, child and serpent, natural enemies are brought together by the supernatural power of God. Those who were enemies are made friends. This points to the fourth faith lesson, the reconciling nature of God's activity. God says, "They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9).
Friends, this image of a world at peace with itself, with one another and with God can only be brought about by God! The Bible says, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:19). I hope that you will allow God to do this great work in you. Furthermore, may God continue this reconciling work through you until all Creation is ready and yearning for the return of Christ.
Let us pray. Lord God, we thank you for the prophets' song. We are glad that you are God, full of surprising and boundless love. We rejoice that you are the God who rekindles and inspires hope. We thank you for being a God who shines holy light into darkness and provides a bright contrast to the world. We affirm that you came in human form to reconcile us and make us new. Use the Communion that we are about to share as a means of advancing your gracious activity in our personal lives, our church, community, and world. We pray these things in the great name of our glorious and risen Savior, Jesus Christ, who has come, is now here, and is coming again. Amen.
____________
1. Tom Papania, In Search of a Father -- The Tom Papania Story: From Mafia to Minister, God's Saving Grace Ministries, P.O. Box 756, Powder Springs, Georgia 30127. Phone: (770) 590-8775, Fax: (770) 590-0130. Used with permission.
Micah 5:2, The Message
"But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the least of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days."
Greetings
We are blessed that you have chosen to worship with us today! May the living God draw near you today and touch you at your point of deepest need.
Parish Announcements
Prelude Suggestions
Carol Medley -- Hayes
While Shepherds Watched -- M. Mauro-Cottone
I Wonder As I Wander -- J. J. Niles
Choral Introit
*Call To Worship
Leader: O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord! He will establish justice upon the earth. Distant lands eagerly wait for his teaching.
People: O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
Leader: He will open the eyes of the blind and set free those who sit in dark prisons.
People: O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
*Processional Hymn
O Come, All Ye Faithful
*Welcome One Another
Please greet those around you and introduce yourself to two persons you do not know by name.
Advent Candle Lighting Ceremony1
Leader: Christ came to bring us salvation and has promised to come again. Let us pray that we may always be ready to welcome him. (Light the first candle)
People: Come, Lord Jesus.
Leader: That the keeping of Advent may open our hearts to God's love. (Light the second candle)
People: Come, Lord Jesus.
Leader: Two Advent candles have been lit as a symbol of Christ, our present and coming Lord whom God has given to us.
All: Lord God,
your Church joyfully awaits the coming of its Savior,
who enlightens our hearts
and dispels the darkness of ignorance and sin.
Pour forth your blessings upon us
as we light the candles of this wreath.
May their light reflect the splendor of Christ,
who is Lord, for ever and ever. Amen.
Children's Message
Anthem Suggestions
Break Forth O Beauteous Heavenly Light -- J. S. Bach
Will We Know Him? -- Besig
Call To Confession
Isaiah 40:3-4
"A voice cries out, 'Prepare in the wilderness a road for the Lord! Clear the way in the desert for our God! Fill every valley; level every mountain. The hills will become a plain, and the rough country will be made smooth.' "
Prayer Of Confession
God, forgive us for we are fragmented persons. We are pulled in many directions. We pursue goals that are sometimes contradictory. We are concerned for the poor but not enough to change our lifestyle. We feel sympathy for those weighed down by the burdens of life but we also resist getting involved. We see those who are victimized by their own sin and by abusive relationships yet we justify our distance by thinking there is nothing we can do to help. Forgive us, O God. Let this season be a time of healing for us. Through your compassion, have mercy upon us and help us to have mercy on others. Help us to cast aside our doubts and fears and to place our whole trust in your promise of life. Through Jesus Christ, the giver of life, we pray. Amen.
Words Of Assurance
Isaiah 40:2
"Comfort my people," says our God. "Comfort them! Encourage the people. Tell them they have suffered long enough and their sins are now forgiven."
Silent Prayer
Pastoral Prayer And Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Giving Of Tithes And Offerings
Offertory Suggestions
Mary's Boy Child --ÊJ. Hairston
Lullay, Thou Little Tiny Child
with Infant Holy, Infant Lowly -- Torrans
*Presentation Response
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him all creatures here below; praise him above ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
*Prayer Of Dedication
First Lesson: Isaiah 11:1-9
Leader: God always blesses the reading of the Word.
People: Lord, open our hearts to you.
Second Lesson: Micah 5:2-4
Leader: This is the word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Sermon
The Prophets' Song
Part two in the series, Songs For A Savior
*Hymn Suggestions
I Want To Walk As A Child Of The Light
Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
*Blessing
If you wish, you are invited to join hands for the Blessing. Before you depart, greet those around you. Introduce yourself to people you don't know by name.
*Congregational Response
Let Us Now Depart In Thy Peace
*Postlude Suggestions
Shepherds, Rejoice -- D. Luca
Festive March in D -- Rebikoff
* * * * *
*All who are able are invited to stand.
____________
1. Advent candle lighting ceremony adapted from "Blessings of the Advent Wreath" from the Book of Blessings, additional blessings for use in the United States of America © 1988 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc., Washington, D.C. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright holder.
The Prophets' Song
Part two in the series: Songs For A Savior
Second Sunday Of Advent
Isaiah 11:1-9; Micah 5:2-4
I began last week's message by saying, "Advent is a time between two times." During the Advent season, we look back with thanksgiving on the first coming of Jesus Christ in humility and vulnerability as an infant. We look forward with hope to the second coming of Christ in power and glory. Advent provides the occasion for us to reflect on what it means to live between these two significant realities. We are challenged to grapple with what it means to be faithful witnesses to the living God and his Son, Jesus, while we await with eagerness the consummation of all God's plans for Creation. As we found in "Zechariah's Song," we can best do this by being open, expectant, watchful, and teachable.
Today we examine the "Prophets' Song" and explore what the prophets Isaiah and Micah have to say to us about living faithfully in this in-between time. Isaiah and Micah were contemporaries, although their audiences were quite different. Both were called by God in the latter part of the eighth century before Christ. Isaiah was born in Jerusalem and was related to the royal family. Micah came from Moresheth, near Gath, about thirty miles southwest of Jerusalem.
Isaiah was very much aware of and involved with the politics of Jerusalem. His heritage gave him an inside track on what was happening in national and international politics. He spoke to the sophisticated and the elite. Micah, by contrast, having been born and raised in a rural area, was less familiar with the inside matters of Jerusalem. He lived near the coastal road over which traders, pilgrims, and soldiers traveled between Egypt, Jerusalem, and points to the north. He addressed concerns about the moral and spiritual corruption brought by foreign alliances and their negative impact on both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.
By that time in history, the nation had been divided. The Northern Kingdom was called Israel with Samaria as its capital. The Southern Kingdom was known as Judah with Jerusalem as its capital. During Isaiah's and Micah's prophetic term, the Northern Kingdom made an alliance with Syria and attacked the Southern Kingdom (ca. 740 B.C.). This alliance was unsuccessful and was later defeated by another strong enemy, the Assyrians, who destroyed Samaria and took over the Northern Kingdom (722 B.C.). The Assyrians also pushed forward to Jerusalem and laid siege to it. Had it not been for the intervention of God, the holy city would have been defeated as well.
In the midst of this vortex of international intrigue and spiritual turmoil, these prophets were commissioned by God to speak to the people. We will focus on the two passages we read this morning. Both texts are messianic in nature. In other words, they address the hope that God's Anointed One will be raised up and will bring help and renewal to a nation in the throes of seismic change.
In the midst of the siege by the Assyrians, Micah declared hope. This hope came in a strange form and from a strange place. "But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from old, from ancient days" (Micah 5:3).
Bethlehem was a small town in Judah located about six miles from Jerusalem. God inspired the prophet Micah to let the people know that this was to be the birthplace of the Messiah. God chose a small, rural village, instead of the nation's capital, to manifest God's greatness. God chose the smallest Hebrew tribe, the tribe of Benjamin (see Numbers 1:35-36), to be the ancestral family in which the Messiah was raised.
The first faith lesson I want to underscore is the surprising nature of God's activity. God has a surprising habit of doing great things with what the world considers least or unlikely. Holy scripture bears witness repeatedly to this fact. For example, God chose David to be anointed for kingship when he was still a young boy tending sheep. David was the youngest of the eight sons of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:13). The cultural norm would have expected the eldest son rather than the youngest, but God looks not on age or stature but with the eyes of the heart.
This truth was driven home by a video I watched titled the Tom Papania Story: From Mafia to Minister.1 Mr. Papania offers a moving testimonial to God's surprising grace. He grew up in an abusive home with a father who worked several jobs, drank heavily, and beat him regularly. His mother, however, was a faithful woman of prayer.
By fifteen years of age, Tom had hardened his heart against the pain and the rejection he felt from his father. He found out that his grandfather had been in the Mafia, a family secret about which his parents did not talk. Against their wishes, he rejected his family and aligned himself with these criminals, committing himself to becoming a leader in the New York Gambino crime family.
Tom pursued his life of crime with brilliance and violence. He became the third closest person to Paul Castellano, the head of the organization, and answered directly to him. Although he spent time in jail, he was always loyal to the Mafia Family. They put him in charge of restaurants, bars, gambling, prostitution, construction companies, and the like. He was bringing in tens of thousands of dollars a month. He was worth millions. He had piles of jewelry, a new Mercedes Benz, a wonderful mansion. He was highly successful at living by the law of violence, corruption, and deceit.
One factor, however, which he could not control was his mother's prayers. She prayed constantly for him, despite his separation from the family. Through a set of circumstances orchestrated by God, Tom came face to face with his own emptiness. With all his wealth and success, he felt hollow inside. In 1984, at the age of 43, having spent nearly 28 years in the Mafia, Tom had a dramatic encounter with God. God said to him, "Tom, you control all this, but you do not control me. You may think you are in charge now, but you aren't in charge of your future. You are going to hell." Having grown up in the church, Tom knew about hell. For the first time in his life, this hardened Mafia man was afraid, very afraid.
God brought him to the place of deep conviction about his sinful and debauched life. God used a country preacher to turn this man to Christ. He cut his ties with the Gambino family and survived repeated assassination attempts as a result of a $250,000 contract put out on his life. He gave away all the wealth he had accumulated and found a job. Tom's past caught up with him and he was sent to Atlanta Federal Penitentiary to await trial. The trial was one of Atlanta's longest, lasting eleven and a half months. God used the maximum security cells of the Federal prison to mold and develop a new Christ-like character for all to see. During this time, he had a face-to-face encounter with three imprisoned hit men who had been charged with eliminating him. Instead of trying to kill them, God told Tom to love these men, to forgive them, and to tell them about Jesus Christ. When he did, all three of them gave their hearts to Jesus Christ!
After almost a year, Tom was set free by the grace of God. He continued in his commitment to Christ and is now an ordained evangelist and Executive Director of "God's Saving Grace Ministries" based in Powder Springs, Georgia.
Tom Papania has been reconciled with his father. His mother got to see him once again before she died; this time it was as a Christian instead of a convict. He tours the country and the world telling thousands about what God has done for him and what God can do for them, if they will believe in Jesus Christ and accept the wonderful, surprising grace of God for themselves.
Friends, we serve a loving God who will go to surprising, extreme lengths to save his children. If God has a place in his heart to love Tom Papania (and clearly God does), then God has a place for you and me as well.
Could it be that God has been reaching out to you? Perhaps God wants to use you as God did Tom's mother, to pray unceasingly for a wayward child, family member, or friend. Let us never underestimate God's willingness to work on our behalf.
If God is putting it on your heart to pray either for yourself or another situation, I encourage you to begin praying with a trusted Christian friend. Perhaps start by meeting weekly for prayer. If meeting with another person is too difficult, why not begin praying daily and asking God to meet you at your point of greatest need? God is willing and able to do surprising things. Prayer is often the prelude to seeing God work mightily.
Not only do people of faith encounter the surprising nature of God activity, we also experience the hopeful nature of God's activity. This is the second faith lesson. The prophet Isaiah declared the unflinching, unrelenting hope that following a time of national brokenness and destruction, new life would emerge. This passage is located in the second of eight volumes within the book of Isaiah and is referred to as the "Volume of Immanuel" which means "God is with us." Isaiah wrote, "There will come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch will grow out of his roots" (Isaiah 11:1). The image is that of a tree (in this case, a nation) which has been cut down. Nevertheless, the roots and stump are not dead. They send forth new life. When all looks hopeless on the surface, God instills deep, abiding hope.
Years of ministry have confirmed the hopeful nature of God's activity. I am amazed and gratified to see the resilience of the people of God in times of difficulty and pain. The loss of a job, the death of a loved one, a difficult or unexpected divorce, the move of a true friend, a terrible accident, a violent or abusive relationship, the failure of one's health are all examples of events which sometimes precipitate crisis, loneliness, and depression. Nevertheless, I have watched and prayed for and been encouraged as I have seen these circumstances turned by God into occasions for growth, maturation, and wisdom. With God's help, these negative experiences can be transformed into healing and restorative opportunities.
When God is at work, hope prevails against despair; love overcomes fear. When God is at work, faith conquers unbelief and trust vanquishes doubt. As long as God is at work, the weary can find rest, the restless can find peace, and the searching can find their home in Christ Jesus. Thanks be to God!
We have explored the surprising and hopeful nature of God's activity. A third faith lesson is the contrasting nature of God's activity. By this I mean that God works in contrasting ways with the world. During Isaiah's and Micah's time, those who ruled were often derelict in their duties. Much like our day, corruption and immorality were rampant. By contrast, Isaiah proclaimed, "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest of him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding [which is discernment and truth beneath appearances], the spirit of counsel and might [which is discretion and authority], the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord [which is practical insight and reverent piety]. And his delight shall be in the fear [meaning awe] of the Lord" (Isaiah 11:2-3).
Isaiah continues, "He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear" (Isaiah 11:3). To put it another way, this shoot from the stump will look with the eyes of the heart and his ears will search diligently until they recognize the authentic word of truth.
Reading on, "But with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth [those who are poor and meek have a special place in the heart of God]; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth [with judgment], and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked [all evil will be destroyed when he appears]. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins" (Isaiah 11:4-5). In other words, he will wrap himself tightly with the garments of holiness which most please God.
Isaiah's proclamation culminates in a vision of what has been termed the "peaceable kingdom." Wolf and lamb, leopard and young goat, calf and lion, child and serpent, natural enemies are brought together by the supernatural power of God. Those who were enemies are made friends. This points to the fourth faith lesson, the reconciling nature of God's activity. God says, "They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9).
Friends, this image of a world at peace with itself, with one another and with God can only be brought about by God! The Bible says, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:19). I hope that you will allow God to do this great work in you. Furthermore, may God continue this reconciling work through you until all Creation is ready and yearning for the return of Christ.
Let us pray. Lord God, we thank you for the prophets' song. We are glad that you are God, full of surprising and boundless love. We rejoice that you are the God who rekindles and inspires hope. We thank you for being a God who shines holy light into darkness and provides a bright contrast to the world. We affirm that you came in human form to reconcile us and make us new. Use the Communion that we are about to share as a means of advancing your gracious activity in our personal lives, our church, community, and world. We pray these things in the great name of our glorious and risen Savior, Jesus Christ, who has come, is now here, and is coming again. Amen.
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1. Tom Papania, In Search of a Father -- The Tom Papania Story: From Mafia to Minister, God's Saving Grace Ministries, P.O. Box 756, Powder Springs, Georgia 30127. Phone: (770) 590-8775, Fax: (770) 590-0130. Used with permission.
