Episoder
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This is a special musical presentation of One Step He Leads by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.
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Mangler du episoder?
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This is a special musical presentation of Total Praise by the Faith Lutheran Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.
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Wow, here we are on another precipice. When I started back on June 26, 2013, we were on a precipice ready to jump off and start our work together. When we jump off we never know where will land. Thankfully as followers of Jesus Christ we know that we are not alone. We believe the Holy Spirit is leading and guiding us.
We have been through some major changes, and they all happened within 5-6 months in 2024. Walter passed away February 16. Thankfully we had a vice president in the wings to take over. In March we began counting money at the church. Our former secretary shared with members that I would not be putting my name in to be considered for your pastor. In one week in June, we essentially had 2 staff changes. That is a lot for any system to handle.
We gathered our gifts and moved forward. We had a great VBS. Thankfully we found a new secretary within a relatively short amount of time. Thus, Randy and I could give up doing the bulletin and E-news. Thanks to Mark Kadrofske for planning and coordinating youth events. Sunday School is running smoothly with our gifted education people.
We needed to do some reorganization with the pantry, and it now has a steering committee where the oversight is done by a group of people. They even have a job description for their committee. The finances are being monitored, and more funding is being sought. The pantry is in good shape right now.
This is not about me doing all of this work. My role was to plant seeds and support the gifted people here at Faith. The council is in the midst of restructuring the operating system of the church so that the healthiest ministry can be done. This came out of the leadership workshop that we had and the work of the transition team.
Today Pastor John will be sharing some thoughts on the Parish House as well as Laurie at our annual meeting. With the new administration we are very concerned about the guys and their continued ability to stay here. Now in saying that, we know of no imminent issue, but it is a concern. Things are changing every day. Michigan Refugee Hope has begun working on a safety plan and Faith will need to be a part of this. Pastor John, Laurie and I attended a zoom meeting on Tuesday with the other refugee providers in Lansing. This is to ensure that the leaders here are as up to date on what might be coming down the pike.
This is what soon to be Pastor Megan is walking into. She will need your support in navigating whatever is ahead. Remembering what we have been through since I have been here. I believe that we have moved through it together with the power of the Holy Spirit.
This leads us into our gospel lesson for today. After Jesusā time in the wilderness with the devil, he returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. Jesus gave his inaugural address to the people in attendance at the synagogue.
News had spread about Jesus throughout the whole countryside. He had taught in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. He returned to Nazareth, where he had grown up. He attended the service as he normally did. The hometown boy had come home.
The assistant gave him the scroll from the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where he wanted to read. As he read the passage from Isaiah, Jesus identified who he was and what his mission was. He said that God had anointed him, and the Spirit was on him. He was sent to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed and to proclaim the year of the Lordās favor.
As the Gospel of Luke continues we find Jesus not being liked very much. He was shaking the status quo. Neither the church leaders nor the government leaders were happy with his message through word and action. Next week the lesson would have been how even his hometown people realized they were being asked to do something that they might not be comfortable with.
When I think about the fact that Jesus has asked us his followers to carry on this work, Iām just a bit taken back as were the people in his hometown. This is a great deal to do, and it has become more and more of an uphill battle.
This week at the National Cathedral there was an Episcopal bishop who preached this kind of message, and she has been criticized by many people in power, even pastors. There is now a congressman who has introduced a resolution to condemn her as her message was distorted. He is saying that the sermon was not reflective of the faith community at large. As of today, I do not speak on behalf of Faith. I challenge you to consider what this means and where you stand. Is the bishopās message in line with the welcoming statement?
We can easily get bogged down in what we canāt do instead of focusing on what we can do. This was something the bishop felt she was called to do. I understand she also offered the National Cathedral as a resting place for Matthew Sheppard.I cannot cover all of these points Jesus outlined for himself in one sermon. What I would like us to briefly look at is preaching good news to the poor. You may tell me that you are not preachers and that is my job along with a few others. The Greek word for preach in this passage is euangelizÅ which means announcing, declaring, or telling the good news. This is for all of us including foreigners. It is what we say and do. It is the message that we present to others through our words and actions.
Thus, this is what Jesus is calling all of to do in order to continue his ministry. In this passage from what we believe to be 2nd Isaiah, which is after the exile, they are reflecting on the destruction of Jerusalem and having to rebuild it. Even though the restoration has been promised it is frustrating project. A great deal of conflicted feelings are probably being felt.
Could it be that Jesus was reminding the people in the synagogue what had gotten the Hebrew people that Isaiah was prophesying what had gotten them into exile? The people had been looking for a leader to bring them more power and control through acquiring more land. It was a very self-centered way of thinking and greediness. This way of thinking excluded people who were different from them.
I have said it before and I am saying it again, history repeats itself if we donāt learn from it. God has been bringing the message to Godās people that God includes everyone. This is what RIC Sunday is about. It is a reminder that this is the good news that all of us have been called to announce. The good news is for all people.
In my first sermon here, I thanked you for welcoming me. I was a stranger, and you welcomed me. Faith has welcomed our refugee brothers in the Parish House. We welcome people to come and take food that they need \in order to live. This is sharing or announcing the good news.
In going forward, Jesus calls you and I to continue sharing the good news. You may hear voices and see things done that do not model good news. Please allow the Holy Spirit to continue guiding you. This beloved community is called to share this good news regardless of these voices. Do your best in this place and this community to not let history repeat itself.
Remember the Holy spirit has led us to this day and will lead you and myself forward to continue sharing the good news where we are!
Let us pray: Gracious Spirit, thank you for bringing us together to share your good news. We continue to rely on you to lead us forward and to discern how and where to share your good news, regardless. In Jesus, Name. Amen
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Many of us here know the anxiety that goes into planning a wedding. Whether large or small there are many variables. Between people, flowers, site for wedding and reception, food & drink, etc. In the end we find out that something will not be just the way we wanted it.
My parents, whose wedding was on May 9, 1959, had the experience of running out of food and drink. My dad grew up out in the country, thus many of his family and friends were farmers and it took them longer to be able to get to the reception which was about 40 minutes or so away. My parents both had large families, thus what they had budgeted didnāt seem to be covering. Someone whoās family my mother lived with her senior year in high school, after her parents had divorced, provided funds to keep things going.
My parents were in a bind and Elmer came through to keep things going as if nothing had had been wrong. Weddings are always hopefully joyous occasions, but with so many variables, something is bound to go wrong. Thus Elmer, behind the scenes came through and my parentās party went on.
Does this story sound a little familiar to the story that we heard in our Gospel lesson for today? Jesus came through to provide what was needed for the celebration to go on just as Elmer did. Of course he is not Jesus, but Elmer gave of himself and did not make some big announcement as to what he had done. Neither did Jesus as there were very few people who knew the wine was replenished.
When things donāt go right at events, the planners often feel shame when they canāt turn it around. Elmer knew that and of course Jesus did too. I want to say it is a heart thing and in a sense a humble act. Elmer and Jesus did not want shame to come upon the planners nor did they want to be recognized.
Because of the relationship that my mother had built with Elmer, he felt that he wanted to support her. While my mother lived in their home she took care of their kids while she was finishing high school. Their children who are still living, remember my mother.
With Jesus, I wonder if part of it is the relationship with his mother as she is the one who informed him that the wine had run out. We donāt know how well he knew the couple who got married, but he and his disciples attended it. This celebration often lasted a week. Thus, it was quite a chore to keep food and drink going, let alone the cost.
Nonetheless, Jesus felt the need to allow the celebration to continue without a hitch with the replenished wine. This was his first sign as John labels Jesusā work. So many other signs were done, but were more public and dealt with healings and raisings, etc. This first sign was done in a common ordinary setting so the celebration of this relationship could continue.
It was also done to show his disciples who he was, and it says they believed after they saw the sign done. Jesusā mother seemed to know what he was capable of as she told the workers to do whatever he told them to. Even after he was questioning why he should get involved with it.
Signs in John were about revealing Jesusā glory, they were to help people see who he was, the Messiah. He did not do them to impress people, but to help them believe. Even in this first sign it was because he cared about the people and did not want them to be shamed.
This is what we call grace. He didnāt have to do it, but he did out of love for them. When you think about this, it is a model for his disciples, to do acts out of love, out of grace. Jesus had no real obligation, maybe in a sense to his mother, but not to the couple getting married and those who were in charge of the celebration.
From JB Phillips translation we hear from John chapter 1:14-18 So the word of God became a human being and lived among us. We saw his splendor (the splendor as of a fatherās only son), full of grace and truth. And it was about him that John stood up and testified, exclaiming: āHere is the one I was speaking about when I said that although he would come after me he would always be in front of me; for he existed before I was born!ā Indeed, every one of us has shared in his richesāthere is a grace in our lives because of his grace. For while the Law was given by Moses, love and truth came through Jesus Christ. It is true that no one has ever seen God at any time. Yet the divine and only Son, who lives in the closest intimacy with the Father, has made him known.
So, in this first sign in the Gospel of John, Jesus is modeling grace. This was a model for his disciples, for you and me. Jesus is already setting the tone and direction for his ministry and ultimate act of grace, his death and resurrection. We see and experience grace from Jesus through others. Without this, it would be difficult to share grace if we have not experienced it ourselves.
I can say with complete certainty that everyone here in this room has received grace. Number one, our baptism is a means of grace. We have received this gift as infants or adults. As members of the beloved community, we are called to model how we share grace, as Jesus models here in our gospel lesson as well as throughout the Bible. We learn how to share or model grace by experiencing it through others.
In our country and here at Faith things are changing. Through any transition grace is needed. As changes occur, we are called to respond and not react to them. There may be times that we need to step back and clear out as much of the anxiety as we can in order for grace to flow through us.
I am not talking about graciously accepting everything as it is. What I am talking about is being graceful in our responses. When I hear the word reaction, I often think of no thought behind our action. In order for grace to flow through us, we need to take our anxiety to Jesus. This will allow us to think and consult with Jesus before responding. There will be anxiety.
Jesus graciously walks with us and stands ready to listen to our anxieties. This is the grace that Jesus has modeled and continues to model for us through others and is ready to share with us. Once we have realized this grace and given our anxieties over to Jesus, we are ready to make graceful responses to the changes that we encounter.
Just as Elmer and Jesus modeled grace, we are then called to model that grace for others. This is how people see Jesus at work within us and may be able to believe as the disciples did that day, when Jesus shared grace when he performed his first sign.
Let us pray: Gracious God, you sent Jesus to model and share your graciousness. As we have read again the story of Jesusā first sign we see your grace modeled for us. We daily ask and receive your grace, may your Holy Spirit help us to share your grace with others that more may come to believe and continue to share your grace.
In Jesusā name, Amen
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Relationship is about connection. Baptism is about a relationship or connection with God in Jesus Christ and the beloved community. Even though Jesusā baptism was not like ours, it is still about connection.
The Hebrew people had been waiting many years for the prophesied Messiah. So here was John out in the wilderness baptizing people with the baptism of repentance. He really stuck out and people came to find him in the wilderness. John was bristling the church leaders. The Hebrew people were not hearing this kind of message from them, and they were waiting in hope and expectation.
John clarified for them that he was not the Messiah that they had been waiting for. The Message puts it this way: āIām baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom Iām a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. Sheās going to clean houseāmake a clean sweep of your lives. Sheāll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false sheāll put out with the trash to be burned.ā
Wow, so baptism is about cleansing, about cleaning our houses. It is not the kind of cleaning that we can hire someone else to do. Only the Holy Spirit can do this kind of cleaning. This is what it means to be in relationship with Jesus and to stay in right relationship with him.
The theological term for this is sanctification or being made holy. We are brought into a healthy relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Martin Luther has reminded us that this is a daily process. Making the sign of the cross reminds us of this.
What can we learn from Jesusā baptism that will help us in our connection or relationship with him? Jesus waited and possibly encouraged all who were present to be baptized by John. This was really a baptism of preparation or cleansing for following Jesus.
As Jesus was praying, which was a common theme in Luke, the sky opened up and the Holy Spirit or dove descended down on Jesus. Then a voice was heard, Godās, saying, āYou are my beloved Son, chosen and marked by my love, with you I am well pleased.ā Luke is telling us that God confirmed for Jesus that he was Godās son chosen and loved, and that God was pleased with him.
Now we could gather that this voice was heard by all the people present, but we donāt know that for a fact as Luke does not tell us of their immediate response. Instead, Luke goes into a genealogy that connects Jesus back to Adam and then is followed by Jesusā temptation story in the wilderness.
Jesus waited and encouraged all to be baptized and then he was baptized as one of the people. This baptism of John was about being prepared, about being cleansed and for us keeping our relationship with Jesus healthy. Thus, Jesus was modeling for us the need for this baptism and the Holy Spirit cleansing us. Jesus waiting and encouragement also modeled humbleness and a heart for the people.
This baptism of repentance and the Holy Spirit is what keeps our connection to Jesus healthy. Our connection with Jesus really begins the day we are born. Baptism recognizes this connection. It recognizes Godās grace for us.
Our parents and often sponsors bring us to be baptized. Years ago, and sometimes still today, baptisms are done apart from the worship service. It is more appropriate for oneās baptism to be done in the context of worship as it is really about welcoming the child or adult into the beloved community.
Also, it is the responsibility of the congregation to provide and encourage oneās growth in a personās relationship with Jesus, just as Jesus modeled at his baptism. Today we are going to affirm our baptism. We will publicly say to God and each other that we are followers of Jesus Christ.
We will be stating that we are continuing in this relationship or connection with Jesus, that we are allowing the Holy Spirit to come and clean our house. Through water and the Word, we strengthen our connection to Jesus. We are reminded that in this gift of baptism that we receive freely forgiveness, salvation and new life.
Let us now affirm our baptism and the promises that go with it.
AFFIRMATION OF OUR BAPTISM
Pastor: God, who is rich in mercy and love, gives us a new birth into a living hope through the sacrament of baptism. By water and the Word God delivers us from sin and death and raises us to new life in Jesus Christ. We are united with all the baptized in the one body of Christ, anointed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, and joined in God's mission for the life of the world.
Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Holy God, mighty Lord, gracious Father: We give you thanks, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and you created heaven and earth. By the gift of water you nourish and sustain us and all living things.
By the waters of the flood you condemned the wicked and saved those whom you had chosen, Noah and his family. You led Israel by the pillar of cloud and fire through the sea, out of slavery into the freedom of the promised land. In the waters of the Jordan your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Spirit. By the baptism of his own death and resurrection your beloved Son has set us free from the bondage to sin and death, and has opened the way to the joy and freedom of everlasting life. He made water a sign of the kingdom and of cleansing and rebirth. In obedience to his command, we make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Continue to pour out your Holy Spirit on your baptized people, so that we remember the new life received at our baptism. We thank you for washing away our sings and making us inheritors of your kingdom.
To you be given praise and honor and worship through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen
Profession of Faith
Do you renounce the devil and all the forces that defy God?
Response: I renounce them.
Do you renounce the powers of this world that rebel against God?
Response: I renounce them.
Do you renounce the ways of sin that draw you from God?
Response: I renounce them.
Do you believe in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
I believe in Jesus Christ, Godās only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.*
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
You have made public profession of your faith. Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in holy baptism:
to live among Godās faithful people,
to hear the word of God and share in the Lordās supper,
to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed,
to serve all people, following the example of Jesus,
and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth?
The assembly makes affirmation:
I do, and I ask God to help and guide me.
The minister addresses the assembly.
People of God, do you promise to support and pray for one another in your life in Christ?
We do, and we ask God to help and guide us.
The presiding minister prays for Godās blessing.
Let us pray.
We give you thanks, O God, that through water and the Holy Spirit you give us new birth, cleanse us from sin, and raise us to eternal life. Stir up in your people the gift of your Holy Spirit: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in your presence both now and forever.
Amen.
Let us now make the sign of the cross remembering our Baptism.
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We have begun another new year, 2025. It usually takes a little while to remember this when writing the date. Some people set resolutions or goals for the year. This may help us to decide where our focus will be.
Our country will be looking and run differently. There are many different views on whether it will be good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. Iām not sure how much control we have over it one way or the other. For me the bottom line is where will our focus be and whom will we trust.
Today we begin a new season, Epiphany. Epiphany means manifestation. Where we place our focus and whom we trust has everything to do with how we represent or manifest Jesus in our world.
God has a plan of how God wants to be represented. In our lessons today, we see contrasts and descriptions of this. Folklore has us thinking that there were three kings. In reality they were Magi or also called Wise Men, and it doesnāt really say that there were three.
The Magi or Wise Men originated in Persia. They were followers of Zoroastrianism, a system of belief that was a precursor to Islam. There were most likely women in this group also. But Matthew sticks with the patriarchal context.
We could easily question God how people not of the Jewish faith could be used in Godās plan. But that would be our way of thinking and not Godās. This is one thing to remember for the new year that God doesnāt follow our plans.
In the Zoroastrianism religion, the primary prophet was conceived by a 15 year old Persian virgin. He predicted that other virgins would conceive additional divinely appointed prophets. They were waiting for the birth of a true Savior also, just as the Jews were.
The Magi had heard of the birth of Jesus and went to Jerusalem to find out where this baby was. King Herod became frightened that this baby would be the Messiah that the Jews had been talking about and he did not want to lose the power and control that he had. He called together all of the chief priests and scribes and basically asked them, where do you think this baby that could be the Messiah, was born.
They went back to the prophecy that said the baby would be born in Bethlehem of Judea. Herod called the Wise Men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem to find the baby and then let him know so that he could go and visit the baby. A frightened leader is not to be trusted.
The wise men followed the star and found Jesus in Bethlehem. They arrived and were overwhelmed with joy. Upon entering the stable they knelt down to give Jesus the gifts that they had brought. Consider this, leaders in their religion kneeling in reverence before a baby and acknowledging Jesus as the king of the Jews. This title was not used again until the passion story.
God was using unexpected Gentiles to identify who Jesus was. I can remember other times in Jesusā time on earth where he was identified for who he really was, such as the demons. Again, not what we would expect. God in Jesus Christ has plans that often do not match up with ours. This is where trust enters in. Whose plan are we going to follow, ours or Godās?
The Wise Men heard in a dream not to return to Herod, and they left for their country by another road. They weighed out whether they needed to in a sense collude with Herod or bypass him. They may have sensed that he was a frightened man and not to be trusted.
This also contrasts the two kingdoms, Herodās and Jesusā. Herodās was one of power and control over others creating an atmosphere of hostility created by his insecurity. He used whatever method he could think of to keep himself in power. But what might have he sensed in a baby that would threaten him and his power and control?
Jesusā kingdom represented one of peace and love. A kingdom that was called to love neighbor. Neighbor meaning all people. The fact that God used people from Persia who were not even of the Jewish faith helps us realize that neighbor includes all.
In our Old Testament lesson from Isaiah, we hear about nations coming to Godās light. When Isaiah talks about nations coming, he is talking about building a community that includes all people, foreigners and sexual minorities, at this time meaning eunuchs. At one point explicitly includes sons of foreigners.
I believe it is very revealing that God has been trying to build an inclusive, diverse kingdom from the beginning. Human beings are threatened by this. Godās community is built on love and acceptance not power and control. If we know all of this, what is our role in the kingdom. How will we represent or manifest Christ in 2025?
Paul in our second lesson gives us some clue. First of all, Paul says, according to The Message, This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message, the good news. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details.
This is our life work as followers of Jesus as part of Godās kingdom: helping people understand and respond to the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul is trying to tell us that he didnāt always know how he was going to do this and relied on God for the details. This is where trust comes in.
This good news of Godās grace shown through Jesus is a gift to us and the invitation to help people understand and respond is a gift. As the Wise Men humbled themselves and literally knelt before Jesus is a way of representing Jesus. They acknowledged who Jesus was. We acknowledge who Jesus is when we donāt try and think we have the plan by ourselves. It is when we trust God for the details.
The idea of the Magi being part of Godās plan is a surprise. Even thinking that God would use people who would be a precursor to Islam can be difficult for some people to get their head around. This is how God works. Going through this new year we are challenged to be surprised by God and trust God for the details.
In the end it is about humbling ourselves before God and trusting Godās plan as we know it and not ours. I believe as we strive to do this we will manifest or represent Christ to our neighbor.
Let us pray, All knowing God, we have been reminded again today that you can use all people to carry out your plan. Unfortunately, we often get in the way and try and impose our plan. In this new year, we come before you, God in Jesus Christ humbly realizing that it is not about our plan, but yours. You have the details that you reveal to us as we are able to see them. During this Epiphany season continually remind us that it is not our light that shines, but your light shining through us. You have invited us to help people hear and understand the good news. We humbly pray for the details in how to do this. In Jesus name, Amen
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This is a special musical presentation of the Away in a Manger at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.
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Christmas Eve 2024
Tonight, I would like to focus on angels. The first time that we hear about angels is back in Genesis. The angel announced to Hagar, after she ran away from Sarai, that she would bear many children. Her first child was Ishmael, Abramās first son. Ishmael played a foundational role in the Islamic religion.
Here we have an angel announcing the birth of someone who turned out to be an important prophet in the Islamic religion. It is important to remember that this was Godās messenger. Since Sarai didnāt know what to do with the fact that Abram and Hagar were going to have a child, Hagar had run away. The angel came with good news for Hagar, that she would bear a son that would produce many nations.
As we gather here tonight, we can remember that the angels assisted in setting up our Christmas story. The angel Gabriel visited Mary and announced that she would be the mother of Jesus who would be the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Another angel came to visit Joseph to secure his place as the earthly father of Jesus. God used these beings as messengers to carry out the work that needed to be done in order to come to earth.
So many of us have asked the question, are angels real? It seems that there are elusive. The angel Gabriel came to Mary in a sense out of thin air. The angel who spoke to Joseph came to him in a dream. What do we make of this?
Then we hear of the angels coming to the shepherds to announce the good news of Jesus birth. In the case of Hagar, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds, the angels came to encourage and tell them not to be afraid and to give them good news. This message was from God and in a sense confirming their role in Godās work.
Hagar became the mother of Ishmael, who was an important leader. Maryās role was to be the mother of Jesus and raise him. Joseph became Jesusās early father to raise him. Each angel or angels came to encourage and give good news to each person in order to fulfill Godās work.
As we grow in our faith, we learn that we will not understand all of the ways that God works. I believe that what we can learn is that God will work in unexpected ways. God uses many different ways to communicate to us. What is important for me is the role of the angels.
In all of these cases whether one or many, the message was one that each person needed to hear at that specific time and place. Have we not experienced that in some way? God communicates a message to us through a person, a group or a situation, how different pieces line up and then it is revealed to us.
Many of us are on edge going into the new year. Are we able to hear the message of the angels tonight, Donāt be afraid? Think about the fact that none of these people knew what was ahead, but the message of the angels resonated in their hearts, and they sensed that God was speaking to them and that God would be with them.
In Josephās dream this was part of the message that the angel reminded Joseph of the prophecy that a virgin shall conceive and bear a son. His name shall be called Emmanuel, God with us. Again, the angel is preparing Joseph for what is to come. God prepares Godās people, if we are paying attention and listening.
The good news that we are hearing again tonight is relevant. There is something about this story that draws us back here. This tells me it is relevant for us in years past and yet again tonight.
Angels have come again tonight to each one of us to tell us not be afraid that God is with us. We may not know what is ahead, but the good news is that we are not alone that God in Jesus Christ walks with us. Can you hear the angelās message for you?
Let us pray, God of the unexpected, we are drawn here again tonight to hear the good news that you came to earth in human form for each one of us. Even though Jesus is not physically here, you have never left us. May your Holy Spirit continue to open our ears to hear the good news that you have for us. May your Holy Spirit help us to hear the message that we do not have to be afraid. As you have sent your angels throughout all of history, we hear them again announce the good news to us. Help us to share that good news with our neighbors. In Jesus name, Amen
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In our gospel lesson today, we have Maryās song of praise and gratitude, which has been given the title, The Magnificat. My soul proclaims your greatness O God, and my spirit rejoices in you my Savior. The Message, a paraphrase of the Bible, puts it this way, Mary says āIām bursting with good news; Iām dancing the song of my Savior, God took one look at me, and look what happened- Iām the most fortunate woman on earth!ā
Now really, she is not even technically a woman. Sheās a pregnant teenager and unmarried. She has run off out into the country to her cousin Elizabethās. Elizabeth is much older and also pregnant. Where is the good news?
Mary must have had some fear. An angel, Gabriel had come to visit her to tell her that she would be the mother of the Savior of the world, which as a Jewish woman, would mean the messiah. Who would believe her? What were people going to say when they saw her, a pregnant, unmarried teenager carrying a baby? That must have been the reason that she ran off into the country to her cousinās to stay at least three months.
She would be a disgrace to her family, even though she had done nothing to get pregnant. Mary probably didnāt know what Joseph would do, as any other man who would be engaged and his fiancĆ© became pregnant would normally want to disown her. Even going back after three months with Elizabeth, she had no idea how or who would receive her.
Yet, despite all the shame, hardship and possibly death that she may encounter, here she is praising God. Mary canāt contain herself and it causes her to burst forth in song, singing the good news. She is looking at this as a gift from God. God has set her apart, yet no church leader would have done this. Culture would not tolerate this.
Is it God that doesnāt get it, or is it human beings that really donāt understand God. God seems to enjoy role reversals and surprising us with the unexpected. It doesnāt always make us feel comfortable. It shifts where power and control are placed by God, and we want to fight it.
First of all, here is a woman basically elevated above men. She is being given a role in our Christian faith that no man can hold. God has given her the mission to be the mother of Godās son, our Savior, the Messiah, as Christians understand him. We could easily say that of course she is carrying the baby as God didnāt create men to do this.
Although, God could have picked a woman of nobility, but God did not. Mary was probably seen as the least of all people by society, yet for God this was the person chosen to carry out this mission. In this song of gratitude, we also find prophecy of what kind of Messiah and Savior her son, Jesus would be.
Did you hear when I read it that on one hand God has already done these things and yet I believe it is giving us hope that God will continue to do these things. Mary is describing that Jesus will continue to do the work and model what God wants.
God has been bringing down the powerful from their thrones, and lifting up the lowly; God has filled the hungry with good things, and sending the rich away empty. God has come to the aid of Israel, Godās servant, remembering that God is merciful as God had promised Abraham and to his descendants forever.Godās kingdom is forever in reform of bringing all people back in line. We are all made differently, and this is to be celebrated. Although not all people celebrate this, and it makes them feel uncomfortable and out of control. What God continues to do in Godās way is to bring everyone back to how God views people and that is, all people are gifted by God and important for life in the community.
I donāt believe that God sets up a hierarchy in a few people. No one has all the answers, but collectively a community can produce the best options and then make choices. I donāt believe that God puts certain people in power to control others. Yet some people have less money than others, but that doesnāt mean that they should be treated differently than others who have more money.
We are reminded by Mary and Elizabeth today that it doesnāt make any difference to God about age or gender who is called to do Godās work. Even in our Old Testament lesson from Micah, we are reminded that God did not choose a major city and palace for Jesus to be born in. Bethlehem was as The Message puts it, the runt of the litter. Jesus was born in a stable in the hay.
The Message goes on to say, from Bethlehem will come the leader who will shepherd-rule Israel. Heāll be no upstart, no pretender. His family tree is ancient and distinguished. David was a shepherd who was born in Bethlehem.
If God doesnāt see what God wants to see in our country today, these things prophesied by Mary will continue to happen. God can work through anyone to bring these things into action. But history tells us that God does not always work through those in high places.
In order for human beings to see something different, God shakes it up and works through those who culture does not like to recognize as capable people. As people of God, we are called to listen and watch when people are being oppressed, when people are hungry and need care. We will be called to address these issues and thankfully we are doing some of that already. But there may be more coming where we will be called to take a stand. This is how we will continue to do Godās work modeled by Jesus.
Today our model for faith is Mary who is able to embrace her mission to be the mother of Jesus amidst all of the unknowns. She is willing to put her trust in God. We have some idea of what she encountered in this role given to her by God to be the Messiahās mother. God kept her safe as well as having the support of Joseph. This is the good news that God is always with Godās people.
Are we able to sing with our whole heart in gratitude for God calling us to be followers of Jesus? We can be called by God to any role, and we can resist or with faith embrace whatever God is calling us to do. Remember the good news is that God continues to be with us. Jesus walks beside us through all of the unknowns in our life.
May we sing this good news in our life shown by the way in which we connect with our neighbor!
Let us pray, God who brings good news to us in so many ways, May your Holy Spirit help us to respond to your call in faith as Mary did. Mary was the least of all people who others thought would be called to this role. We know that you are calling each one of us to serve you. Help us to serve you in joy that others may hear and see the good news in us. In Jesusā name, Amen
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This is a special musical presentation of the People, Look East by the Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.
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This is a special musical presentation of Will We Know Him by the Chancel Choir at Faith Lutheran Church in Okemos, Michigan.
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Sermon for Faith Lutheran Church-Okemos
December 8, 2024; Advent 2 ā Year C
Megan Floyd
Grace and peace to you from God, our Creator, and from the Lord, Jesus Christ, our Saviorā¦ the one for whom we prepare. Amen.
I think we all knowā¦ babies tend to arrive without regard for whether the parents are fully ready for themā¦ or not.
In fact, I donāt know anyone who claims they were fully prepared and ready in every way for the arrival of their children. ā¦and if they said they were, I wouldnāt have believed them.
When my husband and I were awaiting the birth of our first child, we did all we believed we were supposed to do to prepare the way.
Weā¦ made the soft colors brightā¦ and the sharp edges roundā¦ we filled baskets with diapers and baby stuffā¦ and we made the rough ways in our home smooth.
And yetā¦ we were not fully prepared. We were not prepared for how much the arrival of our child would change usā¦
We were not prepared for the shift in our relationship andā¦ the love! Who knew you could love someone so much?
There was so much to do, and yet, an enormous amount of the preparations happened, not in our home, but in our heartsā¦ and in our minds.
Preparing for Godās arrival is much the sameā¦ it is mostly an internal, ongoing work that we must do to be ready to receive our God and Savior, who chooses to come to us as a lowly, innocent child.
In our Gospel today, we hear the prophet John, crying out from the wildernessā¦ prepare the way!
This child is comingā¦ no ordinary human childā¦ but a savior! Prepare!
This word from God does not come to us from the rulers of the day, or even the temple leadersā¦ no.
The word of God bypasses all that earthly power and authority to rest on Johnā¦ ruler of no one and governor of nowhereā¦ justā¦ John, son of Zechariah.
Godās word comes to us from out of the wildā¦ a place unbound by time and unbidden to societyā¦ from out of the desert wildernessā¦ we hearā¦
Prepare the way! ā¦for none other than the light of the world is about to break over us like the dawnā¦ prepare!
Driven by love and tender compassion, our Creator, God the Almightyā¦ has chosen to meet us exactly where we are.
Our heavenly parent has come down to meet us in the ordinary, the humble and lowlyā¦ to shine a holy light into our dark placesā¦ and guide our feet into the way of peace.
But we must prepare to receive that lightā¦ we must make ready our hearts and mindsā¦ to open ourselves up to the ongoing transformation that follows when you give your life over to the way of Christ.
Because God comes to us through Jesus to purify us as with the refinerās fireā¦
God comes to us through Jesus to wash us clean as with the fullerās soapā¦ to redeem usā¦ and claim us as Godās own beloved.
God comes to us through Jesus, the Christ child, to forgive our sins and offer us salvationā¦
not only for our eternal life with God but also salvation in the here and nowā¦ salvation for this life here on earth.
Prepare the way of the Lord! ā¦for all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Prepare! ā¦we must ready ourselves to receive our Redeemerā¦
and know thisā¦ the work of preparation will change youā¦ it will mold youā¦ and shape you and draw you toward Godās justice and mercy.
We are not passively waiting for Jesus to arrive ā we are actively engaged in reshaping our senses to receive God in new ways.
The work of preparing for God involves repentanceā¦ metanoiaā¦ a change of heartā¦ a turning back.
We turn back to Christ to be released from the captivity of our sinsā¦ so that we can recognize God with us, Emmanuel in our wildernessā¦ Christ in the strangerā¦
We repent and turn back to Christā¦ so we can be liberated from the bonds of sin and joyfully engage in the work of preparing for the arrival of our Lord.
ā¦Of making the crooked paths straightā¦ of filling in every valleyā¦ bringing low every mountainā¦ and making the rough ways smooth.
ā¦It really sounds like impossible landscaping.
But itās notā¦ itās about letting Godās love wash over you and turn you over like a stone in a riverā¦
buffing away your rough edges so you can better receive and reflect that love from God into the world around you.
But we resist changeā¦ donāt we.
Especially something as life-altering as the full transformation that comes from a relationship with God.
We fall back into old habitsā¦ close our eyes to the needs around us ā¦and in usā¦ because changing the status quo is challenging work!
And yet, resisting the transformational change that comes through a dynamic relationship with God is to ignore the work that God calls us intoā¦
Resisting that transformative change is to resist the work of Christ.
Preparing the way for the Lord means opening our eyes to injustice and inhumanityā¦ and then working to change those systemsā¦ so that all people will see Godās salvation.
But we resist being changed, and we remain captive to our sin.
It is true that through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgivenā¦ you belong to Christā¦ and yet, we remain in bondage to our sin.
And so, we must die daily to that sin through our repentance and receive the grace that comes only from Christ.
We must repentā¦ turn back to Jesusā¦ and prepare the way for the Lordā¦ Prepare for the Lord and participate in the in-breaking of Godās kingdom here on earth.
For John proclaims, a new era of Godās peace is dawning! And we get to take part in that luminous work!
This is amazingā¦ this co-creating work with our Godā¦ it is incredible and beautiful work.
But here is the best newsā¦ Christ will arriveā¦ even if you are not prepared.
Just like our ordinary human babies arrive, whether the nursery is freshly painted or notā¦
The Christ child will arrive.
Yes, God invites us to join in the incredible work of smoothing our rough edges, leveling the terrain, and shaping our world around love, justice, and mercyā¦
But the completion of this work is not dependent on us.
God calls us to prepare and participate because God loves us and desires a vibrant relationship with usā¦
But we are not ultimately responsible for our salvation, let alone the salvation and redemption of the whole world and the bringing forth of Godās new Creation!
This is Godās promise to usā¦ that Godās got it covered.
And we, faithful followers, we get to help by preparing the way for the Lordā¦ preparing our hearts and minds, and our communities, to receive our Saviorā¦
ā¦so we can recognize our God with us.
I donāt know about youā¦ but I hear that as good news.
Out of pure and holy love, Jesus, the light of the world, will break like the dawn and shine over us, even if we are not ready.
Christ will shine into the darkness and into the shadow of our deathā¦ and guide our feet into the way of peace.
I want to be ready for that, and Iām certain you do, too. Soā¦ letās prepare the way.
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Will you pray with meā¦
Gracious and loving God, we praise you and thank you for claiming us as your own, and for not giving up on us.
You are continually forming us with your mercy and guiding our feet into your way of peace.
Help us, Lord, to prepare for your arrival so we might recognize you in our presence and receive you into our livesā¦ and so we can celebrate as your light shines into the darkest valleys, so that all may see your salvation. In your holy name we pray, Amen.
- Se mer
