Sermon December 20 Fourth Sunday of Advent "Son of David"

This sermon could have more aptly been titled “The Scenic Route.” That was a theme that became evident the more I studied this passage in Matthew 1:18-25. The Old Testament text I studied in conjunction with it was 1 Samuel 16:1-13.

“Joseph, Son of David…” was what the angel called him in a dream. You see, to Joseph, this situation he was in was what it looked like. His betrothed was pregnant and it wasn’t his. It’s not what he wanted or had planned. He would stop the betrothal short of marriage in a way that would be the least embarrassing for both his and Mary’s families. So often we make Joseph’s mistake. We find ourselves in the middle of a situation that we do not like and we say, “It is what it looks like.”

Matthew’s gospel starts out not with this birth narrative but rather a 42 generation genealogy, however. Why? Because this is simply part of a larger story. It is the continuation of God’s activity of redemption from the very beginning. Matthew’s genealogy is not simply a list of names. It’s the abridged history of God’s redemption of his people. “Joseph, son of David” was not a title- it was a command. Remember where you came from. Remember history. Remember His-Story.

The truth of history and the fact of the future is this: God is moving toward his glory! There is nothing in human history or circumstance that is not being worked out toward God’s ultimate glory. His-Story has always been about His glory. It just so happens that it is the nature and character of God as He moves toward His glory to take the scenic route.

Look at David. Samuel came to Bethlehem, to Jesse’s house, to anoint one of Jesse’s sons king. Eluid stood before him first and Samuel thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed.” It is what it looks like. But God says to him, “Samuel, do not look at his outward appearance… for God does not look at the things man looks at.” God was taking the scenic route. Seven of Jesse’s sons stood before Samuel. God desired none of them to be king of his people. “Do you have any more?” Samule asks. “Uh, just one, but he is out in the field with the sheep.”

David was not even considered by his own father as worthy to be a part of this father and son gathering with Samuel. “Jesse, son of David…” was a reminder to Joseph that he was not to make the mistake Jesse and Samuel made by looking only at the surface of things. God was at work. He was moving toward his ultimate glory in Jesus and he was taking the scenic route.

Advent is a time to take assessment of our own lives and discover what scenic route God is inviting us on. Are there things we are discretely “divorcing” ourselves from because we have said, “It is what it looks like”?

God’s story ends in glory and he takes the scenic route to get there. Philippians 2 seemed like fitting encapsulation of this point. Jesus, “being in very nature God… made himself nothing… and became obedient to death.” But that was just part of the scenic route. “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place…” where “…Jesus Christ is Lord, to the GLORY of God the father.”

Could His-Story end any other way? Could ours?

Pastor Scott

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Sermon December 6 Second Sunday of Advent "Let It Be"

This Second Sunday of Advent was a communion Sunday. It was a Sunday on which we lit candles of hope and peace.

In Luke 1:26-38 we read the story of Mary’s encounter with the angel Gabriel. It was in the first two verses that something in particular caught my eye. We find out so much. We find out who the angel is and where he was sent. We find out that the person he came to see was a virgin. We discover that this virgin was engaged to a man named Joseph. We find out about Joseph’s family tree- he was a descendant of King David. And the very last word of these very detailed and informative introductory verses is “Mary.” From a worldly point of view, in a word, she was insignificant.

Yet twice the angel calls her “favored.” She was a nobody. But God had a plan for her life. Mary found out that she would play a vital role in the establishment of God’s kingdom for all of eternity by giving birth to the Son of God through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

God’s plan was as big as his kingdom and involved the redemption of all creation. And Mary found out that she had a huge role to play. She was dumbfounded, “How can this be since I am a virgin, a nobody, a person of little significance?”

God has a kingdom plan for each of us. God wants us to play a role in the redemption of all creation. We are dumbfounded. How can this be? I’m a nobody. The power of the Holy Spirit and presence of God will accomplish this. I say this so much: God calls the unlikely to accomplish the impossible. That is the story of scripture.

And ours should be the response of Mary. “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be.” I encouraged the church to take this Advent season as a time to sit in the silence (last week’s theme) and ask the question, “Lord, what is your kingdom purpose for me?”

As we came to the Lord’s Supper we looked at Jesus’ prayer in the garden. Jesus cried out, “If it is possible, take this cup from me. But not my will, but yours be done.” In this moment of earthly anguish, Jesus did not reflect the power and glory of his father, but rather the humble contrition of his earthly mother. “Let it be” Jesus said.

Pastor Scott

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Sermon November 29 First Sunday of Advent “Hope Rekindled”

Trees, lights, candles, purple cloths… must be the beginning of Advent: a season of anticipation and expectant longing at its best and break-neck consumerism at its worst. To take seriously the congregational context as we consider the scriptures to be read and proclaimed is a big part of preaching. Not everyone lives in the Advent season like the preacher does. Not everyone is filled with thoughts of incarnation and candle lighters and what worship will sound like this time of year. People live in the real world during Advent…

And that is why our passage from Luke 1:5-23 was so poignant. Zechariah and Elizabeth lived life in the real world. Sure, they came from godly folks. But they had hardship like the rest of us. They had questions and doubts. Their lives were filled with unmet hopes and unanswered prayers. They felt like many of us do much of the time… “For a God who knows and loves me, he sure has been quiet lately.”

But then, out of no where, Zachariah is encountered by Gabriel. The angel knows his name. The angel says that God has heard his prayers. All of a sudden, a life of disgrace and anonymity is one encountered by the reality of God in a fascinating way. “God knows my name. God has heard my prayers.” That is Zachariah’s epiphany. God was at work in the silence after all.

Zachariah’s son was going to pave the way for the son of David, the seed of Jesse. In Isaiah 40 at the beginning of the chapter we read about the ministry of Zachariah’s son. He will make straight the path for the Messiah. Awesome!

There is a neat little detail in this story; a curious instance. For appealing to he and his wife’s old age as a reason why Gabriel had the wrong guy, Zachariah was rendered mute. It was his duty to walk out of the temple and address the gathered people with the blessing of his wife’s ancestor, Aaron. “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Not every priest got to do that. This was a once in a lifetime thing.

But he couldn’t say it. He couldn’t say anything. And it was in his silence that the people realized that Zachariah had an encounter with God. His silence was what told them, “God is at work! God had done something and said something to Zachariah. But we don’t know what it is. What is God up to now?”

Zachariah’s silence was the indicator that God was present, active, working, redeeming, renewing, and rekindling the hope of a people. How interesting that chapter 40 of Isaiah that begins with “A voice of one calling: ‘In the desert prepare the way for the Lord…’” speaking of son of Zachariah, ends with “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will mount up with wings like eagles…”

God is at work in the silence. Wait on him. Hope in him.

Pastor Scott

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Sermon November 22 “Stewardship: The Irony of Giving” Part 3 of 3

Two familiar passages fueled the third sermon in this series on stewardship. This was the final look at the irony of giving that showed that stewardship is not about money. The two passages we looked at were Micah 6:6-8 and Matthew 23:23, 24.

These passages are pretty plain in their meaning. Look at them:

Micah 6…
With what shall I come before the LORD

and bow down before the exalted God?

Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil?

Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He has showed you, O man, what is good.

And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Matthew 23…

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel."

The lesson? A tithe of money without a life that pursues justice and mercy on behalf of the forsaken is not honoring to God. The tithe is a fundamental part of our lives lived faithfully before God. But tithing without a life of mercy equates to straining out a non kosher gnat while eating a plate of non kosher camel… medium rare. Seek justice. Live a life of mercy. Be faithful. Walk humbly with God. Oh, and don’t neglect your tithe either.

Pastor Scott

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