The Angel Gabriel is asking Mary for a favor. This is Gabriel’s second appearance in this Christmas story. The angel had already visited Zechariah and left him speechless. The powerful presence of an angelic messenger left the religious leader silent. He wasn’t able to speak for nine months. Then in the sixth month of the pregnancy of Elizabeth, Angel Gabriel came to visit Mary. Mary keeps her thoughts to herself. The angel said: “Greetings favored one” – one who God brings grace
Mary’s angelic visitor comes to ask a favor! Hey, um God wants to fulfill the promise of sending a savior to the world that will be Immanuel and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom will reign forever and ever. He will grow and the favor of God is upon him (Luke 2:40). You will raise him as your own child and watch him mature into a man. You’ll even have to watch him die on a cross before all of Jerusalem! Do you mind helping out? Can you help with me with this favor? She was open to doing God a favor.
When the angel said, “Mary, Most favored one”, it doesn’t mean that God chose Mary because of a certain quality. The Latin translation and if you grew up Roman Catholic, you would know is “Hail Mary, Full of Grace”. This perspective leads to a sort of Marian devotion. It lifts Mary up really high because we think that God plays favorites. She is not God’s favorite child or God is not playing favorites! She hasn’t earned God’s favor; God is bringing favored upon her; Mary is the recipient of Grace. The word “favored one” in the Greek is charitoo; is from “charis” and it means grace, endue with special honor:—highly favoured.
What kind of favor is he asking for? My wife helped give some kid a jump in his truck at the store today. I picked up my brother in Niles and drove him to the airport! Doug Haugen was available for pastoral care emergencies while I was gone. We all participate in doing and receiving favors from others.
We have all received a favor or done a favor. It means to do it without expecting something in return. When someone asks, “Can you do me a favor”, you don’t keep a tally of how many they have done and how many you have done for them. Sometimes we may feel that we have lost favor with others or with God. Yet today we are reminded that we have all received favor; found favor
This favor would leave Zechariah and Elizabeth’s life’s changed forever. Their son would be the one who prepare the way for Jesus, John the Baptist, and John would die at the hands of King Herod. The angel’s favor would leave Mary changed forever. Nothing like being a favorite child and the burden and responsibility that calling carries. Pregnancy is never easy or safe from complications. The hope that Gabriel proclaims is a vulnerable hope - fragile, ambiguous, contrary to experience.
So much of our lives is spent operating out of fear. On the way to the airport, signs remind us of the Orange threat level. We are afraid to stand before our relatives who are hurting during this season and offer just our ears like Zechariah. We are afraid to offer a favor to a friend or a family member because we know we’ve been burned before. We are afraid to land at Midway knowing that there is ice and snow everywhere as we land on Friday mid-morning. We fear what will happen as we get older, watching our relatives and friends get sick.
The angel brings a word of comfort by saying: Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. I’m afraid that I have fallen out of favor with God? How can I find favor with God? Being favored also offers a promise. The angel Gabriel said to both Zechariah and to Mary, “Don’t be afraid! Don’t be afraid. You are the Favored One, God is with you. God is calling you do bear and birth new life this Christmas as we enter the favor of God’s good graces in Christ.
I spoke words of encouragement on Thursday to my sister and family at the funeral of her husband, Larry Ellington, who died in Mississippi on Monday. I spoke the words of Jesus when spoke Jesus words to the disciples in John 14: “Do not let your hearts be troubled; don’t let them be afraid. In my father’s house there are many mansions, If it were not so would I go and prepare a place for you so that where I am you may be also. And you know the place that I am going.”
We have found favor with God and there is room for us all in God’s house. We are called by the one who favors us; who fancies us; and has done us the greatest favor ever! The one who favor you has offered a substitute to take your place. What a great favor! We are called to by God today, who is knocking on the window; who is ringing the bell. Do me a favor, open the door, and let ‘em in; yeah, yeah; yeah, yeah, yeah! Even if you don’t open the door; the messengers of God are being sent to you again in this favorable season. We receive this favor like Mary, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord. Let it be with me according to you word.”
Let us pray: Gracious God, you have granted us your favor and welcomed us back into your favor. We are granted your favor and you call us to share that favor with others. Guide us in this favorable season, we pray in Jesus name, Amen.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Luke 1:26-28 - "The Greatest Favor" (12-21-08)
The Angel Gabriel is asking Mary for a favor. This is Gabriel’s second appearance in this Christmas story. The angel had already visited Zechariah and left him speechless. The powerful presence of an angelic messenger left the religious leader silent. He wasn’t able to speak for nine months. Then in the sixth month of the pregnancy of Elizabeth, Angel Gabriel came to visit Mary. Mary keeps her thoughts to herself. The angel said: “Greetings favored one” – one who God brings grace
Mary’s angelic visitor comes to ask a favor! Hey, um God wants to fulfill the promise of sending a savior to the world that will be Immanuel and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom will reign forever and ever. He will grow and the favor of God is upon him (Luke 2:40). You will raise him as your own child and watch him mature into a man. You’ll even have to watch him die on a cross before all of Jerusalem! Do you mind helping out? Can you help with me with this favor? She was open to doing God a favor.
When the angel said, “Mary, Most favored one”, it doesn’t mean that God chose Mary because of a certain quality. The Latin translation and if you grew up Roman Catholic, you would know is “Hail Mary, Full of Grace”. This perspective leads to a sort of Marian devotion. It lifts Mary up really high because we think that God plays favorites. She is not God’s favorite child or God is not playing favorites! She hasn’t earned God’s favor; God is bringing favored upon her; Mary is the recipient of Grace. The word “favored one” in the Greek is charitoo; is from “charis” and it means grace, endue with special honor:—highly favoured.
What kind of favor is he asking for? My wife helped give some kid a jump in his truck at the store today. I picked up my brother in Niles and drove him to the airport! Doug Haugen was available for pastoral care emergencies while I was gone. We all participate in doing and receiving favors from others.
We have all received a favor or done a favor. It means to do it without expecting something in return. When someone asks, “Can you do me a favor”, you don’t keep a tally of how many they have done and how many you have done for them. Sometimes we may feel that we have lost favor with others or with God. Yet today we are reminded that we have all received favor; found favor
This favor would leave Zechariah and Elizabeth’s life’s changed forever. Their son would be the one who prepare the way for Jesus, John the Baptist, and John would die at the hands of King Herod. The angel’s favor would leave Mary changed forever. Nothing like being a favorite child and the burden and responsibility that calling carries. Pregnancy is never easy or safe from complications. The hope that Gabriel proclaims is a vulnerable hope - fragile, ambiguous, contrary to experience.
So much of our lives is spent operating out of fear. On the way to the airport, signs remind us of the Orange threat level. We are afraid to stand before our relatives who are hurting during this season and offer just our ears like Zechariah. We are afraid to offer a favor to a friend or a family member because we know we’ve been burned before. We are afraid to land at Midway knowing that there is ice and snow everywhere as we land on Friday mid-morning. We fear what will happen as we get older, watching our relatives and friends get sick.
The angel brings a word of comfort by saying: Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. I’m afraid that I have fallen out of favor with God? How can I find favor with God? Being favored also offers a promise. The angel Gabriel said to both Zechariah and to Mary, “Don’t be afraid! Don’t be afraid. You are the Favored One, God is with you. God is calling you do bear and birth new life this Christmas as we enter the favor of God’s good graces in Christ.
I spoke words of encouragement on Thursday to my sister and family at the funeral of her husband, Larry Ellington, who died in Mississippi on Monday. I spoke the words of Jesus when spoke Jesus words to the disciples in John 14: “Do not let your hearts be troubled; don’t let them be afraid. In my father’s house there are many mansions, If it were not so would I go and prepare a place for you so that where I am you may be also. And you know the place that I am going.”
We have found favor with God and there is room for us all in God’s house. We are called by the one who favors us; who fancies us; and has done us the greatest favor ever! The one who favor you has offered a substitute to take your place. What a great favor! We are called to by God today, who is knocking on the window; who is ringing the bell. Do me a favor, open the door, and let ‘em in; yeah, yeah; yeah, yeah, yeah! Even if you don’t open the door; the messengers of God are being sent to you again in this favorable season. We receive this favor like Mary, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord. Let it be with me according to you word.”
Let us pray: Gracious God, you have granted us your favor and welcomed us back into your favor. We are granted your favor and you call us to share that favor with others. Guide us in this favorable season, we pray in Jesus name, Amen.
Mary’s angelic visitor comes to ask a favor! Hey, um God wants to fulfill the promise of sending a savior to the world that will be Immanuel and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom will reign forever and ever. He will grow and the favor of God is upon him (Luke 2:40). You will raise him as your own child and watch him mature into a man. You’ll even have to watch him die on a cross before all of Jerusalem! Do you mind helping out? Can you help with me with this favor? She was open to doing God a favor.
When the angel said, “Mary, Most favored one”, it doesn’t mean that God chose Mary because of a certain quality. The Latin translation and if you grew up Roman Catholic, you would know is “Hail Mary, Full of Grace”. This perspective leads to a sort of Marian devotion. It lifts Mary up really high because we think that God plays favorites. She is not God’s favorite child or God is not playing favorites! She hasn’t earned God’s favor; God is bringing favored upon her; Mary is the recipient of Grace. The word “favored one” in the Greek is charitoo; is from “charis” and it means grace, endue with special honor:—highly favoured.
What kind of favor is he asking for? My wife helped give some kid a jump in his truck at the store today. I picked up my brother in Niles and drove him to the airport! Doug Haugen was available for pastoral care emergencies while I was gone. We all participate in doing and receiving favors from others.
We have all received a favor or done a favor. It means to do it without expecting something in return. When someone asks, “Can you do me a favor”, you don’t keep a tally of how many they have done and how many you have done for them. Sometimes we may feel that we have lost favor with others or with God. Yet today we are reminded that we have all received favor; found favor
This favor would leave Zechariah and Elizabeth’s life’s changed forever. Their son would be the one who prepare the way for Jesus, John the Baptist, and John would die at the hands of King Herod. The angel’s favor would leave Mary changed forever. Nothing like being a favorite child and the burden and responsibility that calling carries. Pregnancy is never easy or safe from complications. The hope that Gabriel proclaims is a vulnerable hope - fragile, ambiguous, contrary to experience.
So much of our lives is spent operating out of fear. On the way to the airport, signs remind us of the Orange threat level. We are afraid to stand before our relatives who are hurting during this season and offer just our ears like Zechariah. We are afraid to offer a favor to a friend or a family member because we know we’ve been burned before. We are afraid to land at Midway knowing that there is ice and snow everywhere as we land on Friday mid-morning. We fear what will happen as we get older, watching our relatives and friends get sick.
The angel brings a word of comfort by saying: Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. I’m afraid that I have fallen out of favor with God? How can I find favor with God? Being favored also offers a promise. The angel Gabriel said to both Zechariah and to Mary, “Don’t be afraid! Don’t be afraid. You are the Favored One, God is with you. God is calling you do bear and birth new life this Christmas as we enter the favor of God’s good graces in Christ.
I spoke words of encouragement on Thursday to my sister and family at the funeral of her husband, Larry Ellington, who died in Mississippi on Monday. I spoke the words of Jesus when spoke Jesus words to the disciples in John 14: “Do not let your hearts be troubled; don’t let them be afraid. In my father’s house there are many mansions, If it were not so would I go and prepare a place for you so that where I am you may be also. And you know the place that I am going.”
We have found favor with God and there is room for us all in God’s house. We are called by the one who favors us; who fancies us; and has done us the greatest favor ever! The one who favor you has offered a substitute to take your place. What a great favor! We are called to by God today, who is knocking on the window; who is ringing the bell. Do me a favor, open the door, and let ‘em in; yeah, yeah; yeah, yeah, yeah! Even if you don’t open the door; the messengers of God are being sent to you again in this favorable season. We receive this favor like Mary, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord. Let it be with me according to you word.”
Let us pray: Gracious God, you have granted us your favor and welcomed us back into your favor. We are granted your favor and you call us to share that favor with others. Guide us in this favorable season, we pray in Jesus name, Amen.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Mark 1:1-8 - "Prepare Which Way?" (12-7-08)
John the Baptist is screaming for people to prepare! There he is out at the
These words of John the Baptist call out to us with the words of Isaiah, “Prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight his path. John is quoting Isaiah 40: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.” This map shows that the people were living in exile along the Tigris and
This is a season of preparation. We are preparing for Christmas. Perhaps in some ways, John the Baptist is preparing us again for Christmas the way Saint Nicolas is preparing us! The main difference is John the Baptist will confront the forces that defy God and have his head cut off. Yet our focus on Santa Claus begins to prepare us for Christmas. Yet yesterday was the day we remember the birth of Saint Nicholas. December 6th is the day we remember the birth of Saint Nicholas, who was born in 270AD and died in 346AD. He was known as Nicholas of Myra in Modern Day Turkey. He became a priest and bishop, serving the poor and providing for the basic needs. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him.[1]
Saint in the Latin in Santus, which of course led to Santa and the Nicholas turned into Nick or Claus, we have eventually Santa Claus. Well Nathan shared that the Danish tradition is to leave a boot out for Saint Nicolas. So after the Eagle Scout ceremony on Friday, Nathan and I did such a thing. I told him that Saint Nicholas usually brought food or left money for the food pantry. Lo and behold on Saturday morning, there was a can of soup and $5 in their boots for the food pantry.
We are all preparing for Christmas. One thing we do to prepare for Christmas in our family is to make cookies. Well Tammy does the baking. Yet I decided to make oatmeal raisin chocolate chip cookies with the kids on Monday as a way to prepare. They were up on the chair and I had the kitchen aid mixer. Put that in my hands and it turned into a power tool. I cranked it up to ten and the kids were watching the dough spin and spin. It was cool. Yet I wasn’t prepared well because I added a tablespoon of baking soda instead of a teaspoon – bad after taste. I asked the kids if they wanted a taste of the dough and Nathan said, “You don’t eat it with uncooked eggs”. And I said, “You are right young man, don’t ever do that!” Also, with the batter being so whipped, the cookies came out flat. “They don’t look like Oma’s cookies.”
There are so many things to prepare to celebrate Christmas. We all have different things we do to prepare for Christ. There are many different ways to prepare. You have to pull out the lights, the tree, decorations, cookies, shop and plan for parties and gifts. How do you prepare for Christmas? What are some of the things you do to prepare? Often some of these vary things we do to prepare have to do with the way we prepared and celebrated Christmas in the past. Putting up the tree with the kids this year I was able to share the stories of many of the ornaments. We went shopping for gift certificates for Tammy and the kids told her we shopped. They didn’t say what we got her but they told her we went shopping.
Yet the preparation puts so much pressure on us to have a joy-filled Christmas when things just don’t seem very joyful. Yet today, let’s prepare by going back to the beginning of what Christmas is all about. Let’s prepare for Christmas by looking to the past. We go back to the beginning of the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ. John tells us of the coming of Christ and the people prepare to receive Christ by confessing and repenting of their sins. Even if we are not yet prepared or ready, Christ comes to us; catching us unprepared and unrepentant. Even if we are not prepared to be filled with so much joy this season, Christ comes to us and surprises us with a joy found in struggle. Nothing shall stand in the way! Make straight a highway!
Let us pray: Gracious God, you catch us busy and unprepared to receive Christ today. You come to us and bear the price of our sin upon the cross. The exile is over and a way has been made for us through Christ. Guide us in this way until that final way is made clear. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Mark 13:24-37 - "The Last Lecture: Keep Awake" (11-30-08)
Randy Pausch had been diagnosed with cancer and later died at age 47 this past July of 2008. He delivered his last lecture in September of 2007 and had the 400 seat lecture hall filled. Over the course of 53 conversations with Jeffrey Zaslow, they wrote a book called The Last Lecture. He appeared on Oprah and was ABC News one of its three Persons of the Year. Keep awake is what Randy Pausch tried to tell people before he died this past summer.[1]
Jesus was lecturing the disciples one last time before his death and resurrection. It wasn’t in a classroom but probably on the road to
When that day arrives, the elect will be gathered. There is no mention about what happens to the unbelievers. This reminds us that we are not to judge others. We should not rush to judge those who reject the gospel; nowhere does Jesus to focus their attention upon the fate of unbelievers; nor should we spend much time telling them where they might go. We are called to be awake and to watch. We should have care and attention of the garden at which you are called to serve; take care of the assigned tasks that are your responsibility.[2]
Now in the Old Testament, there were three main examples about staying awake[3]. The main image of staying awake during the night is that of the watchman. The first image is that of those serving in the vineyard garden. They would build a watchtower around a vineyard to keep out thieves in the night. It was a sin to fall asleep on the job. The second image of those that were to stay awake as watchmen were the guards on the city wall. They would warn the city that they were going to be attacked. They would sound the alarm and make the city aware of what was going to happen. The third image of the watchman in the Old Testament is from the role of the prophets. The Prophets were called to keep awake toward evil that lies nearby. They would warn the people and be convicted themselves of the sin that is ever near. The prophets sometimes sounded like a man who was lecturing the people and warning them about the consequence to their poor behavior.
So we are called to stay awake. We are called to beware and be-aware this Christmas season. We were made very aware my friends of the 6am wake up call to go shopping on Friday. We were very aware that the K-mart sale was ending at noon on the buy one get one free “Leapster” games that were on sale. Of course I was aware of the stressful driving season when I went to get the car and meet Tammy over at Borders, where she was buying a book for herself so that I could give it to her for Christmas – my kind of shopping. In the parking lot, there was all this honking as someone was impatiently waiting to nab a handicap parking spot from someone who was slowly getting ready to leave. Ah, beware of the shopping stress!
We are very aware that Christmas is coming as soon as we have heard the music playing on the radio since the end of October; or we have seen the endless catalogs in the mail or those advertisements on television. We know that the marketing of Christmas is all around us long before it is actually here.
So today we are aware that advent has begun. Advent means Coming – Christ has come; Christ is here; Christ will come again. Today we celebrate three advents of Christ. Christ has come to bring life. Christ is here present in the midst of us wherever to or more are gathered in his name, and in the bread and wine; and in the word proclaimed when we share the word with one another in action and in words. Christ will come again and there will be no more pain, no more sorrow. He shall reign forever and ever.
Yesterday I was invited to join a “Facebook” group called the “Advent Conspiracy”. I’ve been getting into blogging the past few months. Initially I thought it was some anti-Advent group. Some people don’t like Advent because they want to get right to Christmas. You know what December 25th is? Christmas! Not a trick question. The twelve days of Christmas are AFTER Christmas. We are still in Advent and we are waiting patiently. Well the group “Advent Conspiracy” is described this way, (whisper) “Advent Conspiracy is an international movement restoring the scandal of Christmas by substituting compassion for consumption”[4]. Oh, what a prophetic word today you are called to hear and be awake and alert.
Beware of consumption! Be-aware of compassion. Be-aware of the gift of life that is Christ. WAKE UP and beware of falling into lethargy as Christians. Be-aware that Jesus is coming to us soon and we don’t know when. God is waking us up from our slumber. We are called to keep awake. To be servants tending to the assigned tasks each of us has in life.
A few years ago, there was a study that showed two out of three kids will sleep through the fire alarm sounding in your home. They have new ones that you can record your voice and it will play over and over again to wake them up. Not that they listen to your voice while they are awake, but they will more readily wake up when they hear you warning them to wake up.
God is trying to whisper to us to wake up and beware of that great fire. Listen to the sweet voice of God calling out to you this day as we gather. Let us pray: Gracious God, you are calling out to us to hear your voice today. We gather in this season of waiting uncertain about celebrating anything. Many feel loss or fear or pain during this season. Speak to us with your sweet voice that we may hear you calling to us. We pray in Jesus name, Amen.
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