Starry Black Night: A Womanist Advent Devotional

AN INTERACTIVE JOURNAL ON CHRISTIAN SOCIAL JUSTICE

2nd Sunday of Advent

STARRY BLACK NIGHT: A WOMANIST ADVENT DEVOTIONAL

 

BY GAY BYRON

Mark 1:1-8 (NRSV)

1:1 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
1:2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way;
1:3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'”
1:4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
1:5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
1:6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
1:7 He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.
1:8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

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Advent marks a time of new beginnings. Although this four-week period of watching and waiting occurs at the end of the calendar year in December, it is the beginning of the liturgical calendar. It is the Christian “New Year” when we focus on birth and new beginnings, which the life of Jesus brings into the world and into our lives.

The lectionary reading for this week, Mark 1:1-8, introduces John the Baptizer and alludes to the prophet Isaiah’s reference to a voice crying out in the wilderness (Is. 40:3). In both texts, the setting is away from the crowds, away from the hustle and bustle of life, and away from traditional and “acceptable” ways of doing things. In the wilderness, John is considered a wild man — wearing camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and eating locusts and wild honey. Yet beyond how he looks, it is the words coming forth from his mouth and the actions he takes with his hands in preparation for “the one more powerful” than he, that matter. It is John’s words and his deeds that are worthy of our devotion during this season of Advent.

For as the Scripture says, John came preaching a baptism of repentance. Beyond the quote from the prophet Isaiah in the Markan text (vv. 2-3), there is something symbolic about being in the wilderness. The wilderness is a place of testing, a place of struggle, a place for divine encounters, and a place to release those things that keep one separated from God. The wilderness motif is central for womanist theologians and biblical critics. Going back to the groundbreaking book by Delores S. Williams, Sisters in the Wilderness: The Challenge of Womanist God-Talk (1993), womanist interpreters look for models of survival, wholeness, and agency in biblical traditions and in real, lived, experiences of Black women. Hagar is considered a paradigmatic figure of one who was in the wilderness with her son Ismael and found a path into a new world of possibilities (Gen. 16:1-16; 21:9-21).

Though the text does not identify who the people are from the Judean countryside or in Jerusalem who came out to the Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptist, surely we can imagine that women were lined up to confess and repent of their sins and to experience forgiveness through the ritual of baptism. This going into the wilderness is not a sign of weakness. At some point in life, we all have wilderness experiences. The words and deeds of John the Baptizer, a prophet of his time, remind us that there is a way through the wilderness.

In every generation, God calls prophets and leaders who are willing to go out into the highways and byways, the back roads, and the wilderness places in people’s lives to let them know that what they are experiencing is not the end. They remind those who will listen that God always has the final word. Prophets speak to everybody and they are charged to raise their voices whether the people are listening or not. They speak to the downtrodden, they speak to the elite, they speak to adults, and they speak to the children. They speak across generations, finding a way to reach souls that are drifting and longing for a deeper plunge into the life of the Spirit.

So, it is a sign of humility and trust that in order to receive the great promises of God, seekers  must first renounce worldly passions, renounce the ways they have colluded in the sinfulness of their day, and renounce the interlocking systems of oppression that keep them trapped in bondage. All the people coming to John for this baptism of repentance were going into the wilderness to find a way through some type of wilderness experience impacting their lives. Ask yourself, what type of wilderness are you experiencing?  Is it a moral wilderness, an economic wilderness, an ecclesial wilderness, a vocational wilderness? Resources like The Desert Mothers: Spiritual Practices from the Women of the Wilderness (Mary C. Earle, 2007) or Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse (Gay L. Byron and Vanessa Lovelace, [eds.], 2016) help to open up spaces for transformation in whatever wilderness experience you may be facing.

During this season of Advent — as we seek the peace of God and as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the coming of Jesus, find some time to go into your wilderness place. Find some time to dwell in the desert. You may not be able to go out to a physical place, especially in light of travel restrictions and social distancing practices brought about as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. But this season of Advent is an opportunity to cultivate new spiritual practices and find a renewed sense of purpose in your life.

This season of Advent is also an opportunity to connect with contemporary prophets, those in your own community or those in other spheres of influence whose voices are crying out in the wilderness, “prepare the way of the Lord.” One such prophetic voice is the Poor People’s Campaign, a movement seeking to build a moral agenda rooted in a framework that uplifts the deepest moral and constitutional values to redeem the heart and soul of this country. They declare that the moral public concerns of our faith traditions are how our society treats the poor, women, LGBTQ people, children, workers, immigrants, communities of color, and the sick. They advocate for peace within and among nations and the dignity and respect of all people. They are ultimately consumed with repairing the moral infrastructure of this country. Rev. Dr. William Barber, Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, Rev. Alvin Jackson and other leaders of this prophetic movement could be viewed in the same way that John the Baptist was viewed back in his days in the wilderness. They are making a national call for a moral revival in this country. They are saying, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matt. 3:2). Many people may be thinking they are out of sorts and unrealistic to run what they call a “Poor People’s Campaign.”  Yet as we bring closure to the unforgettable Year2020, a year of protest and pandemic, now more than ever we need a message of repentance for all who are willing to get involved and do something different to shift the injustices and the immoral acts that are taking place against the poor and disenfranchised in this country.

As we see with John the Baptist, it was in raising his voice — calling for repentance,  and in carrying out tangible deeds — baptizing people, including Jesus, in the Jordan River, that we see his true witness come to fruition. Talk is not enough. Being radical and different is not enough. Rather, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God and preparing accessible paths for those who have been left on the margins of society is one way through the wilderness. Come Holy Spirit. May we know the power of water and fire (Mark 1:8; Matt. 3:11).

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The Rev. Dr. Gay L. Byron is Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, DC. Her scholarship focuses on the origins of Christianity in ancient Ethiopia. She is the recipient of several fellowships for her research, which identifies and examines ancient Ethiopic (Ge`ez) sources for the study of the New Testament and other early Christian writings. She is the author of Symbolic Blackness and Ethnic Difference in Early Christian Literature (Routledge Press) and co-editor of Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse (SBL Press). Rev. Byron is an ordained minister of the Word and Sacrament (Teaching Elder) in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and currently serves as the Stated Supply Pastor at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. She preaches and leads workshops throughout the country for a variety of denominational bodies, and lectures at theological schools and universities on topics dealing with race, ethnicity, and the Bible; African American and womanist hermeneutics; Ethiopic manuscripts; and early Ethiopian Christianity. She holds degrees from Florida State University (B.S.), Clark Atlanta University (M.B.A.), and Union Theological Seminary in New York City (M.Div. and Ph.D.). She has two sons and enjoys sporting and cultural activities.

The Presbyterian Church of Hopedale Celebration Service - Sunday, December 6, 2020

Here's a copy of the order and the podcast of the worship service I led in the Presbyterian Church of Hopedale, Ohio on Sunday, December 6, 2020. Below was our order of worship.

Announcements 

Lighting the Second Advent Candle

Our Call to Worship: Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13

Leader: Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

People: You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin.

Leader: Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.

People: Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.

Leader: Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.

People: Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.

Leader: The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.

People: Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.

Congregational Song: “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear”

Prayer of Confession

Gracious God, we confess that we've sinned against you. As we begin our celebration of Christmas, we focus on external things like decorations, presents and food. And even though these are important, they may overwhelm and squeeze out what’s most important, the birth of Jesus Christ. Merciful Lord, forgive us and help us remember that the good news began in Bethlehem.

Words of Forgiveness

Gloria Patri

Affirmation of Faith: The Apostle's Creed

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.  Amen. 

The Prayers of the People: (followed by The 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.

Offering Our Gifts to God

Doxology

Scripture Lesson: Mark 1:1-8

Sermon: Another Christmas Greeting

Congregational Song: “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks”

Charge and Blessing 

Postlude

Sunday's Message - Another Christmas Greeting

Here's the message I offered during the celebration services in the Presbyterian Church of Hopedale, Ohio on Sunday, December 6, 2020.

Mark 1:1-8 [Contemporary English Version]

This is the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It began just as God had said in the book written by Isaiah the prophet,

“I am sending my messenger

to get the way ready for you.

In the desert

  someone is shouting,

‘Get the road ready for the Lord!

Make a straight path

for him.’”

So John the Baptist showed up in the desert and told everyone, “Turn back to God and be baptized! Then your sins will be forgiven.”

From all Judea and Jerusalem crowds of people went to John. They told how sorry they were for their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.

John wore clothes made of camel’s hair. He had a leather strap around his waist and ate grasshoppers and wild honey.

John also told the people, “Someone more powerful is going to come. And I am not good enough even to stoop down and untie his sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”

Another Christmas Greeting

Well, we’re another week closer to the big day. And last Sunday, do you remember how I said that we’re still far enough away that we’re not feeling stress? Well, even though it isn’t about to cross the finish line, the holiday horse has certainly passed the first turn, and let’s get real, although it’s not boiling, right now, there’s a little bit of steam coming from the kettle. The times, they are a-changing.

And you know, as we get closer to the twenty-fifth, I think most folks will be more intentional in working a little wish into what they say when they greet people. And you know, it’s interesting most of these seasonal greetings involve two words. For example, if we were in Spain, we’d say Feliz Navidad, right? And if we were in France, it would be Joyeux Noël and in Germany, Frohe Weihnachten (not quite as warm and fuzzy as the Spanish and the French, but let’s face it, neither are the Germans.) And in the good old U.S. of A., it’s “Happy Holidays” if we’re PC, “Merry Christmas” if we’re not, and Mele Kalikimaka if we’re Hawaiian. But regardless of how we say it, it really means about the same thing: If I don’t get my dad’s present ordered in the next few days, he’ll never get it on time.

And even though I’m not sure we need any additions, this morning I’m going to offer two more words that can be used to describe the coming of Jesus. And they’re found in the first verse of the passage we just read from Mark: “This is the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” [Mark 1:1, CEV] And I’ll tell you, that’s really what Christmas is all about, the coming or the beginning of the good news. And that’s going to be our focus this morning. You see, for the next fifteen minutes or so, we’re going to talk about the Greek word, εὐαγγέλιον which is translated “gospel” or “good news.” And as we dig into what this idea is all about, we’re going to answer three questions: first, what is the good news; second, how is the good news associated with Jesus; and third, why is the good news important to us. Now that’s our game plan.

And I’ll tell you, it all starts with that first question: What is the good news? In other words, what does the word actually mean and what does it have to do with God? And you know, I think it’s really interesting, the word εὐαγγέλιον had a very specific meaning to the Greeks. You see, for them, it was a term that referred to what a person would say after a military victory had been won. For example, suppose you live in an ancient Greek city, and your army has gone out to fight the enemy. Now, if your side wins, someone would literally run from the battle field back to town and announce εὐαγγέλιον. In other words, he’d let everyone know that the victory had been won. And I’ll tell you, that was exactly what you wanted to hear, because not only were sieges really nasty in the ancient world, military defeat often involved death or, at best, slavery. But now you didn’t need to worry about that, because you had just heard εὐαγγέλιον, the gospel, the good news. And that’s the word Mark used.

But this idea of victory, man, it wasn’t something just the Greeks talked about. As a matter of fact, it was also part of the promises made by God. For example, while God’s people were struggling with being captives in a country far from home, the prophet Isaiah wrote this:

What a beautiful sight!

On the mountains a messenger announces to Jerusalem,

“Good news! You’re saved.

There will be peace.

Your God is now King.”

Everyone on guard duty,

sing and celebrate!

Look! You can see the Lord returning to Zion.

Jerusalem, rise from the ruins!

Join in the singing.

The Lord has given comfort to his people;

he comes to your rescue.

The Lord has shown all nations

his mighty strength;

now everyone will see

the saving power of our God. [Isaiah 52:7-10, CEV]

You see, according to Isaiah, the Lord hadn’t forgotten his people; salvation was on the way. 

And it was going to be announced by a messenger. In other words, this person was going to do what the runner did in ancient Greece; he was going to bring good news. And I think that’s what we see in the two quotes that Mark offered from the Old Testament: 

“I am sending my messenger

to get the way ready for you.

In the desert

someone is shouting,

‘Get the road ready for the Lord!

Make a straight path for him.’” [Mark 1:2b-3, CEV]

You see, that was what the good news was all about. It was the announcement that the victory had been won and that the people could look forward with hope. And that’s the answer to our first question: What is the good news? 

And the second one, how is this good news associated with Jesus, well, I think it’s grounded in both who he was and what he did and said. I mean, as he was writing his gospel, Mark was crystal clear about the focus of the good news. Remember, in the first verse, he wrote, “This is the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” [Mark 1:1, CEV] Now I think this is really important, because in that one sentence he identified Jesus with two titles: Christ and Son of God. And I’ll tell you, Mark used this identify to shape the rest of his gospel, you know, his presentation of the good news. You see, in the first half, I think Mark explained how Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. And in those eight chapters he wrote about authority and power, you know, how Jesus healed the sick and cast out demons, how he walked on water and miraculously fed the crowds. And in that way, Jesus, the Christ brought good news. But in the second half, Mark shifted to how Jesus was the Son of God, the other title offered in our passage. And what happened here was very different than what happened before, because instead of performing these great miracles, Jesus talked about betrayal and suffering and death. And I’ll tell you, it all culminated at the crucifixion. And to make sure we didn’t miss his point, this was what Mark wrote: “A Roman army officer was standing in front of Jesus. When the officer saw how Jesus died, he said, ‘This man really was the Son of God!’” [Mark 15:39, CEV] You see, for Mark, Jesus demonstrated the good news not just by doing the spectacular, but also by dying on a cross. And that just makes sense, because not only did his death free us from our sin, without a wooden cross there’d be no empty tomb. And let’s get real, there was no victory as great as the resurrection. It was a victory over death itself. And so, in what he did, well, Jesus embodied the good news.

But I’ll tell you, that was also the case when you listen to what he said. As a matter of fact, this was how Mark described Jesus preaching for the first time: “After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee and told the good news that comes from God. He said, ‘The time has come! God’s kingdom will soon be here. Turn back to God and believe the good news!’” [Mark 1:14-15, CEV] Now that was his message. And I’ll tell you, if you think about it, isn’t that exactly what we’d expect God’s messenger to say? And you know, after challenging the people to get themselves ready, that’s the one whom John the Baptist was talking about when he said, “Someone more powerful is going to come. And I am not good enough even to stoop down and untie his sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!” [Mark 1:7b-8, CEV] You see, as we look at Jesus, at who he was and what he did and said, he is the good news, because in him there’s victory. And I think that answers the second question: How is the good news associated with Jesus?

But I’ll tell you, by itself, all of this is just what I used to call “nice to know information” when I was teaching, you know, stuff that’s interesting but it won’t be on the test, and I’ll tell you why. When you get right down to it, the “what” and the “how” really aren’t a big deal until we can answer question number three: Why is the good news important to us? I mean, why should we care what εὐαγγέλιον actually means and why should it matter that it’s all tied up with the one who entered our time and space over two thousand years ago? Why is it important? And I’ve got to tell you, how we answer that question is really where the rubber hits the road.

And even though I’m sure different folks have come to different conclusions, well for me, my answer is two-fold. You see, on one hand, I believe the good news is important because it’s something we can claim, and I’m talking about claim right now. I’m telling you, when you consider what it means, man, it’s better than winning the lottery. My gosh, just think about what has happened. The game is now over, the enemy has now been defeated and the victory is now ours. And this we can see in Jesus Christ, in his life and in his death and in his resurrection. And because of that, well, just listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans:

In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord! [Romans 8:37-39, CEV]

You see, on one hand, when we claim the victory, when we claim the good news, we can feel all kinds of peace and hope.

But in my opinion, this is only half the story, because right along with claiming it, we can also proclaim it. And that’s what we have on the other hand. And this just makes sense. It’s like knowing the secret to clearer skin or maybe experiencing a stress-free Christmas; man, if we know about news that’s really good, why would we not want to share it? And although we can certainly share it through the words we use, we can also do it through the work we do and the attitudes we show, put another way, through the lives we live. In other words, we can let folks know and see what we believe, that in Jesus Christ, there is victory. And I’ll tell you, if we choose to do that, and I’m talking about sharing it with others, we’re actually participating in something Jesus said would happen. You see, a little later in his gospel, Mark will write this about a woman in Bethany who anointed his head and feet with perfume: 

But Jesus said:

Leave her alone! 

Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me. You will always have the poor with you. And whenever you want to, you can give to them. But you won’t always have me here with you. She has done all she could by pouring perfume on my body to prepare it for burial. You may be sure that wherever the good news is told all over the world, people will remember what she has done. And they will tell others. [Mark 14:6-9, CEV]

And so, Why is the good news important to us? I think the answer is clear and simple; it offers us something to claim and to proclaim.

Now do y’all remember how I started this message by talking about different things people say when they want to offer an appropriate greeting for the season. Well personally, I think the “go to” phrase will always be “Merry Christmas,” at least it will be for most of us. And I’ll tell you, I think that’s very appropriate. I mean, Jesus really is the reason for the season. Still, given what it is, a sign of the victory that God has already won for us, and given how it relates to Jesus, a definition of who he is and what he did and said, and given why it’s important for us, a truth to claim and to proclaim, I think there’s another two-word greeting that may also be appropriate this time of year. And of course, I’m talking about “Good News.”

Advent & Christmas Devotional 2020 - Second Sunday of Advent, Dec. 6

The most precious diamond

“I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (And all the people who heard this, including the tax collectors, acknowledged the justice of God, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. But by refusing to be baptized by him, the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves.) “To what then will I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not weep.’ For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Nevertheless, wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” — Luke 7:28–35

I was a young editor of a jewelry business magazine whose job entailed mingling with the industry’s illustrious players at elegant parties. Tonight, the champagne would be flowing in one of New York City’s Fifth Avenue jewelry stores. The jeweler, famous for accessorizing celebrities for their red-carpet walks, did not disappoint his guests, greeting us to window displays of Christmas trees dripping in diamonds.

But it was a woman huddled outside the front of the store, holding her hand out for help, who got my attention. It was an all-too-familiar sight on the city’s streets, but the juxtaposition of wealth and poverty was especially raw and brutal that wintry night.

I didn’t want to admit my name was on the party’s guest list. I didn’t want to be like the children in the marketplace that Luke wrote about: those who — even though Jesus and John showed them the way to what really mattered in life — continued making excuses for why they couldn’t follow. Would I listen to John? I’m not listening to someone who ate locusts. Would I listen to Jesus? He dined with sinners, not A-listers.

I stared at the figure obscuring the dazzling window display. I had a choice to make: mingle with those inside or stand with those outside. Turning my back on the party, I handed the woman my cab fare to return to my apartment and began walking home.

Howard Thurman once said that there are times when we refrain from doing the thing that could rescue another person. That night I didn’t want to refrain from doing something for one of God’s children: the real “diamond in the rough” who was more precious and valuable than all of the pressurized pieces of coal dangling from a Fifth Avenue jeweler’s Christmas tree.

Pray

God, forgive me when the world’s riches dazzle me. Open my eyes so that I truly see the precious lives I pass by too quickly on my Advent journey. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Go deeper

Do a mental scan of your community: the streets you walk, the roads you drive and the houses you pass. Where does the candle of hope need to be lit?

Cove’s Celebration Service - Sunday, December 8, 2019

The members and friends of Cove gathered to worship on Sunday, December 8. Our worship is intended to be a free expression of our love for God and the joy we feel when we accept that love. Of course, there are many ways for us to express that love and joy.

This morning we started a series of messages entitled "We Light the Advent Candles". During the Sundays before Christmas, we'll consider meaning found in the four verses of the song we sing as we light the Advent candles. The specific topics are below:

• December 1 – The first one remind us that Christ will soon return...
• December 8 – We light the second candle, and hear God's holy Word...
• December 15 – Three candles now are gleaming and show us the true way...
• December 22 – Four candles burning brightly announce that Christ has come...

If you miss one of these messages, you can find a copy and podcast on The Cove Community blog.

After the announcements, we listened to a flute trio from Weir High and the Cove Bells. We started the service with the announcements and lighting the second candle in the Advent wreath. 

Instrumental and vocal music are important to our worship. Songs give us the chance to praise God and to help focus our attention on the theme of the service. During the service, we’ll have the opportunity to sing songs that reflect different musical styles. Since God has called into his church as individuals with a variety of tastes, this offers us the chance to display our sensitivity for our fellow worshipers and to grow in our knowledge of how we might praise God. Our first song was "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus."

Our prayers represent our communication with God. Of course, as Paul wrote, the Holy Spirit “...intercedes for us with groans too deep for words”; therefore, God already knows our needs. Still it’s important that we put them into words, as well as the regret we feel for our sins and our thanks for all God has done for us.

During this service, there were two times when we prayed together.  During the Our Congregational Prayer, we confessed our sins and hear the assurance that we're forgiven.  We also have the opportunity to lift our concerns and needs to God.  We closed this prayer with The Lord’s Prayer. After we collected the offering, we praised and thanked God for his presence in our church and within our lives. The Weir Flute Trio played while we collected the offering.

After our prayer of thanks, Pastor Rudiger shared a message. For the last ten years, we've sung all or part of "We Light the Advent Candles" during our Advent worship services. You see, as we go through the four weeks, we sing the verses sung during the prior weeks, and we add a new verse recognizing the candles that have been and are being lit on that particular Sunday. During this Advent season, we're going to focus on the meaning of each verse, as expressed in the song. The second message will deal with "We light the second candle, and hear God's holy Word..."

We closed the service by singing "I Wonder as I Wander."

A podcast of the entire service is below.

Next week, we'll continue the series entitled We Light the Advent Candles. During the third message, we'll consider the message of John the Baptist.

We Light the Advent Candles - We light the second candle, and hear God's holy Word

For the last ten years, we've sung all or part of "We Light the Advent Candles" during our Advent worship services. You see, as we go through the four weeks, we sing the verses sung during the prior weeks, and we add a new verse recognizing the candles that have been and are being lit on that particular Sunday. During this Advent season, we're going to focus on the meaning of each verse, as expressed in the song. 

The second message dealt with "We light the second candle, and hear God's holy Word."

I think it’s really important for y’all to know, that right now we have about 16½ days before Christmas. Which means that, in just over two weeks, all the presents must be bought, all the cards must be sent, all the food must be fixed, and all the decorations must be put out. And if they aren’t, in less than two weeks, we’re out of luck. Maybe that’s why they call this the most wonderful time of the year.

But you know, when you think about it, this period before Christmas really is interesting time of year. Now you remember what I just said, you know, about all the stuff that we’ve got to get done in 16½ days: I’m talking about the chaos of shopping and sending and cooking and decorating. Man, it’s like Black Friday for a month.

It makes you crazy. Of course, I think we’d all agree that this kind of thing forces us to almost obsess on the future, because the future is going to be present and then the past in, what, 17 days! Now I think this kind of thing happens to us all this time of year. But what’s interesting is that, at the same time, we’re all kind of reminiscing about the past. I mean, this is the time of year that even teenagers are willing to watch black and white movies. And half the ornaments on the tree have some king of back story. And let me ask you, what tastes better than eating a wedge of pumpkin pie or a piece of gingerbread or about two dozen sugar cookies made just like mom, or if your like my dad’s family, Mrs. Smith, Sara Lee or the Dough Boy? Still it brings back memories. I’ll tell you, the past never feels as warm and fuzzy as it does a couple of weeks before Christmas, at least that’s how I feel.

And you know, that’s going to be our focus this morning. I mean, remember, last week, when we lit the first Advent candle we sang, “The first one will remind us that Christ will soon return. We light it in the darkness and watch it gleam and burn; we light it in the darkness and watch it gleam and burn.” And so, we talked about Jesus’s return. And this week, when Linda lit the second candle, we sang, “We light the second candle, and hear God's holy Word, it tells us, cling to Jesus, prepare to meet your Lord, it tells us, cling to Jesus, prepare to meet your Lord!” Now that’s what we sang. And with that in mind, we’re going to spend a little while thinking about what the Old Testament had to say about the one whose birth we’re about to celebrate. And just like we did last week, we’re going to focus on three aspects of these expectations: first, who did they expect him to be, and second, what did they expect him to do, and third, how might we respond. Now that’s the plan for this morning.

And it all starts with who they thought he would be. In other words, what kind of expectations did folks who lived way before the manger and the shepherds and the wise men, what expectation did they have as they looked forward to the one they’d call the Messiah in Hebrew or the Christ in Greek. And I’ll tell you, we can see the one they expected all over the place in the Old Testament. For example, they certainly believed he would be closely connected with God. I mean, just listen to what the Psalmist wrote. “Why do the nations and why do their people make useless plans? The kings of this earth have all joined together to turn against the Lord and his chosen one. They say, ‘Let’s cut the ropes and set ourselves free!’ In heaven the Lord laughs as he sits on his throne, making fun of the nations. The Lord becomes furious and threatens them. His anger terrifies them as he says, ‘I’ve put my king on Zion, my sacred hill.’ I will tell the promise that the Lord made to me: ‘You are my son, because today I have become your father. Ask me for the nations, and every nation on earth will belong to you. You will smash them with an iron rod and shatter them like dishes of clay.’ Be smart, all you rulers, and pay close attention. Serve and honor the Lord; be glad and tremble. Show respect to his son because if you don’t, the Lord might become furious and suddenly destroy you. But he blesses and protects everyone who runs to him.” [Psalm 2:1-12, CEV] And so they were looking for the Son of God.

But they weren’t looking for some kind of God-man. No, this one would also be one of us. For example, he was going to be a descendant of the greatest king of all, King David. I mean, this was what the Lord said to David. “I’ll choose one of your sons to be king when you reach the end of your life and are buried in the tomb of your ancestors. I’ll make him a strong ruler, and no one will be able to take his kingdom away from him. He will be the one to build a temple for me. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I’ll see that he is corrected, just as children are corrected by their parents. But I will never put an end to my agreement with him, as I put an end to my agreement with Saul, who was king before you. I will make sure that one of your descendants will always be king.” [2 Samuel 7:12–16, CEV] You see, the one they expected would be in David’s line. As a matter of fact, they believed he would be born in David’s city. As the Prophet Micah wrote, “Bethlehem Ephrath, you are one of the smallest towns in the nation of Judah. But the Lord will choose one of your people to rule the nation—someone whose family goes back to ancient times.” [Micah 5:2, CEV] No, this guy was going to be real, and I’m talking about flesh and blood. And even though he could be called God’s Son, he’d also be the son of man, which means “human,” you know, like us, just like Daniel wrote. “As I continued to watch the vision that night, I saw what looked like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven, and he was presented to the Eternal God. He was crowned king and given power and glory, so that all people of every nation and race would serve him. He will rule forever, and his kingdom is eternal, never to be destroyed.” [Daniel 7:13–14, CEV] And so, as these prophets and priests looked forward toward the Messiah, the Christ, they believed he would be uniquely God’s Son but also like any other son of man. That’s who they expected.

And when we look at Jesus, he really fulfills both sides of this expectation. I mean, we can certainly see an undeniable connection with God. As John wrote, “We know that Jesus Christ the Son of God has come and has shown us the true God. And because of Jesus, we now belong to the true God who gives eternal life.” [1 John 5:20, CEV] And at the end of his gospel, he said this to the reader, “Jesus worked many other miracles for his disciples, and not all of them are written in this book. But these are written so that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. If you have faith in him, you will have true life.” [John 20:30-31, CEV] And so, on one hand, his followers understood his divine sonship.

But on the other hand, his humanity was also clear. And if there’s any question about that, I don’t think we need to look beyond the birth story in Luke. “About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books. These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David’s hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David’s family. Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, and while they were there, she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.” [Luke 2:1-7, CEV] I’m telling you, this is the birth of a baby, not the coming of a god. As a matter of fact, I think this combination of divinity and humanity was best expressed by Paul. He wrote, “Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God. Instead he gave up everything and became a slave, when he became like one of us.” [Philippians 2:6-7, CEV] You see, in the past, they looked for the one who would be both Son of God and son of man; that’s who they expected. And that’s who we received in Jesus Christ.

But the hope of those Old Testament people went beyond identity. They also expected him to do certain things. And again we have a contrast. I mean, they expected their Messiah, their Christ to do incredible works. For example, they believed he would be a prophet like Moses, just like it was written in Deuteronomy, “Instead, he will choose one of your own people to be a prophet just like me, and you must do what that prophet says. You were asking for a prophet the day you were gathered at Mount Sinai and said to the Lord, ‘Please don’t let us hear your voice or see this terrible fire again—if we do, we will die!’ Then the Lord told me: ‘Moses, they have said the right thing. So when I want to speak to them, I will choose one of them to be a prophet like you. I will give my message to that prophet, who will tell the people exactly what I have said. Since the message comes from me, anyone who doesn’t obey the message will have to answer to me.’” [Deuteronomy 18:15-19, CEV] And they believed he would be able to heal those who were sick. When he comes “...the blind will see, and the ears of the deaf will be healed. Those who were lame will leap around like deer; tongues once silent will begin to shout. Water will rush through the desert.” [Isaiah 35:5-6, CEV] They even believed he’d be raised from the dead. As the Psalmist wrote, “I am your chosen one. You won’t leave me in the grave or let my body decay. You have shown me the path to life, and you make me glad by being near to me. Sitting at your right side, I will always be joyful.” {Psalm 16:10-11, CEV] I think the best word to describe their Messiah’s life would be “miraculous.”

But for all the glory and power, they also believed he would suffer. And no where in the Old Testament is this suffering described in more detail than in two chapters within the prophecy of Isaiah. And this is how the description begins. “The Lord says: ‘My servant will succeed! He will be given great praise and the highest honors. Many were horrified at what happened to him. But everyone who saw him was even more horrified because he suffered until he no longer looked human. My servant will make nations worthy to worship me; kings will be silent as they bow in wonder. They will see and think about things they have never seen or thought about before.’” [Isaiah 52:13-15, CEV] And this was the goal of this suffering servant: “By suffering, the servant will learn the true meaning of obeying the Lord. Although he is innocent, he will take the punishment for the sins of others, so that many of them will no longer be guilty. The Lord will reward him with honor and power for sacrificing his life. Others thought he was a sinner, but he suffered for our sins and asked God to forgive us.” [Isaiah 53:11-12, CEV] You see, this is what they expected him to do.

And I’ll tell you, when we consider his life, that’s really what Jesus Christ did. I mean, he certainly did magnificent things when he was alive. For instance, Mark wrote, “Everyone was amazed at his teaching. He taught with authority, and not like the teachers of the Law of Moses.” [Mark 1:22, CEV] And when some of the followers of John the Baptist came and asked if he was the one or if they should wait for another, “Jesus said to the messengers sent by John, ‘Go and tell John what you have seen and heard. Blind people are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People who have leprosy are being healed, and the deaf can now hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news. God will bless everyone who doesn’t reject me because of what I do.’” [Luke 7:22-23, CEV] And as to the resurrection, Paul wrote this to the Corinthians: “So if the dead won’t be raised to life, Christ wasn’t raised to life. Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins. And those people who died after putting their faith in him are completely lost. If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else. But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life.” [1 Corinthians 15:16-20, CEV] And so the miracles are certainly there.

But so is the suffering. I mean, just listen to what Jesus said, “Jesus began telling his disciples what would happen to him. He said, ‘The nation’s leaders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law of Moses will make the Son of Man suffer terribly. He will be rejected and killed, but three days later he will rise to life.’ Then Jesus explained clearly what he meant.” [Mark 8:31-32, CEV] Now that’s what Jesus believed would happen, and he was right. And you know, Paul said the same thing to the Philippians. Remember when he wrote about how Jesus had given up everything and had become a slave. This is what he said next. “Christ was humble. He obeyed God and even died on a cross. Then God gave Christ the highest place and honored his name above all others.” [Philippians 2:8-9, CEV] You see, Jesus did exactly what the Son of God and son of man was expected to do. And all that we can find when we look back into the Old Testament.

But there’s one thing we can’t find in this book. You see, it’s really up to us to decide how we’re going to respond. I mean, are we going to reject the one who fulfilled hope and did exactly what he was expected to do? You see, we can reject all of that and live as though we don’t have a God who loved us so much he sent his son to be our savior. Or we can choose to believe that Jesus is who he was expected to be and to trust that, through his life and death, he opened the possibility of a new kind of life that’s moving towards a glorious future. That’s also an option. But how we respond, that’s up to us.

But you know, maybe the song we sang as we lit the second candle, maybe it offers some solid advice about what we should do. Remember, this is what we sang: “We light the second candle, and hear God's holy Word, it tells us, cling to Jesus, prepare to meet your Lord, it tells us, cling to Jesus, prepare to meet your Lord!” You see, if we accept the expectations and fulfillment right there in scripture, we really will be clinging to Jesus. And we’ll be doing that right through the next 16½ days and beyond. And next week, we’ll consider verse number three: “Three candles now are gleaming and show us the true way, rejoice, the Baptist cries out, your Lord has come today, rejoice, the Baptist cries out, your Lord has come today!”