Advent Calendar Day 7

Can you imagine how Mary must have been feeling?  Think of all the emotions that one goes through when they find out they are expecting a child.  Excitement at the possibilities, worries and doubts of what kind of a parent you might be, fears for all the things that can possibly go wrong, joy of new life, love for the child you carry, and did I say doubts and fears... and that is just the first minute or two.  Then you revisit all of the multitude of emotions in depth as time goes on.

Mary wasn't married.  She did not have any knowledge of sex or men or much of anything up to that point in her life.  I would imagine that the last thing she worried about was what to name the child, but the angel took that worry off of her shoulders.  This may have been good news, but it is unlikely that she felt all that good about it, even if she was obedient to God.

We want to think that she the epitome of serenity and peace, just like we have pictured her in art over the years.  But let's think how we would respond--or maybe even have responded--to God laying "good news" on us.  We may know where God is leading us, but we have thought of all the ways that will affect our lives, the lives of our families, our friends,  We have pondered the changes we will have to make, things we may have to take on or perhaps give up.  We have worried about our inabilities, our desires to do something else, that if we are obedient to God, our lives will never be the same again. 

So, let us not be so quick to dismiss the value of Mary's obedience by thinking it was easy for her.  Let us not discount our need and ability to be obedient to God.  God calls us, just as God called Mary.  God desires our obedience.  And just as all our lives were changed by Mary's act of obedience--even though she may not have been aware of it all--we do not know how lives might be changed by our obedience--or disobedience. 

As we journey down the Advent road, let us recommit ourselves and our lives and futures to God for the purpose of God. 

Mary

Advent Calendar Day 6

Signs of things promised.  This is what the prophet spoke of -- the sign to look for the coming of the promised Messiah.  Of course, I wonder how popular the name Immanuel was or became at that time.  Young women are pregnant all the time.  I think this was one of those vague pronouncements, like 'when the sun rises on the third day of the week, this shall be a sign.'  Well this happens 52 weeks a year for as many years as we are in existence.  Which week, which year?  Which young woman?  Which baby named 'God with us?'

But that is the thing with signs isn't it.  They are everywhere for those who are discerning.  They are also everywhere for those who are looking for the latest sign.  I knew a young man one time who saw signs from God, God telling him to do something, in everything that happened.  It is one thing to have a series of things occur that you realize is God showing you the way; it is another for a multitude of "signs" carrying you in different directions.  I do not think God is either fickle or a tease. 

So, how do we know when something is of God?  How can we tell that it is a true sign?  I think it is much like anything else really--we will understand more if we truly know the one sending us the sign.  Knowing God and how God speaks to you, not just floundering around thinking everything is a sign from God, but knowing the one sending the sign well enough to be discerning.

Discernment is a gift of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the one who is the interpreter between us and God.  Through the Holy Spirit we can be sensitive to the leading of God and attune to God enough to understand. 

Also, discernment is affirmed on hindsight, in that we can tell if what has come to pass is from God.  This is why I think those who are focused on watching for the signs of the "last days" can be so harmful.  Not only are they floundering around, believing everything is one of the signs of the apocalypse running around like Chicken Little declaring the skies are falling, they are diluting the importance of the occurrence.  There will come a time when the earth shall come to an end, but Jesus himself said that he doesn't know when that will be, so what makes these rapture-theorists think they know better.  And what is the purpose?  What do they think their sleuthing will accomplish? 

Much like the coming of the anointed one of God to a young pregnant woman who would name her child "God with us," it could have happened at anytime, been anyone, happened anywhere.  So what are we to do--we who watch and wait, the same as those who watched and waited before.  Recognizing in hindsight that this child was something extraordinary--something divine--but living in the moment of the God who is with us always.  Living as we are in God's very presence always, for we are.

I do not believe it does any good to get caught up in trying to foretell what the future may bring when there is so much to do to make the here and now happen.  There are hungry to feed, naked to clothe, oppressed to liberate, empires to stand up to, and life to be lived.  As we watch and wait, let us remember is while we are in the midst of living that we watch and wait for the one who was and is and is to come. 

Advent Caledar Day 5

"Falling to their knees, the honored him."  Worship.  These travelers from the east--not Jews--worshipped this child that was foretold by the Jewish prophets.  We tend to categorize people into at a minimum of two categories--in or out.  But these non-Jewish travelers, who were possibly followers of Zoroaster, traveled a great distance from their homeland to bring baby gifts.  Why would they do this?  Traveling that far was perilous.  Why the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh?

Much is unknown about these travelers told about only in the Gospel of Matthew.  However, there is a great deal of fascination with them and a great deal of speculation which has become accepted as fact, although there is no basis for it.  We do not know how many of them there were, though it is presumed there were three because there were three gifts.  We do know there was more than one because the word which is translated as magi in Latin (magoi in Greek) is a plural form of the word magus.  This is the word we get our modern-day words magic and magician from; although there is nothing that indicates that these travelers were magicians or sorcerers in the modern understanding of the word.  They were probably scholars or priests, rather than foreign dignitaries visiting a newborn dignitary.  Regardless of our understanding, they were not Jewish leaders who rightly interpreted the signs for the coming of the foretold anointed one of God.  They were outsiders.

As for the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, there are two primary understandings of the meaning of the gifts--political or spiritual.  Political would indicate that they are presents you would present to a king as an indication of respect and good faith.  Spiritual significance would indicate that their worship was one of more than adoration or respect, but acknowledging the presence of the divine. 

Gold, a symbol of earthly kingship, seems a fairly practical gift--it was the ancient form of gift cards or just cold, hard, cash.  Money, which they did not specify to be put in a trust fund until the child reached some age of maturity.  It was for the parents to use to raise the child.  The gold likely funded their flight to Egypt where the family (Mary, Joseph, and Jesus) were considered refugees fleeing from political tyranny and death.  We would do well to remember that when we consider our modern feelings of political refugees. 

Frankincense and myrrh were much more spiritually symbolic.  Frankincense carries our prayers to God and is a symbol of divinity.  Myrrh was a perfume or spices used in embalming or preparation for burial.  Western Christianity has interpreted this to mean that the child born was a king, a god, and a sacrifice  (from "We Three Kings",a Christmas carol that was written by John Henry Hopkins, Jr., in 1857).  As we know that Jesus, himself said that his "kingdom" or "realm" was not earthly, then it would be more appropriate to interpret the gifts listed in Matthew with a spiritual understanding rather than an earthly or political one.

While we do not know what happens of the magi, these travelers from the east, following their encounter with the child, there are many legends about them.  What we can surmise is that they were observers of another religion, from another culture, that should show us how to worship the Christ.  How often do we go out of our way to worship?  How often do we bring expensive and significant gifts to God?  How often do we worship in the manner becoming a follower of Jesus?

As you continue the advent journey, consider the journey of the travelers from the east.  What can you do this season that would be symbolic of the effort and sacrifice of the magi?

Advent Calendar Day 4

Terrified.  We read this story each year as a sweet, pastoral example of the message of God coming to the poorest of the people.  Terrified.  The shepherds were minding their own business--the sheep--one sleepy night.  Some were probably pondering life while others were preparing to bed down for the evening.  Perhaps there were some who had already drifted off to sleep.  Then BAM, angels.  They were not merely startled or honored or curious as we sometimes portray, but terrified (frightened, horrified, scared, petrified, shocked, panicked, alarmed—scared stiff!)  I think of all the ways people who are afraid respond in fear.  I suppose they could have whipped out their slingshots and began firing at the light of the Lord.  They could have run away, leaving their sheep and responsibilities.  Perhaps they could not respond with either fight or flight because they were scared motionless.  Adrenaline coursing through their veins, but their muscles were rebelling against them.

We live in a world of terror.  Terrorism seems to be such a talked about topic that it has become a caricature of what terror is actually.  The media, pundits, and politicians whip people into a frenzy—an irrational, foolish, crazy-people-run-amok frenzy.  The talking heads tell us who to be afraid of, who to blame, who to fight, who to flee, but not how to have calm, how to have peace, how not to be afraid.  The purpose of terrorism is to incite terror.  For terrorism to win, we must be terrified and live out that terror in our actions and relationships with one another.  All those who stir up this fear in the public (media, politicians, religious folks, others) are terrorists—in that they promote terror. 

Those things we do to protect ourselves, are often the very things that wind up hurting us the most.  Those safety mechanisms, like closing ourselves off from others or refusing to help others, end up doing more damage to our spirit—our souls—than any possible physical damage that is unlikely to happen anyway.  We are terrified, and so we respond, often without thought as to the long-term consequences.  But this is not the way God created us to live.  God created us to be in community with one another, even those we do not know at all or very well.  God created us to live out the example of Christ in caring for the least, the last, the lost, the marginalized.

As long as we are scared and reactionary, our fear gets the better of us.  Did you know the opposite of faith is not doubt, but fear?  Fear grips us and keeps us from fulfilling the life we have in Christ as children of God.  We either want to fight at things that we cannot possibly see or engage, or we want to run from our responsibilities and soothe our souls by telling ourselves the world isn’t our responsibility.  Or we are scared stiff, motionless, unable to do anything right or wrong, and so we do nothing. 

The shepherds could not respond to the message of the angels if they hid in their fearful and closed off cocoons.  They would not have witnessed the birth of the one to save their people.  They would have hidden away, never living out the potential God had for them.

How do you hide from the things that you fear?  Do you give your fears to God?  Or do you cling to them like a security blanket, telling yourself that worry is what keeps the worst at bay?  This Advent, how can you move from reacting in fear to stepping out in faith to the message of God?

Advent Calendar Day 3

Joseph was told that his fiancé, Mary, was to have a baby.  Enough of a startling revelation as it was, but to be visited by an angel who tells you this child is the promised coming Messiah is almost too much.  I think of the emotions swirling about in Joseph’s mind.  After all, any ordinary man would have a mixture of such emotions—the internal adjustments you make as you process in your mind and heart that 1.) your fiancé whom you have not yet been intimate is pregnant; 2.) you realize, perhaps by surprise, that your love and compassion outweighs your need to save face; 3.) that this child who isn’t yours is to be raised by you; 4.) that this child is the promised one of God, who will save you from your sin.  You would feel—what, doubt and skepticism, fear and worry, overwhelmed, joyful, sorrowful—this is almost too much for anyone to grasp. 

Yet Joseph, a good man who wants to do right by his promise, has the very human idea of distancing himself from the entire situation; not to extract vengeance as was his right and not to play the wounded lover, but to simply, quietly, give her back to her family and call the whole thing off.  She and her family can deal with repercussions of the situation.  But, that is not the way God wants it to be.  He is to marry her, care for her and the child, and all of this knowing that this child may indeed be the anointed one of God who would come to save Israel.  Could you be this obedient in the face of personal humiliation?

Good men, truly good men, the kind with ethics and morals that are uncompromising and true are hard to come by.  It is as difficult for today’s men to live up to the Captain America standard (manly, brave, a moral compass that points true north, looks good in a costume), as it is for women to live up to the Proverbs 31 woman (in charge of the home, makes her husband and kids look good, while still having her own career).  I think, however, Joseph was not some illusive image of a good man, but truly one who shows mercy, loves justice, and in spite of the emotions that follow, walks with God humbly.  Are you a Joseph kind of person?  One who simply does what you believe to be right quietly and without fanfare, without seeking your rights, but rather protecting the rights of others.  I think Joseph is a good example for all of us—male and female—this season of Advent when there is so much going on in the world that gives us the opposite understanding of what is right and wrong.  

Advent Calendar Day 2

Have you ever had someone say something to you that seems like an odd thing to say?  Perhaps it was someone who mentioned a gift or quality you have that you didn’t think anyone else noticed?  Maybe it was about something you were feeling led to do, but had not told anyone else?  Perhaps, someone said a comment out of the blue to you, something you had never thought of before, and when they said it, you knew it was something important to you and you could think of nothing else?  Mary had that kind of experience.

The angels of the Bible always say something to the effect of “do not be afraid,” or “fear not.”  A visit from a messenger from God tends to rattle us—maybe even startle us.  It definitely shakes up our world—our routine—and we find we are never the same again.  It is of significant importance to us, and we should never simply write it off as all our imagination.  Quite often we are visited by “angels” who inspire us, affirm us, encourage us, and guide us.  God uses all types of people to bring us God’s message. 

This Advent let us be watching for those “angels” God sends our way.  We should also watch for those opportunities and inspiration when we convey a message from God and are an angel to another.

Advent Calendar - Day 1

You do not need to be afraid of the dark to know that you can injure yourself if you are unable to see.  Stumbling around in the dark is slow-going.  There are obstacles and pitfalls.  When the electricity goes out, especially if there is a blackout in the neighborhood and no streetlights to shine into the windows, we realize that the dark is very, very dark. 

The dark can feel oppressive, even heavy.  It is always such a comfort to light a candle, turn on a flashlight, or start a fire to bring light into the dark.  I have noticed on such occasions that in pitch blackness, the glow of even the smallest light can bring light to a wide area.  It is almost as if the light pours around the room, spilling over into the darkness. 

I have never been in a blackened room in which I have lit a candle or turned on a flashlight that the darkness spread into the light rather than the light into the darkness.  Darkness will not ever overcome the light.  When I light more candles and place them around the room the collective light chases the darkness into the recesses and corners.  Only a few shadows remain.  Shadows remain even in well-lit rooms, but the light chases the shadows around allowing no place for them to hide.

It is like that with the light of Christ.  There is darkness in the world, this is undeniable.  But the light of Christ spills over into the darkness, and the darkness of this world will never overcome this light.  We who bear the light of Christ multiply this light in the world, bringing light to even the darkest places. 

This Advent let us prepare ourselves to be bearers of the light of Christ to a world in darkness.

Giving and Receiving

Sermon December 18, 2011, on the Scripture passage Luke 2:21-40.  Are you able to look upon the divine with the wonder and awe and excitement you had as a child?  What stands in your way?

Poured Out for You

Sermon December 11, 2011, on Philippians 2:5-11.  How have you acted in the mind of Christ?

Other Kingdoms Fade Away

Sermon December 4, 2011, on Matthew 2:1-15.  What does it mean to say Jesus is Lord?

Rediscover Christmas

What if we rediscovered Christmas?  I know we think we know Christmas, but did you know that the feast of the nativity was a minor observance in the Christian year until the mid-nineteenth century when commercial interests figured out how to exploit it solely for profit. In 1823, Clement Moore’s popular poem, “A Visit from Saint Nicolas” (later known as The Night Before Christmas) also contributed to the American mythology of Christmas: St. Nicholas morphed into Santa, and reindeer, stockings, and sugar plums entered the story at this time.  It is interesting that what was once a modest observance of Christ’s mass in honor of the holy child’s birth, became such a full blown extravaganza – complete with our giving gifts to ourselves. 

Christians claim Christmas as a religious holiday, and much has been said about ‘keeping Christ in Christmas,’ but we are the worst when it comes to the commercialization of the holiday.  We shop, spend, decorate, and generally go over the top with barely a second thought to the Christ of Christmas.  The Christ of the manger was a child born to peasant parents who had no human dwelling to birth their child.  Christ was born in a time of political unrest, oppression and persecution.  The Christ of the manger grew up to question the political and religious powers that kept people living in poverty.  That Christ Child turned everything upside down and right side up, even to the point of turning over merchant’s tables in the Temple.

Over the years our sentimentality has softened this Christ who stood in the way of the political machine ultimately to his death, into one that is almost…well…cuddly.  We have taken every childhood story of Christ with the children, and as adults we still cling to that soft, cuddly Christ conveniently forgetting that we claim the name and the faith, but not the commission, take up our crosses, go to all the world, spreading a message of an upside down Kingdom that to those who think they know – seems foolish. 

This Advent season, let us rediscover Christmas.  Let us discover what it means to worship fully, spend less, give more and love all.  Let us remember that Christmas is not OUR birthday.  Let us buy one less present and use the money we would have spent on that present to give to a ministry or charity.  Let’s commit ourselves to attend worship.  Let us agree to spend more quality time with those whom we would buy presents for and spend less money.  Let us rededicate ourselves to the calling of Christ to take up our crosses and to love all. 

May your Advent and Christmas season be happy and blessed. 

Rev. Sonja Tobey

What People Really Want for Christmas

REDISCOVER CHRISTMAS!

Sermon November 27, 2011, on Matthew 1:18-25.  

What is Christmas? It is not the holiday rush, or the songs we sing and the throngs we navigate.  It is a humble baby in a manger.

Worship not the wrappings and trappings of the season, but the Christ of Christmas.  This advent season we are going to rediscover Christmas.  

In Dr. Suess’ book How the Grinch Stole Christmas! the Grinch, a bitter, cave-dwelling creature with a heart "two sizes too small", lives on snowy Mount Crumpit, a steep, high mountain just north of Whoville, the home of the merry and warm-hearted Whos.   The Whos go about their holiday preparations with shopping, mailing packages and cards, decorating their homes, planning the Christmas feast with the Who pudding and roast beast, and a Whobilation extravaganza. 

The Grinch is critical of the commercialization of Christmas and those who profit from exploiting the holiday; not because he is so much better, but because he is jealous of the joy they seem to have.  He thinks their joy comes from the hoopla, but in the end the Grinch decides, “Maybe Christmas... doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps... means a little bit more!”  The Grinch and the Whos discover Christmas is about relationship. 

Today we will look at the hope we find in relationship with God through the birth of Jesus, Emmanuel – God with Us.

Family Advent Wreath - Dec 19, Week 4 - Peace

For more information on Advent, see my previous post on the Family Advent Wreath.  These meditations are for the weekly lighting of the Advent Wreath candles, so allow for more time for discussion.  December 2, 2012, First week of Advent; December 9, Second Week of Advent; December 16, Third Week of Advent

 Light the candle you lit the first week week and say, "we light this candle to remind us that our hope is in Jesus."

Light the candle you lit the second week and say, "we light this candle to remind us that God loves us and God wants us to love others."

Light the candle you lit last week and say, "we light this candle to remind us that God wants us to have joy."

This week we will be talking about peace.  Children may not understand peace, but they understand being fearful.  Peace from God is not about not being afraid, but even in situations we might be afraid, we have peace that we cannot explain.  You may want to talk about fears specific for your children.

For Discussion with your children:

What are some things that make you afraid?  (They may be afraid of the dark, or afraid of dogs, and this may be a good time to talk about fears they may have.)  

There are some things that make us afraid for good reason.  Our fear keeps us from doing things that are bad for us.  (If you are trying to teach your children about stranger danger, this may be a good time to bring this up.)  But sometimes we are afraid and there is nothing we can do about it to protect ourselves, or there is nothing to protect ourselves from.  Even when we are afraid, God is there with us, and we can know that God is there with us, because God gives us peace through God's spirit.

Scripture Reading:  John 14:26-27

"...the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."  

Philippians 4:6-7

"Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  

Meditation:

Jesus said he came to give peace, but not as the world gives.  Our peace comes from God's Holy Spirit, not from things we think make us feel secure.  Even when we are afraid, we can have peace that comes from God, even if we don't understand how it works.  

Light the last purple candle.  (For information on the order, please see the first week's post.) Please make sure there is adult supervision for any child using matches or a lighter to light the candle.  Also, please supervise your child as long as the candle is lit.

Prayer:  Thank you God for giving us peace, even when we cannot understand it.  Help us to shine God's light of peace in the world around us, so we may worship the child in the stable who is the Prince of Peace.  Amen.  

Out of the Darkness of Sorrow, Shines the Light of Joy

Sermon December 12, 2010, Third Week of Advent, on Luke 1:46-55.  How do we find true joy in the midst of sorrow? 

Family Advent Wreath - Dec 12, Week 3 - Joy

For more information on Advent, see my previous post on the Family Advent Wreath.  These meditations are for the weekly lighting of the Advent Wreath candles, so allow for more time for discussion.  December 2, 2012, First week of Advent; December 9, Second Week of Advent

 Light the candle you lit the first week week and say, "we light this candle to remind us that our hope is in Jesus."

Light the candle you lit last week and say, "we light this candle to remind us that God loves us and God wants us to love others."

This week we will be talking about joy.  Joy is great happiness.  Children generally have no problem with happiness, but they may have misunderstandings about what brings us joy or happiness.  True joy doesn't come from material possessions or status or money or power, although many adults confuse this also.  True joy comes from within, when we find peace and contentment, when we focus on what really matters and not on the things that are temporary. 

For Discussion with your children:

What makes you really happy?  (As they answer they may list "things." When they do this try to help them see past their things.  You may ask them if they could be happy without that specific item.  If they say, "no."  Ask them about something else you know makes them happy, such as a game they like to play or people they like to play with.)

What about if we don't have the things that we think make us happy?  What could make us happy then?  (This will get them thinking a bit outside the box.)

Sometimes our things make us happy for a moment, but Jesus brings us happiness even when we don't have those things.  How do you think that works?

Scripture Reading:  Psalm 32:11

“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart."

This is pretty straightforward.  You might discuss how we can be glad in the Lord.

One of the ways we experience joy is in excitement and enthusiasm.  This would be a good opportunity to allow the children to shout for joy!  Shout with them!  Woohoo!  Yippee!  Yahoo!  Hallelujah!  However you choose to express that joy!  When you have an opportunity to get them all wound up and excited, then ask them if they can feel their blood pumping.  Is their heart racing?  Are the 'feeling excited on the inside?'  This is one of the ways we feel joy is when we express joy.  Have them sing a favorite worship or praise song with you as part of the meditation.  Maybe even sing "Joy to the World" as loudly and excitedly as you can.

Meditation:

God wants us to feel joy!  True joy!  We only experience true joy with God.  God knew that we would have trouble understanding this, so God sent Jesus to teach us more about having a relationship with God.  Jesus calls this having abundant life, but we can call this happiness from the inside out.

Light the pink candle (or purple if you do not have a separate pink candle).  (For information on the order, please see last week's post.) Please make sure there is adult supervision for any child using matches or a lighter to light the candle.  Also, please supervise your child as long as the candle is lit.

Prayer:  Thank you God for giving us joy and happiness.  We thank you for the gift of Jesus who came so we could experience joy in you.  Alleluia!  Amen.

Out of the Darkness of Apathy, Shines the Light of Love

Sermon December 5, 2010, Second Week of Advent, on the Scripture text Isaiah 11:1-10. (Also referenced John 3:16-17 and 1 Corinthians 13:1-8a, 13.) How do we show Christ's love in a hurting and hurtful world?  How do we see evidence of God's steadfast love?

Family Advent Wreath - Dec 9, Week 2 - Love

Sorry, apparently I have forgotten to post this.  My apologies for running late.

For more information on Advent, see my previous post on the Family Advent Wreath.  These meditations are for the weekly lighting of the Advent Wreath candles, so allow for more time for discussion.  December 2, 2012, First week of Advent


 Light the candle you lit last week and say, "we light this candle to remind us that our hope is in Jesus."

This week we will be talking about love.  The children may have many different understanding of love.  You may ask them what they love.  We love chocolate and puppies, but it isn't the same as the love we have for our friends.  And we love family differently than we love our friends.  You might discuss with your children the different forms of love: romantic love, family love, brotherly/sisterly love, friendly love, and love of things. 


For Discussion with your children:

What is "love?"

Who or what do you love?

Do you love _______________ (name a toy, food, activity, or any other non-person)?

Do you love _______________ (same as above) the same way you love mommy and daddy?

What is the difference?

Do you know that God loves you?  (Most likely they will answer "yes," after all, they will assume, unless they have guilt issues,* that they are loved by pretty much everyone.)

Do you know how much God loves you?


Scripture Reading:  John 3:16-17
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ¹⁷“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."

Information:  Last week we learned that the people were hoping for God to send a Messiah, someone to save them.  Here in John the scripture tells us that God did send someone, God's own Son, because God loves us so much.  And it wasn't like God was sending someone to scold them or tell them how bad they were and they needed to do better, but to simply tell them how much God loves and how they can have a better relationship with God.

Many times we feel that we God is trying to trick us.  Kids can get this idea when they hear language like, "God is testing me."  Tests are tricky and even if you study, sometimes you don't always do very well.  Especially if they feel they don't know the right answers, they can become fearful of God or dread "the test."  But in John, we are told that we did not receive the gift of the Son to be 'condemned.'   Obviously, people weren't passing the test, they needed a tutor!

We can share with children how much God loves them by setting it in such a way that they will understand.  "You know how much mommy and daddy love you?" (Yes)  "Well, when you do something wrong to do we still love you?" (Yes - or you can assure them that is the case.)  "Well, God loves you even more than we do and that's a lot.  So much that only God could ever love you more than we do."

"Now, you love mommy and daddy, right?" (Yes.)  And because you love mommy and daddy, you want to do what they ask right?"  (Yes)  "This is called being obedient.  We love God so much, that we want to do what God wants from us.  It makes us happy to please God."

This is the relationship Jesus came to bring.  A loving relationship in which we love and do what God wants, and know that God loves us and blesses us.

Meditation:
God loves us more than anyone.  More than our sisters or brothers.  More than our grandma or grandpa.  More than mommy and daddy.  And that's a lot.  God loves us so much that God sent someone who helped us to have a good relationship with God.  This person was Jesus, who was born as a little baby, and couldn't even feed himself, but relied on his mommy Mary and daddy Joseph.


Light the second purple or blue candle.  (For information on the order, please see last week's post.) Please make sure there is adult supervision for any child using matches or a lighter to light the candle.  Also, please supervise your child as long as the candle is lit.

Prayer:  Thank you God for loving us so much.  Thank you for the people you sent to teach us to love, like our moms an dads.  We love you very much.  Amen.



 *If your child struggles with guilt, or whether or not they are worthy to be loved, I would recommend a book, You Wouldn't Love Me if You Knew by Jeannie St. John Taylor.  In this book a little boy does something "bad" and feels guilty.  In the end, his mother tells him that he is forgiven and that God forgives him also.  You never know what the "bad" thing is, so all children can relate to his feelings.  You may want to ask your children, what do you suppose the little boy did?

Out of the Darkness of Despair, Shines the Light of Hope

First Week of Advent - Sermon November 28, 2010, on the text Isaiah 2:1-5.  What is hope?  What do you hope for?  In the midst of despair that would threaten to black out all light, hope is what keeps us going.  What is the source of your hope?

Family Advent Wreath - Nov 28, Week 1 - Hope

For more information on Advent, see my previous post on the Family Advent Wreath.  These meditations are for the weekly lighting of the Advent Wreath candles, so allow for more time for discussion.

Nov. 28, 2010, First week of Advent

We begin the season with hope.  Hope is what the promised coming of the Messiah gave to the children of Israel.  They hoped for many things: peace, saving grace, relationship with God.  How can we explain these things to children, especially when the children are very literal and many times what we hope for is conceptual?

We begin with the idea of hope.  What are some things the children hope for?  While it may be easy to start with their Santa Wish List, it confuses the message and they think of hope as wishing for things that are material.  Hoping is not the same as wishing.  Hope is belief that what you desire will actually happen.  You might ask your child(ren) what they would pray for.  

If they need some guidance you might be ready with some suggestions such as "God bless mommy and daddy."  Help them understand that when they say "God bless mommy and daddy," what they are really asking for is for mommy and daddy to feel well (not be sick), for mommy and daddy to be happy, and for the family to have the things they need, and maybe a little extra.  When we ask God to bless us in a general way, this is usually what we desire.  The children may have been taught to pray, "God bless so-and-so" but not what asking for God's blessings really mean.

What we pray for is what we hope and desire.  We may already have it, such as health and happiness, but we may hope it continues.  On the other hand, if a child has been around a loved one who is sick or suffering from depression, then they will understand what it means to hope for something we don't have.  If they have ever felt sick, they know what it is like to hope to feel better.

With experience we learn that bad times do not last forever, things will eventually get better, just like night will eventually become the day.  Children do not have enough life experience to understand this very well.  Sometimes when things aren't going so well, they feel like it is forever.  To them that is a real feeling, even if we find their theatrics amusing.  This can be magnified in teens who are already self-conscious.  If your child has had any of these types of circumstances recently, that would be a good place to start with hopes.  We have hope that our circumstances will improve, and believe that it will, we just may not know when or how. Hope is an act of faith.  It is the belief, in spite of circumstances, that things can and will get better.  This is faith, and is important to teach our children. 

As far as the meditations for Advent will go, we will have a time for you to discuss as a family the topic of the week, such as hope, and this will set the stage for the meditation.  It will be good to ask questions to get your children to participate in the discussion.

Then there will be a Scripture reading.  The Scriptures printed for this post are from the NRSV translation.  Maybe one of the children could read the scripture verse, the meditation, or the prayer.



Ask your child(ren) what does "hope" mean?

What does it mean to "hope for" something?

What are some things you hope for?

Scripture reading:  Isaiah 60:2-3
Arise, shine; for your light has come,
   and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 
For darkness shall cover the earth,
   and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
   and his glory will appear over you. 

The scripture tells us of people hoping for something.  What do you think they were hoping for?

(Darkness is used here metaphorically.  You might explain that to your children in a way they can understand. Talk about what it is like before the sun comes up.  It is the coldest time of the night.  We look for the sun to come up, and it is beautiful and brings warmth and light.  This scripture is talking about God's light being the light that comes when our world is dark, like the sunrise coming up in the morning. The verse is talking about the prophecy of a Messiah or chosen one of God who would shed light and save the world from darkness.)

They were hoping for God to send someone to help them.  God did send someone to help them.  Who did God send?  (The answer is, of course, Jesus.  You may have to give the children a few hints if they don't get the answer right away.)

When do we hope that God will help us?

Sometimes if we are afraid of the dark, we like to have a light left on, just a small one, to make us more comfortable.  To these people God's promise was like that night light, to bring comfort and get them through.
God gives us that same comfort.

Meditation:
Like when we wake up in the morning and can count on the sun rising to bring light and warmth to our world, we can also count on God to bring God's light and peace to our spirits in our time of need.  God sent his light to the world in the form of a person so everyone could understand.  Jesus brings that light to our lives and helps us to live in right relationship with God.

(Light the first purple or blue candle.  Any of the purple or blue candles will do, but we light them in an order of purple, purple, pink, purple, white; so it is best to start with the candle opposite of the pink in the circle.  If you are using a straight line, then you would set them up: purple, purple, white, pink, purple, and light from the ends; i.e., right outside purple, left outside purple, pink candle, purple inside, white.  Please make sure there is adult supervision for any child using matches or a lighter to light the candle.  Also, please supervise your child as long as the candle is lit.)

Prayer:
God, just as we see this light from a candle shining in our home, help us to see your light in our lives and in our world.  Jesus thanks for bringing that light to shine in our darkness, and for showing us that God loves us and wants to be in relationship with us.  Amen.

(You may wish to leave the candle burning for a bit.  If so, please ensure that children are not able to burn themselves or accidentally begin a fire.  It is permissible to talk for a bit longer, maybe about what they hope for, and then blow it out when you are finished with the time of devotion.)