Sunday 12/20/13 Freeville/Homer Ave
UMC’s
Sermon Title: “There is Hope in Jesus Christ”
Old Testament Scripture Lesson: Psalm 80:1-7
New Testament Scripture Lesson: Hebrews 10:32-39
Gospel Lesson: John 16:31-33
Welcome one
and all, on this night. This night that is so close to the birth of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. Yet for many of us, all we see right now in this
Christmas Season is the darkness of the night. Many of us then for various
reasons cannot see the light that is coming soon. We cannot see the light that
is Jesus Christ. For while we celebrate this service tonight, tomorrow night is
the winter solstice. Tomorrow night is literally the “Longest Night” of the
year. For this reason, usually on this night or tomorrow night, we and many
other Christian Churches have in recent years started worship services for the “Longest
Night” of the year. Many of us call these services “Blue Christmas” services. We
do this, because some of us might be feeling a little “blue” in this time of
the year.
In the midst
of our sufferings, our weariness, our stresses, our challenges, and our trials
and tribulations, do we not though, in the depths of our very souls cry out, “God
is there any hope?” Do we not cry out and say, “oh God, for we are broken, we
are naked, we are cold, and we desperately are in need of your saving grace?”
While we all of
us have come here tonight for many different reasons, I would assert that God
has called us all here in this time, and in this place. I would assert to you
all here tonight, that we have good reason to have hope. We have in fact, great
reason to have hope. For “There is Hope in Jesus Christ.”
Some might say
though, I have heard this before, “that if I believe in Jesus Christ, then all
my problems just go away, right?” If it were only that easy. We most certainly
have salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ, and we have been freed through
his death and his resurrection, but in this season we prepare for the very
birth of Jesus Christ itself.
We prepare for
love, for hope, for joy, and for salvation itself to come down from heaven, to
walk, to talk, to heal, and to teach us how to love each other. You see in this
season, we prepare for the birth of Jesus Christ, the baby foretold for years.
Many of us however, have been taught that on Christmas Day, that Jesus has been
born, and all was just set right again. If it were only that easy.
If we have
this mentality, I would argue that we will likely be let down. For many of us
are so bummed out after Christmas and New Year’s, because then we have to go
back to that dreaded “W-word.” You know work. We are 5-10 pounds heavier, our
credit-card bills have mounted, and we find ourselves craving coffee the way a
vampire craves blood. Maybe we then say, “Well we can shoot for joy and hope
again next Christmas.”
Yet my
brothers and sisters, the birth of Jesus Christ isn’t just God coming down to
be wrapped in flesh, and to be born among us. The birth of Christ isn’t just the
beginning of preparing for the death and resurrection of Jesus, while these of
course lay the core of everything that we believe. Given this, this year then, let
us seek to stretch our image of what Christmas is. For in this time of the
year, we tend to implore the most radical of hospitality to others, we tend to
love people much more, and we tend to give more generously.
We do all of
this not just because God has come down in the form of Jesus, but we do so also,
because of what Lord Jesus has taught us and still teaches us. Jesus taught us
and still teaches us to feed the poor, to clothe the naked, to take care of the
widow, to regard the unfortunate, to love one’s neighbor, and to treat everyone
as you would want to be treated.
You see my
brothers and sisters, in this Christmas Season, while we celebrate the birth of
the Christ-Child, there is so much more to this season than just the birth of
Christ. In Jesus coming to save not just us, he has come to save all people. This
means all the people of Freeville, this county, this country, and this world.
As a result of this, when we believe and we accept Jesus, we get a dose of
compassion, of love, of hope.
When this
happens, we then have the power of God abiding in the very depths of our souls.
So while some might say, “I have prayed and prayed, yet God has not healed me,”
I think of a t-shirt that I saw a young woman wearying at one our United
Methodist Church Annual Conferences a couple of years ago. Her shirt said, “Sometimes
God performs miracles, but the rest of the time he sends me.”
You see then
my brothers and sisters, while many of us suffer, grieve, and feel torn in this
Christmas Season, we of course first cry out to almighty God, but let us
remember that God has empowered us all to love, to heal, and to care for one
another.
From our scripture readings from
tonight, we heard in the reading from Psalm 80:1-7 on the Old Testament tonight
in verse seven “Restore
us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.” Perhaps
we can take some of our light of Christ, and shine that light on others?
We heard
tonight in the New Testament reading from Hebrews 10:34-36, “For
you had compassion for those who were in prison, and you cheerfully accepted
the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you yourselves possessed
something better and more lasting. Do not,
therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. For you
need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive
what was promised.” Scripture tells us to have faith, and to have compassion
and love for one another.
In the
gospel of John 16:31-33 reading from tonight it says, “Do you now believe? The hour
is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his
home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is
with me. I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In
the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”
In this season
of Christmas then, if someone is suffering, what if we visited them? What if we
made them cookies? What if we took up the cross of Jesus Christ and said, “We
will continually cry out to God for healing, but God here am I, send me.”
I
would like to close tonight with a story called, “The Cave People.” This story
was taken from Max Lucado's The Woodcutter's Wisdom and Other
Favorite Stories. Here is how it goes: “Long ago, or maybe not so
long ago, there was a tribe in a dark, cold cavern. The cave dwellers would
huddle together and cry against the chill. Loud and long they wailed. It was
all they did. It was all they knew to do. The sounds in the cave were mournful,
but the people didn't know it, for they had never known joy. The spirit in the
cave was death, but the people didn't know it, for they had never known life.”
But
then, one day, they heard a different voice. "I have heard your
cries," it announced. "I have felt your chill and seen your darkness.
I have come to help."
The
cave people grew quiet. They had never heard this voice. hope sounded strange
to their ears. "How can we know you have come to help?" "Trust
me," he answered. "I have what you need."
“The
cave people peered through the darkness at the figure of the stranger. He was
stacking something, then stooping and stacking more.” “What are you
doing?" one cried, nervous.” “The stranger didn't answer.” "What are
you making?" one shouted even louder. “Still no response.” “Tell us!"
demanded a third. The visitor stood and spoke in the direction of the voices.
"I have what you need." With that he turned to the pile at his feet
and lit it. Wood ignited, flames erupted, and light filled the cavern.”
The
cave people turned away in fear. "Put it out!" they cried. "It
hurts to see it." "Light always hurts before it helps," he
answered. "Step closer. The pain will soon pass." "Not I,"
declared a voice. "Nor I," agreed a second. "Only a fool would
risk exposing his eyes to such light." The stranger stood next to the
fire. "Would you prefer the darkness? Would you prefer the cold? Don't
consult your fears. Take a step of faith" For a long time no one spoke.
The people hovered in groups covering their eyes. The fire builder stood next
to the fire. "It's warm here," he invited. "He's right,"
one from behind him announced. "It's warmer." The stranger turned a
saw a figure slowly stepping toward the fire. "I can open my eyes
now," she proclaimed. "I can see." "Come closer,"
invited the fire builder. She did. She stepped into the ring of light. "It's
so warm!" she extended her hands and sighed as her chill began to pass. "Come,
everyone! Feel the warmth," she invited. "Silence, woman!" cried
one of the cave dwellers. "Dare you lead us into your folly? Leave us.
Leave us and take your light with you." She turned to the stranger.
"Why won't they come?" "They choose the chill, for though it's
cold, it's what they know. They'd rather be cold than change." "And
live in the dark?" "Yes, and live in the dark," he said. The
now-warm woman stood silent. Looking first at the dark, then at the man. "Will
you leave the fire?" he asked. She paused, and then answered, "I
cannot. I cannot bear the cold." Then she spoke again. "But nor can I
bear the thought of my people in darkness." "You don't have to,"
he responded, reaching into the fire and removing a stick. "Carry this to
your people. Tell them the light is here, and the light is warm. Tell them the
light is for all who desire it." And so she took the small flame and
stepped into the shadows.
My brothers and sisters, we are all carriers
of the light of God. We all can comfort, can love, and can heal through the
power of Jesus Christ. When our service concludes tonight then, I would invite
you all to take one of these t-light candles, to symbolically take your light
of Christ into the darkness of this world. So in this season of Christmas then,
let us cry out to God for healing, but let us be amongst each other, and let us
bring forth the light of Christ to each other. For as the young woman’s t-shirt
said, “sometimes God performs miracles, but the rest of the time he sends me.”
Amen.
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