Tuesday 12/21/21 – Blue Christmas
/Longest Night Service - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title: “What Now?”
Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 80:1-7
New Testament Scripture: Hebrews 10:32-39
Gospel Lesson: John 16:31-33
Welcome again, to this our annual Blue Christmas or Longest
Night Service. Who here has never been to a Blue Christmas or Longest Night
Service?
Well let me read to you all a brief explanation of what a Blue
Christmas or Longest Night Service is. This description is taken from www.umcdiscipleship.org,
and it says:
“Blue? Yes, blue as in the blues. As in "I am feeling blue." Not everyone is up and cheery for the Christmas holiday. Dealing with the death of a loved one, facing life after divorce or separation, coping with the loss of a job, living with cancer or some other dis-ease that puts a question mark over the future, and a number of other human situations make parties and joviality painful for many people in our congregations and communities. There is a growing attentiveness to the needs of people who are blue at Christmas. Increasing numbers of churches are creating sacred space for people living through dark times. Such services are reflective, accepting where we really are, and holding out healing and hope”. “Some churches hold a service of worship on the longest night of the year, which falls on or about December 21st, the Winter Solstice. There is an interesting convergence for this day as it is also the traditional feast day for Saint Thomas the Apostle. This linkage invites making some connections between Thomas's struggle to believe the tale of Jesus' resurrection, the long nights just before Christmas, and the struggle with darkness and grief faced by those living with loss” (https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/blue-christmaslongest-night-worship-with-those-who-mourn).
Tonight, December 21st, 2022, is the first day
of the season of winter. This day is also the winter solstice. What is the
winter solstice? Here is one explanation that I found:
“The winter solstice (or hibernal solstice), also known as midwinter, is an astronomical phenomenon marking the day with the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice).
So tonight, the first day of the season of winter, or the
winter solstice, we will have the shortest day of daylight all year. Given this
and given two long years of this Global COVID-19 Pandemic, my sermon title for
tonight is “What Now?”.
Every
year, various people come to this service, and this year we also have people
attending online again to. Some of these attenders are suffering a loss, some
find this time of year to be hard and generally painful, and some are just here
to worship with their brothers and sisters. All of these are great reasons to
be here, and everyone is welcome. There is so much darkness, so much hurt, and so
much pain in this world. With this said, how do we overcome all this darkness? How
do spiritually walk into the warmth of light and hope?
When
describing the nature of who God is, there are three words throughout the Bible
that best describe God. These words are Life, Light, and Love. Once again,
these words are Life, Light, and Love. On this the Longest Night of the year, Jesus
reminds us in John 8:12, when he says:
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (Jn. 8:12, NRSV).
In
looking at our scripture reading from Psalm 80:1-7 for tonight, we hear that the
people of Israel are crying out to God to restore them and to give them new hope
(Ps. 80:1-7, NRSV). How many of us have every cried out to God for restoration
and hope? I know that I have, especially in this year of 2021, the second year
of COVID-19 Pandemic. Yet, Jesus says he is the light of the world. May we
allow his light, life, and love to fill us tonight, and may we share it with
others, so that light will over come the darkness, even on this the longest
night.
In
our reading once again from the Apostle Paul’s Epistle or letter to the Hebrews
for tonight, Paul writes in 10:32-39
“But recall those earlier days when, after you had
been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes
being publicly exposed to abuse and persecution, and sometimes being partners
with those so treated. 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. For yet “in a very little while, the
one who is coming will come and will not delay; but my righteous one will live
by faith. My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back.” But we are not
among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and
so are saved”
(Heb. 10:32-39, NRSV).
The
Apostle Paul reminds us that many people have suffered, and that many people have
suffered for their faith in Christ. Whatever we are suffering or have suffered,
God is with us. Jesus is with us, and He will be with us for eternity, if we
place our trust in him. This rings ever truer in this year of 2021. No pandemic,
or anything else can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ. We will celebrate
Jesus’ birth soon, we can invite him into our hearts anew daily, and one day he
will return in glory. All of these things will happen, pandemic, or no
pandemic.
In
our short gospel lesson from John 16:31-33 for tonight, Jesus reminds us of
suffering and persecution. Jesus once again tells us in this gospel lesson:
“Jesus answered them,
“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!” (Jn. 16:31-33, NRSV).
The promise of Jesus Christ is that he
will always be with us. Yet Jesus does not promise us that we will not suffer, that
we will not have hardships, or that we will not have struggles. This year of
2021 continues to be a magnification of this reality. As we pray, as we are
open our hearts and our souls to God, on this the longest night of the year,
may the light of Christ fill us anew, may the Holy Spirit fill us, and may when
we leave here to go into a cold and dark night, may we carry the light of
Christ with us. Be a light to others and may others be a light to you.
My friends, brothers and sisters, the
love of God is in us, and the light of Jesus is in us. Even after two long
years of this pandemic, when people ask you “what now?,” may the light of
Christ be our answer. Let us share it with each other, and with the world. Let
us love each other boldly and serve each other graciously. For in doing this, the
light will continue to overcome the darkness. For even on this our Tuesday,
December 21st, the Longest Night of the year, the light of Christ
will be shining, and it will overcome the darkness. Even after two long years
of this pandemic. Amen.
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