Monthly Archives: December 2020

Not the Merry Christmas We Want, but the Merry Christmas that We Desperately Need to Hear Right Now

December 27, 2020 By in Sermons Leave a comment

Sermon for 1st Week of Christmas – Luke 2:22-40

Merry Christmas! Does it feel like Christmas, though? I have a friend caught up in nostalgia right now. On Facebook he’s been posting photos of these ugly plastic ornaments from his childhood. Bits and pieces missing. Tape holding barely holding together the pieces. It’s nothing beautiful, but they still give him a lot of comfort. It’s funny how these kinds of rituals give us comfort when nothing else wants to go right. Rituals are powerful stuff.

Today’s gospel reading is all about rituals. Joseph and Mary bring baby Jesus to the temple for the ritual of purification. Now remember, this little family has walked such a hard road. The unexplained pregnancy, the scandal of that, the moving from place to place, their poverty and uncertainty. Yet here they are. Presenting their baby to the Lord. Somehow they even managed to get the turtledoves for sacrifice. It’s not perfect. It’s a second-rate offering. But they can’t afford a lamb, so they do the best they can, and maybe things can be just normal enough for a minute. Do you think they’re sick to death of surprises? Maybe this will give them a little comfort, like how our rituals comfort us.

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Waiting for Some Good News

December 14, 2020 By in Reflections, Sermons Leave a comment

Reflection for Advent 2 – Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

Are you waiting for some good news?

In this Advent season, we’ve been reading the words of the prophet Isaiah. In our first week, we heard Isaiah cry out to God to “tear open the heavens and come down,” and we reflected on those times when we reach the end of our rope, and cry out to God, “why won’t you do something?” Last week, we heard Isaiah tell of a voice crying out “prepare the way of the Lord,” and we reflected on what that means and who’s called to do it. This week, we hear Isaiah telling us about God calling him to “bring good news to the oppressed.” So, we might ask ourselves, “are we waiting for good news?”

A lot of folks I know are waiting for good news. Some friends have lost jobs that were cut because of Covid restrictions or companies going out of business, and they’re looking for new opportunities. I hear folks in the neighborhood asking for referrals to get food and bill assistance because they’ve never needed help before. Other friends have been sick with Covid and want to know when their symptoms are going to subside. Some folks are anxiously waiting to hear that their loved ones can finally be moved out of intensive care, and aren’t allowed to visit. Though our situations may be different, in one way or another, I think we’re all waiting for some kind of good news. What kind of good news are you waiting for?

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But Even after the Deadest Winter, the Grass Still Springs Green

December 6, 2020 By in Sermons Leave a comment

Sermon for Advent 2 – Isaiah 40:1-11 & Mark 1:1-8

How are you preparing the way of the Lord? This is a core question that comes to us in our season of Advent, but truthfully it feels pretty accusational, doesn’t it? I confess that it fills me with guilt. I immediately obsess over everything I haven’t done but think I should. But, what does it really mean? And, what if it’s not really our job in the first place?

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