Christmas in Fearful Times

Fourth Sunday of Advent

SCRIPTURE:  Luke 2:8-11; Acts 18:7-10

8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.

Acts 18:7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God; his house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the official of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul became believers and were baptized. 9 One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to harm you, for there are many in this city who are my people.

QUESTIONS by Pastor Jerry Tankersley

1. Have you ever been afraid of God?  What caused the fear? 
2. Why might the advent of the Son of God frighten some?
3. Consider the reassuring messages of the angels to Zachariah, Mary, and the Shepherds.  What was the message?
4. How was Paul reassured in Corinth?  What was the content of the message?
5. Does it trouble you that Christians are leaving the Middle East?  Why would they leave?
6. What is there about western culture that threatens the way of Christ?  What do the attitudes of George Carlin and Christopher Hitchens contribute to a hardening to the faith?
7. Jim Wallis of Sojourner’s Magazine writes about the Real War on Christmas. What is the real war?  How does this inform the mission of Christ? 

PRAYER

Generous God,
set us free us
from today’s captivities:
from the need to have more;
from having our identity and self-worth
defined by what we possess;
from the need to be
satisfied without waiting;
from anxiety when
material longings are deferred;
from paralysis and confusion,
in the face of so many needs.

Savior Christ, set us free:
from captivity to anger,
bitterness, and disappointment;
from captivities we cannot speak about, or name.

Savior Christ, Emmanuel,
we meet you now,
in human flesh and bone,
the Word and Wisdom of God
as power in weakness shown.
Savior Christ, come set us free.

The Speechless One Speaks

The Third Sunday of Advent

Read:  Luke 1:5-25, 76-80

The Angel Appearing to Zacharias.  William Blake, 1800.

Questions by Pastor Jerry Tankersley 

(Preaching Pastor on Sunday, December 11, 2011)

A.  Discovering your voice is a life task.  We may be filled with words without connection or meaning.  Our pop culture feeds all kinds of bits of information into us. 

1. Have you ever had a life experience that left you speechless, without adequate words to interpret or to integrate?  
2. Can you think of a book, a novel, a poem, a song that has helped interpret you to yourself?

B.  Maya Angelou told her story in, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.  

1. What caused her to stop speaking when she was 7 ½? 
2. Trauma in a child’s life may shape the rest of a lifetime.  What helped her speak again?  Listen to Maya reading her poem at President Clinton’s 1993 inauguration.  Maya Angelou, 1993 Bill Clinton's Inauguration

C.  Zachariah was encountered by the Angel Gabriel.

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit 

and spoke this prophecy: 

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, 

for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.

He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, 

as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,

that we would be saved from our enemies 

and from the hand of all who hate us.

Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,

and has remembered his holy covenant,

the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,

to grant us that we, 

being rescued from the hands of our enemies, 

might serve him without fear, 

in holiness and righteousness

before him all our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

to give knowledge of salvation to his people

by the forgiveness of their sins.

By the tender mercy of our God,

the dawn from on high will break upon us,

to give light to those who sit in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

The child grew and became strong in spirit,

and he was in the wilderness

until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.

1. What did Zachariah make of the angel’s message to him?  Did he believe?
2. What was the difference in his response to the angel and Mary’s response to Gabriel?
3. He was mute for nine months, but then his voice was restored. What did he say? The poem he proclaimed is called the Benedictus, "The Blessing." Who was blessed? Why God? Why John?
4. Do you need to be blessed?  
5. Who do you need to bless today?

THE LORD BLESS YOU!  BENEDICTUS!

   

What Moves You to Sing?

Read:  1 Samuel 1, 2 (Hannah's Song) and Luke 1:46-56 (Mary's Song)

And Mary said, 
    “My soul magnifies the Lord,
        and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
    for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
        Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
    for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
        and holy is his name.
    His mercy is for those who fear him
        from generation to generation.
    He has shown strength with his arm;
        he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
    He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
        and lifted up the lowly;
    he has filled the hungry with good things,
        and sent the rich away empty.
    He has helped his servant Israel,
        in remembrance of his mercy,
    according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
        to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” 

Questions by Pastor Steve Sweet (Preaching Pastor on Sunday, December 4, 2011)

1. Who was a musician that you connected with in your youth? What do you think it was about their music?
2. What is it about music that has the ability to reach us deep within? What kind of music causes you to sing along?
3. Like Hannah in I Samuel 1 & 2, what is a recent prayer request that you have earnestly brought before the Lord? 
4. Steve said, “No issue too small, no problem too big, to bring before the Lord in worship.” Can you relate to that in your life right now?
5. Reading Luke 1:46-56, what was Mary’s response to the news that she would give birth to the Messiah?
6. What are the similarities in Hannah and Mary’s songs?
7. How would it be for you right now to hear the Lord say your name?

Prayer

O God, rejoicing, we remember the promise of your Son. As the light from these two Advent candles, may the blessing of Christ come upon us, brightening our way and guiding us by his truth. May Christ our Savior bring life into the darkness of our world, and to us, as we wait for his coming. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.