Luke 2:1-20: Sheep, Shelter Staff See Saviour

 Presented to The Salvation Army Alberni Valley Ministries on Christmas Day, 25 December 2023 and 2024, by Major Michael Ramsay. This is the 2024 version.

To view the 2023 version click here: https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2023/12/luke-21-20-light-shone-all-around.html

 

Luke 2:1-8: In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

Last night, like every night, our shelter staff were working at the Bread of Life. We are open all day everyday and all night every night. Our staff all has to take their turn working over the holidays. They had a choice: they could work last night or New Year’s Eve. The people need taking care of every night of the year so we need to have our shelter workers working every night of the year!

 

This is like the shepherds in our text today: they need to be working every night as well. Just like we can’t leave people without supervision they can’t leave sheep without supervision. The shepherds in our story today are working the night shift. They have the job of protecting the lives of the sheep under their care from predators just like our staff have the responsibility to protect the lives of the homeless under their care from predators. Without our shelter, many of our friends would not have a safe warm place to sleep. The shepherds were providing a safe place for their sheep.

 

The text says that an angel appeared and stood before them. The word angel just means ‘messenger’ but the appearance of this messenger certainly means much more. It says the “Glory of the Lord” shone all around him and the shepherds were terrified. Now, I don’t know what the “Glory of the Lord” looks like, but if someone or something suddenly appeared before me in the middle of the night (or anytime) with something shining about him, I would probably be a little terrified.

 

I can only imagine how our staff would react – if it is after 1am the doors are locked, our friends all tucked into their beds – there are rows and rows of bunkbeds in our shelter. I picture it as if everyone has just gotten to sleep, it is quiet; it is dark; our workers are settling down at the desk and then all of a sudden someone shows up in the room or at the window, shining or with something shining all around them. I imagine our staff would be quite startled!

 

Luke 2:10-12:10 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: 2:11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 2:12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger."

 

The shepherds would look up startled for sure! They would wonder if they should fear for their safety. They would wonder if they should fear for the safety of their sheep. They would wonder if they should call the cops! (I always tell them to cops when they need to, to keep their people safe!)

 

Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom He favours!"

 

 Can you imagine? I am trying to picture it. If it was today, would all these angels -or whatever the heavenly host is- appear right in the shelter? Or would they light up the night sky like the auroras borealis? I imagine maybe mt staff see the first angel and then poke their head out the door and see all these beings, these creatures, these lights in the air.

 

What if you were working the night shift at your work and all these people, angels, host show up and are praising God all around you or up in the sky proclaiming peace for all who are with God: all who find favour with Him. Put yourself then in the place of the shepherds in Luke’s story. I imagine that your heart would be beating pretty quickly. I imagine that you would be glad someone was there to see the vision with you – so that you know that it was really happening, that you hadn’t fallen asleep, that someone hadn’t slipped you something. This it is not an hallucination. I imagine that, at this point, not only are you and your co-workers wide awake but all those sheep under your care are too.

 

It must have been a racket for the shepherds. I can only imagine the skittish sheep singing, baa..ing along with the choir of angels. Like dogs howling or like people singing badly along to the radio in their car! There must have been so much activity; There must have been so much going through their heads as they are so trying to figure out what they have just seen!

 

2:15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." 2:16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 2:17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 2:18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.

 

If it was the staff at the shelter, I can see them standing outside with the people who are staying the night – I think there was maybe 15 of them last night - listening to the angel, mesmerized by the heavenly host, and then walking down the street to see ‘this thing which has taken place’. I don’t think they would need to go far – maybe just the distance to MVB, Boomerangs or something like that. They would walk that distance together and I imagine all the sleepers and supervisors making as much noise as the shepherds and sheep. Can you imagine the excitement? The shepherds must be just buzzing retelling each other what they had just seen and joking about one another’s reaction – and then I imagine, as they get close to where the child is, they would all of a sudden become very sober in thought and deed. I imagine they would come into the place very humbly. And as they find the child and his parents, the shepherds themselves would become angels in the sense that they are messengers; they tell them and everyone else what the angels, the heavenly host, has told them.

 

Luke 2:20: “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.”

 

I am sure the shepherds must have told everyone they knew and, like pet owners talk to their pets, I am sure they even told the sheep who very probably took the trip to the manger with them in the middle of the night.

 

Can you imagine what it would be like for the shepherds? Every time they hear of another miracle he performs or a controversy he is in the middle of, they would tell their story about how they saw him when he was a baby and everything that happened that night. I imagine a lot of people probably became interested in Jesus or more interested in Jesus because of the testimony of these shepherds. I imagine that when they heard the news years later of his death and resurrection, if any of them were still alive, they would say, ‘huh… I guess that all makes sense now.’

 

We do know from the rest of the story that this baby is going to be killed and raised from the dead 30 or so years later. And we know that after he was raised from the dead he went away and that he is coming back and we know that when he comes back, all upon who his favour rests will be at peace. He is the Prince of Peace.

 

So then, on this Xmas Day 2000 years closer to the return of the Prince of Peace, I encourage you to be peaceful. Forgive those who harm you. Disarm your attackers with kindness. Turn the other cheek when people strike you rather than striking them back.

 

This world can be a very non-peaceful place. There are many wars right now – and now some of the countries we are attacking actually have the ability to strike back. There is much violence in this world and in this country, this province, and this town. Friends of our overdose and die violent deaths all too frequently. People were stabbed the other day. Maybe someone was beaten with a pipe. A kettle volunteer here was beaten and probably killed, not on shift, and unrelated to ringing the bells. Randy Brown, infamous in this town, may be dead or dying in Victoria from a brutal attack as I speak. There is much violence among our friends who we dine with everyday at the soup kitchen, who stay with us at our shelter, who we walk with everyday. There is so much! There is too much!

 

When God sent His Only Begotten Son so that whosoever may have eternal life, it was a violent world that the Prince of Peace was born into 2000 years ago. And he brought his message of peace to people working the night shift. The angel said, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.”

 

My hope today is for Peace - that when the world and our world and our lives and the lives of our friends, families, and co-workers are filled with strife – which they will be - that we will let the Glory of God’s peace shine through us. Even in the midst of all our struggles, may people see the Glory of God’s peace all around us. May we, like shepherds with their sheep point them to the Glory of God’s peace that (surpasses all understanding and) can get us all through all of life’s troubles. Today, as we celebrate the birth of Christ and the certainly of eternal life, May God’s Peace be with you.

 

Let us pray.

www.sheepspeak.com

 

Luke 1:39-56: Rejoice, Smoke Will Clear.

Presented TSA AV Ministries, 22 December 2024 Based on the Swift Current Corps, 21 Dec. 2014, which in turn was based on the 20 Dec. 2009 sermon by Captain Michael Ramsay.

  

21 Dec. 2014 homily available here: https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2014/12/luke-146-56-christmas-is-coming-2014.html

 

20 Dec. 2009 homily available here:  http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2009/12/luke-146-56-christmas-is-coming.html

 

 

Josie Osbourne, our MLA has just been appointed Minister of Heath. She helped out on the food truck and rang the kettle bells this week. She is a big supporter of the vulnerable through us here.

 

Wayne Cormier, a friend of mine, told me a story a few years ago about when he used to work for the Saskatchewan government. One time he found himself driving a cabinet minister around while his assistant was sitting in the back recording everything the minister said as per protocol back then in that situation. They were driving around sizing up the damage from forest fires that were raging in Saskatchewan. When, all of a sudden, their vision became impaired. It became more and more impaired. Wayne was chauffeur and he could barely see anything in front of him– it was smoke from the fire. The fire was so close you could almost feel it. The cabinet minister asked Wayne, ‘what do we do now’?

Wayne said, ‘Pray’. Wayne is a Christian and he has been for a long time. ‘Pray’, he says, ‘we can’t see anything, but we can’t stop driving or its game over; we can’t do anything else but drive and pray - so pray!’

The assistant with the tape recorder in the back begins to pray quite a bit when Wayne hears the cabinet minister start to pray. He prays, ‘God if you save us, I will go to church on Sunday.’ They sit tensely as Wayne drives slowly through the fire. They wait and they pray as they await their salvation from the fire.

When they get out of the fire and they start to relax a bit and get ready for their next tour, Wayne approaches the cabinet minister, and he asks him, ‘So you’re going to church on Sunday?”

“Oh, you heard that, did you?”

“Yes, and so will everyone; your assistant has it on tape”

“Oh, well maybe I should go to church then…”

 

Now Wayne doesn’t know whether he did go to church or not but while he was waiting for his salvation, in that moment he approached God, he encountered God, and we can only hope that once that waiting was over, he continued to wait on God.

 

This is the Advent season, and waiting is what Advent is all about. We are waiting for Christmas to come. Advent is when we remember the first coming of Christ as we are awaiting His second coming.

 

Who here like to wait? One of the keys to waiting is faith. Faith is a key element of Advent; so what is faith? There is the classic definition of faith, of course, from Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

 

Martin Luther says: “Faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God (John 1:13) … It changes our hearts, our spirits, our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly.”

 

The Greek word translated as ‘faith’ or ‘believe’ is pistis (noun) and this comes from pistevo (verb)[1] meaning ‘to have faith in, extend credit to; to commit, to adhere to, to trust in, to rely on.’

 

Faith isn’t just a vague belief in something. Faith is an action word. Faith and faithfulness are intertwined.[2] One cannot say they love God and not love their neighbour (Mt 25:31-46; Lk 10:27, 18:18-29). If you have faith in Christ, you will be faithful and even when we are unfaithful, Christ’s faithfulness makes our faith(fullness) possible (Ro 3:3,4). It is the faithfulness of Christ that leads to salvation. Faith is an action and the action of faith during Advent is waiting. Christmas is coming.

 

In our story today something very interesting is happening: Mary, an unwed teenager, finds out that she is pregnant and goes to her aunt’s or an older relations’ home; she goes to Elisabeth’s house (vv. 46-49):

And Mary said: My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— Holy is His name.

 

Mary speaks about how good the Lord has been to her. She talks about how greatly she has been blessed by the Lord. She speaks about how He has been mindful of someone such as her. Mary here is praising God.

 

Mary, the mother-to-be of Jesus, is a teenager in the occupied territory in Palestine. Mary isn’t married when she finds out she is going to be with child. Mary’s partner, her husband-to-be, had never been with her in that way.[3] Can you imagine? If you were her or her husband-to-be or if you were her parents, what would you think? … your teenage daughter comes home and tells you she is about to have a baby? In those days she could’ve received the death penalty for that.[5] Mary is vulnerable.

 

Mary, a few months from now in the timeline, right when she is ready to have this baby, Mary and Joseph load up a pack animal and walk all the way from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea to enrol in a census so they can pay their taxes. They walk or ride on the back of this animal for that whole distance while Mary is very, very pregnant (Lk 2:1-7). I don’t know how many women here when they were nine months pregnant would like to go from here to Victoria or Cobble Hill (about the same distance) - either by foot or on the back of a donkey.

 

Mary is a humble girl and  Mary, Luke 1:46-49, says, ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— Holy is His name.’” Mary - in this state - finds herself blessed.

 

I know that there are people who are going through some really difficult times. There are so many struggles and tragedies, but Christmas is still coming. I think of those close to my own heart and family in very difficult circumstances. Mary is in her circumstance with all that is involved, and Mary is praising God.

 

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent and Advent is a time of waiting for Christmas. As the metaphorical smoke from fires of troubles, depression, oppression, adversity, sin, circumstance, and more surround us so much so that we cannot see anything through the life around us, Christmas is still coming. The lead up to Christmas is often a very stressful time. Do we, when our life seems challenging, almost overwhelming, do we –like Mary – praise the Lord, considering ourselves blessed?

 

Mary continues her greeting to Elisabeth praising God. She says of God, Luke 1: 50-55:

His mercy extends to those who fear him,
      from generation to generation.
 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
      he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
      but has lifted up the humble.
 He has filled the hungry with good things
      but has sent the rich away empty.
 He has helped his servant Israel,
      remembering to be merciful
 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
      even as he said to our fathers."

 

Mary, in the midst of all that she is in the midst of, Mary speaks about God’s mercy to all who fear Him (Luke 1:50); she remembers that He performs mighty deeds (Luke 1:51). She praises God for His covenant to bless all the nations (Lk 1:55, Gen 12:3). Mary praises God, who faithfully fulfils His covenant with Abraham and his descendants even though they – even though we – were faithless over and over again (Ro 3:3,4). Mary’s life is not easy. And Christmas is coming. Her son will be born a long way from home and placed in a feeding trough. Her son will grow up and eventually suffer a state execution at the hands of her country’s occupiers at the urging or her own religious leaders – Christmas is coming.

 

Mary is singing her song of praise to God in this circumstance. There is another interesting part of Mary’s song of praise here that refers to the time when Jesus will return. We have spoken about Christmas and waiting for the birth of Jesus; we are also waiting for Jesus to come back. Mary says that at that time – when he returns - the rulers of this age will be brought down (Luke 1:52). There will be no more corrupt politicians. There will be no more scandals; there will be no more wars – and accompanying hypocrisy, like leaders saying we will abide by the International Criminal Court ruling against genocide all the while, allegedly, clandestinely, providing those accused of genocide with the weapons to commit genocide. There will be no more handing people over to be tortured - like we did for the Americans at Guantanamo and elsewhere. There will no longer be leaders who hate the poor or Presidents who bomb foreign countries, killing children and others at will. The rulers of our age – it says in verse 52 – the rulers of our age will be brought down from their thrones. Wicked Presidents, Prime Ministers, Chancellors, leaders will be replaced by the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and the Prince of Peace whose government will never stop ruling and being peaceful (Is 9:6-7).

 

We will no longer be subservient to brutal economic systems in which one man get rich as over 25 000 children die every day even though the Lord has provided more than enough resources for the whole world to be fed and clothed and otherwise taken care of many, many, many times over.[6] These systems of oppression will end.

 

Mary and the Bible say the rulers of this world will be brought low. We will no longer see a situation where people become millionaires for appearing on a screen or playing sports while others cannot afford to clothe themselves. In our world today rich people fly to space for recreation while poor people die from wars, homelessness and poverty. In the United States, pornography revenue is more than all money made from professional football, baseball and basketball combined. Child pornography alone generates billions of dollars annually:[7] all this while people cannot access clean and healthy drinking water (even here!) and thousands upon thousands of people are dying daily of malnutrition – or from us bombing them. The systems and rulers who oversee all of this will be brought down. This will come to an end.

 

The greatest in this world shall become the least and the least shall become the greatest. Jesus is the great equalizer. When he comes back those in power and luxury (which may be many of us here) will experience His justice and those who are hungry and humbled now will be lifted up and be fed.

 

Advent is about waiting, and this is what we are waiting for, and this is what we are praying for as we drive through the metaphorical smoke from the fires of our earthly leaders and their world and all of the trials and tribulations that accompany it. And as we are waiting, as we act in faith, doing our part like the sheep in Matthew’s parable of the sheep and the goats by giving the hungry something to eat, giving the thirsty something to drink, inviting in the stranger, clothing the naked, looking after the sick and visiting those in prison (Mt 25:31-40); we look forward to the day when Christ returns and all of the injustice is finally set right. Jesus’ Advent 2000 years ago was a foretaste of the justice and mercy that lies ahead when he returns. And as we show mercy to our neighbours, we show that we belong to His world that is to come rather than to this present evil age – and this is important because as sure as Christmas is coming, Christ is coming back – so as bad as things may seem as we are driving through the smoke of the fires of our troubles that make it so dark that maybe we cannot even see, we must remember that just as Jesus was dwelling in Mary’s womb and they were eagerly waiting for him to come; so too now the Holy Spirit is dwelling in us as we are eagerly waiting for Jesus to come again; the world is in its ninth month, the smoke is clearing, Jesus is coming and Jesus is coming soon and when He does, everything will be alright. I promise. Christmas is coming.

 

Let us pray.

 

www.sheepspeak.com

 

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[1] Cf. Strong's Greek Dictionary

[2] Cf. NT Wright and James Dunn. An Evening Conversation on Paul with James D.G. Dunn and N.T. Wright Available online at: http://www.thepaulpage.com/an-evening-conversation-on-paul-with-james-d-g-dunn-and-n-t-wright/

[3] Cf. Culpepper, 51. Lenski, 69, Ellis, 75.

[4] Now betrothal is not quite like engagements of today. In those days a man and his wife were committed to each other at the engagement ceremony. They did have a public ceremony with witnesses and the more. They did each gain a marital status, complete with rights and responsibilities and if Joseph had died after their engagement ceremony but prior to their marriage ceremony, Mary would still be considered a widow with all the responsibilities and rights (or lack thereof) of a widow. The betrothal was very different then anything we have today and even though Mary would be Joseph’s legal wife, after this engagement ceremony rather than going off to live with one’s husband, the wife usually returned to her father’s household for a period of up to a year. Cf. E. Earle Ellis, 71 and R. Alan Culpepper, 51. See also Captain Michael Ramsay, Luke 1:26-37: Do You Believe? Presented to the Nipawin Corps 14 December 2008. Available on-line at http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/12/luke-126-37-do-you-believe.html

[5] Cf. Captain Michael Ramsay, Matthew 1:18-25: Do you believe? Presented to each Nipawin and Tisdale Corps, 24 December 2007 and CFOT chapel in Winnipeg, December 2006. Available on-line at http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/12/matthew-118-25-do-you-believe.html

[6] Global Issues: Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All. Cited December 15, 2009. Available on-line: http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats

[7] Christian Technology Solutions, Pornography Industry Statistics. Cited 21 November, 2009. Available on line: http://christiantechnologysolutions.com/content/view/18/24/

 

Isaiah 40, Luke 3:1011: Today We are Afraid; Tomorrow, Peace, We Hope.

Presented to The Salvation Army: Alberni Valley Ministries, 05 Dec 2021, 10 Dec 2023, and 08 Dec 2024 by Major Michael Ramsay (and 614 Warehouse Mission in Toronto on 10 December 2017)

  

To see the 2023 version, click here: https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2023/12/isaiah-401-8-28-31-luke-31-6-straight.html

To see the 2021 version, click here: https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2021/12/luke-31-6-isaiah-401-8-straight-paths.html

To See the 2017 version, click here: https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2017/12/isaiah-401-8-sometimes-buildings-need_9.html

 

It is Christmas Season, there are so many great events going on. When we were stationed in Toronto, we participated in the Santa Shuffle, an annual fun race put on by The Salvation Army. When I lived in Vancouver, I faithfully ran every second day. I lived about 5km from my office – I used to run there and back. In Winnipeg I lived almost 10km from the College; a colleague and I ran there a few times. In Toronto I would run past our current DC’s (Lt.-Col. Jamie Braund’s) quarters regularly and here in Port Alberni I even ran a little bit. Running can be fun – but when you get out of the habit and have to start again, it can be a chore. And running here, sometimes those hills can feel like mountains and those valleys, ravines.  I can remember when I was first learning to run, being near the end of my run and my energy... rounding a corner and seeing... another hill to try to run up...I then understand Luke 3:4-6 and Isaiah 40:3b-5:

“...make straight in the desert

a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be raised up,

every mountain and hill made low;

the rough ground shall become level,

the rugged places a plain.

And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,

and all people will see it together.

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

 

This is a great verse to ponder when you are running up and down hills and around curves, looking towards a time when obstacles will disappear. This is part of the Good News of Luke 3 and Isaiah 40. This is the Good News that John the Baptist proclaims: when Jesus returns with His Kingdom, obstacles will be removed. As during Advent we commemorate waiting for Jesus’ birth, we also hope for His return so our mountains of trouble will be levelled, and our valleys of despair will be raised to abundance. The crookedness of our paths will be straightened. That is our hope.

 

Last week we lit the candle of hope. Today we lit the candle of peace. One of the key things about hope and peace in the context of Isaiah and Luke is that both are to and from God and an humbled people, a conquered people, an exiled people. There is no hope when you are on top of the world...only fear that you will fall – and where there is fear there is no peace.

 

Today, the world is full of fear.

 

When we lived in Swift Current Saskatchewan, I believe each Christmas we would raise more money per capita for The Salvation Army than any other place. (It is why I always try to raise $200 000 here – because I raised more than that there well over a decade ago.) At first this was a victory – and then it was almost a fear for me. What happens if we are not the best? What if someone beats us? What if I do not beat my previous record? What if I fail?

 

It was the same in university, I did achieve good grades and made the Dean’s list and graduated with distinction – but I did become distracted by getting good marks and once I became addicted to ‘A+’s, a ‘B’ was infuriating. There was no inherent joy in achievement anymore only a fear of failure – and fear can stomp out hope and it kills peace.

 

It was not always like that though in school: I remember a time when I would hope and pray and celebrate even a passing grade. I remember High School French. The only French words I remember from that year we’re ‘ne lancer pas la papier’ which means ‘don’t throw the paper’. Apparently the teacher didn’t like that we threw paper airplanes in class. Every time we made one, we could hear her say, ‘ne lancer pas la papier’.

 

I don’t think I was her favourite student. One day I was in the counselling alcove and I saw her and she asked me what I was doing. I told her I was switching out of her class in 3rd period... ‘That is a very good idea to switch out of my class’, she said. ‘...to your class in fourth period,’ I continued. She was not impressed.

 

Don’t we all have stories of a more carefree time? Look back on those times: these are usually times when you didn’t have a lot except the love of a few good friends and the hope that the future will be better. There is a lot of freedom in not having much. Is it Janet Joplin who sang that freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose?

 

Sometimes this is right. Sometimes I think we get to a place of fearing loss so much that we no longer have peace, we no longer have hope, and we no longer have love. Sometimes when we do have enough to get by, we don’t share what is ours for fear that we might not have something. This is reflected very much in tithing. When a person who has tithed or knows they should tithe, does not tithe... this is a sign that we are not doing well. This is a symptom that we are not free and at peace but instead bound up in fear or pride or something else that keeps us from tithing. I remember when we were Corps Officers in Tisdale, there was Ralph. He had a limited income. As a guessed example, he only made $52.30 a week and every week he tithed $5.23. This is an example of love. This is an example of our hope in the Lord. I think of him when sometimes I fear for my finances. I can choose peace and hope instead.

 

Fear can rob us of hope. Fear can rob us of love. Fear does rob us of peace.  Our candle today is peace and peace is the opposite of fear. Today the world is full of fear. Jesus is the Prince of Peace! And He is who we are waiting for in Advent.

 

In Advent we talk about the Good News of the Salvation of the world. Do you know where in the Bible this Good News shows up for the first time? Genesis 12:1-3: “All the nations of the earth will be blessed” and do you know what happens just before... Genesis 11: the tower of Babel. God told the people to move and fill the earth. The people said, ‘No. We are going to stay here, build a city and a tower, and make a name for ourselves instead.’ God levelled their tower, their city; their pride and their fear, in order to give them the hope of salvation.

 

Isaiah records how God’s temple was destroyed, the holy city Jerusalem, and the independent nations of Israel and Judah were destroyed and, through this, God provided them with hope. In Isaiah comes this hope of flattened mountains, raised valleys, straight paths and the true peace that can only come from trusting God.

 

There are many things in our world, our country, our province, our time, and our life that are coming crashing down all around us these days. We can still have peace even in the midst of it all. God loves us.  There have been quite some troubles in the world recently – wars, some of which we are actively provoking, promoting, pursuing, and engaging in – sending arms and (our allies) troops. There are other things happening right here – in our very neighbourhood. For those of us who are experiencing life tumbling down around us it can feel as if we are in exile in our own lives, for those of us who are fearing or grieving, for those of us who feel like all is lost, God is here. When the people were scattered from the ruins of Babel, God was there with Terah and his son, Abraham, offering salvation. When Israel was slave to Egypt, God was there with Moses offering salvation; when Judah was exiled from her city, her temple, and her life, God was there pointing her towards Salvation: Jesus’ Advent; Jesus, whose imminent return we eagerly await today, when he returns all the insurmountable mountains in our life will be levelled, all the impassable valleys raised, and all our crooked paths made straight – and right up until that time, right until the end of this age, He is here with us in the midst of it all.

 

It is Advent. Let us start and let us continue living our lives  in hope, in peace and in love. Let us all walk in God’s hope, God’s love and God’s peace, for we know He will see us through and we know He is with us even as we look forward to the day of Christ’s return when all those valleys will be raised, all those mountains will be levelled and all our paths will straightened for ever more.

 

Let us pray.