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“Love” Fourth Sunday of Advent Sherry Lohman - Dec. 20, 2009 Mt. 1:18-21, 24-25 Today’s scripture reminds us of the messiness of life. A young couple, engaged to be married. Surely they had plans for their future; spoken or dreamed, and it didn’t include a child out of wedlock. Life can be messy, even for someone as righteous as Joseph. And so he thought, long and hard, about his options; how he would take the necessary steps to care for Mary---well, not really care for her, as he had planned, initially, with her as his wife. Instead, he would let her go quietly, without notice. This would be best for him, and a kindness, to Mary. Or would it? Imagine how the question must have haunted him. He had stewed about what they should do….what he should do. He had asked the questions, still not believing his poor luck. “Why me? Why is this happening? “ One day, everything was fine; their prospects for the future looked promising. But the next, everything changed very quickly. Joseph no longer felt like he had any control over the situation; he could scarcely grasp what was happening, himself. He had doubts about Mary; doubts about himself. And flat out fear. He resolved to get some sleep….something he had not done since he learned of Mary’s pregnancy. He would rest, and in the morning, he would speak to her/dismiss her. “Dismiss.” The word almost sounds polite, doesn’t it? Like a teacher to her students at the end of the day, “You may be dismissed.”/ It wouldn’t be easy, but it was probably for the best./ With that resolved, Joseph closes his eyes to rest; virtually to shut out the problems of the day. You’ve probably had days like that. When life seems like it’s getting out of control, or you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop. Maybe this most recent mess causes you to doubt yourself, or those closest to you. Perhaps, like Joseph, you’ve gone round and round in your mind about your options and still don’t see any clear answers. Life is messy. But you reason with your heart and mind, and finally, you make what you believe is the best decision for everyone concerned. And then you let go of it. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if what happened, next, to Joseph, has happened to you, too./ Well, maybe an angel of the Lord hasn’t appeared to you in a dream, but I don’t doubt that you’ve gone to bed with a decision made, and by the time you woke up the next morning, you have had a change of heart. This, I believe, is God’s nudging you to choose another way, and if you’re stubborn, it could be the reason why you can’t sleep, in the first place! God’s speaking to you. You can appreciate God’s first words to Joseph….and again, I believe they echo the first words God speaks to us before God directs us in a new way….listen, the words are, “do not be afraid.” These are important words. Hear them. “Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife…..don’t be afraid to take on this child.” You see, the words, “don’t be afraid,” precede the next action—the next risk. “Don’t be afraid---“ These are powerful words that lead us into mission. These are words of comfort and yes, even words of guidance. WE need to remember those words, because God is calling us, too, every day, into some messy issues. Loving others is messy. Life is messy; risky. Love calls upon courage. Where love is concerned, don’t be afraid. It may not look good, but don’t be afraid. It may not be what you had in mind, but don’t be afraid. It may, in fact, appear ridiculous—don’t be afraid. Before God calls us into mission, God reassures us. It’s not unique to Joseph. Remember Mary’s story. Most certainly, she was initially met with some surprise, not to mention, FEAR, when she discovered she was pregnant. God’s instruction came to her, as well. (Luke 1:30) “Do not be afraid, Mary.” Then came the mission that would call upon every ounce of Mary’s courage …. “…you will conceive and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus….” The shepherds in the region, stood watching their sheep when suddenly, they saw a great light. (Luke 2:9) They were terrified, but in their terror, they heard those same words: “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people.” Their mission--- make a fast retreat to Bethlehem, and then bear witness to what you have heard and seen. Upon hearing of the birth of Jesus, wise men from the east sought him out. Wisdom and a bright star guided them to the manger, where the presence of God brought them to their knees, and they laid down all of their earthly possessions, knowing full well, it wasn’t enough. What do you give to a king? Later that night, they, too, heard some challenging words (Mt. 2:12). Maybe they weren’t so afraid, but by morning, their minds had been changed, too, and they knew they would need to find new ways of serving with wisdom; new paths to an already familiar home. The truth is, the entire history of our faith is a story about God’s calling us out of complex, sometimes difficult and fearful situations, beginning with the exodus out of Egypt, and the story doesn’t stop there. God calls us, too, out of Egypt or whatever place or situation that has power over you. God wants to emancipate you; free you to live and love as God loves. At first glance, God’s task may appear frightening. God’s request may take us out of our comfort zone, challenging us to do something we may have never done before. // But the call doesn’t come without the assurance. “Don’t be afraid.” In other words, God’s call is a call for us to LOVE more. That’s what God’s call is all about —new ways of stretching us to our potential in love. Ways that may call upon our courage and trust in love. Ways that may perplex and confuse you. But first—FIRST---God calls us to rest, unafraid, in His love. (Do I hear an “Amen!”) God calls us to rest, unafraid, in God’s love. Can we comprehend the full meaning of this?! That means that, in every interaction, good or bad, we can set aside our fear and mistrust, call upon God and simply rest in God’s assurance and love. You know what we’re doing? We’re clearing the clutter, the doubt, the fear, the anxiety, and we’re replacing it with hope, peace, joy and love. This is a great reminder for us, as a church, as we discern God’s mission for us. How can God use us, with fearless hearts; hearts filled with love, to serve God and others. How can we love more? What can God do with folks freed to love fully? “Don’t be afraid….Dennis, Beth, Sue, Lydia, Rodger, Twyla, Jean, Mary Ann, Nathan……pray it for yourself…and pray it for our world. Will you pray with me. Loving and gracious God, we forget---we forget how great your love is. We forget that we don’t need to be afraid; that you are with us, always. Remind us, not just for ourselves, but so that we may love you, and love others, without fear. Continue to help us to keep the clutter out of our hearts; the doubts and debates we rehearse in our heads. Keep our hearts open and beating to the rhythm of your abundant love, and our eyes on Jesus, who shows us the way. We give you our thanks and praise. Amen. |