Return to the Homepage Home
 Worship Schedules, Education, Fellowship, Outreach Worship & Service
 Sermon Archive Sermons
 A copy of the Sunday Prayers of Intercession Prayers
 Pastor Lynne's monthly newsletter Pastor's Page
 Articles and tidbits from the monthly newsletter Newsletter
 This month's events as well as the monthly calendar Current Events
 Read the Sunday School News Letter! Sunday School News
 Events for grades 7 to 12 Youth
 Other websites of interest Links
  
 Login to Administer this site Admin Login

St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church
2903 McPhillips Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba
CANADA R2P 0H3
http://www.stlukeszion.ca

Phone: (204) 339-0412
Fax: (204) 339-0412
E-mail: stlukeszionchurch@gmail.com
site design by clayton rumley

 

Fourth Sunday of Advent
Sunday, December 21st, 2008

click here for past entries

Loving God, you call us, not only to be your children, but to be full participants in your kingdom. Teach us to trust your Holy Spirit, and renew our hearts and minds, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

It seems to me, these days, that there are many people who simply prefer to be spectators. Many view worship as a “spectator sport,” and would prefer not to have to “do” anything – like stand or kneel or sing or share the peace or come to the altar. Others have the same approach to life, preferring to stand (or sit) on the sidelines and watch – never becoming too involved in anything. It is an attitude that seems to emerge naturally for people who have grown up mesmerized by the television. Yet, when it comes to the coming of Christ, the call comes to us loud and clear for full participation in his coming.

When we think about Jesus’ first coming, which will be remembered and celebrated this week, we are reminded of how Mary was quite definitely “all in.” While she may have been a spectator in the sense of watching what God was going to do and how, Mary’s whole life changed as a result of her willingness to be God’s servant. She risked ridicule, shunning, and even death. She opened herself up for future sorrow, as she watched her first-born son being crucified. She later became an honoured mother and a leader in the early church. Mary’s life would have been totally different and far less meaningful if she had chosen to remain a spectator.

Mary was most certainly a full participant in the coming of Christ. Her body and her womb would carry the Son of God. As his mother, she would teach him, care for him, feed him and clothe him. Just as for any mother, Mary would have a full-time job raising her son for years to come. As participants in the coming of Christ, none of us will be asked to do nearly as much! However, we are still asked to be full participants.

One of the things about this season of Advent is that there is always this double (or even triple) meaning when we speak of the coming of Christ. Of course this is the season leading up to Christmas, and so we remember the promises and the waiting and the longing that preceded the birth of Christ. At the same time, we are reminded of Jesus’ promise to come again, and we look toward the second coming of Christ. Meanwhile – and perhaps this is the third meaning – we speak about Christ coming into our hearts and our preparations to receive him.

In thinking about how we might participate in the coming of Christ, I took a look at the Scripture passages that speak about the time when Christ will come again. Our preparations for Christ’s coming are to include the following: First, we are to proclaim the good news throughout the world so that all people might repent and turn to God (Mt. 24:14; 2 Pet. 3:9). Second, we are to lead lives that are holy and godly (2 Pet. 3:11-12). Strangely enough, this is pretty much exactly what we sang today in verse 4 of “Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah.” We sang, “He is coming, tell the glad tidings. Let your lights be shining!”

So – proclaiming the good news – telling the glad tidings – how do we do that, seeing as not everybody has been given the gifts to be an evangelist? There are at least two things that we are called to do in this respect. First of all, we are called to support those who are called to be missionaries and evangelists all over the world and here in Winnipeg. Our support can be financial, or prayers, or both. Secondly, we are called to be ready to share our faith with others. This means knowing what we believe and why. This means knowing God’s story revealed in the Scriptures. This means living out our faith in Jesus Christ so that we are able to speak from experience.

Now, keep in mind that I am not talking about standing on street corners or speaking to large crowds or leading a television crusade. Rather, I’m talking about simple conversations with people that we know. When there is an opening, or questions being asked, take advantage of it, and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and help. Do not push your faith on people who are not interested. Don’t spend your time arguing who’s right and who’s wrong. Rather, be prepared to listen to the beliefs of others and to share your own faith. This is proclaiming the good news.

At the same time, this is letting your light shine. Some of the Sunday school students made little posters downstairs that say “actions speak louder than words.” Letting your light shine involves both actions and words, and those actions and words need to match. If somebody talks about love and forgiveness through Jesus and yet treats others with spite and malice, their words will not be taken very seriously. Likewise, if people talk about how important their faith is to them, but regularly make choices that put other things ahead of their faith, it becomes obvious that their words are empty.

I mentioned earlier that leading lives that are holy and godly is part of preparing for the coming of Christ. For one thing, living as a child of God through Jesus Christ keeps us prepared at all times to meet him. At the same time, living in the love of Christ and doing what is right is a big part of our witness to others. Actions do speak louder than words!

To back up a little bit for just a moment, these things that we have been thinking about as preparing for the coming of Christ can only take place after Jesus has already come into our hearts. We spoke about Mary as a full participant in Christ’s first coming – carrying the infant Jesus within her. While we are not asked to give birth to Jesus, we are asked to carry Christ within us. We are asked to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit, and to allow Jesus to reign in our hearts and in our minds.

As we do so, we become what Martin Luther referred to as “little Christs” – serving as the hands and feet of Christ in our world and acting out of his love. In fact, perhaps this is the most important way in which we participate in Christ’s coming. When we feed the hungry and bring healing and reconciliation, we are acting as Christ for others. When we spend time with the lonely or help those who are weak or show love to those who feel forgotten, we are acting as Christ for others. When we tell of God’s love or help people to turn away from sin or welcome the outcasts, we are acting as Christ for others. For some people, Christ will come to them through us.

Today, we are called to be full participants in the coming of Christ. We are called to open our hearts and minds to Jesus and to allow him to direct our minds and our hearts. We are called to serve as Christ for others. We are called to share the good news and to live as God’s children. We are called to do these things, and the Holy Spirit enables us to do it.

Many of us will still feel inadequate, for we are, after all, human. However, God has promised both the Holy Spirit to those who ask (Lk. 11:13) and that Jesus will be with us always (Mt. 28:20). Today we have been reminded that God’s promises are to be trusted. For – after all – “nothing will be impossible with God” (Lk. 1:37). Amen.

Advent 4(B)      Luke 1:26-38
December 21, 2008
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison

© 2008 Lynne Hutchison  All Rights Reserved


Previous Sermons
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
January 2003
March 0201