#More Hope

In the rush of preparation for holiday celebration, we come to this place to be fed by God. We need the peace, hope, love and joy that this season represents. We need to listen again with wonder at the magnificent words of Mary as she proclaims her faithful participation in God’s most miraculous gift. Open our hearts this day, Lord, to receive the words and the blessings, to be fed and then to be those who will share with others as you have shared with us. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. AMEN.

MUSIC Hark The Herald Angels Sing

PASTORAL PRAYER Liturgist

How things will change on the day of the coming of the Lord! Every valley will be lifted up and all the mountains will be made into a plain. Equality will exist for all God’s people. O God, we long for that day of hope and peace. We strain our ears to hear the voice of one crying in the wilderness of our lives; the wilderness of despair and discouragement; the wilderness of anger and fear; the wilderness of alienation and selfishness. The voice cries to us to make ready the pathway for our God, to remove the obstacles which we have placed there; to respond with acts of compassion rather than react in violent ways. Lord, attune our ears to hear the voices of those who cry out in their need. Open our hearts to respond in caring ways. Teach us again the great truths about how we should live as your children. Forgive our failings and help us to try again and again to be the kind of faith-filled people you would have us be. As we cry to you, offering the names of loved ones who are sick, who mourn, who are lost, who live in anguish and in anger, keep us mindful of the ways in which we can be of help. Likewise, as we rejoice with all those who are happy, who dance with delight at the wondrous gifts you have given, remind us that joy and peace is what we all seek and what we can accomplish. In the name of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, we offer this prayer AMEN.

LORD’S PRAYER Liturgist

Scripture

Luke 1:5–25 NRSV

In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years. Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.” The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.” Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary. When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak. When his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said, “This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.”

Luke 1:57–80 NRSV

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him. 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.

MUSIC Breath of Heaven

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Rob

Introduction

Today we talk about the annunciation and birth of John the Baptist. On my first trip to Israel we visited the Church of St John the Baptist. It is in a modern area of Jerusalem outside the walled old city. It is a hilly area with many trees. It reminds me a bit of Vinings with a restaurants and bars with outside seating. This church was special. You go to so many churches when you are there that are supposedly built over spots where Biblical events occured. Many of them you wonder about. But this church was different. You could feel the spirt heavy in the air. You could see this in the people hanging out around the area below the sanctuary where it was supposed to be his place of birth. This was a special place and this is a special story Luke tells.

Background

Luke was a traveling companion of Pauls, he was a Greek physician possibly from Antioch. He wrote both Acts and the Gospel for a person named Theophilus or lover of God. This morning we all gather as lovers of God. All 4 gospels have John the Baptist in them as the voice crying in the wilderness. He was an Old Testament prophet. However, Luke is the only one that mentions John’s parents or the auspicious events of his birth.

Exegesis

Zechariah and Elizabeth John”s parents are righteous people. Both descended from Aaron’s lineage descendents of one of Aaron’s 24 sons. Priests were to marry women who were born into to this priestly caste as well. However, they were beyond having children, even though we are given the indication that they were still praying in hopes they would conceive a child.

Zechariah is selected by lot to light the incense on the altar in the temple. This is a great honor and not every priest got to do this. The people would wait outside and pray as the Priest went in to offer the incense. They wouldn’t be in long and would return to bless those that had gathered for the prayer time.

However, it is a good long while before Zechariah returns. While lighting the incense he is visited by Gabriel a high ranking angel of the Host. Gabriel was an archangel and had a special message directly from the Lord for Zechariah. Gabriel tells Zechariah that the Lord has heard and is answering his prayer! They will have a child! A very special child! He will be like the prophet of old Elijah and he will turn people back to God and prepare them for the arrival of the Messiah! He will be named John.

Zechariah goes from fear to boldness and doubts what he has been told because they are getting old. Gabriel says, Look buddy, I got this directly from God because I stand in God’s presence! Because of this doubt and insolence you will be mute until the child is born.

For Elizabeth this is great news! Barren women were usually shunned from the community because barrenness was seen as evidence of lost favor from God because of some kind of sin in the woman’s life! it was never the husbands fault! This just demonstrates the patriarchal, unjust culture of the day.

After Luke tells us about this he then changes scenes to Gabriel’s visit to Mary and Mary’s visit with Elizabeth. We will talk more about this next week.

After Mary goes back home top Nazareth John is born. Then Zechariah prophesies about John and the coming Messiah.

Application

What Zechariah’s prophecy celebrates in the inbreaking of God into our everyday mundane events. God interceded in the barrenness of an old couple praying for a child. This child is a gift in many ways, but most of all he is the one who heralds the coming of God’s incarnation.

Luke’s purpose in writing this gospel for Theophilus was

Luke 1:3–4 NRSV

I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.

This is here for us today as well for the same purpose. This gives us hope in knowing that God does intercede in the affairs of humans. This story proves to us and Theophilus that God is truly working a plan for the salvation of the whole creation. As Zechariah puts it:

Luke 1:68–69 NRSV

“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,

This is hope. We still live in this hope, that the Kingdom will come fully enacted when Jesus returns. We have hope in the resurrection that in between heaven coming to earth we will still be in the presence of God always, even when we transition into the life to come.

These would be very bleak days indeed if we did not have this hope. The hope of God bringing heaven to earth in the incarnation. A God that loves us so much that he is willing to be involved in the mundane aspects of life on this planet he created.

What is hope? Well I read somewhere that hope is not the same as optimism. No hope is the certainty that something makes sense, is worth the cost, regardless of how things might turn out. Hope is the sense of what might yet be. it strains ahead seeking a way behind and beyond every obstacle.

When I was 9 years old we moved to Dunwoody, GA. My sisters and their families continued to live in southwest Atlanta for a few years afterwards. I also looked forward to their visits on Sunday afternoons. I would jump on my bike and go ride to the coroner of Ashford Dunwoody and Valley View Road and wait for them. I actually enjoyed the anticipation and the when I saw them that was wonderful. But there were a few times when they had promised to come and they didn’t. That was a very disappointing day, but even then I had the hope that they would be coming again soon.

That is where the church finds itself today. We are sitting at the corner waiting on Jesus. He isn’t here yet but we have the hope that he is coming. As Zechariah said:

Luke 1:78–79 NRSV

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.”

Let us be the one making the paths straight. The ones brining the hope of God with us.

THE EUCHARIST

INVITATION AND CONFESSION Rob

Paul’s letter to the Hebrews includes a wonderful word: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” As we enter this season of Advent, it is right and good that we gather at the table of Jesus Christ, whose ministry was centered in showing hospitality–inviting us all, no matter whether we feel at home in our faith or at times feel like strangers, to know the grace of God that is already and always awaiting us if we will but open to it. Let us set aside any hesitation, any obstacle to the invitation. In this silence, we offer to God our confession of the ways we turn away from the fullness of love.

Silence

ABSOLUTION Liturgist

Know this: The things you have confessed before God, and even those things you have no words for at this moment, are all being lifted away on the wings of God’s love.

Be assured of your freedom as forgiven and beloved children of the Most Gracious God,

And all God’s people say, “Amen!”

GREAT THANKSGIVING

Liturgist: God be with you!

ALL: And also with you!

Liturgist: Lift up your hearts!

All: We lift them up to God!

Liturgist: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.

All: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Liturgist: In the beginning you set everything in motion, Creator of heaven and earth. With bold ingenuity you splashed the sky with light and stars, sun and moon; wind and clouds, rainbows and wing-ed ones. With a word you brought forth the waters, the waves, the mountains and valleys.And you called forth our lives from the dust and called it good.

And so we proclaim this ancient song with all of the saints and angels:

ALL: Holy, holy, holy God!

God of power!

God of might!

Heaven and earth are full of your glory!

Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed are you!

Liturgist: You sent your Son, Jesus–

your message-made-flesh to dwell among us:

Harbinger of Hope, Prince of Peace,

Cup of Joy, Bread of Love.

Through Jesus you gave birth to your church

and sealed a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

Rob: On the night in which he gave himself up for us,

he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread,

gave it to his disciples, and said:

“Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.

Do this in remembrance of me.”

When the supper was over, he took the cup,

gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:

“Drink from this, all of you;

this is my blood of the new covenant,

poured out for you and for many

for the forgiveness of sins.

Do this, as often as you drink it,

in remembrance of me.”

And so as we anticipate the birth of hope anew,

we proclaim the mystery of faith:

ALL: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

Rob: Touch us, O Spirit, with your transforming power.

Open us to your promise of resurrection from fear and death.

In partaking of these elements, make us a people ready as

your Body in and for an anxious world.

Let us become your messengers of hope in all that we say and do.

Make us one in this purpose, O God.

Rob: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine.

Make them to be for us the body and blood of Christ that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. By your Spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church,

All honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, Now and forever.

Rob: Sharing of the Elements

Let us in our many places receive the gift of God, the Bread of Heaven. We are one in Christ in the bread we share.

Let us in our many places receive the gift of God, the Cup of Blessing. We are One in Christ in the cup we share.

(drink from cup)

Liturgist: Prayer of Thanksgiving

Let us pray in thanksgiving for this meal of grace, rejoicing that, by the very method of our worship, we have embodied the truth that Christ’s love is not limited by buildings made with human hands, nor contained in human ceremonies, but blows as free as the Spirit in all places.

Spirit of Christ, you have blessed our tables and our lives. May the eating of this Bread give us courage to speak faith and act love, not only in church sanctuaries, but in your precious world, and may the drinking of this Cup renew our hope even in the midst of pandemic. Wrap your hopeful presence around all whose bodies, spirits and hearts need healing, and let us become your compassion and safe refuge. Amen

SENDING FORTH

MUSIC Away In A Manger

BENEDICTION Liturgist

God is bringing light to our darkness. We are called to go into the world, confident in God’s loving presence, to serve others in need. Go, bringing hope and peace to this darkened world. Go in God’s love. AMEN.

Go forth to serve, Loving Christ Loving People and Helping People Love Christ

Amen

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