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“WITH GRATITUDE FOR & HOPE IN THE CHRIST CHILD” (11/28/10)

SCRIPTURES: Romans 15: 1-7, 13 & Luke 1: 26-38
KEY CONCEPTS: As we continue to embody gratitude, we direct our thanks toward the
anticipation of the Christ Child during this Advent season.
OPENING COMMENTS:
In the midst of this past week of Thanksgiving, I was shocked to learn of a military
confrontation on the Korean peninsula on Tuesday. Although I haven’t lived in Seoul, S.
Korea since 1994, I still consider it “my 2nd home country”. So, I continue to ask you to join
me in prayer for the safety (& wisdom) for all Koreans.
The news story out of South Korea reminded me of all the people, places & experiences I
had during my 2 years there. And concern for my friends’ safety and the well being of an
entire country reconnected me to today’s reading from Romans.
KOREA ILLUSTRATION:
It was December 1992. It was my first Christmas away from family, loved ones & partners. I
had been in Korea 4 months & although the “new of being in another country” had not worn
off – I was a bit concerned about how I’d manage being so far away from home – on my own.
I remember some of the sweet ways that God made God’s self known to me during the
month leading up to Christmas:

• Glenn Creech bringing me a “small artificial tree” plus lights & ornaments
• Korean students planning a party & bringing all the supplies & food
• Korean students painting plastic red applies for me to use as ornaments
• Going Christmas caroling & having Korean & English speakers singing in Spanish
(Feliz Navidad) – it was one of the funniest things we did that year! 
• Having 2-3 invitations for Christmas Day with “family of choice”
• Romans 15:13. And before we look at that verse in Romans, chapter 15…
WILL YOU PRAY WITH ME? PRAYER:
EPISTLE READING – ROMANS 15: 1-7, 13:
Whenever someone asks me to recount my favorite Christmas memory of experiencing
God, I turn immediately to the Christmas of 1992, in Korea. And the 13th verse of Romans,
chapter 15 embodies what I felt as I sacrificially lived in another country in order to model
what being a follower of Christ meant. Verse 13 is like a prayer to me. I pray that…
• The God of hope will fill you with all joy & peace
• You may abound (flourish) in hope
• You may have hope through the power of the Holy Spirit
This verse concludes a longer writing about how the Jewish & Gentile Christians needed to
get along in the midst of their theological diversity, in the midst of “being right religiously” & in
the midst of still learning how to follow Christ.
In the Bible that I used the entire time I was in Korea, I wrote a note in the margins about how
– since living in Korea for 4 months – I had truly experienced what it felt like to experience
verse 13. I realized that by obeying God & going to Korea for 2 years that I had taken the
next spiritual step in my journey toward maturing as a follower of Christ. Are we all stagnant
spiritually because we refuse to “say yes to God’s challenge to take the next step?”
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Do we dare agree to say “yes” to God’s call for each of us during this Advent season?
And what if Mary had said “no” when the angel Gabriel paid her a visit?
GOSPEL READING – LUKE 1: 26-38:
Today’s reading is the annunciation (announcement) of Jesus’ birth. According to the story,
Gabriel appeared to tell Mary that she was chosen by God to become the mother of Jesus.
The name “Jesus” is the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Joshua” which mean “God has
saved.”
One key phrase that has made its way into our weekly worship service is found in verse 28.
“The Lord is with you.” Maybe you recognize this phrase as the first line in our “passing of
the peace”. (“The Lord is with you.” “And also with you.”). THEN again, we use this
phrase in our communion liturgy: “God is with you.” (“And also with you”.)
GENERAL APPLICATION:
Now certainly Mary needed a kind introduction since an angel was appearing to her! And
sometimes in worship (& in our daily life) it’s nice (& necessary) to be verbally reminded that
God is indeed with us! How would our lives change if we truly believed that “God is with us?”
God the Creator knew that human beings needed a tangible sign of God’s love for us all.
Therefore, God decided it would be wise (& necessary) to come to earth as a child – to allow
God’s self to be “in our midst” – which was the reason for Gabriel’s visit to Mary; which is why
we celebrate Advent & why followers of Christ turn toward the Christmas event – to mark the
arrival of the Christ Child – Emmanuel – “God with us” in our midst. It is one of the most
hope – filled realities in all of Christendom! And it is why we, here at Our Hope MCC, will
endeavor to experience the Christ Child in the coming 4 weeks of Advent!

INTRODUCTION OF ADVENT: (Online Reading)

By way of introduction, Advent is the beginning of the Church Year for most churches in the
Western tradition. It begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas Day, which is the Sunday
nearest November 30, & ends on Christmas Eve (Dec 24). In the 4 weeks of Advent the 3rd
Sunday came to be a time of rejoicing that the fasting was almost over (in some traditions it is
called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word for "rejoice"). The shift from the purple of the
Season to pink or rose for the 3rd Sunday Advent candles reflected this lessening emphasis
on penitence as attention turned more to celebration of the season.

Meaning: The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival." The focus of the entire season is
the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his 1st Advent & the anticipation of the return
of Christ the King in his 2nd Advent. Thus, Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,000
year old event in history. It is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ
whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God. That is a process in which we now
participate & the consummation of which we anticipate.

In this double focus on past and future, Advent also symbolizes the spiritual journey of
individuals & a congregation, as they affirm that Christ has come, that He is present in the
world today & that He will come again in power. That acknowledgment provides a basis for
Kingdom ethics, for holy living arising from a profound sense that we live "between the times"
& are called to be faithful stewards of what is entrusted to us as God’s people. So, as the
church celebrates God’s in breaking into history in the Incarnation & anticipates a future
consummation to that history for which "all creation is groaning awaiting its redemption," it
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also confesses its own responsibility as a people commissioned to "love the Lord your God
with all your heart" & to "love your neighbor as yourself."

Spirit of: Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of

longing. There is a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world, first expressed by
Israelite slaves in Egypt as they cried out from their bitter oppression. It is the cry of those
who have experienced the tyranny of injustice in a world under the curse of sin & yet who
have hope of deliverance by a God who has heard the cries of oppressed slaves & brought
deliverance!

It is that hope, however faint at times & that God, however distant God sometimes seems,
which brings to the world the anticipation of a Leader who will rule with truth, justice &
righteousness over the people & in creation. It is that hope that once anticipated & now
anticipates anew, the reign of an Anointed One, a Messiah, who will bring peace, justice &
righteousness to the world. (From: http://www.crivoice.org/cyadvent.html)

CLOSING THOUGHTS:
So, here we all are! Maybe we’re still cleaning up from Thanksgiving & for sure we might be
eating leftovers from this past week’s festivities. The worldly & commercialized view of
Christmas has already arrived. What will you do for the next month?

Today is the first day of Advent. For the next 27 days, we have a chance to carve out time &
space to make room of the Christ Child.

How will you plan to mark your gratitude for & hope in the Christ Child? Will you
carve out a time of rest, reflection & renewing with yourself, God & friends to insure
that you experience the presence of the Christ Child? How might this Child manifest
himself in your heart & life?

And if you’re going to give gifts – what gift shall you offer the Christ Child – whom we
all say “Is the reason for this season?” This year at Our Hope MCC, we will have a
number of ways to “give our gifts to Christ”.

• Christmas Eve offering will go to Heifer International

• Administrative Council invites each of us to give an “extra financial love offering to
Christ this Advent season” – as a way to help us finish well in 2010
• Adopt a family: Community Connection 211/ Project Safe – all area groups
• Adopt a Senior Citizen: Grandview Nursing Home (Angie Ragland, Joan Bloom)
• “Make a Change”: Bring in your loose change to help OHMCC help people
• Write a letter to the Christ Child – to leave at the manger on Christmas Eve