Then Zechariah
was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
God came and set the people free.
God set the power of salvation in the centre of our lives,
And in the very house of David, God's servant,
Just as was promised long ago,
Through the preaching of the holy prophets:
Deliverance from our enemies and every hateful hand;
Mercy to our forebears,
As God remembers to do what God said God would do,
What God swore to our parents Abraham and Sarah -
A clean rescue from the enemy camp,
So we can worship God without a care in the world,
Made holy before God, as long as we live.
And you, my child, "prophet of the Most High"
Will go ahead of the master, to prepare his ways,
Present the offer of salvation to the people,
The forgiveness of their sins.
Through the heartfelt mercies of our God,
God's Sunrise will break in upon us,
Shining on those in the darkness,
Those sitting I the shadow of death,
Then showing us the way, one foot at a time,
Down the path of peace.
Introduction
This is a strange time of the year.
For many of us there is a sense of excitement in the air as we prepare to celebrate Christmas with our family and friends. There is something wonderful about choosing presents for those we love, something magical at seeing children's faces in the shops anticipating the joy of Christmas day. The carols we hear in the shops and on the streets warm our hearts. We think back to Christmases past and fondly remember good times.
But for many others of us, however, there is a sense of dread in the air as we grit our teeth to celebrate Christmas away from those we love most, with people who don't fully know or understand us and with whom we don't like spending much time. There is something depressing about buying presents for people we don't want to and a deep sense of foreboding about the next credit card bill, or the realisation that the nice early pay packet before Christmas won't last until the end of January. If we live on benefits then Christmas can be a very difficult time as we can't afford to do what everyone else seems to be doing. The Christmas music we hear blasted at us annoys and irritates and we certainly don't join in when they sing "Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day"! We think back to Christmases past and shudder as we realise that it is probably going to be as bad this year as last.
As I said this is a strange time of the year.
It is a shame really that the secular world has taken over Christmas, as the message of Christmas is fundamentally one of hope. And it is a message we are called - whether or not we like this time of year - to spread.
Meeting Zechariah Again
A few weeks ago we met Zechariah and we read and heard that his lack of faith meant he was made mute for the term of his wife's pregnancy. Zechariah obviously learnt much during those long nine months as eight days after his son, John, was born, he started to speak again. After John was circumcised, according to the Law of Moses, John sang in praise of God, and his song was the song we heard in our reading and which we sing now in a more modern form:
Blest
Be The God Of Israel
©The Benedictus set by James Quinn S.J.
Tune: Any Common Metre tune, but particularly good to 'Land of Rest' - available
in some Free Church hymn books (e.g. Hymns and Psalms - Methodist Church), and
from MCCM
1: Blest be the God of Israel,
The ever-living Lord,
Who comes in power to save His own,
The people Israel.2: Through holy prophets God did speak
A word from days of old,
That He would save us from our foes,
And all who bear us ill.3: God swore to set the people free,
From fear of every foe,
That we might serve him all our days
In goodness, love and peace.4: O tiny child, your name shall be,
The prophet of the Lord;
The way for God you shall prepare
To make his coming known.5: You shall proclaim to Israel,
Salvation's dawning day,
When God shall wipe away our sins
In great redeeming love.6: Our footsteps God shall safely guide,
To go the ways of peace.
God's name forevermore be blest
Who lives and loves and saves.
The song of Zechariah, proud father to his newborn son is relevant to us too. John was told he was to be a herald for God, who would, in the words of our reading:
Go ahead of the master, to prepare his ways,
Present the offer of salvation to the people,
The forgiveness of their sins.
This is our task too. We are to go ahead of Jesus, to prepare his ways, to present the offer of salvation to our people, to present hope to a world which is without hope. We are called to do this - especially and even at Christmas.
Hope
Our people are aching for Jesus. They are aching for hope. Instead of finding meaning and hope in a bottle, or in a relationship, or in a one night stand, or in the body beautiful or in a drug, they need to find their meaning and purpose in Jesus. The bottle will dry up, a relationship is likely to fail if it is not built on firm foundations, one night stands leave you feeling empty and cheap, bodies change and decay, and drugs kill. Instead our people need to find their hope in Jesus - the one person who will never harm them, run out on them, or abuse them.
And our people need to hear this message of hope from us. We are called to go ahead of Jesus and, like John the Baptist, prepare the way for Jesus to change the lives of those we see in bars and clubs, on the streets of our city, in the coffee shops and even those struggling with the weight of all that Christmas shopping from King Street and the Trafford Centre.
Who Me?
You say, "It's impossible." I am afraid to talk to people, I don't know how to talk to my non-Christian friends about religious things. We don't need, however, to be "religious" we need to show that our lives are better because we have Jesus within us, ruling us, and guiding us. God says: "All things are possible". And it is possible for us to share our faith with those we know.
You say, "I'm too tired. I have a busy job, and a hectic home life, I never know what I am doing from one day to the next." But God says: "I will give you rest". If we take time to rest, to nurture our bodies as well as our jobs, if we take time to pray, to revive our spirits, we will find we have energy.
Our Message
And what do we say to our friends who are bowed down with the problems of the world. What do we say to those who are dying and don't know it. Well, it depends on their particular need.
Many believe "Nobody really loves me." MCC started because a young man said to Troy Perry that no one loved him and Troy assured him of God's love. In a culture where we are valued for what we earn, what we look like, and what we do, it is easy to believe that no one loves us. But God says: "I love you". So we need to tell our friends that God loves them. God loves them so much that God became human knows what human life is like, all its stresses and strains, all its joys and ecstatic moments too. This is, after all, the point of Christmas.
Some of our friends are on the edge of despair and saying "I can't go on." We need to help them realise that with God's grace, or loving kindness, they can. They can find meaning, strength, rest and love. Although it may mean making some changes in a life which is meaningless.
Uh oh!
And this is where we really start to feel afraid, as we are asked to take a risk and tell others of our most cherished, and private beliefs. There is something about British people in that we think it is bad manners to "wear our religion" on our sleeves. But that is one cultural barrier we have to overcome.
Of course we may say, "I'm afraid." People may laugh at us, or despise us, or think we are freaks, or not like us any more. But God says: "I have not given you a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." And as we take risks, we prepare the way for Jesus to change lives.
We may say, "I'm not smart enough." This isn't my job, this is Andy's. I haven’t got a qualification in theology, I don't know all the answers. God says: "I give you wisdom." And I say that I haven't got all the answers either!
And when we start to share our message of hope we may say, "I feel all alone." But God says: "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
Conclusion
This Christmas, and every day, we are called to be the heralds of Jesus. We are called to prepare his way, so that he can change lives. Of course whether we obey that call or not is up to us, but the consequences are represented by the empty chairs around us.
Amen.
You may find it helpful to follow through, and complete these notes as the sermon is preached.
Introduction
Christmas is fast approaching and is a mixed time. Some people love it, others loathe it. Despite what we feel about Christmas, however, it is clear that the message of Christmas is fundamentally one of ______. And this is a message we are all called to spread.
Meeting Zechariah Again
We met Zechariah a couple of weeks ago. We heard that his lack of faith meant he was made mute for the term of his wife's pregnancy. Zechariah learned much during those months as after his son, John, was circumcised and he was able to speak again, he sang in praise of God. The song says that John is to be a ________- for God who would prepare the ways of the master and present the offer of salvation to the people. This task of proclamation is ours too.
Hope
Our people are aching for Jesus and aching for hope. Instead of finding meaning and hope in a ________ or in a __________ or in a one night _______ or in the body ________ or in a _____ they need to find their meaning and purpose in ______. The bottle will dry up, a relationships is likely to fail if not built on firm foundations, one night stands leave you feeling empty and cheap, bodies change and decay and drugs can kill. Jesus is the one person who will never harm us, run out on us, or abuse us.
And we are called to be the heralds of Jesus to our people.
Who Me?
Sometimes we think we can't do this as we don't know how to talk about religious things. Sometimes we feel we are too tired or too busy. However, this is a command of Jesus and we need to find the time and nurture ourselves so we are not too busy, and not too tired.
Our Message
The first part of our message is that we are loved. God loved us enough to be born for us and to die for us. We need to show that our gospel is about helping people realise God's grace, or loving kindness, is a source of meaning, strength and love.
Uh Oh!
Of course doing this means overcoming our own inhibitions, so that those we know and love can experience the same healing and liberating power of Jesus that we have, ourselves felt. This Christmas, and every day, we are called to be the heralds of Jesus. We are called to prepare His way, so that He can change lives. Of course whether we obey that call or not is up to us, but the consequences are represented by the empty chairs around us.
Monday 16th December - Feelings About Christmas
Scripture Reading:
The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God to come from day one. Everything was created through him; nothing - not one thing! - came into being without him. What came into existence was Life, and the life was Light to live by. The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness, the darkness couldn't put it out……..The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory….generous inside and out, true from start to finish. From St John 1
Thought for the Day:
Christmas is a difficult time of year for many people. Sometimes we are away from the people we love, sometimes the people we spend the holidays with don't really know or understand us. Sometimes we do not have the money that everyone else seems to have and sometimes we end up feeling very alone. On the other hand Christmas is a magical time of the year as many people meet up with those they care about, exchange gifts as tokens of love and feel part of a greater whole.
However, we feel about Christmas, it is important to remember what the festival is about - the entry of God into our world. The One who slung stars into place and who danced at creation's dawn, becomes a little baby, needy and naked, wrapped in a woman's blood and born into poverty and exile. The One whom angels and archangels worship, is born in squalor in an obscure town, to a defeated people. This child turns the tables on the rich and powerful and raises up the poor and lowly. This baby is the one who turns our lives around, who sets us free from our addictions to all the things that would harm us. This baby sleeping in the manger is the one who sets us free and makes us whole. Regardless of the way we feel about the festival to mark his birth, we should spend some time thanking God for the mysterious gift of the Son, Jesus.
Action:
Scripture Reading:
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; God came and set the people free. God set the power of salvation in the centre of our lives, and in the very house of David, God's servant, just as was promised long ago, through the preaching of the holy prophets: deliverance from our enemies and every hateful hand; mercy to our forebears, as God remembers to do what God said God would do, what God swore to our parents Abraham and Sarah - a clean rescue from the enemy camp, so we can worship God without a care in the world, made holy before God, as long as we live. And you, my child, "prophet of the Most High" will go ahead of the master, to prepare his ways, present the offer of salvation to the people, the forgiveness of their sins. Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, God's sunrise will break in upon us, shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death, then showing us the way, one foot at a time, down the path of peace.
Thought for the Day:
Zechariah has pondered his experiences when Gabriel told him his wife was to bear a son and now he knows that God is doing something wonderful in his own time. Zechariah knows that God sets the people free, gives the power of salvation to us, remembers promises made long ago, is merciful and rescues us from the enemy, so that we can worship in peace. Zechariah has much to be thankful for, but his thanks seem misplaced when you consider that as Zechariah prayed this prayer, the Romans still ran Israel, the leaders of the people collaborated with the Romans and the people didn't seem very free. Zechariah praised God for what he believed God was doing and, in faith, believed that all this would come to pass.
Sometimes we find it difficult to believe what God has done for us. Sometimes we doubt whether God really is an obnoxious old man instead of a force of loving kindness. Sometimes we are still busy looking at what is negative in our lives, that we forget to thank God for the promises of freedom and salvation that are ours. Praise and gratitude is an act of our will. If we wait until we "feel" like giving God thanks for what God has done for us, we never will. Instead, we find that by thanking God for forgiving us, for raising us up, and for filling us with good things we find that our mood changes as we praise God.
Action
Wednesday 18th December - Look Around You
Scripture Reading:
God's angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open our eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thought look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of God's divine being……..What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn’t treat God like God, refusing to worship, they trivialised them selves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. From Romans chapter 1
Thought for the Day
At the church I attended as a teenager, one of our favourite songs began with the words "Look around you, can you see? People grieving…" It has always reminded me to look carefully at the world in which we live.
Many of the people around us are trying desperately to find happiness. Sadly, they look in all the wrong places - and often we are tempted to join them! Sometimes they look for happiness in a bottle, sometimes they think happiness will be found by working out for hours and hours in a gym. Other folks think that happiness will be found through casual sex, and others still through a relationship. Some think that happiness will be found in a tablet or syringe.
Jesus calls us to find happiness in serving Him in this world and being happy with Him forever in the next. How each of us serve Jesus will differ from person to person, depending on the different gifts and skills we each have. Some may serve Jesus as a doctor, others as a teacher, some others as a volunteer, others still working in a shop. As we use our gifts and skills, as we receive inspiration and strength from Jesus we find that we are happy and fulfilled. We stop looking for happiness in all the wrong places and find that we lay firm foundations for a life which is, literally, out of this world! Our By Laws say that we are "saved" from "loneliness, degradation and despair" Having been set free from these things, we need to help our friends and loved ones find happiness in more productive places.
Action
Scripture Reading:
Dear friends, let me be completely frank with you. Our ancestor David is dead and buried - his tomb is in plain sight today. But being also a prophet and knowing that God had solemnly sworn that a descendant of his would rule his kingdom, seeing far ahead, he talked of the resurrection of the Messiah - "no trip to Hades, ho stench of death". This Jesus, God raised up. And everyone of us here is a witness to it. Then, raised to the heights at the hand of God and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Maker, he poured out the Spirit he had just received. This is what you see and hear. From Acts 2
Thought for the Day:
In polite society there are three things we are not supposed to talk about: God, sex and money. Yet these are, perhaps, the three things we should talk about most. Somehow it is not British to talk too much about God. It is ok for others to know we are going to church - so long as they are not threatened by that.
We may be embarrassed to talk about our faith as we often see faith as being a private thing. Yet we are called by Jesus to tell others of how our lives have been changed by Him. But sometimes we find it hard to think and talk about the great changes that have gone on in our lives. When I was a young man I had a profound experience one day of knowing that God had forgiven my sins. I had, many times, before asked for forgiveness, but this one day I had got something very big (I have no idea now what it was!) off my chest and, as I heard the words of absolution prayed over me, I just knew Jesus had forgiven me. I felt like I was walking on air. My guilt went as quickly as the morning dew does in the summer. There are many other changes that Jesus has caused in my life. I have hope that I will live beyond the grave, being happy with God forever. I realise that my life has meaning and purpose and that there is a reason to life. This news, these realisations are too important to keep to myself.
Action
Friday 20th December - Our Message
Scripture Reading:
For God so loved the world that the one and only Son was given, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. St John 3: 16
Thought for the Day
Yesterday we started to think about what a difference Jesus has made to our lives. We continue this today as we think about the message, the good news, that we have to share with those around us.
The fundamental good news that we share is that God came to earth to be one of us. A few years ago there was a song which asked "what if God was one of us, a slob like one of us?" Well the truth is that God did become one of us. Not only did God come to earth, but God became human, in the person of Jesus so that He would know and feel what human life is like. He lived with poor people, welcomed the outcast, gave the rich and powerful a hard time, and called us to live according to God's law - loving others and loving ourselves. His message of inclusion and love was too radical and so the leaders of the people took the One in whose name the Universe was made, nailed him to a tree and killed him. Yet Jesus cheated death and allows us to live beyond the grave - if we just believe and trust in him. This is our faith, this is what gives our lives meaning.
Action
Saturday 21st December - Rising Up on Eagles' Wings
Scripture Reading:
Even youths grow tired and weary, and the young stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40: 30-32
Thought for the Day
This is one of my favourite passages from scripture. I am always inspired by this vision of strength and being lifted up by God. It may come from my reading Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books when I was a child when the hero is rescued by an eagle who flew him to safety. The Christian life is a journey on which we are constantly changed and renewed. Sometimes this process of change and renewal is difficult, painful and makes us weary. In times like this, and just before Christmas when I always feel very weary, I like to remind myself of this passage.
A couple of months ago I preached in our congregation in Bournemouth and they sang this passage in a wonderful new song which we have now introduced into MCC Manchester:
Lord I come to You, let my heart be changed, renewed.
Flowing from the grace that I found in You;
and Lord, I’ve come to know the weaknesses I see in me
will be stripped away by the power of Your love.Hold me close, let Your love surround me.
Bring me near, draw me to Your side.
And as I wait, I’ll rise up like an eagle,
and I will soar with You, Your Spirit leads me on in the power of Your love.Lord, unveil my eyes, let me see You face to face.
The knowledge of Your love, as you live in me;
and Lord, renew my mind, as your will unfolds in my life
in living every day by the power of Your love.
Action
This sermon was first preached in the Metropolitan Community Church of Manchester. Click here for further information.