Anybody still reeling from tryptophan? Whew! I am still reveling in the joy of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is one of those no-pressure holidays. No expectations other than to eat! Unless you are the one bringing the dressing, made from the family recipe. No pressure.
Chopping, sauteing, stirring, but the hardest part of all was the seasoning. You see, my mother was not one for measuring. She seasoned everything according to taste. Well, that’s great if you’ve been making that same recipe for decades! But if not, well, let’s just say that some measurements sure would help. So, I added the sage, poultry seasoning, and of course salt and pepper, and a little bit of hope. I so wanted to do my mother proud.
Finally, it was time to go into the oven, but again, no instructions on how long to let it cook. After forty minutes, I checked it, still soupy. Ten minutes later, it was a little better, but not done. I hoped above all hope that the pan would be ready soon so that we could take it to my brother’s house for dinner. One hour and 15 minutes of hoping that it would get done and taste good! It turned out well. Hope did not disappoint.
Jesus’ birth is the story of hope. The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and gave her hope of birthing the Savior of the world. What joy she must’ve had as she felt the baby growing in her womb.
Joseph’s story was a little different. The genealogy of Jesus as documented in Matthew 1 gives the account of all of the fathers in Jesus’ lineage, starting with Abraham, who was the father of Isaac. But when Joseph is mentioned, it reads:
“… and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, who bore Jesus, who is called the Messiah.”
Matthew 1:16
Joseph is identified as the husband of Mary, the one who bore Jesus. But not as Jesus’ father as genealogy goes. Joseph was described as a righteous man. But this? Immaculate conceptions were not commonplace, then or now! Perhaps he saw his hopes and dreams being dashed. He and Mary were betrothed. But this? And you know the rumor mill got busy with whispers, mocking, and all out lies! Joseph hadn’t signed on for all of this, so he thought that the best thing to do would be to divorce Mary quietly to spare her any public disgrace. But God has a way of renewing our hope when we thought we had lost it:
But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:20
Joseph experienced a renewed hope and a mission. But the hope wasn’t for himself. No, his hope was in the coming of the Savior. The One who would bring hope for the world. Can you carry hope when it’s for someone else? Joseph knew this would not be his biological son, but his hope was in the Messianic prophecy:
“Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
Matthew 1:23
Hope in the Christ-Child, who was born in a manger. And hope in the Savior who is borne in our hearts. Emmanuel – God is with us!
Jesus’ birth is the story of unstoppable hope. The hopes and fears of all the years were met in that little town of Bethlehem. Hope that God showed when He first created the world. Hope that God spoke when He said, “Let there be light.” And hope that God promised, the hope of Israel and the hope of the world, born in a manger. Unstoppable hope.
We desperately need hope today. The economy continues to put a strain on finances and relationships continue to be estranged. Politics and ideologies continue to divide the country. We pray for those who are finding it hard to hold onto hope. But hope calls to us and reminds us that Jesus is still with us today. He is Emmanuel, God with us. The One who brings hope to the world because He is hope for the world!
This Sunday is the first Sunday of the Advent season. A time of hope. A time when we remember the birth of our Savior, even as we expectantly await His second coming. I invite you to join us for worship, as we begin the Advent Sermon Series: Unstoppable. This Sunday’s message: Unstoppable Hope.
Advent Bible Study will start on Wednesday, December 4 and end on December 18. We will do an Advent study from RightNow Media. It will be a hybrid study, which means that you can join us in-house or by Zoom. In-house will include a potluck dinner at 5:45pm, followed by the class from 6:30-7:30pm. The Zoom link will be on our website and in the e-newsletter.
Christmas Cantata This glorious musical celebration will take place on Sunday, December 8 during worship! Our wonderful choir, guest musicians, and the merriment of the Christmas message!
In Sympathy With heavy hearts, we acknowledge the passing of Rev. Dr. John Heyward, Jr. on Thanksgiving Day. Dr. Heyward was a former pastor of Union Memorial, a former District Superintendent, and a community activist. One of the giants of United Methodism. To God be the glory!
Vision for 2024:
A House United:
Strong Faith, Strong Families, Strong Future!
Blessings,
Pastor Linda
Yorumlar