Sermon (Dec. 19/Advent) by Rev. Robert McDowell

    The Advent Season reminds me of how difficult it is for us to wait for Christmas Day to finally come. 

     I have a pastor friend who had her worst church fight and it was about when to sing and not sing Christmas carols in church. My friend was bound and determined to not allow any Christmas hymns to be sung until Christmas Eve. The congregation wanted to sing Christmas carols during each of those four Advent Sundays and she wouldn’t have it. 

     She tried her best to explain to her flock that Advent isn’t a time to celebrate Christmas but to prepare for the coming of Christ into the world. Some of her members sent letters of frustration and some placed little notes in the offering plate which can also serve as a suggestion box. Others would tell her that the Baptists down the street were allowed to sing “Joy to the World” so why can’t they?

     But she refused. Only Advent hymns until Christmas Eve. She wasn’t trying to be the Grinch. She was seeking to be faithful with the purpose that is behind these four weeks leading up to Christmas.

     If we think it’s not easy to wait four weeks for Christmas, just think about Mary, the mother of Jesus. She had to wait nine months once she was told by an angel that the she was with child by the Holy Spirit. Nine months. Just think how long that must have felt to her.

     Here was young Mary, only 12, 13, somewhere around there, and she was betrothed to Joseph. She didn’t even choose to mary him, since women were not given that choice. She was simply passed on from her father to her new husband. And yet through all of this trauma, the unexpected happens to her when an angel appeared to her and said, “The Lord is with you.”

     Luke tells us that when Mary heard those words, she was “perplexed” because she was a virgin. And this angel goes on to explain that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and she will give birth to a son and name him, Jesus and he will be called the Son of the Most High.

     Mary’s nine months of Advent really puts our Christmas preparations into perspective. What did Mary do for those nine months? Well, she did a lot of the things that we have been focusing on this Advent Season. She needed to wait as we are doing. She needed to be watching for God’s continued signs and leading which we are doing. And she was wanting all that was told her to come to pass which we too have been doing during this season. Waiting, Watching, and Wanting.

     Which brings us to our 4^th “W” word during this Advent Season and that is “Wondering.” Imagine just how much Mary must have been wondering about this news that the child within her would be the one who would bring salvation to the world.

     Even when Jesus is born, we are told in the Christmas story, that Mary pondered all of these things. Pondering and wondering are what we are invited to do as we await the gift of Christmas.

     We get the word “wonderful” from the word, “wonder.” And Mary was certainly filled with wonder during those nine months of waiting. 

     There is a positive dimension to wondering. Wondering is closely associated with dreaming and visioning about the preferred future God has in mind for us. When we forget to wonder about the future God has in mind for us, we can allow the cares and stress of our present reality to keep us from staying faithful during this time of waiting.

     Just think about the cares and stress that Mary was facing during those nine long months of waiting. Worried that Joseph might reject her at any point during her pregnancy. The possibility of being stoned to death for being an unwed mother during that time period. The accusations, gossip, and rumors that would have been circulating that Mary had been unfaithful to Joseph.  I can’t even begin to comprehend all that Mary had to face during that long period of time.

     It’s this 4^th Advent word of “Wondering” that was an important way for Mary to not allow the challenges that she was facing to rob her of the good news that the angel had announced to her. Mary is known for how she wondered and pondered about the gift of Christmas.

     What helps you to not only wait, watch, and want the gift of Christmas, but to also wonder about what this gift means to you? 

     I read about another young girl, a 9 year old, even younger than Mary from our Christmas story. This young girl’s name is Grace Callwood who lives in Bel Air, Maryland and attends the Bel Air United Methodist Church.

     On her 7^th birthday, Grace was diagnosed with lymphoma. She ended up being in the hospital and missing a lot of school to receive several cancer treatments. While she was a patient in the hospital, nine year old Grace started wondering how her faith could make a difference for other children who were going through difficult times.

     All of that wondering while she was in the hospital led her to start a movement called, Can-Serve, a positive phrase that plays off of the word “cancer.” She wanted other children to know that they can serve even when they are afraid and facing challenges in their life.

     Here is a four minute video that tells this remarkable story of 9 year old Grace, and how spending time wondering about her faith, led to a new ministry in helping other children.

     While she was in the hospital receiving treatments for cancer, nine year old Grace wondered how her faith could turn cancer into “Can Serve.” Her movement has helped other children her age to not feel as afraid when they are going through a difficult time in their lives.

     Young Mary also spent time during her anxious months wondering about the good news of Christmas that was shared with her. She knew that the gift of God’s Son would bring hope to the world.

      No wonder that when the angel announced to Mary that she was with child by the Holy Spirit, she exclaimed, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.”

     And the good news is that even as we await the joy of Christmas to come, we have this opportunity to join Mary in wondering about what a difference the good news of our faith can make in the lives of others. It can turn “Cancer” into “Can-Serve.” And as Mary says in the Magnificat, this good news can lift up the lowly and fill the hungry with good things.

     During this Season of Advent, may this time of Waiting, Watching, Wanting, and Wondering about the gift of Christmas make such a difference in our lives that it will lead us to share the good news of our faith with others.

Wondering aboutThe Gift

Sermon Discussion Questions

Luke 1:39-55

December 19, 2021

During this Advent Season, we have been focusing on four important words that begin with the letter, “W” to help us prepare for the coming of Christ into the world. These words are Waiting, Watching, and Wanting. Today we focus on the 4th word, “Wondering.” While our culture wants to celebrate Christmas early, Mary teaches us to prepare for Christmas by pondering and contemplating what the coming of Christ into the world will mean for us and the world.

What are some ways that we can give ourselves opportunities to dream about and ponder what the coming of Christ (both the celebration of his birth & the future 2nd coming) will mean for us and the world? Why do we sometimes neglect to give ourselves time to wonder and dream about what a positive difference God can make in our lives and in our world?

For nine long months, Mary most certainly spent time waiting, watching, wanting, and wondering about the birth of Christ and what this will mean for the world. During this time, she also faced many challenges such as worry that Joseph could reject her at any point during her pregnancy, the possibility of being stoned to death for being an unwed mother during that time period, the accusations, gossip, and rumors that she had been unfaithful to Joseph. 

Share a time when wondering and pondering about a better future helped you to overcome a stressful and challenging time in your life. How was God at work in that situation to guide you through that time?

Pastor Robert shared the story of Grace, a nine year old girl who was diagnosed with Lymphoma. While Grace was facing the challenge and fears of her illness, she gave herself time to wonder how God might use her to help other children her age who were facing similar fears. She started a ministry called “Can-Serve” a creative play off the word, “cancer.” This ministry has given hope to children her age. Watch the 4 minute video of her story which can be found above in the sermon or by watching our church’s online worship service.

Let’s join Mary and Grace in wondering and pondering how God is calling us to share the hope and good news of our faith with others. Share some other examples of people who despite their challenging circumstances have been able to be a blessing to others.

Share in this prayer from our Sunday worship service: 

O God, it is difficult to allow ourselves to wonder and marvel at what the gift of Christmas means to us. We long to nurture the joyous expectation that Mary and Elizabeth shared when they greeted each other, but we have grown accustomed with disappointment. We yearn to feel our hearts leap within us as your Spirit stirs in our slumbering souls, but we have allowed ourselves to find solace in lesser things. Fill us with your grace, that we may give birth to hope and joy, and that we may abide in your peace and love. Amen.