Sermon (Dec. 24/Christmas Eve) “Light the Christ Candle!” by Rev. Robert McDowell

Christmas Eve Sermon

December 24, 2023

Rev. Robert McDowell

     According to an NBC news affiliate which aired a few years ago leading up to the Christmas season, well over half of us prefer an artificial Christian tree instead of a real one. According to this report, only 18% of us are old school when it comes to our Christmas trees.

     My brother happens to part of that 18% and he proudly reminds me of this every single Christmas. He knows that Penny and I sold out a long time ago when it comes to buying real Christmas trees. We think we have a very beautiful Christmas tree, but all he can see are the metal tubes and the fake pine needles.

     I must admit that I’m envious every time I see his 12-foot-tall authentic Christmas tree that has been freshly cut down and always includes the delightful smell of pine throughout his house. That’s something you just don’t get with an artificial tree that gets stored in a box year-round.

     In one of the churches I pastored, the young adult Sunday School class invited me to a Christmas decorating party that was held in their classroom where they met at the church. When I arrived, they had punch and cookies and after about ten minutes, somebody said, “Let’s start decorating.” 

     I watched as a couple of the class members walked to a nearby storage closet and carried out an artificial Christmas tree that still had the lights and the decorations on it from the previous year. 

     They stood up the tree in the corner of their classroom, plugged in the lights, and someone yelled out, “That should take care of it! Help yourself to some more punch and cookies.” 

     The decorating took a total of 3 minutes! I guess there is something to be said for real Christmas trees.

     Whether you have a real Christmas tree or an artificial one isn’t really the point. The real question is if our faith is real or not.  

     The Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke is all about keeping it real. The gospel writer reminds us that God risked everything by sending us Jesus. 

     The one who would be given the title the King of Kings was first born in the shadow of the mighty Roman Emperor Augustus who claimed this title for himself. 

     The one who would go on to heal the sick, calm the storm, and feed the multitude would first be placed in a feeding trough upon his birth.  

     And the one who would face rejection and betrayal, would be turned away at his birth because there was no room in the inn.

     Yes, the Christmas story itself is a story that helps us to keep it real. It doesn’t get any more real than this. Real people. Real animals. Real fear. Real risk.

     Over the past several Sundays here in church, we have been lighting the Advent Candles. Traditionally, these candles stand for hope, love, joy, and peace. When we shine these lights, it helps us to keep Christmas real. 

     During the first Sunday of Advent, we looked at how we can keep Christmas real by lighting the candle of hope. George Iles once said, “Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark.” I love that thought. “Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark.” We light the candle of hope.

    On the 2^nd Sunday of Advent, we lit the candle of love. It’s when we share the love of Jesus that we experience the deepest kind of love there is. This love is an unconditional love that accepts us for who we are and loves us just the way we are.

     Morrie Schwartz once said, “The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love and let it come in.” We light the candle of love.

     On the third Sunday of Advent which was last Sunday, we lit the candle of joy. The church refers to this Sunday of Advent as Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is a Latin word that means “Rejoice.”

      That’s why one of the candles around the Advent wreath is pink and not purple like all the others. Purple reminds us to patiently wait for the coming of Christmas, but the color pink reminds us that we can experience joy along the journey.

     Helen Keller once said, “Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow.” If you want to keep Christmas real, just look around at how God is at work in your life and the situations that come your way.

     These God moments will lead you to a Gaudete moment of rejoicing even during the more challenging times. We light the candle of joy.

     And today on this 4^th Sunday of Advent, we lit the candle of peace. When we put our focus on Christ, rather than only on the sentimental surface meaning of Christmas, we experience a deeper sense of God’s peace in our lives. 

     Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.” One of the ways we can keep it real this Christmas is by seeking peace rather than division. 

     We will discover that it’s when we are actively seeking peace, that we will experience a peace that passes all understanding. We light the candle of peace.

     If you are looking to keep Christmas real this year, just remember to always light the candles of Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. These four Advent Candles remind us of how we can keep it real this Christmas and beyond.

     I was on the phone with my insurance company a couple days before Christmas one year. As the person on the other end of the line was pulling up my policy, she noticed that I was a minister. 

     So, she said, “So Rob, are you ready for your Christmas Eve services? I mean, this is a really busy time of year for you.”

     Now, this happens occasionally when someone calls me Rob or Bob even though I go by Robert. I didn’t think too much of it. And so, I told her that I was close to being ready. And she said, “Well, that’s great, Rob.”

     Since her computer was slow in pulling up my information, she asked me another question just to pass the time. “So, I imagine it would be really hard to preach on Christmas Eve? Don’t you ever run out of something new to say?”

     Now, up until that very moment, I had been feeling pretty good about my Christmas Eve sermon. All of the sudden, I wasn’t so sure anymore. 

     This insurance person on the other end of the line was reminding me that it really is a challenge to think of something new to say about something we have already heard many, many times.

     So, I said to her, “Yeah, it’s a challenge, but I think I’m ready again this year.” She said, “Well, that’s good to hear, Rob.”

     As I think back to that conversation, she’s totally right. Never mind that she didn’t call me by my real name during that long and drawn-out conversation, but she was so right when she said to me, “So, it must be really hard to preach on Christmas Eve. Don’t you ever run out of something new to say?”

     And the truth is, we preachers are uneasy about Christmas Eve. What can we possibly say that is new and insightful and memorable? What can I possibly say to all of you even though you have probably already heard your share of Christmas Eve sermons?

     And then it dawned on me. I actually do have a fresh message to share with you today even though you have probably heard the story of Christmas a zillion times. 

     Here’s my super insightful and genius thought to leave with you today. Are you ready for this? This is going to totally blow you away. Here’s my genius thought for you to remember, fresh from the Holy Spirit.

     Are you ready for this? Are you sure? 

     Ok, here is my super insightful thought fresh from the Holy Spirit. This Christmas, keep it real.

     That’s it.

Sermon (Dec. 17/Advent) “Light the Candle of Joy!” by Rev. Robert McDowell

3rd Sunday of Advent Sermon

“Light the Candle of Joy!”

Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC

December 17, 2023

     Today is “pink candle” Sunday. That’s actually my personal title for this Sunday. The technical name for this Sunday is Gaudete which is a Latin word that means, “rejoice.” 

     Notice that the pink candle stands out from the other candles in the Advent wreath. Many people ask why we use a pink candle on this Sunday of the Advent season. And no, it’s not because we always forget to order enough purple candles.

     The purple advent candles around the Advent Wreath remind us to patiently wait for Christmas by repenting of our sins and reflecting on what it means to be God’s people. The pink candle for this third Sunday of Advent is a bright color and it reminds us to rejoice even though we are still waiting for Christmas to come.  

     When the Prophet Isaiah offered a word of joy to the people of Judah hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, he was offering them a Gaudete moment. He knew that they were at a very low point along their journey as God’s people. They had been forced from their homes and were living in a foreign land. There was no joy to be found. 

     Have you noticed that the nightly news on the major networks seem to always end their broadcast with a “feel good” story for the remaining five minutes? 

     The first twenty-five minutes of the program tell us about everything that is wrong in the world that day, but it’s those last couple of minutes that remind us that there was actually some good happening somewhere in the world. Even the Nightly News knows the importance of having a Gaudete moment during their broadcast.

     In our Old Testament reading for this Pink Candle Sunday, the Prophet Isaiah reminds us that not all is lost as we travel this long path of Advent. There is joy-filled news along the journey! And the good news is that God hasn’t forgotten us. 

     God will restore Judah. The desert wilderness that produces only enough grass to support a few sheep will burst into bloom. People who are discouraged because they are in exile will be delivered. Those who are in despair will have their hope restored. 

     And all of these wonderful things will cause people to rejoice and praise God. The final verse of our scripture passage uses words like “everlasting joy,” “joy,” and “gladness.”

     Even though Isaiah was referring to the future, his words were also meant to help the people experience joy in their present moment. Like the people of Judah, we too are called to be filled with joy in knowing that God’s promises will soon be fulfilled. Sometimes we only focus on the bad news even though God is offering words of great joy to us in the present moment. 

    Today is a day to remember that we can have that joy, too. We can have joy to help us through our toughest days. I’m sure that there are some of us here today who need this pink candle Sunday!

     When John the Baptist was in prison, he sent word to the disciples to ask Jesus if he truly was the promised Messiah or if they should be looking for someone else. You can appreciate why John the Baptist was having these doubts. 

     He didn’t expect to be in prison but there he was. It was a very tough time for him. He must have been very discouraged, kind of like the people of Judah when they were in exile hundreds of years before him.

     When we’re experiencing those tough days, I think we ask that same question as well. “Are you really the one, Jesus? I’ve tried to follow you and I’ve tried to do what you’ve wanted me to do, but things aren’t looking very promising right now, and I just need to know. Are you really the one? Give me some kind of sign!”

     If you’ve experienced any kind of discouragement in life, this question is understandable. 

     John the Baptist was in need of some reassurance from Jesus. Are you really the one, Jesus?

     But notice how Jesus responds to John’s question. We would expect Jesus to answer with yes or no, but Jesus gives a much more convincing answer than a simple yes or no. 

     Jesus says, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.”

     The disciples and John had seen Jesus do all of these wonderful things, or at least they had heard about Jesus doing these things. 

     All of these signs of God’s kingdom breaking into our space and time were confirmation that Jesus really is the true Messiah. Bible scholar, Tom Wright refers to these unexplainable moments as signposts that point us to God. 

     This Sunday of Joy before Christmas Day Joy is a day for us to be open to those signposts and know that there is a God who is working for good in the world. Sometimes, God calls us to be like Isaiah or like the disciples in helping people to see those signposts along life’s journey.

     Several years ago, I attended a leadership conference in Kansas City. A woman who appeared to be in her late 20s was in the seat next to me. She told me that she worked for H&R Block in Connecticut and flew to Kansas City for a tax seminar. Out of curiosity, she asked me why I had been in Kansas City.

     So, I told her about the leadership conference I attended. I told her some of the ways that the host church has been making a difference in the city. 

     One of the ministries I shared with her was how this church in Kansas City partners with one of the elementary schools in the inner city and provides mattresses for families who can’t afford beds for their children. 

     This young woman looked at me in disbelief and said, “You’re telling me that the people of this church are buying beds for these families?” 

     And I said, “Yeah, that’s right.”  And I told her how the school’s test scores have significantly increased because this church has been reaching out to the families of these children through these ministries like providing mattresses.

     After sharing a couple of more examples of what this church was doing to make a difference in their community, her reply was, “Really? This church is doing all of those good things? I didn’t know churches did things like that.”

     I then asked her if she attended any church back home in Connecticut. She said that she gave up on church a long time ago because she didn’t get anything out of it, and she didn’t think churches were really doing anything like I had been sharing with her. 

     She said her most recent church experience was about a year before our conversation when her little niece had become ill and died and she attended the funeral.

     She said that the death of her niece was the most difficult thing she had ever faced and how it left her with a heavy heart. But then something very mysterious happened soon after the funeral. 

     She said that a day or two after that funeral, as she was thinking about her niece and if there was a heaven or not, a great big bright and vivid rainbow appeared in the sky. It was in that moment that she felt that maybe there is a God.

     Well, good thing she sat next to a preacher because I took it from there.  I said, ‘That is what we would call a God moment and I believe that there’s a God who sent Jesus to comfort us especially when we have heavy hearts. And God also wants us to make a difference in the world.” 

     I gave her a book about the life of Jesus that I received at the leadership conference and encouraged her to find an active church that would help her to continue to grow in her faith.

     Sometimes, all we need is a signpost or two that point us to God’s love and how God is transforming our community and world through ordinary people like you and me. 

    Sometimes, all we need is a bright, vivid rainbow to appear at just the right moment.

    Sometimes, all we need is to unknowingly sit next to a preacher on a plane who will simply listen to you share about how much you miss your niece who died so young. 

    Sometimes, during our long journey all we need to do is catch our breath and remind ourselves of the joy that God is offering to us in that very moment. 

     It’s a joy that gets us through the tough times in life. It’s a joy that will lead the shepherds to stumble upon the good news of Christ’s birth and lead them to return to their fields rejoicing and praising God. 

     Happy pink candle Sunday! And even on this 3^rd Sunday of Advent, which is still a week away from Christmas, we are invited to receive the gift of joy!

Pastoral Prayer (Dec. 17/Advent) Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC

December 17/Advent, 2023

Sunday Pastoral Prayer

On this day that we light the candle of joy, we thank you, O God for the music of this Advent season that points us to the coming of Christ into the world. 

 

Thank you for musicians, choirs, our soloists who join the angels from the realms of glory in calling upon us to come and worship Christ, the newborn king. Thank you for Christmas carolers, for Advent hymns, for the ringing of Christmas bells, and for the shepherds at the manger who returned to their fields rejoicing and praising you for the good news of Christ’s birth. 

 

O God, thank you for the Advent candle of joy that shines brightly just when we need it the most. May your Advent joy shine brightly upon each one of us as we continue to prepare our hearts for the wonder of Christ’s birth. May this candle shine brightly upon those facing medical challenges and in need of healing, those who who have heavy hearts, especially during this time of year when so many memories of loved ones flood our souls.

 

Whenever we are feeling tired, worried, anxious, broken, or afraid, remind us of these candles around our Advent Wreath; the candle of hope for better days, the candle of love for loving us unconditionally, and the candle of joy that leads us to sing and rejoice because you are our Emmanuel, our God who is always with us. 

 

We pray this in the name of the One who is to come, who will come, and who promises to come again, Christ Jesus, our Lord who taught us to pray together… 

 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Sermon (Dec. 10/Advent) “Light the Candle of Love!” by Rev. Robert McDowell (Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC)

2nd Sunday of Advent Sermon

“Light the Candle of Love!”

December 10, 2023

    One of my favorite ice cream shops uses the phrase, “Got to Have It” when you want their largest ice cream cone size.  The name for a medium size cone is “Love It.” And the small size is, “Like It.”

     Christmas is definitely a “Gotta Have It” type of holiday. The Christmas story reminds us of a God who was willing to go to all of the trouble and risk of sending his only Son into the world to be our Savior.

     And if we really want to appreciate the true meaning of the Christmas story, we also need to keep in mind the bigger story of what God did for us by sending his only Son. 

     Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus offers us four eternal gifts that the Season of Advent invites us to receive. Jesus offers us hope, love, joy, and peace. God went to great lengths to offer us these eternal gifts.

     This 2^nd Sunday of Advent is about lighting the Advent Candle of love. During this holy season, it’s important for us to pause and consider the costly love that God poured out for us by sending us Jesus. 

     In our Gospel reading for today, Joseph is visited by an angel who explains to him that he is to name Mary’s son, “Jesus” for he will save his people from their sins. This costly love led Jesus to go so far as to die on a cross so that we might have the hope, love, joy, and peace that God intends for us to have.

     God’s love is a “Got to Have It” kind of love. It’s a love that accepts us just as we are. It’s a love that assures us that death is not the end. It’s a love that reminds us that with God, new life can begin. 

     It’s a love that reassures us and comforts us, especially during the dark times of life.  It’s a love that reminds us that we are never alone for God is our Emmanuel, our God who is always with us.

     Christmas is about love. The word that the bible uses to describe God’s love is the Greek word, “agape.” Agape love is an unconditional love. It’s a love that is offered with no strings attached. It’s a love that is offered to us regardless of who we are or what we have done.

     When we receive the love of Christmas, we can’t help but to want to share this love with the people around us. This love is so wonderful that we just can’t keep it to ourselves.

     A while back, I had a really bad dream. It was a strange dream. I was driving my car late at night through a narrow dirt road in a very remote area. I was scared, because for some reason, I couldn’t get my headlights to turn on. 

     I was beginning to panic because I was afraid that I was going off the side of the road and would crash. All of the sudden, I woke up, noticed that my heart was racing, but so thankful that it was only a dream.

     I was reminded of this dream this past week, because I’ve been thinking about how important it is for us to have the light that we need to help us see our way forward during those dark times that we face in life.  

     The candles around the Advent Wreath might not seem like they give off that much light during this daylight hour, but just think how dark this sanctuary can be at 2 or 3 in the morning. That’s when we would really notice how much light these candles of hope, love, joy, and peace can provide. 

     I think that this is a great image for us to always keep in mind. The image of these candles always shining upon our darkness is why this Season of Advent, and the Advent Wreath is so important. 

     Recently, Penny and I were shopping in a specialty store that had a lot of holiday items for sale like Advent Calendars. But these Advent calendars had nothing to do with lighting the candles of hope, love, joy, and peace and preparing for the birth of Jesus who is the light of the world.

     Instead, these calendars were actually kits that contained different small gifts for each day of the month of December like a jar of jelly, a small bottle of wine or you might get a special kind of hot tea or some fancy Christmas cookies.

     I started complaining to Penny about it. “This isn’t really an Advent calendar. It’s just a way for people to get some early Christmas presents. They don’t even know the difference between Advent and Christmas or the meaning of the Advent Season.”

     I said, “I guess it’s not enough that we have already been commercializing Christmas. Now we’re using the word, ‘Advent’ as another marketing tool for people to sound religious.” I am not fun to shop with!

     On and on I went in my little rant as Penny patiently listened. And then I interrupted myself and asked her, even though I already knew the answer, “Am I overthinking this?” And without any hesitation, she said, “Uh, yeah!”

     I think I’m over it. But just one last thing. Those gifts can be fun but please don’t call them Advent Calendars. There, I’m done. 

     The reason that I feel called by God to be the Advent police is because, we all are in need of these weeks of Advent where we light the candles of hope, love, joy and peace. 

     And when we shine even a little bit of God’s hope, peace, joy, and love, it can make a huge difference in our homes, in our community, not to mention in our own lives. 

     In our Romans scripture this morning, the Apostle Paul explains that he has been called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel, the good news of God, concerning his Son, Jesus. Paul was willing to share this good news because it was too good to keep to himself. God’s love becomes even more meaningful to us when we share it with others.

     In a world that would have us believe that the true meaning of this season is “What’s in it for me?” our scripture readings remind us that the true gift of Christmas is when we share the gift of God’s Son with others. 

     This is what brings us the most joy and happiness.  A “Gotta Have It” kind of Christmas love is a love that is always meant to be shared with others.

     Every year, pastors meet with the District Superintendent to go over our annual evaluation. In one of the districts I was serving, I was meeting with my District Superintendent and in the course of my evaluation she said to me, “I don’t think you know this because you were away on vacation, but my husband and I visited your church for worship not too long ago.”

     Now, when pastors hear that, we panic and we just hope and pray that it was one of our better Sundays. And then she told me which Sunday it was.

      Of all the luck, she came during one of our lowest attendance Sundays because it was in the middle of the summer and then there were a lot of people who were on vacation including myself and only one person from our music team was there. 

     The air conditioner had broken down earlier that week, so it was uncomfortably hot in the church that day. It was also a Sunday where a couple of people became ill during the worship services that Sunday which brought in the emergency squads. 

     And so, I said to my District Superintendent with a bit of a shaky voice, “Oh, you came on that Sunday.” I braced myself for what she was going to say next.

     And here is what she said about her experience in my church that Sunday morning. She said, “Since I’m still new to the district, we weren’t really that familiar with the church but when we got to the door, someone was there to greet us and welcome us with a smile. The person introduced himself to us and asked if we were new to the church. When we said that we were visiting, he invited us to pick up a gift at the information desk in the entry way and said that they would be able to answer any questions about our church.”

     “When the person fainted during the service, one of your members immediately jumped out of the pew to be of assistance and helped care for this situation in a loving way. And during this whole time, the person you had leading the service, was calm and invited the congregation to be in prayer for this person. It was all handled very well. I just want you to know that we were really impressed with your congregation.”

     I silently said a quick little prayer in that moment, “Thank you, Jesus.” Thank you, Jesus for churches who are more than ready to shine the love of Jesus especially when people are facing times of darkness. 

     Christmas is a “Gotta Have It” kind of love. It’s a love that led God to send us his only Son to free us from our sins and offer us the wonderful light of hope, love, joy, and peace.

     These gifts are so much more valuable than a jar of jelly, or some fancy hot tea, or even a small bottle of wine. These are gifts that are eternal, cannot be extinguished, and are available to each one of us in any given moment even as we await Christmas Day. 

     Our Advent Candle today, that 2^nd candle around the Advent wreath is inviting us to light the candle of God’s love and shine it brightly for all to see.

Sunday (Dec. 10/Advent) Pastoral Prayer (Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC)

December 10, 2023

Pastoral Prayer

Loving God, thank you for this 2^nd Sunday of Advent to help us prepare for when love came down at Christmas. You not only offer us the light of hope around the Advent Wreath, but you also offer us the light of your love.

 

This morning, we lift up to you those on our prayer list as well as other joys and concerns that are on our hearts and our minds this day. We pray that the light of your love would shine brightly, especially for those who are facing uncertain times, in need of healing, feeling discouraged, and scarred by the pain and brokenness of this world. Remind them that you came down for them at Christmas. And you came down for us. 

 

Whenever we lose our way and feel like we can’t see our way forward, shine your light of love on our path. Just as love came down at Christmas, may your love shine through each of our hearts in all that we say, think and do. 

 

Your light of love shines brightly through the beautiful decorations of our Christmas tree; through the light of our first two Advent Candles; through our time of worship here in this sanctuary, and through the baptisms of the Wilson and Loveless children this morning. O God, as our prayer hymn says so beautifully, your love is all lovely and love divine. 

 

In a world of so much fear, anxiety, and strife, shine your light of love through us so that all people will be drawn to the manger of Bethlehem where love was born. 

 

We pray this in the name of the One who came down at Christmas, and who now teaches us to pray together…

 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Sermon (December 3/Advent) “Light the Candle of Hope!” By Rev. Robert McDowell

1st Sunday of Advent Sermon

“Light the Candle of Hope!”

December 3, 2023

     Preachers are sometimes asked to perform weddings in the most unusual of places. One year, I was asked to perform an outdoor wedding on a golf course. The ceremony was held just off the right side of the tee box of the tenth hole.

     Knowing that a wicked slice was a real possibility, I warned the bridal party that they were in the line of fire.  I told them that if they heard someone yell, “fore,” during the ceremony, they should immediately take cover. We even practiced this during the rehearsal. Thankfully, there were no shanks off the tee box during the service.

     My wedding sermon that day was based on a golf theme, as you might expect. It wasn’t the best sermon I’ve preached but I would say it was at least par for the course.

    The tenth hole where the wedding took place is known as the beginning of the back nine. It’s the halfway point in a round of golf. 

     If you have a lousy score on the first nine holes, the back nine is where you can experience redemption. The tenth hole represents a fresh start. It represents hope and a new beginning. And this was my wedding message to the bride and groom that day.

     I told them that with God, there is always a new beginning. There is always hope for better times. Life can get really challenging. Situations can be challenging. Family and marriage can be challenging. But with God, there is always a back nine that can make all the difference in the world.

     I know of a bunch of people who couldn’t wait to get to the tenth tee. They were the people of Israel who lived eight centuries before the birth of Christ.  The spirit of the people was extremely low. Assyrian armies were bent on conquest, and many people were doubting if God would be able to save them. It was a very frustrating and anxious time for the people of God.

     To whom can we go during times like this? That’s a question for us to consider as well, especially on this first Sunday of the Advent Season. Like the people of Israel, we too have our moments of uncertainty and doubt.  We might not come right out and say it, but deep down, this is often our experience as well.

     I was taking the dogs for a walk one afternoon and met a guy who looked to be in his early 30’s. He was alone, checking his phone, and leaning on a wall when he noticed us walking by. He was curious about the dogs so we stopped so he could pet them and then he asked about their names. He went on to tell me how his apartment needed a lot of repairs including a bad leak in the roof and the landlord wasn’t making any effort to do anything which is why he wanted out of the lease.

     After a minute or two, he stood back up and I was about to leave when he checked his phone again. He had a big smile on his face this time and he said, “I just received some really good news. The landlord of my apartment who’s been giving me a tough time is finally letting me get out of my lease.”

     I congratulated him and said that God is good. He nodded his head, and as we finished our conversation, I said, “God bless you.”

     Just when you think the whole world is against you, God reminds us that there is always hope. 

     The Israelites in our Old Testament reading just needed to be reminded that God still cared and that with God, new beginnings are always possible. There can always be a fresh start. 

     The Prophet Isaiah appears on the scene and offers the people an incredible word of hope from God. He reminds the people that God has not forgotten them, and he points them to a future that is filled with hope.

     He even paints a picture of this new future. It’s a future in which the people will feel at home again. It’s a future that will include safety and security. It’s a future where God’s Word will be a source of comfort and instruction for all people. It’s a future where war will be no more, and we will be able to walk in the light of the Lord together. 

     That’s a future that sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? But it is true. The hope of our faith is that one day this world will be made new again and part of that hope is that God will make us new again as well. That’s why we observe the Season of Advent.  It helps to prepare us for God’s promise of hope. 

     God kept his promise, and it came in the form of a little baby born to Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem. Through this baby, God’s promises would be fulfilled. 

     When we hold a baby, we are reminded of the gift of life and of the potential of tomorrow. Someone has said, “The birth of every baby is God’s vote for the future of humanity.” When Jesus was born, a new future was born as well. 

     How do we prepare for an event as wonderful as Christ’s birth? Advent is a time for us to turn from our selfish and self-centered ways and serve the needs of others. It’s a time for us to not just go to church but to be the church. 

     What if this Christmas, instead of getting caught up in all of the holiday trappings, we shared God’s hope with others? Now, that would be a Christmas to remember! That would be a Christmas that is keeping it real.

    In keeping with this theme of hope for this first week of Advent, I invite us to do some “fridge journaling” this week. Here’s how this works. Place a notepad somewhere near or on your refrigerator and when you go to the refrigerator this week, jot down a time when God helped you through something that seemed hopeless at the time. 

    It might be a recent experience or something that happened a long time ago. Just write something down each time you open the door of your refrigerator.

     And as you go through the week, think of ways that you can share God’s hope with others. You may want to send a card to somebody who is in the nursing home or write a note of encouragement to someone who may be struggling or maybe call someone just to reconnect. There are so many ways that we can offer the hope of our faith with someone. 

     When the Prophet Isaiah spoke a word of hope to a weary people so long ago, he invited them to “Come, and walk in the light of the Lord!” We too, are called to walk in the light of the Lord this Advent Season.

     And as we receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion this morning, allow this time to be a new beginning in your life. Give to God your brokenness, your disappointments, your sorrows, your worries, and your regrets. 

     Today is known as the first Sunday of Advent. On the church calendar, this marks the beginning of a new year of faith.  It’s the church’s New Year’s Day minus the fireworks and the Rose Parade. 

     Or just think as today as the tenth hole during a round of golf where we get to play the back nine no matter how difficult the front nine may have been.

     It’s the beginning of Advent, time to receive and share the hope of Christmas. 

Sunday (Dec. 3/Advent) Pastoral Prayer (Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC)

December 3, 2023

1st Sunday of Advent

Come, thou long-expected Jesus and set us free from our fears and sins. We confess that we often hold on to our fears and sins, not realizing that true freedom is found in you. Thank you for the Advent candle of hope that reminds us that with you, we can be made new again, we can be born again.

 

In this Advent Season, may your candle of hope shine brightly upon those on our church’s prayer list as well as with those we lift up to you this morning of worship. Surround them with you healing, your guiding, your protecting, your empowering, and your redeeming love. 

 

May your candle of hope shine brightly upon the people of Israel and Gaza and other parts of the world where there is violence and war so that peace and justice would prevail. May your candle of hope shine brightly upon the United Methodist Committee on Relief as they offer aid and resources to people in need. 

 

May your candle of hope shine brightly upon couples and families who are experiencing relational conflict and hardships and upon the people we see during a walk who are carrying heavy burdens. Open us up to those opportunities where we can be your candle of hope for those we encounter in our everyday lives. Lead us in this holy season to not only go to church but to be your church.

 

And Lord, as we begin this 1^st week of Advent, lead us to reflect on the many ways that you have been the light of hope in our lives. May these times when your hope helped us through a difficult time lead us to praise you, and remind us that with you, there is always a back nine yet to be played, a new beginning, a new start.

 

Come, thou long-expected Jesus even as we pray this prayer of hope that you taught us to pray together,

 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Sermon (Nov. 26/Christ the King Sunday) “Top Priority” by Rev. Robert McDowell

November 26, 2023

“Top Priority”

Rev. Robert McDowell

The celebration of Advent and Christmas, and Lent and Easter are holy days and seasons in the church that go back for many centuries.

 

There was a new recognition added to the church calendar in 1925 through the Catholic Church. The last Sunday before Advent was designated as Christ the King Sunday. This was done in response to governments who were seen as abusing their power and to life being lived with little thought of God.

 

This day is a worldwide recognition that above all leaders and states is the rule of Christ. In the twentieth century, monuments were erected like the famous statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro to commemorate that Christ is indeed over all. A contemporary song expresses the theme of this Sunday celebration.

 

“Above all powers, above all kings

Above all nature and all created things

Above all wisdom and the ways of man

You were here, before the world began

Above all kingdoms, above all thrones

Above all wonders the world has ever known

Above all wealth and treasures of the earth

There's no way to measure what you're worth” 

 

By Paul Baloche and Lenny LeBlanc

 

In the U.S., a king is not a familiar figure to us. There are 26 countries in the world that are still headed by kings, queens, emperors, sheikhs, or princes.  We do not live under the rulership of a monarch, however we do have some interest in kings:

 

 -First of all, in our fascination with British royalty especially with King Charles taking over the throne following the death of Queen Elizabeth last year. 

 -We also have the fast food restaurant, Burger King.  

- And let’s not forget the king of rock and roll.              

                    

Elvis Presley was given the title of king because of his popularity. A friend of mine told me that in the mid-70's, she  worked with a woman named Linda who adored Elvis. He was doing a show at the Charlotte Coliseum. Her friend had never seen him perform live and she offered to give her a ride to the concert which was several hours away. She told me that her friend, Linda even bought a new outfit and had her hair done in a magnificent bouffant. She brought her to the arena and returned to pick her up after the concert. For Linda, it was one of the best nights of her life. She she that she had maneuvered all the way to the stage and was even able to touch his shoe. Her intention had been to take his boot off, but she had been unsuccessful.

 

But there’s a back story to this. Linda had polio as a child and consequently had spent time in a hospital. She had listened to Elvis on the radio during her illness and felt that it was his music that gave her hope. Elvis was at the top of her list, and for that one evening, life could not be better.We may have folks we idolize but our understanding of kings in our time is limited…

 

Let's look at what we can discover about Jesus being a king.

 

In the Old Testament, kings are described as being like shepherds. A shepherd is to care for his flock, to know them by name, to lead them in the right direction, to protect them from those who would harm them. Likewise, the king is to put the welfare of the people above his own.

 

Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd. He cared for the hungry, the hurting, and those who felt isolated from God. His heart was always concerned with his flock.

 

Jesus spoke a lot about God's kingdom in his teachings. At the ending of his ministry, he is publicly proclaimed as being the king of the Jewish people. In the last week of his life, Jesus enters into Jerusalem, and weeps for the city. He is accused of coming into Jerusalem to lead a rebellion against the ruling Roman government. He is tried and convicted. The Roman soldiers dressed him in a robe, put a crown of thorns on his head and mocked him.

 

The sign above his head on the cross read “King of the Jews.”  A king that is defeated and is killed is not our expectation.

 

The story of Jesus being a king of course doesn't end there.

 

In the letters of the New Testament and the Book of Revelation, we have wonderful descriptions of the risen Jesus who is now “king of all kings and lord of all lords.”

 

He suffered a cruel death and yet his love rules over all creation. In Colossians, he is described as showing us what God is like, the invisible is now visible and of holding all things together. He is making all things new. He is bringing peace and restoration. He is king not for his own glory, but he is king in order to bring all people to God. He is at the very center of everything. He reconciles all things through his death on the cross.

 

Some years ago a pastor in Scotland traveled to Queen Elizabeth’s Highland castle in order to lead the Sunday service at the chapel. He was uncomfortable about how to act around royalty, unsure what to say in her presence. He arrived but there was no one to meet him.

 

He was taking his suitcase from the car when a woman came into view wearing a tweed jacket, with a scarf tied around her head, and walking three corgis. It was Queen Elizabeth herself! She apologized that no one had welcomed him and called for the absent doorman. That evening he joined them for a pleasant supper and he saw royalty in a new light.

 

It is almost beyond belief that we have the privilege to daily be in the presence of our king who gave his all so that we might have abundant life.

 

What is the kingdom of God like? Jesus shared many stories to describe his kingdom. He taught that God’s kingdom is like the love extended by a father to his son when the son leaves home and takes his inheritance. When the son has nothing left, he returns home and is greeted by a joyful banquet hosted by his father who offers forgiveness and love.

 

God’s kingdom is like a shepherd who goes out to find one missing sheep and doesn't give up until that lost sheep is found. 

 

God’s kingdom is like a man who had a party and extends his invitation to all who want to come.  The kingdom is a place where servants are honored. It is a place of surprises: the last shall be first.

 

In God’s kingdom, there is justice; the widows, and poor and children are not forgotten.  It is a kingdom where the king offers not condemnation but forgiveness, not despair but hope, not brokenness but wholeness. It is a kingdom that may seem small like a mustard seed, but grows everyday into a mighty tree.

 

It is a good day to think about the qualities of our Lord, all the names of honor. It is imperative that we consider Christ being our king. When I hear the news of the world, and become concerned about all the troubles near and far, all the uncertainties, I rejoice that there is One who holds all things together: all space, all time.

 

When I think about this past week of Thanksgiving, I know that when we offer our thanks, that underneath all the blessings of life is the great love of God for us and for this world. We see this so clearly in the way Jesus lived.

 

A question that needs to be asked: Who has power over us? Who influences our lives?  Is Christ our top priority?

 

N.T. Wright, British pastor and scholar wrote in his book Simply Jesus : “We want someone to save our souls, not rule our world.”  He was acknowledging that there are other kingdoms that can pull for our devotion. They may offer prestige and security, status and honor but that is not what the kingdom of God is about.

 

We make a choice over who we follow and whose guidance we live by. We invite Christ to be a part of all areas of our lives as we claim him as king.

 

But this is the amazing thing about King Jesus.  He will only be recognized as king when others see his love, compassion, and mercy in us. The kingdom becomes visible through us and our actions.

 

Our hearts change, and our community changes -  God continues to work within creation. We are part of God’s kingdom happening here and now.

 

There is a carol sung often at Christmas concerning a king who looks out from his castle one cold night. He sees a man struggling to gather firewood. He asks his page who the man is and where he lives. Together, the king and the page travel to the man's house bringing food and drink. As they hike through the deepening snow, the night becomes more bitter. The page says that he cannot go on. The king tells the boy to walk in his footsteps and he will be able to make it.  He walks in the master's steps and together they bring a blessing.

 

Whose footsteps are you following?  Who reigns in your heart?

 

May Christ the king be our top priority.

Sunday (Nov. 26/Christ the King Sunday) Pastoral Prayer (Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC)

November 26, 2023

Pastoral Prayer

King of kings, we offer to you all of our praise and worship. As our prayer hymn says, “your name is wonderful.”

 

Your name is wonderful because you are a compassionate, loving, and gracious King. Your name is wonderful because you are our Good Shepherd who cares about each one of us as your sheep. Your name is wonderful because your rule is so different from earthly kings and politicians so motivated by self-interests and a desire for power. Your name is wonderful because you redefined what it means to be a King through your self-emptying and your willingness to die on the cross for our sins.

 

Today, we lift up to you those who are in need of a loving, just, and merciful King; for people who for whatever reason did not enjoy a Thanksgiving meal this past Thursday, for those who are struggling to make ends meet, for those searching for work and a more stable life, for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one especially during this holiday season, and for anyone who is in need of a new beginning. And for the hostages who have been recently released in Israel and for the continued pursuit of peace and justice in that region of the world.

 

And King of kings, hear our prayers for those on our church’s prayer list as well as others who are on our hearts and minds this day. May your gracious, caring, and healing love be with each of them and with each of us us as well as we lift them up in prayer. Sometimes when we pray for others, we are in need of reassurance that you really do hear our prayers. Thank you for being a King who doesn’t just rule from on high, but is also as close to us as each breath we take. 

 

During this transition Sunday from between the long season of Ordinary Time to next week when we will begin the Advent Season, remind us to always keep you as our top priority in all that we say, think, and do.

 

We pray this in the name of Jesus, the Alpha and the Omega, who is, who was, who is to come, and who has taught us to say together…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.