Change of Plans, Advent 4, Dec. 18, 2016

Fourth Sunday in Advent (Year A)

Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016

 

Theme:  Change of Plans

 

Reflection: Yes, Joseph’s is a story we dare not pass over lightly, because God is still in the business of redirecting lives and changing plans. Whether in small adjustments to our daily life choices or through large, directional shifts in vocation and location, God calls to us and seeks to draw us into being part of the work of ushering in the Reign of God right here and right now.

- Rev. Sharron R. Blezard, Stewardship of Life Institute

I don’t see our loving Creator as a spiteful Master of the Universe who inflicts disasters on people.

 

But I do see God coming alongside us in our blessings and pain, using the circumstances of our lives to mold us into people after God’s own heart, and to work God’s purpose out.

 

Sometimes, I wonder if God nudges those circumstances just a little.

 

Almost 25 years ago, we were one of 20 families who started a small ministry in Arizona. The church we had attended for several years commissioned the families in this new venture, to start a church in a quickly growing area.

 

As one might imagine, the families grew close, and members wore many hats. I was chosen as one of the leadership group. Another leader and I talked occasionally about our desire to go to seminary, but life had taken us in a different direction.

 

Five years later, my husband and I moved to our current community, but we stayed in touch with our friends. And five years after that, we heard this leader’s business was destroyed in a fire. Instead of rebuilding, he and his family closed the business so he could attend seminary. Five years later, he was ordained as a pastor.

 

Did God burn down this business? No, an arsonist did. Did God work through this adversity and to prepare him to serve God’s purpose? Absolutely. I think of Genesis 50:20 every time I think about this chain of events: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (NIV)

 

Today’s texts come with a lot of opportunities for God to work for good. Isaiah speaks to King Ahaz, asks him to trust in God to deliver Judah. “Ask for a sign,” Isaiah says. But Ahaz refuses. Fearful, he takes matters into his own hands and makes a pact with the King of Assyria, which led to Judah’s downfall. And as Isaiah predicted, the powers Ahaz feared, Israel and Syria, collapsed.

 

Paul was going a totally different direction when God redirected him to become an apostle of the church. And then there was Joseph…

 

Who would blame Joseph if he dismissed Mary when she turned up pregnant? None of the community would have condemned him. But God turned him around, convinced him to change his mind and remain with her. And the rest is history. Gospel. God’s intervention in humanity.

 

I often think about the twists and turns of my life, and how God has used those circumstances. Moves that connected me to new people and ideas. Jobs that exposed this world’s injustices. Or this work. I thought my writing career was over when I was called into writing for God. And each week, like a sculptor, God chips away at me – challenging my beliefs, carving away my pride and presumption, chiseling away the hardness of my heart, bit by bit revealing the masterwork God intends me to be – but I’m still very much a work in progress.

 

And as God works through our life circumstances, we, in turn, become God’s agents of change in this world, every transforming action bringing humanity closer to God’s trajectory of justice and love.

 

Faith App:  Change is hard. But love can move us into new places. Each day this week, take one step outside of a comfort zone. Greet someone new, stop to help someone, or talk to someone who may be alone or struggling.

 

HYMN/SONG SUGGESTIONS

Awake, Awake and Greet the New Morn, ELW 242

Lost in the Night, ELW 243

People, Look East, ELW 249

All Earth is Hopeful, ELW 266

Joy to the World, ELW 267

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling, ELW 631

Now We Join in Celebration, ELW 462

What Feast of Love, ELW 487

 

Love Has Come, Matt Maher

Once a Year, Josh Wilson/Andrew Peterson

The Heart of Christmas, Matthew West

Strange Way to Save the World, 4Him

 

LESSONS

Isaiah 7:10-16 Isaiah provides King Ahaz with a sign from the Lord.

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 A Psalm asking for Israel’s restoration to God’s favor.

Romans 1:1-7 Paul’s greeting to the followers at the church in Rome.

Matthew 1:18-25 God changes Joseph’s intention.

 

Summary of the Lessons: Can we give up our need for control and trust that the Creator of the universe, the God of love, can work through anything in our lives – the beautiful as well as the tragic? Even in our bleakest moments, God keeps working God’s purpose out. Could it be that we are called to continue God’s work of disrupting tragedy for good?

 

OPENING LITANY  based on Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

L:  Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!

C:  Out of the darkness, our great hope appears!

 

L:  Please listen, God, hear our cries for mercy;

C:  Guide us to safety, as you did the children of Israel.

L:  Gaze fondly on us, Lord, from your heavenly seat;

C:  Powerful One, we need you – come rescue us!

 

L:  Look upon us with kindness, O God,

C:  Turn back to us now and restore us, we pray!

 

L:  Why won’t you answer our prayers, God?

C:  You’ve given us sorrow for our manna,

L:  Overfilled our bowls with tears to drink,

C:  Our neighbors sneer – so THAT is your God?

 

L:  Look upon us with kindness, O God of all,

C:  Turn back to us now and restore us, we pray!

 

L:  Come to the aid of your beloved people, God –   

C:  Children you’ve cared for since time began.

L:  And we will praise your holy name forever,

C:  Never will we abandon our faith again.

 

L:  Look upon us with kindness, O Lord God of all,

C:  Turn back to us now and restore us, we pray!

 

CONFESSION

L:  Lord, how much we relish this season of joy,

C:  Everywhere around us, lights, carols and cheer.

L:  Are we truly present when we don’t notice,

C:  The lonely, sorrowing and empty ones in our midst?

 

L:  Lord, how much we await this season of family,

C:  A flurry of parties and events, visitors galore.

L:  Are we welcoming when some don’t belong,

C:  When our words and actions exclude and scorn?

 

L:  Lord, how much we long for this season of goodwill,

C:  Heartwarming stories of giving and gentleness.

L:  Are our hearts too small to be open to loving,

C:  Every person we can, every day of the year?

 

(Silent reflection: soft music, such “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” could be played during the reflection each week of Advent. Or the music could be a softer version of the tune played for an Advent candle lighting.)

 

L:  In our confession, we pray together,

C:  Most Merciful God … Forgive us, we pray, for limiting our preparations for your Son to be born in us anew to just one month each year. For, despite our resolve to follow your ways, we do not love and care for our brothers and sisters and all of creation as you did. We don’t believe that love has a chance of transforming so much evil into good, so much violence into peace. Continue to grow us, Lord, until we become a people of grace and goodwill.

 

Hear this Good News: God, rich in love, is with us. Love and light came into this world at Creation, and comes again to us through this Holy Child, for only flesh and blood could reach us. Your sins are forgiven and you are called to belong to Jesus Christ, set right with God and one another.

In the name of…

Amen

 

PRAYER OF THE DAY

L:  We pray together, 

C: God of Belonging … as we enter the season of Advent, we pray that you would prepare our hearts once and always for your presence among us. Stir us up, Lord, and keep our hearts and minds on you through this Advent season, looking for signs and wonders of your gracious love, in your world and through the birth of your Son. Help us to be your agents for change, using our lives to share your love with all. Amen. 

 

COMMUNION BLESSING

L:  We pray together,

C:  We give thanks, most gracious God, for transforming us through this meal of bread and wine, changing us from individuals with our own agendas into the Body of Christ who lives and loves and acts in your name. Keep disrupting our plans, Lord, and make us into people who bring forth your kingdom.  Amen.

 

SENDING

L:  Jesus Christ is the light of the world,

C:  God-With-Us breaking into our lives,

L:  Not allowing us to stay how we are,

C:  But constantly shaping us into love.

 

L:  Go now, God’s agents of change, to love and to serve the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God!

 

First Reading Isaiah 7:10-16 (NRSV)

Setting the Scene: In the eighth century B.C., King Ahaz has lost sight of the protection of God for his beloved people. Syria and Israel have joined forces against Judah, and he fears Judah will be overrun. So he makes a pact with the king of Assyria, rather than follow the prophet’s guiding.

 

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

 

Second Reading  Romans 1:1-7 (NRSV)

Setting the Scene: Paul introduces himself, as he plans to visit the Christians in Rome, a church he did not start, to gain support for his mission to spread the Gospel throughout the region.

 

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Gospel  Matthew 1:18-25 (NRSV)

Setting the Scene: Engagement in Joseph and Mary’s time was a contract arranged by families that could end in dismissal, much like a divorce, if one of the partners was unfaithful. Stoning an unfaithful woman was another option.

 

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 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. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

    and they shall name him Emmanuel,”

which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.