Advent Joy
Well, good morning again.
Good to see your smiling faces on this right morning. I love I love mommy Mornings in the winter. They so crespin so bright not sucked up by all the green of the leaves the trees in the foliage that's pretty too but seems more intense winter. So I like that. So this morning?
I remember. I don't know. It's been years.
Maybe 15 or more. Peanuts comic strip number peanuts good ol Charlie Brown And then this the strip Lucy was saying that Christmas is a time for kindness and a time to forgive one another. Charlie Brown replied to her why do that just at Christmas? Why can't we have the Christmas spirit the rest of the year? Lil Boosie looks right out and says, what are you some kind of religious fanatic?
I'm not sure why that struck with me stuck with me through the years but
I think it says something to Some of our problems that we see today we when we Embrace Christmas.
As a Christian we often get radical about it. We act like we have to defend Christmas. I don't think we really have to do that. I think we need to represent Jesus. As I was saying a few moments ago from a pure motive in a pure heart and let him defend the season. It'll come through. That's why I think when we when we try to bash stores, and we try to we try to Put up signs and do the reason for the season and bring Christmas back and all of that stuff. You know or becoming is religious Fanatics. That's the way the world sees us.
It was taking me a long time to recognize and to realize that.
For those that don't believe they're blind to the truth. Without the move of the Holy Spirit within their lives they're not going to get it. And so we look like babbling idiots. We really look like fools and we're not moving the message forward. Because we become the message. The friends I think this is not where I was going this morning, but I just feel the Holy Spirit telling me we really need to recognize that we have a gift. We have something greater within us. And that's what we need to represent to those who are in darkness.
And not try to change who they are cuz we can't do it. We don't have the power within us only the Holy Spirit has that power?
We just need to be obedient to who we are and who Christ wants us to be. In This Moment every moment but it particularly in this moment so they see something different than us. And not just our words been our actions in our heart nor expression of love and patience and joy in the season.
Because being out in the world right now as I mentioned in on a few read my little blurb on the front of them. Going out shopping in this mess will suck your joy right out of you, you know until we got to look to a deeper source.
Need to look to a deeper source for our joy. That's what we're going to talk about a little bit this morning last week.
I forgot to light the candles. Goodness gracious. Forgive Me Lord It's just a symbol anyway. What's an important symbol and do this without burning my phone? Amazing how one soon as you quit smoking you lose that the technique of working lighters and things without without hurting yourself. anyway whole big Segway in the nothing there. So anyway. Last week we began our Advent season. In the Gospel of Luke and we open the series considering the emphasis placed on preparation. How the way was prepared for the arrival of God's son and how we ourselves must be prepared. Angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias in the temple and promised that his wife would bare a child who would prepare the way for the coming of Christ.
And we saw the Zakaria had a hard time believing that because he and his wife were well beyond the years of having children. He asked for a sign. The angel gave him more than he bargained for it. He was unable to speak until the promise was fulfilled in and at this point in Luke's gospel. Zakaria exits the stage you'll be back. Now. We have a scene change in our story. Luke leads us from the great and holy Temple in Jerusalem to an obscure Village in a remote region not known for his piety. Alesis away from this. Well known priest towards an unknown peasant from an old man to a young woman. Zachariah timehri more than anyone else in the Christmas story Mary demonstrates to us. the spirit of Christmas
the true Spirit of Christmas is not the spirit of family bonding. or the spirit of giving were you in the spirit of rejoicing? All those things are are well and good. But Mary teaches us that the true Spirit of Christmas is more than that. It's deeper than that. So we're still in the first chapter of Luke. and Mary story begins and verse 26
In the six months the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the House of David and the virgin's name was Mary and it came to her and said Greetings. Oh favored one. The Lord is with you.
But she was greatly troubled at the saying and try to discern what sort of greeting this might be.
And the angel said to her to not be afraid. Mary for you have found favor with God.
And behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be. And will give to him. He will be great and will be called the son of the most high forgive me and the Lord God will give to him the Throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob and his kingdom. There will be no end. Emergence of the Angel. How was this be since I'm a virgin? Ninja Lancer the holy spirit will come upon you. And the power of the most high will overshadow you. There for the child to be born will be called. Holy the Son of God and behold your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived the Sun and this is the 6-month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God and Mary said behold. I am the servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.
Are there are many striking similarities between what happened to Zachariah and Mary. both of them Are visited by the angel Gabriel? Both are made with seem like an impossible promise involving a child. One of them will be filled with the Holy Spirit was still in his mother's womb. The other would be conceived. by the spirit Bowser Give Me A Sign But the similarities end there. Mary is a young teenager from a Podunk town called Nazareth in the region of Galilee. She was betrothed to Young Carpenter named Joseph and betrothal there is Much more than engagement. What we know is engagement today. This was a legal standing within their relationship. They had they had all the responsibilities of being married. rap benefits
It was a binding contract any breach of this was considered adultery. To get out of it you had to file or initiate divorce proceedings. It's not like I changed my mind.
It was a legal binding Arrangement betrothed couples had as I said, none of the responsibilities of marriage without the Privileges and so as we're introduced to the scene, we don't really know what was occupying Mary in this particular moment. Perhaps she was in the midst of her daily chores may be daydreaming about her future with Joseph. What kind of husband would it be? How did they decorate the house? What pattern with their China have?
When was their first child come along? and then the unthinkable happened the angel Gabriel appears from Center. That was strange enough makes it even stranger greeting. He called her favorite one and says the Lord is with you. And she seems baffled by that. Gabriel census her confusion and goes on to explain she would conceive and give birth to a child the long-awaited Messiah.
like every Jewish kid She grown up hearing home about the coming son of David. Hey, who knows it might have even crossed your mind that Joseph was from the line of David?
But her little Mary of Nazareth the mother of the Messiah.
Mama told me it would happen.
How can I have a child I never been with a man? It wasn't an expression of Doubt to Zachariah. It was confusion.
Another thought dropped in who did he say the father with me? Something about the Holy Spirit making her pregnant. Imagine the swirl of the emotions running through that little girl. One hand. She stunned by the honor.
Down the other she's dreading how this could play out.
Jewish lost in a man or woman who committed adultery was to be stoned.
Why would your husband for you. Could he possibly believe her story? She probably wanted to ask hey. Hey Gabriel. Could you to pay Joseph a visit for me? That's out. Otherwise she would certainly lose him. to be disgraced
to her all of her dreams at once seem to be dying.
Part of married one of the fall down and grateful praise another part of one of the protest at such an unfair intrusion into your life. but somehow listen to me somehow in that in the battlefield of her own heart. She chose to surrender. Remember I said last week the Battle For Christmas is in our heart. And it's a war in her heart right now. Behold, I am the servant of the Lord.
Let it be to me according to your word.
in an act of simple faith Mary said yes. t'god
do you see it? You see the spirit of Christmas air? The spirit of Christmas is humility. Spirit of Christmas is humility. Mary says yes to God's intrusion because she saw herself as a bond slave of the Lord. Indentured servant mean that word in the in the Greek actually means bound to service without wages.
Committed to doing what if you're ever whatever you're told without any reward whatsoever. That's how she viewed herself to God. Humility is one of those Christian buzzwords. We love to talk about when it comes right down to it everything within as protests against it. Why is that?
I think it's because humility. expresses itself best in surrender surrender a bond slave is one who basically given up his right to call the shots.
He's come to the realization that he doesn't own himself. Is not autonomous. He belongs to someone else. In the New Testament almost 15 times Paul refers him to himself as a slave or servant of the Lord. I think it's very important for us today to consider that.
You read it in his letters all through his wanderings through his missionary Journeys through East Asia. and in Western Europe becoming a slave all of these things that are happening to him. He's relinquishing himself. He constantly reminds us in our letters dies to himself daily and I want to read one sentence to you to make an example to give you a sample when talking about 10:23. And this is the part of act where he's done all of his missionary trip. He's come back to Jerusalem because he wants to offer his gift that he's collected and he wants to be in Jerusalem for the celebration and before that happens it gets arrested and it gets goes through the first trial and he's he's being sent to to Felix the governor.
And he's in prison.
They almost flogged him interrogating him trying to find out why the Jews are up in arms against them.
and he's confronting them in and he says that she says 23 vs 11 pieces after all of this has happened and they almost to the Texas they almost Torn to Pieces. As they were trying to try him and trying to the Jews were trying to kill him. He says the following night the Lord stood by him and said take courage. As you have testified to the facts about me and Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome. Why do I bring up this morning?
Because Paul. Just like Mary Paul viewed himself as a bondslave to the lure. Whatever he was told to do. He would honor that and submit to that and do it. And so when the Lord appears to him in person right here the Lord appeared to him stood by him and told him to take heart you will testify in Rome. immediately immediately what happens to Paul?
All of a sudden if it wasn't crazy as he was now. Cuz he's heard a promise from the Lord that he's going to make it to Rome. You don't have to fear anything else that's going to have to go through two more trials. It does stand behind before two different Governors and a king and proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ and what has happened to him, and he doesn't without fear. Why because he's a bond slave to the Lord and he knows he's going to Rome and nothing. They can do will stop it. Cuz the Lord has willed it even goes through a shipwreck me safe. 276 Souls on that boat because of his faith is a lord again. You will make it to Rome. 276 people believe in him even gets lonely island in a snake a Viper gets a hold of his family just shakes it off. Why can he do that? He knows he's a bondslave to the Lord and that's snake can't keep them from Rome because it hasn't happened yet. That's what I'm saying is when we submit ourselves to being a bondslave to the Lord when you hear his promise, you can take it to the bank.
Big how differently you could live your life. If you saw yourself as a bond slave to the Lord. What could you stop worrying about you think Paul any worries? The Lord my corner, who are you? Roman centurions governors Kings Bring It On Think about how different your life could be. Would you stop wrestling with? Maybe he's been mistreated by someone a friend a co-worker family member. Maybe you've been cheated in your angry about it. And I getting a fair Shake. Will you do how do you handle that? He tries to cure your own position demand your own rights. Prince humility Humility means you start with surrendering. your rights and plans and desires and questions to the Lord behold. I am your bond servant. I am a servant of the Lord.
reading reading
Holocaust Survivor Corrie Ten Boom tells the story of when she was speaking in a church and recognize the man sitting there in a gray Overcoat.
He was a guard in the concentration camp. She and her sister were in during World War II. And memories of that, concentration camp came back to her in a rush to the huge room with a harsh overhead lights in the the pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor on the shame of walking naked before those men.
Now this former guard was in front of her. What does hand stressed out? Find message Roy line.
How good is it to know that like you say all our sins are at the bottom of the ocean?
Who's the first time? Since her release that she's been face-to-face with one of her captors and she froze.
You mentioned ravensbrook in your talk. You said I was a guard there. But since then I've become a Christian.
I know that God has forgiven me for all the cruel things I did there, but I'd like it like to hear it from your lips as well.
Will you forgive me?
still darken.
Your sister died in that place.
Such horrible things she's telling that place she going to do it. An hour seemed to pass a man stood there with his hand held out. Corey battled with the most difficult thing she ever had to do. here
cuz she knew she really didn't have a choice.
Jesus commanded it Does she pray Jesus help me I can lift my hand. I can do that much, but you're going to have to supply the feeling. and so she stuck her hand out. and she said As she did a current started in her shoulder and race down arm and sprang into the class pans.
healing warmth
sing the flutter whole being bringing tears to Horizon. I forgive you brother. She cried with all my heart. I forgive you.
For a long moment, they grasped each other's hands former guard. a former prisoner
Corrie Ten Boom made the same choice that married it surrender Those are hard choices to make. hard to make could it be that has with Mary our greatest gift come disguised as intrusions? demanding surrender
author Philip Yancey right to every work of God comes with two edges. cratejoy in great pain
I'm not suggesting. We we don't wrestle with this ourselves. I said the Battle Is Here. Self never gives up easy and right when you think you've got it where you wanted it rises up somewhere else.
Jesus called us to take up our cross daily. That's a daily part. That's so hard. easy to do on Sunday in a safe place hard to do on Monday in your workplace
every day we have to make that choice.
There's over 15 references in the New Testament about dying to self daily. But as with Mary, there's also blessing on the other side of surrender.
So this brings us to our second scene here. Angel said that she would be given a sign that her cousin Elizabeth was also experienced a miracle. So she was pregnant in her old age.
We might have thought hey how she'll understand what I'm dealing with. So she packed her bags and head south for the hill country of Georgia Judea wears a crane Elizabeth lived in. Think about this it would have been about a four-day walk for her to get where she's going at 20 minute drive in our world today.
And she had plenty of time to think about how she would present this dilemma that she has your cousin. She may have even had a little speech prepared. But you didn't need it. Look what happens when she arrives verse 39. In those days Mary Rose and went with her haste Into the Hill Country to Italian Judah and she entered the house of Zach Ryan and greeted Elizabeth and when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary the baby leaped in her womb Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She explained all the loud cry blessed. Are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb?
And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold when the sound of your greeting came to my ears the baby in my womb leaped for joy and blessed. Is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her. from the Lord
Sister Mary I think one of this is one of those moments where you feel a massive load come off your back. This was confirmation for her now. I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. I really haven't I did hear that angel, right God is in control.
Mary didn't even have said work.
For she can speak Elizabeth broke out in a holy spirit inspired blessing on marrying her child. It's in this blessing that we see another example of the spirit of Christmas at work. Because Elizabeth humility is seen in the fact that she recognizes. Merry as Most Blessed among women.
She's humbled by the fact that Mary would come to visit her. She doesn't feel deserving of this honor. relatives cousins still she recognizes the enormity of what's Happening? None, like her own husband. She says Mary believe that the Lord would deliver on his word.
Knowing that that she recognized the child in Mary's womb is greater than the child in her own womb because she calls Mary Mother. of my Lord
And she missed it when she saw her at the prenatal John does a joyful somersault within her. T-jon is pointed the Jesus even from the womb. What he was called to do.
Years later John Wick confessed. He must increase I must decrease. That's how I read this another story from the Old Testament comes to my mind in in Genesis. 25 were told the story of the twins Jacob and Esau while still in their mother's womb. They struggled for preeminence. wrestled with in her body and when the mother prayed about the Lord said the older will serve the younger.
That's not the way it was supposed to work. In that culture the younger was supposed to serve the older. And now years later we have the same message. the older John is going to serve the younger Jesus.
But the difference here. No one is struggling.
Where's submitted to that? and both Elizabeth and Mary are filled with joy.
UC humility is expressed by knowing and accepting your place in God's plan.
Do you have a place? We all have a place. And your place is different than the places of everybody in this room and everybody you meet. When we finally get that when we stop comparing ourselves with other when we start doing and what we're called to do. The result is just what we see here. Joy
Troy the result from being humble is joy
Cuz you can't have joy if you're always chafing under the fact that God's plan for you doesn't seem as important as God's plan for someone else.
Don't want to be King of the Hill.
In the 1998 NBA season future Hall of Fame Center David Robinson a frequent All-Star and Veteran for the San Antonio Spurs. Had to learn to share the Limelight. With a new dominant player in the league team a Tim Duncan. San Antonio won the NBA playoffs that year And Duncan was the star. And then Sports Illustrated Robinson reflected on what this was like for him. Quote, I can't overstate how important my faith has been to me as an athlete and as a person. It's help me deal with so many things including matters of ego and pride. For instance. I can't deny that it felt weird and it hurt to see Tim standing on the podium with the NBA Finals MVP trophy. Cuz I was thinking man of my entire career never have I come to the end of a tournament and not been the one holding up that trophy. heart but I thought about the Bible story of David and Goliath.
David helped King Saul when a battle but the king wasn't happy because he had killed thousands of men will David killed tens of thousands. So King Saul couldn't enjoy the victory because he was thinking about David getting more credit than he was. I'm blessed that God has given me the ability to just enjoy the victory. So Tim Duncan killed the ten thousands. That's great. I'm for him.
That's the spirit of Christmas. Knowing you're accepting your role in God's plan.
Thomas Merton once said give me humility in which alone is rest. And Deliver Me from Pride, which is the heaviest of all birds.
As you might imagine all of this was pretty overwhelming. for Mary so much so that she breaks out in song. I don't mean that literally.
I don't think this is like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music just all of a sudden starting to sing in the middle of the movie.
One thing when you're watching a movie like white Christmas where the characters are performers and they're singing as part of what they do. I'm all over that. I love that movie. But give me some music for people just all of a sudden starts singing that's not real life for me and it just doesn't doesn't work for me. I'll turn that off in a heartbeat. It wasn't like that.
another odd Subway The Mary's words do have a poetic style to them on the interesting things about this song is that it has at least 15 quotations from the Old Testament.
Think Mary knew her Bible.
Spirit of the song as one of praise and thanksgiving It's officially referred to as the Magna Magnificat. Which is Latin for magnify from from the first line of the what she says. But if I were to rename the song I would call it the great reversal.
Great reversal cuz it's seen as God's Great reversal of Fortune. for the poor in spirit has two parts to it the first part focuses on what God did for her.
446 doesn't Mary said my soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior for his looked on the humble estate of his servant for behold from now on all generations will call me blessed for he who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is his name. kid reversal God had regard for her humble. Stay humility. She was a nobody from a nowhere town. But now she says God is acting in such a way that future Generations will call her blessed. And then she sees the same principal at work another's continuing. She does in his Mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation is shown strength with his arm is scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts is brought down the mighty from their Thrones and exalted those of humble estate is filled the Hungry with good things and the Richie is sin away. Empty is help his servant Israel in remembrance of his Mercy as he spoke to our fathers to Abraham and to his offspring forever. And once again, can you see the reversal? Now sit working others the proud or brought down, but the hungry are filled and the humble are exalted.
Elsa Anna taking this as a form of a political Manifesto of Liberation for the poor in the oppressed of Earth, but I don't think it was ever meant to be that. Deliberation she describes is not political or economic but spiritual.
Mary will be called blessed not because of material or social game. But because her son would save her and others from their sins.
Deliberation is not for just the poor. but for the poor who fear God trust God and look to God for salvation. But the reality is that's easier for the poor and oppressed to do than the rich and Powerful. Rich and Powerful always tend towards pride and Independence are more likely to say.
We hear that today a lot though. Who needs God? And that's why they'll be brought down.
Is the spirit of Christmas? Is humility. Like marry, each one of us is born into a humble state. Because spiritually we're bent towards sin. separated from God but God sent his son. so then our Fortune might be reversed. Inside the Son of God became a man in order that men might become the some of the sons of God. Is reversal there isn't there. Bible has the word for it. salvation What's the theme of these opening chapters of Luke Angel told Mary? You shall name him Jesus? What name means salvation?
Ameri sings of God my savior What was Mary being safe from? percent, of course Later, Zachariah will praise God for raising up a horn of salvation for us. That's when we laid claim to that salvation. Joy and gratitude will come into our lives. But Salvation only comes to the poor. in spirit only comes to the humble of heart
The people of the Maasai tribe in West Africa have an unusual way of saying. Thank you. They bow down and they put their foreheads on the ground. And say my head is in the dirt. Why do they do that?
Well because of its core. Thanksgiving is an act of humility.
Humility the way we think of it isn't all well as me. So it begins with well with me and ends with look what God has done. for me
understanding Who We Are And what he's done? Every one of us has a choice.
We will humble ourselves before God and live gratefully or we will continue to lick our wounds and wallow in self-pity.
And this Christmas season can really bring that question to the four in it.
It's taking me a few days to write anything about this. This week it seemed as if everyone around me Was preparing for their Hallmark season while I watch behind a dark glass and a Charles Dickens book or Tim Burton film. As I walked around campus the usual courtesy of how are you was exchanged multiple times. My heart came to to my throat and if I didn't brush it off with response such as well. I'm alive then I spoke the truth that I wish with my whole heart had been a lie my whole town burned down. Yes, the whole town including our house and all of my books. I choked back another lost my wedding dress. Why did I have a wedding dress? I'm not dating anyone. I've had it for about four or five years sitting in my room and it's 1935 cardboard box that shaped like a book. It was a chance find an antique store some of our friends in town ran. $60 plus tax Mom wants me to try it on it fit perfectly. Smooth Kate came off the shoulders and follow the skirt past my ankles and a short train the sleeves hit my wrist perfectly the head piece that so well on my mom could see me she gasped tears. We need to get the stress for you.
Having that dress put me through many lonely weeks. It was a miracle dress something perfectly suited for me. Every summer I came home from school. I would try it on to make sure it still fit. Leaving in my heart that if God could give me address so perfectly intended for me than he was able to make a man. Who would give me the occasion to wear it. There are many doubts. I had a fear that I was more than any man could handle too silly to weird. Sometimes I'm more proud days. I thought maybe I was too pretty or too smart. Just simply too much. But then I thought about that dress. Tell about how perfectly God knows me every aspect of me. He knew me and all my peculiarities before I was even conceived in my mother's womb. My mother told me a story of when she believed that she would never get married and decide to become a nun and raise orphans in Africa, and she was looking out at the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and felt God say to her Heather. If I can make these mountains don't you think I can make you a husband? I can tell you. The man God is making out of my father is more Majestic than any mountain.
And I've seen a lot of mountains. Paradise California is a mountain was a mountain town. Paradise was The worst sound so apocalyptic the image of people playing some miliar rose with flames on the other side look like footage from Left Behind and and not my home town full of antique shops and and trailer parks. The hardest part is being here in Chicago. 2076 miles away from the chaos unable to help anyone in the hell their living through. Friends, we lost to the flames. The President visiting are in our ruins. Sounds like a nightmare. My sleep is restless when I do sleep I dream about being home. Home just as it was books lining the hallways. My dress tucked beside my desk Gathering dust, but waiting to be worn after resting for the 80 years. The loving arms and prayers that have surrounded my family also feel like a dream. The Homeland part is knowing my family is the kind that has been doing so much for people on the ridge these fifteen years. I'm so proud of you. Sam and Heather's daughter. As we sort through what has been lost and has people message us with their concern and prayers. I'm eager for my semester here to end to go home and participate in all the hard work. I know my family will be doing to serve others. Our church was Untouched by The Flaming will be a center for the relief efforts. Andover break I will be helping I haven't been asked but it'll be impossible to stop me. As I watch the financial giving of anonymous strangers of a friends. We haven't seen in years and I'm broke college classmates. My heart is so full. My spirit is thrilled because I know that everything that is given to us will we will give to those around us? Is what my parents have raised us with generous spirit. It was one summer when we were short on money and struggling to buy groceries. My dad help the homeless man. Stay in a hotel and he bought him a bicycle.
Because through all the long years and all the hard years. God has been faithful to us.
From the time we landed in California because Dad lost his job after 9/11 to the time. We're on food stamps and I was dying in a hospital bed. God has been faithful.
Recently a dear friend of mine challenge me to memorize Psalm 27. I was at that time worried about my singleness. How trivial my discontent then seems compared to the events of this last month. I cannot summarize what I feel but this song is very near to the prayers. I stutter every night and the feeling's swelling within me when I imagine the dreams and lives that were destroyed in these flames.
The Lord is my light and my salvation Whom Shall I Fear. The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh my enemies and foes they stumbled and fell. Don't Army encamp against me. My heart shall not fear the war by Rise Against Me In This I will be confident. One thing I desired of the Lord and this I will seek after that. I will dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. To behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple Run the time of trouble he shall hide me in his Pavilion. In the secret place of his Tabernacle. He shall hide me he shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted above my enemies All Around Me. Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in his Tabernacle. I was saying yes, I will sing praises to the Lord hero Lord when I cry with my voice have mercy also upon me and answer me when you said seek my face. My heart said to you my face Lord I will seek Not hide your face for me to not turn your servant away in Anger. You have been my help. Do not leave or forsake me. Oh god of my salvation when my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me. Teach me your way O Lord, and leave me in a smooth path because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the Willem adversaries or false Witnesses have risen around me in such as breathe out violence. I would have lost heart unless I had believed. But I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart. Wait. I say on the Lord.
Purpose is a funny thing. Although I won't wear this dress at my wedding if such a day ever takes place. It really did serve its purpose.
The stress was a symbol of God being able to know not only what we need, but what we dream.
Is taught me to trust him while I had it and has taught me. I don't need training wheels on my trust now that I've lost it. God remembers and God is good.
Christmas can be hard for many people.
No matter how hard it is.
The message of Mary song is that God has done something to reverse your situation. He has sent his son to be your savior to reverse your fortune. And if you let it. That will bring you real Joy.
The spirit of Christmas is the spirit of humility.
It's a humility. That idzik is expressing them and being willing to say I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word.
It's a humility that that's expressed. Also. I'm being willing to accept your place in God's plan. It's a humility that's expressed in grateful worship for salvation. You did not Merit. It took me humility that results in profound Joy.
Corrie Ten Boom was asked if it was difficult for her to remain humble. She replied. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on the back of a donkey. And everyone was waving palm branches and throwing garments on the road and singing praises. Do you think for one minute if it ever entered the head of that donkey than any of that was for him?
If I can be a donkey on which Jesus Christ rides in his glory. Then I give him. all the praise and all the honor
or I thank you for your for your word.
I thank you for how you inspired Luke to write this gospel. The depths of the details in this can place us right there along with Mary and Elizabeth and feel what they felt and see what they saw and understand the goodness of your salvation.
And what it means for us Lord. I Thank you. Why thank you that.
When you call us to do a hard thing.
Be humble. That you would find Joy on the other side. The whatever you bring to us. However hard it is. There's always a blessing waiting for us through it or did I thank you. I thank you for the truth. I thank you for the story. And I pray that you will open our hearts to understand. And see the areas where Pride. Reign supreme in our lives and help us. Help us to die to that.
And help us to see that humility.
But the spirit of Christmas resides within humility.
And that our hope and our joy and our peace. Flo from that stance of humility or help us to internalized that truth work on our hearts lore.
Soften are stiff necks. Break up are hard hearts. We ask this in your precious name. Amen, amen feat stand like the blast you before we go. as you leave friends and family loved ones The Lord will bless you and he will keep you. The Lord will make his face to shine upon you and he will be gracious to you. The Lord will lift up his account countenance to you and he will establish peace for you. Amen, and amen. Have a great week. Thank you.