Let’s pray:

Lord, as we gather today, we ask that you would open our hearts and minds to your word. Speak to us as individuals, as families, and as a church that we might be the people you have called us to be. We ask now that you would speak, and as you speak give us ears to listen. Speak Lord, your servants are listening.

In Jesus Name we pray, AMEN.

Our Old Testament Reading this morning comes from Isaiah 64:1-9 - see if you can hear the theme of waiting:

Isaiah 64:1–9 ESV

Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence— as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil— to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved? We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities. But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Be not so terribly angry, O Lord, and remember not iniquity forever. Behold, please look, we are all your people.

Do you hear the plea? O that you would come down like you once did, make your name known to your adversaries that the nations might tremble in your presence! Then Isaiah recalls some of what God did and recognizes that the people of Israel are caught in the mire of their own sin. And he recognizes that even their most righteous acts (the best they can offer) are like filthy rags in the eyes of God, that their sinful hearts pull them away from God.

Finally the plea, “You are our Father, we are the clay, you are our potter and we are the work of your hand. Don’t be angry and remember our wrongs forever. Please, look! We are your people.

Our Gospel reading this morning is from Mark 13:24-37, and has a theme of the Lord coming:

Mark 13:24–37 ESV

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

This is the Word of our Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Anticipation

As we gather here today, we are entering the season of Advent, four Sundays leading up to the celebration of Christmas. Four Sundays and four themes. These are described differently in different devotions, and in different Advent traditions, but suffice it to say there is anticipation, preparation, watching, and finally, the announcement. These themes get described in various words, but this morning we are in the anticipation mode.

Is there any day on the calendar as child you anticipated more than Christmas? The last day of school each year may come in a close second, but Christmas was the best. Perhaps for us living in the Pacific Northwest it is because with the coming of November the seasons change, the clocks fall back, it gets dark so much earlier, and the seasonal rains begin their long slog with gray skies, cooler temperatures, and some might even describe it as dreary.

In youth ministry I would often notice about mid-November how the attitudes of the kids had changed. They were less excited about anything, they seemed tired all the time, and they were more apt to pick on one another. Then comes the grand lead up to Christmas, and the mood would seemingly brighten! There was an excitement about various festivities, family, and of course what they might receive. It was always encouraging when they were more excited about what they were giving.

There is a wonder about this time of year, even about the secular Christmas season which is more of a celebration of the winter solstice than of anything to do with Christ seems to get people excited. Already in our neighborhood people have lights up on their homes, wreathes on their doors, and lawn decorations celebrating winter wonder, and we don’t even enter the season of winter for another 23 days!

In our Isaiah passage, the prophet is praying for the LORD to come down and wake up those opposed to God. He recalls in the history of Israel when the LORD appeared to Moses and the mountains quaked and people stood in fear of the LORD. And now in Isaiah’s time so much had changed. But not really.

People still had difficulty remembering who was the author and sustainer of their faith. They claimed to follow God one minute and turned their back on God the next. On the one hand they celebrated their relationship with the Creator God and on the other they lived as if it was all up to them.

Sound familiar? The same was true in the New Testament.

Fast forward several hundred years and we have our New Testament reading, Mark records for us Jesus’ words as he tells us what His return will be like, and that it is imminent.

Yet, we often have taken these words lightly, just as they did in Isaiah’s days. In many ways we are even more without an excuse.

Jesus tells us in Mk 13:31:

Mark 13:31 ESV

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Still too many today refuse to hear God’s Word, much less, read it for themselves.

With an unmoveable faith my younger sister and I hid out in a closet gazing out the window waiting for Santa Claus to arrive and come down our chimney. We anticipated his arrival, and knew he would be there and knew he had when we came down stairs the next morning.

In this season of expectation, it is a great time for all of us to get our seasonal realignment. We celebrated Thanksgiving this past Thursday, that is an important part of our realignment.

Years ago I was given this acronym for prayer that is demonstrated in the Lord’s prayer, and an easy way to think about our prayers that we pray to our Lord Creator.

ACTS

ACTS stands for four components of our prayer time:

A - Adoration

C - Confession

T - Thanksgiving

S - Supplication

A - Adoration

Spend time praising God for who God is. Creator, Sustainer, Sovereign, Holy, MIghty, etc.

C - Confession

We don’t do a lot of self examination in the protestant tradition, and its too bad. I’ve often heard of the protestant work ethic and have wondered if potentially that comes from guilt - which is not a positive motivator.

Confession is for us to take the time to recognize where we fall short of what God would have for us. I’m hoping we’re not having to name big things like murder, or adultery or stealing…but then I remember Jesus speaking in the Sermon on the Mount, If anyone is angry with their brother they’ve commited murder in their heart; or If anyone lusts after another they’ve committed adultery...” The bar is indeed high.

Confess it all to God.

Think about your attitude towards others, about work, about things you need to do. Are they in line with loving your neighbor, doing things without grumbling, etc? Confess it, think about why you have those attitudes and make adjustments.

T - Thanksgiving

This year of 2020 has definitely been a challenging one. But we have so much to be thankful for. Friends, family, neighbors, work associates, and the challenges that come with each one of them. For work, for time off, for unemployment insurance, for being sustained through the furlough’s, and so much more. Give thanks to the Lord for God is good, His love endures forever!

S - Supplication

Supplication is what I sometimes call a 75ç word. We don’t use it very often and it means to ask humbly. Where it is used in Scripture most familiar to me is in Philippians 4:6 which I learned “Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving...”

Some translations read, “Prayer and petition...” The word being translated there has the sense of petitioning or begging before God, and supplication or asking humbly. So perhaps it’s best put pleading before God and remembering who it is your asking.

It is a truly amazing thing that the God of all Creation invites us to come before His throne and make requests. And then, we’re invited to wait in anticipation. Because we are told that God answers prayer.

So in review:

ACTS:

A - Adoration

C - Confession

T - Thanksgiving

S - Supplication

Yes, we’re entering the Season of Advent. A season of expectation of the coming of our Lord and all that it will mean.

Imagine you’re expecting a guest in your home. You know the date of the arrival, and so you clean. As the day draws closer, you realize there is more you can do, so you clean some more. Perhaps you plan a feast. As the time draws closer you buy the food for the feast, and then plan some desserts. In anticipation of the feast you clean off the dining room table, you get out the best table cloth. You polish off grandma’s silver and set the table with your finest china. You busily prepare the feast and the desserts, and you watch. You keep an eye on the window for your guests arrival. The desserts are prepared, the feast is cooking in the oven, and you notice this and that one more thing to make ready for your special guest. You want it to be perfect. As the time draws near you hurriedly clean up that one cluttered corner, and then a table on the other side of the room. Finally it’s time, and you are please to open your home to your guest, to wait upon them and you take joy in their enjoyment of your hospitality. As they are made comfortable, you smile. As they eat of your feast you take joy as they savor every part of it. When you’re stuffed and still offer dessert they’re excited to try some.

May we wait in equal anticipation of our Lord’s return. It’s not a fairy tale, it’s not pretend, it’s not just fun musings. Jesus has promised to return. May we wait with great anticipation, and when the Lord does come may He find us ready.

This is the Word of the Lord

Thanks be to God.

Glorious, Sovereign, Father God, we come to you knowing that you are truly the Father of Christmas. As we anticipate celebrating the birth of your son, Jesus, the Messiah, the Christ; we ask you to work in our hearts. Prepare us for the coming of the King! May we get everything ready, and may we eagerly be keeping a watchful eye out. We pray this all in the Name of Jesus. AMEN.