December 21 “Comfort
– Celebrate Constantly” *Luke 1.26-38, II Samuel 7.1-11, 16 Pastor Jacqueline
Hines
Have you heard the
news? In the last year, and months and even weeks we have gotten the word
around Bethel that someone is going to have a baby! The smiles and the tone of
the conversations have signaled anticipation, excitement, and celebration. [ #1 angels
instruments]
Celebration is a
constant in the kin-dom of God. Just like living rivers flow, [ #2 flowing river ] celebration flows when God is with
us. There is a wide range of ways we are inspired to celebrate, from kind words
and pleasant smiles to cozy get togethers or BIG parties. [#3 balloons]
We celebrate constantly
because we, like Mary, are expecting something new and wonderful. Gabriel told
her [ #4 verse
35 ]
‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy.
Don’t WE also expect God is
working holiness in us and around us?
We celebrate
constantly because we have experienced or we have seen in the lives of others
that things happen even though they seem to be impossibilities. The angel tells
Mary [ #5 verse 36-37 ] “and this is the sixth
month for her who was said to be barren. 37For nothing will be
impossible with God.” Maggie Shick tells the story of years ago when the Bethel
bank account balance for the general fund was a mere 25 cents. Some have had to wonder from time to time if OUR ministry would become barren for
lack of resources.
Three years ago, a
Finance Committee member reminded us that we had $10,000 of unrestricted funds
and that at the rate we were spending it would be gone in a year. God is good,
for the treasurer tells me now that we have not had to touch that particular
reserve for two years and instead of being $10,000, it has grown to about
$15,000. [ #6 money]
One Sunday someone
noticed that there were 7 in Junior Church and the next Sunday there were two.
“Where are all the children?” we wondered. Let us be reminded that another
important question, besides where are the children, is how in the world has
Mary Tyson been able to do Junior Church during the 8:30 service and the
10:45 am service Sunday after Sunday after Sunday? The answer is, by the grace of God. She is not alone; there
is a long list of those serving faithfully. That’s something to celebrate. Another question is, how in the world did we
get two new volunteers this month for Junior Church who have never served together
before but were determined not to allow even two children to hear it said that there
is no Junior Church that Sunday for any reason. That’s something to celebrate. [#7 hurray!]
With God all things
are possible, even when we are the ones called to sacrifice or change whether
we feel like it or not. Part of God’s
plan is that we celebrate the God who provides. With the plan God has given us
to prepare our building so “all can take part,” each person God brings across
the threshold is by divine decree. Each person old or young, family or stranger
is a precious child of God to be treated with the utmost respect and love and
justice and mercy that we have to offer, for the essential foundation of love
is justice and mercy [ #8 justice and mercy words ] [ #9
justice scale] .
We constantly celebrate
and show our love by building [ #10 Bethel building plan] with all our
might a place where the sacred space is accessible and welcoming, and by being God’s
accessible and welcoming people [ #11 kittens hug ].That
is why Bethel children, who cannot even crawl, sit at the feet of Joanne
Bachrach, their teacher who has been provided with a solid curriculum by our
Sunday School Superintendent, or Mary Lou Keim who has mastered the art of
cuddling and cooing [#12 partner with us ].
That’s why our two Junior Church coordinators flag you down to take a turn
every 6 months [# 13 chasing ]. That’s why we constantly have
something to celebrate [ #14 manger scene]
Well, of course, the
more we have to celebrate, the more we want. It is natural not only to want
good things but a mountain of good things. It is God’s will that we are
comforted. Good things will come as they always come because the comfort of
Christmas comes as it always comes - to
straighten something out and to build something wonderful up in our lives. [ #15 blue - wise
men on camels ]
So we say as Mary said
when she heard Gabriel’s good news that stirred up anticipation, excitement,
and celebration of a new beginning and a fresh start - [ #16 verse 38 ] she
said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your
word.’
Paul McCartney from
The Beatles put it this way [ #17 Paul McCartney]
When I find myself in
times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to
me
Speaking words of
wisdom, let it be.
Let it be, let it be.
Whisper words of
wisdom
Let it be.
Or as a Christian rap
artist La Crae [ #18 La Crae rapper ]who was
introduced to me by one of the Bethel youth says –
What’s up….
There ain't nothin'
to want, (Lord) you give me all that I
need
All I need is you to
keep that fire burnin' for me
All I need is you –
huh – yeah.
When we know we need
God first above anything and anyone, we can surrender more easily to the will
of God. May this be the Christmas we celebrate something being straightened out
and built up in us and around us. [#19 children around
Jesus’ manger] Amen.
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