December 18, 2024 - The Longest Night

The Longest Night

 

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

by: Pastor Bill Hargis

Scripture: John 1:1-14

Key Verse:

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:5

Christmas wasn’t always my favorite time of year. My mom would start falling into a depressed state every year, soon after Thanksgiving. As Christmas grew closer, it would get worse. She would tell me daily that there was no money, so there wouldn’t be any Christmas, of course, there were always presents under the tree. My anxiety wasn’t because of the threat of no presents, it was because; when I was 13 years old, my mom tried to commit suicide, because of depression. After that, I was terrified each Christmas that she would try again.

So, thanks a lot Bill, and Merry Christmas to you too; this isn’t what a blog about Christmas should be. I shared this story simply because, sometimes we forget that sickness, loss, insecurity, and loneliness, do not take a vacation. There are people facing Christmas alone for the first time, because of the death of a loved one, or divorce. It’s hard to be jolly when you’ve lost your job and your home. Maybe someone has just learned they are unable to have children, or even worse, they have lost a child. While the rest of the world is celebrating and enjoying the Christmas season, others are facing their darkest hour.

It’s easy for us to forget about these people because of all the excitement and joy Christmas time offers us. While we’re celebrating HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE. Others are facing hurt, despair, and grief. These folks can’t see the hope, or have lost all hope, in the promise of Christmas.

A few years ago, I heard of a church service called “The longest night,” It’s called longest night because it is always held on the night of the winter solstice. The winter solstice is when the earths north pole is at its maximum tilt away from the sun. This is the day with the shortest period of daylight, therefore the longest night.

So, what should we expect during the longest night service? A chance to come together with others who are experiencing the same hurt and loss that we are feeling. A safe place where we can grieve with others who understand the pain that we’re feeling. Loving arms, ready to hold you up, and an understanding shoulder to cry on. There are words of encouragement, comfort, and hope. There will be time for reflection, prayer, music and reading of scripture. You will be with people, who like you, are grieving and hurting. This service will give us an opportunity to realize, we are not alone in our despair.

The Longest night service I use, is based on an order developed and used at the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, in Honolulu Hawaii. This service has deep meaning for me. It allows us to find comfort by knowing we aren’t alone in our suffering, while at the same time we are reminded of God’s Love for us. His grace and mercy have no bounds.

One of the reasons I like this order is because it opens with the very verses I turn to when I’m needing assurance of God’s love.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by God, and without God nothing came to be. What came to be through God was life, and this life was the light of the world. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it, God loves us enough that the word became flesh and lived among us, (John 1).”

I have struggled all week with this blog, how do you make grief and hurt sound “Christmassy?” Last night, I believe God gave me an answer, when I was awakened with a song in my mind, sang by England Dan and John Ford Coley. Folks, Love is the answer.

If you are struggling with the holiday season, please consider joining us at 5:00pm, December 21st , for our Longest Night service at FUMC. It’s dark now, but “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Light of the World

[Verse 1]                                                  

Name your price                                      

A ticket to paradise                                  

I can't stay here anymore                         

And I've looked high and low                   

I've been from shore to shore to shore    

If there's a shortcut, I'd have found it      

But there is no easy way around it          

[Chorus]                                                  

Light of the world, shine on me

Love is the answer

Shine on us all, set us free

Love is the answer

[Verse 2]

Who knows why?

Someday we all must die

We're all homeless boys and girls

And we are never heard

It's such a lonely, lonely, lonely world

People turn their heads and walk on by

Tell me, is it worth just another try?

[Chorus]

[Bridge]

Tell me, are we alive

Or just a dying planet?

(What are the chances?)

Ask the man in your heart

For the answer

And when you feel afraid

(Love one another)

When you've lost your way

(Love one another)

And when you're all alone

(Love one another)

And when you're far from home

(Love one another)

And when you're down and out

(Love one another)

And when your hopes run out

(Love one another)

And when you need a friend

(Love one another)

And when you're near the end

(Love, we got to love)

(We got to love one another)

[Chorus]

Light of the world, shine on me

Love is the answer

Shine on us all, set us free

Love is the answer

A Prayer for Comfort in Grief

Dear God, in this time of sorrow and loss, I turn to you for strength and comfort. Please wrap your loving arms around me and grant me the peace that surpasses all understanding. Help me find solace in the memories of my loved one, and guide me through this difficult journey of grief. Amen.

From BibleStudyTools.com - 15 Prayers for Greif

December 17, 2024 - Joseph: Model Stepfather

Joseph: Model Stepfather 

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

By: Kurt Lamb

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Key Verse: Matthew 1:24-25

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

I had very little experience with the idea of a step-father until I became one. I've come to realize how important that role is. We live in a world where people die and the surviving spouse will often remarry. This has happened throughout history probably millions of times. In our more modern times divorce rates have skyrocketed creating a large number of step parent situations. Since we learn so much of our parenting style from the significant elders in our immediate family, having a role model is very important.

Joseph is the prime figure that the Bible gives us for the role. There is very little direct information about him but if we piece all we do know together we have a brilliant role model for all step-parents. He listened to God's messenger and he obeyed.

Joseph treasured Mary and he protected her and her child He took them to Egypt to save their lives when children were being slaughtered. Upon returning to their home in Nazareth it's clear that Jesus was educated and taught his earthly father’s trade. Being a carpenter was a skilled trade and required hard work and some strength. You have to do some math and understand angles and shapes. Tools were primitive by today's standard and were hand made by the individual tradesman. Joseph saw to it that Jesus had religious instruction and visited the temple. In short, we get a picture of how to raise a child. A picture of how to be a parent.

It is no small contribution to the development of Jesus in our world. And it is no wonder that we have churches throughout the world that carry the name of St. Joseph. His name is used in all kinds of charities and benevolent organizations. There are tens of thousands of churches and schools of numerous denominations that are named after him. Millions of children throughout time have been

named Joseph.

We know the name of Joseph and we have a pretty good idea of what he did. He is a timeless example of how to be a Dad.

It is apparent to all that we need the role model of Joseph. When your family unit has children you need to feed them. Clothe them. Give them instruction in what you know. Take them to church and to school. Protect them from danger and most of all love them no matter where they come from.

Father, thank you for Joseph's bold faith. I can't imagine the bind he is in and his courage in following your lead. When I face crises, please help me to trust you, be obedient, and do what you direct, even though those around me cannot understand. Give me faith. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Prayer from JesusWalk.com

December 16, 2024 - The Carpenter's Son

The Carpenter's Son 

Monday, December 16, 2024

by: John Pruett

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Key Verse:

Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.  

Matthew 1:19

This well known story took place over 2,000 years ago, on the other side of the world in an area not much larger than the Ozarks.

The stage is set in Israel and Egypt, ranging between Nazareth in Galilee in the North (think Missouri), Bethlehem in Judea, the South of Israel (think Arkansas), and then on down to Egypt in the South West (think Texas.)

What more can be said about this passage, or gleaned from its message, but to expand on the moment, and imagine that you are in Joseph's shoes, planning your wedding. You have been busy setting the date, you’ve picked out the minister, you've already paid for the venue, paid the band and caterer, ordered the wine, and sent out all the invitations. Then out of the blue your blushing, young bride to be, whom you have Never Even Been Alone With, comes to you and says that you have to scrap all of those plans and get married immediately, because she is pregnant and it's starting to show!

Imagine the tornado of feelings he went through in that instant, thoughts of betrayal, confusion, bewilderment, even flashes of rage, and then he asked her:

"Who is the man that did this?" (I'm going to ring his neck!!!)

Her response only adds to his confusion: she says, 

"There Is No Other Man! an Angel told me this baby is a blessing from God."

What in the world? One can only assume that after Joseph calmed down, he must have begun making a plan to send her away quietly, and cancel the wedding.

I think the Everly Brothers summed this moment up in their 1957 song " Wake up, little Susie, Wake Up!": "Well, What are we going to tell your Mama? What are we going to tell your Pa? What are we going to tell our friends when they say "Ooh la la!"? ... Our Goose is Cooked, our Reputation is Shot, and we're in trouble deep!"

So Mary left town right away. She went to stay with her aunt Elizabeth (the Preacher's wife) down in the hill country of Judea (Luke 1:39) while Joseph stayed in Nazareth and began to sort out the mess he found himself in. But then, Joseph too had a dream; it was of an Angel who confirmed Mary's story, and prompted him to go along with the bigger plan.

Now, as luck would have it, there was a Census taking place across the Roman Empire, so Joseph ALSO went from Nazareth to Judea (Luke 2:4) to register with Mary who had been pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child before long. In Bethlehem, this happy young couple could blend in with the crowd, and escape all the rumors that were no doubt flying around back in Nazareth.

Down there in Bethlehem they would start a new life together. By the time the Magi came from afar, they would have been living in a house, not a cave, there in Bethlehem. As the Magi left Joseph had another dream in which the Angel warned him that King Herod wanted to kill their toddler, so they fled to Egypt. (think Texas).

After a few years in Egypt, when King Herod died, the little family returned to the land of Israel, and this time went north, back to Nazareth in Galilee. By that time most people would have moved on, or forgotten about any supposedly sordid details surrounding their truncated engagement.

So we see that through all the drama, Joseph raised Jesus as if he were his own son, right along with his other children teaching him to be a carpenter like himself; that is, whenever he wasn't wandering off to the Temple to do his Father's will.

That trip to Jerusalem when Jesus was twelve years old is one of the last mentions of Joseph in the Bible, other than people referring to Jesus of Nazareth, as the son of Joseph (John 1:45), or the Carpenter 's son.

But that is a story for another day.

[Editor's Note: This is one of my favorite choral pieces done by a wonderful group (Voces8).  Since this is being sung in Russian, the translation/lyrics are "Salvation is Created" (verse 1) and "Alleluia" (verse 2).]

Father, 

Like Joseph, help us to place our blind trust in you. So that we experience complete joy this Advent knowing that your Son, Jesus comes to be with us forever.

Amen

December 15, 2024 - The Wrong Thing for the Right Reason

THE ‘WRONG’ THING FOR THE RIGHT REASON 

Sunday, December 15, 2024

by Geoff Posegate

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Key Verse:

"Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”  

Matthew 1:20-21

On the surface, Matthew 1:18-25 is a story with a plot twist that causes everything to turn out all right. Despite not really understanding how Mary became pregnant with a child that was not his, Joseph decided to go through with marrying her anyway. Twenty-first century folks experience this as a ‘feel good’ story in which Joseph did the right thing.

It’s not that simple. In fact, a real case could be made to show that Joseph did the wrong thing.

Sleeping Joseph – by Vicente López Portaña

First century middle-eastern cultures tended to be very honor and shame based. Honorable behavior by an individual reflected on their whole family and community, while shameful behavior extended embarrassment and shame to everyone. Among Jewish people, if a woman who was engaged to be married (a legally binding arrangement then) became pregnant by way of someone other than the man to whom she was to be married, that was supremely shameful. Putting her to death was possible (see Deuteronomy 22:23-27), though seldom practiced in the first century. Still, punishing her severely and publicly was the right thing to do at the time. A more merciful approach was a private severance of the marriage arrangement (Numbers 5:11-31). This was also a way to do the right thing, and that was the path Joseph initially chose, to minimize shame to his family and Mary’s.

In that culture, marrying Mary was in fact the wrong thing to do. It would trigger shaming and scorn in their community. That’s why the angel in Joseph’s dream had to convince him not to be afraid and not to hesitate to take Mary as his wife. When God does some of God’s best stuff, God invites people to do things that they’ve long assumed are not the right thing to do. Including a prostitute in Jesus’ lineage was not the right thing to do. (Joshua 6:25, Matthew 1:5.) Jesus telling a story in which a hated Samaritan is the hero was not the right thing to do. (Luke 10:25-37.) Jesus attending a dinner party with sinners and tax-collectors was not the right thing to do. (Luke 5:27-32.) The Church welcoming Gentiles without converting them to Judaism was not the right thing to do. (Acts 15.)

Sometimes, just as with Joseph, we’re invited to break out of the confines of what we assume should and should not happen. That’s the nature of a God for whom nothing is impossible. That’s the way the child of a poor, unwed mother becomes the Savior of the world.

Come, long-expected Jesus. 

Excite in me a wonder at the wisdom and power of Your Father and ours. 

Receive my prayer as part of my service of the Lord 

who enlists me in God’s own work for justice. 

Come, long-expected Jesus. 

Excite in me a hunger for peace: peace in the world, 

peace in my home, peace in myself. 

Come, long-expected Jesus. 

Excite in me a joy responsive to the Father’s joy. 

I seek His will so I can serve with gladness, singing and love. 

Come, long-expected Jesus. 

Excite in me the joy and love and peace 

it is right to bring to the manger of my Lord. 

Raise in me, too, sober reverence for the God who acted there, 

hearty gratitude for the life begun there, 

and spirited resolution to serve the Father and Son. 

I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, 

whose advent I hail.

Amen.

Advent Prayer from St. Joseph - St. Pius X Catholic Parish of Leicester, MA

December 14, 2024 - Meaning Behind The Song of Mary

Meaning Behind The Song of Mary

Saturday, December 14, 2024

by: Cherylene Hargis

Scripture: Luke 1:46-55

Key Verse:

He has filled the hungry with good things

    but has sent the rich away empty.

Luke 1:53

Isn’t it funny how sometimes we can hear a song that immediately takes us back to a certain time and place in our lives. There are some songs we immediately identify with special occasions: “Happy Birthday” at a birthday party, “The National Anthem” at a ballgame, and “Silent Night” during Christmas Eve candlelight service. Music can express deep feelings and emotions that words sometimes can’t. We all know there are passages in scripture that challenge, encourage, teach, praise, and inspire, but there are also songs and hymns in scripture that do all those things too.

Painting by Carl Bloch

Mary’s Song (or the Magnificat), is a hymn that is one of those special songs for me. In the Gospel of Luke 1:46-55 the Virgin Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist. When the baby moves in Elizabeth’s womb, Elizabeth praises Mary for her deep faith in God. Mary responds with the hymn of praise known as the Magnificat.

 

The Magnificat, which is one of the oldest of Christian hymns, is named after the first line in the Latin (Magnificat anima mea Dominum or “My Soul magnifies the Lord”). In this song Mary rejoices that she has been chosen to give birth to the promised Messiah (Luke 1:46-48). Mary praises God for God’s power, holiness, and mercy (Luke 1:49-50). Mary also proclaims what God will do through the Messiah (Luke 1:51-53) and thanks God for keeping God’s promise to Abraham (Luke 1:54-55). Mary understands that God has looked upon her with favor and that she is blessed among women. She expresses her joy and gratitude for the Lord's goodness and mercy, and acknowledges that God's strength is made perfect in weakness. She also speaks of God's plan to exalt the humble and bring down the arrogant, prideful and those who abuse power, and that He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.

The Magnificat also reflects on how God is fulfilling his promises to the Israelites as Mary is carrying Jesus, and how the coming of Jesus will bring salvation to all people, regardless of their status or background. Through this song, Mary declares her faith in God's plan and in the coming of the Messiah, that she recognizes as the savior.

One of the most striking aspects of the Magnificat is its powerful call for the uplifting of the poor and oppressed. Mary's words in the Magnificat reflect a deep understanding of God's justice and mercy, and a belief in the power of God to bring about change in the world.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for He has looked with favor on His humble servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed,

the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.

He has mercy on those who fear Him in every generation

He has shown the strength of his arm,

He has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones

and has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich He has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of His servant Israel

for He has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise He made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.

In conclusion, The Magnificat, is a powerful and meaningful text, filled with deep spiritual and theological truths. It speaks to the heart of what it means to be a faithful servant of God, and calls on us to follow Mary's example of humility, faith, and trust in God's plan for salvation.

So, like Mary, let’s sing and rejoice in the Lord throughout this Christmas season!

Please enjoy one of my absolute favorites is Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant…

December 13, 2024 - Active Partner with God

 Active Partner with God

Friday, December 13, 2024

by: Patricia Lamb

Scripture: Luke 1:46-55

Most all Christians know the first part of the Song of Mary:

And Mary said:

"My soul glorifies the Lord

     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

     for he has been mindful

     of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

     holy is his name.

These words conform with our perception of Mary as a young teen who accepts God’s words as truth and her joyous response. Her initial action is to travel to visit her cousin Elizabeth who is pregnant in her old age, perhaps because it is easy to talk with someone you respect and feel respected by. Elizabeth responds to Mary’s arrival:

As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb [John] leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

The Visitation by Amber Knorr

But Mary is so much more than a receptive vessel. Mary goes on to say in verses 50-55

His mercy extends to those who fear him,

     from generation to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones

     but has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things

     but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

     remembering to be merciful

     to Abraham and his descendants forever,

     just as he promised our ancestors.”

Mary knows the history of her people and God at work. She knows Scripture and trusts in God’s words. Her song is a reflection of the songs of Miriam, Deborah, and Hannah.

1. Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, was a prophetess who sang of the Israelites deliverance from Pharaoh - the visible work of God.
2. Deborah, the only female judge recognized in Scripture, used her authority to order an attack on the Israelites’ oppressors; her song of victory celebrates freedom from oppression - God’s concern for our material wellbeing.
3. And Hannah, a childless old woman abused in her own family, becomes pregnant with Samuel and sings praises honoring God as one who overturns the powerful and uplifts the oppressed - God delivers justice.

But Mary takes their songs and brings God close enough to touch. After all, she is carrying the Son of God.

I begin to understand the strength and intelligence of Mary. More than a humble, meek girl, Mary knows the work of God among her people, and that the role she has been called to play will not be easy. However, Mary chooses not only to accept but to be an active partner with God to bring Jesus, Emanuel, to be the Light of the World.

Breathe

The season of Advent reminds us that even as we wait for the birth of Christ in our lives and world, God is always with us. Right here, right now—wherever we are and with the ones we love. Take a deep breath and breathe in the presence of God.

Respond

How can you bring hope to others today?

Heart-Word Prayer

Take a moment to listen to the one word your heart is saying right now. Say that word out loud. Close by saying, “Amen.”

From Community of Christ.org - Daily Bread - Mary's Song

December 12 2024 - Exceptional Mothers

Exceptional Mothers 

Thursday, December 12, 2024

by: Carol Powell

Scripture: Luke 1:46-55

Key Verse: ... for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

holy is his name.  

Luke 1:49

A young teenaged Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth. Both are pregnant under extraordinary circumstances. As soon as Mary arrives, both Elizabeth and her unborn child recognize they are in the presence of holiness and are filled with the Holy Spirit. When Elizabeth, as the Angel who came to Mary also observed, told Mary she was blessed among women, Mary responds with her song.

Not much more than a child herself, she recognizes her singular place in the world and sees it for the incredible privilege it is. She knows her child will change the course of history, that he will turn traditional thinking upside down, bringing down rulers and lifting up the humble. She knows her son will be fulfilling God’s promise to her people.

And her grateful acceptance of the weighty gift God has bestowed on her will also bring her anguish and shame. For the rest of her days in her town of 300, her son will be labeled illegitimate. He will die an agonizing death, misunderstood and ridiculed.

I think of some of the exceptional mothers I have known: my own mother, who quietly and bravely stood up for civil rights in the sixties, who loved each of her 4 children unconditionally. My younger friend with the blended family, who is busy from morning until night, taking the time to make each child feel unique and seen and loved. My youngest brother, who raised 3 exceptional children on his own.  I think of my own “mothering” role; though I have no children of my own, I know there are many precious children who’ve known my love. Yet none of this love compares to the love a simple child from a tiny nowhere town has given to her God when He asked so much of her. 

It really doesn’t matter our age or gender or parental status as we ponder Mary’s words; what matters is what we take from her absolute obedience when called upon. At this advent season, may we listen for God’s voice. May we recognize the significance of His words and accept the things He asks of us with the joy, obedience and humility of Mary, the brave and blessed mother of our Christ.

Father in heaven,

You inspired in Mary the desire to be a woman of two worlds, 

a sister to her human family through Elizabeth, 

and a mother to the whole world through her son Jesus Christ. 

Help us to be inspired like Mary to see our lives 

in the way that Mary saw hers, 

that our lives can both be passionately devoted to our family 

and also a solemn gift for the whole world.

Amen.