 What ever happened to Rob Bell? by Sarah Pulliam Bailey / Religion News Service
(RNS) Rob Bell was once the evangelical It Boy, the hipster pastor with the thick-rimmed glasses and the skinny jeans whose best-selling theology was captured in books with names such as “Velvet Elvis” and “Sex God.”
By 2006, the Chicago Sun-Times wondered aloud whether the Michigan megachurch pastor could be the next Billy Graham.
And then he went to hell.
In 2011, his book “Love Wins” pushed the evangelical envelope on the nature of heaven, hell and salvation. Many dismissed him as a modern-day heretic, unwilling to embrace traditional evangelicals beliefs about the hereafter.
While evangelicalism has always wrestled with the pull of its fundamentalist roots and a desire for a modern-day openness within certain boundaries, for many Bell had gone too far. “Farewell, Rob Bell,” retired megachurch pastor John Piper famously tweeted.
Now, the man who built a church of an estimated 10,000 people isn’t even attending an organized church. Instead, he surfs the waves near Hollywood and has teamed up with the goddess of pop theology, Oprah Winfrey.
Exchanging his evangelical bona fides for the blessing of Oprah may yet prove to be his most unforgivable sin, at least in some circles. Which is not to say that Bell cares very much what anyone says these days.
“I never spent a minute wondering whether I’m in or out.”
Does he still consider himself an evangelical?
“If we mean Jesus’ message of God’s revolutionary love for every person, and we can surrender and give our life to acts to loving kindness, then man, sign me up,” said Bell, 44.
After the initial battle over “Love Wins” died down, Bell seemed to disappear from the public eye. He left his Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids and headed out to California to work on TV projects.
“The Rob Bell Show” will premiere Dec. 21 on the Oprah Winfrey Network, a one-hour show that features Bell and is co-produced by him. He also recently toured the country with Winfrey on a “Life You Want Weekend.”
In many ways, some elements of typical evangelicalism are a good fit for Oprah’s lineup of public confession and personal transformation, said Kathryn Lofton, author of “Oprah: The Gospel of an Icon.” The difference, however, is that The Church of Oprah incorporates as many religious concepts as possible, while evangelicalism commits to exclusivity.
“I think an interesting way to think about Bell and Oprah here is to observe how easily she incorporates him into her pantheon of spiritual advisers. She remains, as ever, the determining corporate deity,” said Lofton, a professor of religious studies at Yale.
“One way of looking at this is less a merger of two equal powers than it is the acquisition by one large corporation of another small business.”
To be sure, Bell still holds his evangelical credentials, with degrees from Wheaton College and Fuller Theological Seminary. And like other leading evangelicals, he’s trying to stake out some ground on marriage.
“It seems like marriage is one of the central things in life that needs all the help it can get,” Bell said.
For anyone looking for any hints to his theological shift, his new book, “The Zimzum of Love: A New Way of Understanding Marriage,” is likely to disappoint. He came out in favor of same-sex marriage in 2013, and few evangelicals seemed surprised. If he could question the existence of hell, they said, why wouldn’t he shift on his views about sexuality?
Bell says he would conduct a same-sex ceremony, and he encourages churches to welcome gay members and allow them to be ordained.
“This is a justice issue,” Bell said. “We believe people should not be denied the right to have someone to journey with.”
Books & Culture, a journal published by Christianity Today, mocked Bell’s latest work, inventing a fake publishing executive to push the man behind the Gospel of Zimzum.
“He won’t talk about the cross, or sin, or the idea that marriage represents Jesus and his bride or God and Israel. So he’s not a Bible Christian, but really a Christian, then. Our new kind of Christian. Our evogelical,” the piece said.
And Florida pastor Dave Harvey, reviewing “Zimzum” for The Gospel Coalition, a central hub of the Reformed evangelical movement, criticized Bell for quoting the Bible only three times in the book: “If Christianity were outlawed and a mob amassed to burn Christian books, ‘The Zimzum of Love’ would not be at risk.”
Even when he talks about marriage, Bell sounds more like Oprah than a theologian, meshing what sounds both spiritual and evangelical when addressing marriage as an institution.
“All of these things that people think dropped out of the sky by divine edict are actually a reflection of ongoing human evolution and a thousand other factors that have shaped why we as humans have done what we’ve done,” Bell said.
Bell co-authored “Zimzum” with his wife, Kristen, and he said “she’s generally three steps ahead of me” in his evolution.
Now resettled near Los Angeles, the couple no longer belongs to a traditional church. “We have a little tribe of friends,” Bell said. “We have a group that we are journeying with. There’s no building. We’re churching all the time. It’s more of a verb for us.”
He’s still a fan of churches — depending on the context.
“Churches can be places that help people grow and help people connect with others and help people connect with the great issues of our day,” Bell said. “They can also be toxic, black holes of despair. My thinking is, it depends on where you are in your life. One of the most extraordinary things I’ve done since I left Mars Hill is be with people and engage with people who would never step foot in a church.”
He conducts retreats in Laguna Beach and teaches on innovation, communication, creativity, how to read the Bible and how to surf. At the end of the gathering, he serves the Eucharist.
If he could do the “Love Wins” controversy over again, Bell said: “I would’ve had more fun with it. The book doesn’t even begin to go far enough. I let people frame it as though I was way off the reservation.”
Is he a universalist — essentially, someone who believes that everyone will be saved because a loving God would never condemn anyone to hell — as many claimed?
“I have no idea what people mean,” Bell said. “That just seems like stuff church people sit around and think about. Does God love everybody? Yeah.”
Many evangelicals are suspicious of Oprah, leery that she represents what many see as the worst of self-help spirituality. Bell, not surprisingly, disagrees once again.
“She has taught me more about what Jesus has for all of us, and what kind of life Jesus wants us to live, more than almost anybody in my life,” Bell said.
“Is she a Christian? That word has so much baggage, I wouldn’t want to answer for someone. When Jesus talks about the full divine life, you think, this is what he’s talking about.”
 Feeding people who are homeless by Mike Poteet
“If the homeless want to eat . . .”
“Busted for feeding the homeless in public!” So crowed late-night comedian Stephen Colbert, in character as the loud-mouthed, hyperopinionated host of “The Colbert Report.” He was referring to Arnold Abbott, the 90-year-old chef who made headlines in early November. “I say if the homeless want to eat,” Colbert pontificated, “they ought to do so in the privacy of their own wherever those people live. This monster cannot claim he didn’t know better, because he was doing [it] from a church kitchen. For as Jesus said in Matthew 25:35, ‘I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and—look out! The cops are here! Hide the loaves and the fishes!’”
Colbert’s satirical routine is one example of the widespread attention Abbott’s case has drawn. The story shines a light on homelessness in the United States, as well as competing interests in coping with and solving it. Comedy aside, people experiencing homelessness do want to eat, and many of their neighbors do want to feed them. Connecting the two, however, can prove difficult.
Chef Arnold’s “good fight”
Arnold Abbott, or “Chef Arnold,” founded the Love Thy Neighbor Fund (LTN) in 1991. It provides many services to the homeless men, women and children of Broward County, Florida, including a feeding program that serves two weekly meals at the beach and in a park. LTN feeds over 1,400 people every week.
But across America, feeding programs like LTN’s have been increasingly regulated. Since 2007, 71 cities have enacted or have tried to enact restrictions on such programs. According to a National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) report released in October, 21 cities now restrict food-sharing programs in some way, usually by regulating the use of public property, requiring permits or setting strict food safety guidelines.
Fort Lauderdale passed legislation in late October setting several rules for outdoor feedings, including (according to the Tampa Bay Times-Miami Herald) “that sites must be 500 feet away from residential areas, have bathrooms or portable toilets, equipment for hand washing and consent of the owner.” Abbott and two local pastors, Dwayne Black and Mark Sims, ran afoul of the new ordinance on November 2. Police arrived with sirens flashing to give all three men citations as they served meals. “One of the police officers said, ‘Drop that plate right now,’ as if I were carrying a weapon,” says Abbott. The infractions carried a $500 fine or 60 days of jail time.
Abbott has clashed with the city over the feeding program before. In 1999, Fort Lauderdale banned LTN’s beach picnics, offering an alternate location miles from the city’s downtown homeless population. A judge, however, ruled the city had violated Abbott’s First Amendment right to practice his religion freely. “As far as I’m concerned,” says Abbott, “that court order is still in effect.” Abbott has continued the feedings in the same locations he’s long used. “I’m not afraid of jail,” says the World War II veteran. “I spent two-and-a-half years in war. It’s OK. I like a good fight.”
Balancing interests
Why does such seemingly simple, generous action provoke fights at all? Fort Lauderdale’s mayor, Jack Seiler, explains, “You have to balance the interests of everybody in the community. What we always try to do is make sure everybody gets to enjoy our parks.” The most recent ordinance, like others relating to the city’s homeless (laws against soliciting money at intersections, laws against public defecation), arose following some businesses’ and residents’ complaints.
In a written statement, Seiler notes that the feeding ordinance, far from banning the practice, “expands the number of locations where feedings can take place and establishes guidelines to ensure they are carried out under safe, sanitary, and healthy conditions.” Some who work to help the homeless support such restrictions for these reasons. “Feeding people outdoors flies in the face of our efforts to end homelessness,” said Ron Book of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust. “When you feed people out on the streets, garbage gets dropped; that breeds rodents and creates a health and safety hazard for them and [the] general public. Feeding needs to be done indoors.”
Municipal governments also tend to argue that feeding programs don’t make long-term contributions toward solving homelessness. Robert Marbut is a national homeless consultant who doesn’t favor laws that criminalize helping the homeless; yet he also opposes a scattershot, go-it-alone approach from individuals and organizations. “Give me a name of one person who got a job because they were fed,” says Marbut. “You don’t graduate from the street because you ate a Big Mac tonight.” Marbut advocates coordinated, centralized, 24/7 programs that address such core issues as joblessness, mental illness and substance abuse.
Seiler points to such efforts in Fort Lauderdale. They include a Police Homeless Outreach Unit, which makes 8,000 referrals annually to needed social services; the recently approved expansion of the city’s full-service Homeless Assistance Center, the only one in Broward County; and its participation in the 100,000 Homes Campaign to move disabled and chronically homeless people into permanent housing.
“Don’t Feed Our Bums”?
Whatever their stated intent, however, laws that regulate public outdoor feedings often appear to stem from and perpetuate prejudicial attitudes toward the homeless population. In 2010, for example, bumper stickers, T-shirts, and hats reading, “Welcome to Ocean Beach, Please Don’t Feed Our Bums” appeared in California. A joint report of the NCH and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty (NLCHP) explains, “These products, modeled after a sign asking residents not to feed bears, embody the messages that homeless people are not wanted and that by feeding them, people are enabling them to remain living on the local streets.”
“The argument that Arnold [Abbott] is enabling people to be homeless is ludicrous,” says Michael Stoops of the Coalition for Homelessness. Supporters of feeding programs contend that such programs are some homeless people’s only access to safe, healthy food. “People do not remain homeless because of outdoor food sharing programs,” states the NCH/NLCHP report. “People remain homeless for reasons that include a lack of affordable housing, shelter space, living wage or significant life events such as divorce, domestic violence or illness.”
If outdoor feeding programs don’t directly address these root causes of homelessness, neither does legislation that restricts the programs. When providers of food cannot meet the standards these laws impose, more people may go hungry than before. Earlier this year, Columbia, South Carolina, began charging permit fees for public gatherings in the city’s parks. The organization Food Not Bombs, which has provided meals for the city’s homeless in Finlay Park for over a decade, suddenly faced the prospect of paying $120 a week in order to do so. “We have no formal organization,” said organizer Judith Turnipseed. “We’re just a group of people who come to the park and bring food and share it with anyone who comes.” (As of October, the city has not assessed the fee. However, where Food Not Bombs fits into currently developing plans to “refresh” Finlay Park is uncertain.)
Save one, save the world
Fort Lauderdale offered LTN two alternate sites that comply with the new ordinance’s requirements. LTN rejected both. “The homeless have the same right to the beauty and placidity of our beach as anyone who comes here from Sweden and Zambia,” Abbott said. “Anybody can use the beach except for one group, the homeless, and that’s what I’m fighting for.”
Abbott’s comments suggest that he sees himself as fighting for justice. Restrictions on food-sharing do highlight a possible tension between what is legal and what is just. The joint NCH/NLCHP report points out that the right to food is “an internationally recognized human right. . . . Food sharing restrictions violate the obligation of respecting and protecting the right to food . . . [and] are in violation of international human rights norms.”
Arnold Abbott is committed to the rights and dignity of the people he feeds. He fears that without the meals he provides, they will dig through dumpsters to find food instead. “Citations won’t stop me,” he says. “I believe I am my brother’s keeper. I’m Jewish, and in Judaism they say that if you save one person, you save the world.” By that standard, Abbott may have saved the world several times over. Perhaps his conflict with Fort Lauderdale will spark not only public attention but also public dialogue about how concerned citizens and their governments can save the world together, too.
This article is part of FaithLink, a weekly downloadable discussion guide for classes and small groups.
 Christians got big ole buts by Joseph Yoo
I remember a seminary class where our professor once told us to leave our buts out of our apology. I'm glad he clarified what he said because I was getting weird mental images. He explained that when we apologize, just leave it at "I'm sorry" and do not add a "but."
You know, like "I'm sorry, but it's really your fault." Or, "I'm sorry, but you made me do it."
Are we really sorry? Our buts totally negate our attempted apology. They usually start another fight rather than resolving the situation.
Similarly, last year for Thanksgiving, I shared with my congregation that when we count or name our blessings throughout the entire year (and not just Thanksgiving) we should leave out our buts.
This is prevalent in my culture. With our desire to remain modest and humble, accepting a blessing without a hint of apology might come off as offensive or being better than our neighbor. But I also notice this in people who are not of the Korean-American culture. When someone is congratulated on becoming a new homeowner, for example, they sometimes respond with something like, "Yes, but it needs a lot of work."
Or, "You must be ecstatic about your new promotion!"
"I am... but it just means a lot more hours and time away from home."
Or, "Oh my! Congratulations on your newborn daughter!"
"Yea... but she looks like my husband."
We want to remain humble so we sometimes seem to go out of our way to minimize a great blessing that God has bestowed upon us.
Of course, there's a fine line between being grateful and rubbing it in the face of our friends, family and neighbors. But we need to find ways to stop discounting our blessings and to be thankful for what God has given us. And to remember the call to be a blessing to others.
There's another area that's probably best to leave our buts out of.
Earlier this year, the band Magic! exploded to the music scene with their song "Rude." It's about a young man asking his girlfriend's father for her hand in marriage. The father tells him "No" and the young man asks, "Why you gotta be so rude" and says that he'll "marry her anyway."
Someone made a cover of that song from the father's perspective and it went viral. In the song, the father sings that if the young man does indeed marry her anyway, "I'm going to punch you in the face" and "I'll make you go away/in the bottom of a lake."
Then he adds this line: "I may be a Christian/but I'll go to prison/I'm not scared of doing hard time."
Now I know that this song is tongue-in-cheek (and admittedly, I did find his cover funny) but that one line has stuck with me for months.
So many of us have negated our confession of being a Christian with a but — whether through our words or our actions. And I confess, my buts are big as anyone else's.
How many times have I negated my Christian confession with what seems like a harmless but?
... but I'm going to do it anyway.
... but I'm going to take this slight offense and make it into a mountain and hold onto it forever.
... but I'm sure no one's watching.
I find myself often living a disintegrated life because my confession of being a Christian is far different from my life as a Christian.
God's spirit should flow through me freely, but instead, I put up compartments and trap doors to block or redirect the flow of the Spirit. Because I like saying uncalled-for and mean things. Because I like being lazy and undisciplined. Because I like blaming everyone else for my mistakes.
As a Wesleyan Christian, I believe that I'm on a journey toward sanctification — toward being perfected in Christian love — toward being holy as God is. To do this, I need to live a fully integrated life where my heart, soul, strength and mind are aligned with God's Spirit. The easy place to start, at least for me, is to not let my big buts get in the way.
To stop at "I'm sorry." To be thankful for my blessings without qualification. And to live up to my confession of being a disciple of Christ without undermining that confession.
 Observing Advent by Jim Hawkins
Holiday frenzy
Are you busy? My hunch is you are busier now, in early December, than you are most of the year. Shopping malls and e-retailer websites are busy with people searching for Christmas gifts for loved ones. Kitchens are filled with the aromas of freshly baked cookies, pies and other special holiday baked goods. Mailboxes are loaded with greeting cards from friends and family living both near and far. Radio stations have been broadcasting Christmas music for weeks, and television Christmas specials are playing on the small screen. Office parties, school concerts, family gatherings and get-togethers with friends dot the calendar. All around us, the world has been plunged into the “holiday frenzy.”
The season of Advent beckons to us in the midst of all the end-of-the-year busyness. Observing Advent can help us gain a valuable perspective on what is most important in our lives as individual Christians, in our families, in our congregations and in our world. Paying attention to Advent can also deepen our experience of Christmas. Instead of fretting that the holiday season has become too commercial, we can discover a greater spiritual meaning as we look toward Christmas.
What is Advent?
Advent, a season that starts four Sundays before Christmas, began this year on November 30 and will stretch to Christmas Eve, as it does every year. Advent is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, but it is an ancient Christian practice, first observed in France in the fourth century.
The word Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, which means coming, and hints at the focus of this liturgical season. Advent “is a season to prepare for the coming of Christ in various meanings: the promised coming of the Messiah to the Jews, the coming of Jesus being born in Bethlehem, the promised return of the risen Christ in final victory and the continual coming of Christ into the lives and hearts of believers,” according to Dean McIntyre of the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship.
Ways to observe Advent
Advent brings with it a number of spiritual practices that can aid spiritual growth. Among the most important seasonal practices is worship. Exploring the lectionary Scripture lessons helps us discover Advent’s emphases. This week, for example, the Old Testament text 2 from Isaiah 40:1-11 centers on the hope of the Jewish people that better days were coming. The Epistle reading, 2 Peter 3:8-15a, focuses on the Christian hope that the risen Christ will come again. In Mark 1:1-8, John the Baptist not only speaks of preparing the way for the Lord, but also points out how we can prepare for the coming of the Lord in our own lives today. When the music, prayers, and other elements of worship work together to proclaim the message of these texts, they reinforce the call for us to prepare the way.
We can prepare the way of the Lord in our lives with spiritual practices in the home. One of our family’s seasonal practices is an Advent calendar. Our calendar is a do-it-yourself version. We write Luke 1:26-56; 2:1-20 on strips of purple paper, dividing the passages into 25 sections. Each day, we read what is written on one strip of paper, form a loop with the paper, and gradually create an Advent calendar paper chain. Another option is to download a free Advent calendar from the General Board of Discipleship. This calendar includes a number of activities, including setting up and talking about the Nativity scene, talking about how we prepare for the coming of the Lord, donating toys to a local hospital and praying for those who are hungry.
If you and your family usually join in prayer before meals, consider modifying your mealtime practice during Advent by singing a prayer before you eat. Dean McIntyre has adapted the traditional Doxology to be sung to the tune of the ancient Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” This adaptation makes an excellent musical prayer for singing a table grace during Advent. A free copy of the lyrics and music are available online.
Another mealtime option is to join together to reflect on Scripture. One easy way is to use the lectionary Bible passages from the Sunday worship service throughout the following week. So for this week, for example, you could discuss how the people of Judah received the prophet’s words in Isaiah 40 or the meaning of the words of Second Peter for us today.
You could join with friends and family to engage in service to others, a fitting spiritual practice during Advent when we prepare for the coming of the Prince of Peace. Some possibilities include donating to The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) or to a special ministry of your congregation. You could contact a local agency working with those in need to discover how you can make a hands-on difference, not only in this season but also in the coming year. You could also make plans to be part of a Volunteers in Mission project or another short-term mission. Check with your pastor and/or mission leaders in your annual conference for ideas.
You could form a short-term small group, perhaps meeting by way of electronic media. Together, you can reflect on Scripture, perhaps a passage that was read in worship the previous Sunday. Some great questions for any text include: What do you think this passage meant for those who first heard it? What does it mean for Christians in our time? How will I live my life differently because of this passage?
We can also prepare the way for the Lord with personal spiritual practices. One option is to journal. Take time every day to write your observations, thoughts or questions as you pray, read Scripture, or read an inspirational book. A great seasonal read is Ann Weems’s “Kneeling in Bethlehem,” a collection of accessible and meaningful poems.
Another option is to deepen your prayer life. Set aside more time to pray each day. Pray for those you encounter during this busy time: store employees who are often stressed at this time of year, delivery people who are busier than usual, the people who sent you cards and those on your Christmas card list, and your pastor and other leaders of your congregation.
Moving toward an observant Advent
One caution: Please do not consider the above suggestions as another long list of things you need to do during this busy time of year. Advent observances should enhance your life, not make it more unmanageable. Instead of looking at the suggestions as a must-do list, choose one, two or a few practices that you believe would be most meaningful for you. Also, consider dropping a few items from your normal “holiday frenzy” list. Perhaps bake two or three kinds of Christmas cookies instead of a dozen different varieties. Trim other activities to focus on only those that are most meaningful to you and those you love. I advise doing this trimming in consultation with your loved ones; you may discover that an activity you thought everyone loved is not as high a priority as you assumed.
December can be so much more than a frenetic month, a race ending in exhaustion on Christmas Day. “During most of December, Christians observe Advent, a four-week season of reflection, preparation and waiting that precedes the yearly celebration of Jesus’ birth,” writes Diana Butler Bass. She adds that during these weeks, “there is a muted sense of hope and expectation. Christians recollect God’s ancient promise to Israel for a kingdom where lion and lamb will lie down together.” Bass urges us not to forget about Advent. “These, after all, are the four weeks that the Christian tradition dedicates to God’s vision of justice for the outcast and the oppressed.” The season offers rich opportunities through worship, prayer, Bible reading, and service to reflect on deeper spiritual meanings offered through the coming of Christ.
Have a happy, observant Advent. You may not only grow deeper in your relationship with God, but you may also gain a greater appreciation for Christmas.
Be sure to check out FaithLink, a weekly downloadable discussion guide for classes and small groups. FaithLink motivates Christians to consider their personal views on important contemporary issues, and it also encourages them to act on their beliefs.
 The brightest future of all by Mike Poteet
Disney’s latest animated hit, “Big Hero 6,” tells the story of fourteen-year-old robotics genius Hiro Hamada. Hiro builds “bots” used for illegal fights in the back alleys of San Fransokyo, a gleaming metropolis of the near future. Hiro’s older brother Tadashi, however, takes him to the city’s Institute of Technology — “nerd school” — and inspires him to use his skills for more constructive ends. Hiro invents microscopic, thought-controlled machines with nearly limitless applications. When a bad guy steals these “microbots” for nefarious ends, it’s up to Hiro, five fellow teens in high-power, high-tech super suits, and Baymax — the film’s breakout character: a huge, huggable healthcare robot — to save the day.
Making the world better
“Big Hero 6” celebrates the idea that young people can make the world better through their creativity, problem-solving and imagination. It highlights science as a powerful force for positive change. As Denver Post film critic Lisa Kennedy writes, the film asserts that “it’s good to be taken with technology, crushed out on code, wowed by chemistry.” “Big Hero 6” also affirms can-do attitudes anyone can adopt. “Use that big brain of yours to think your way out,” Tadashi tells Hiro. “There are no dead ends.” Hiro learns to look for “workarounds” when confronted with obstacles. He uses tenacity and teamwork to help shape his own and his community’s future.
Answering Jesus’ call
Christians often are wary of overly optimistic confidence in human ability and achievement. We know the power of sin and put our ultimate hope in God alone. But we also believe God gives skills and talents to use for our individual as well as others’ good. When we contribute our energy and effort toward making everyone’s present and future better, it’s one way to answer Jesus’ call to love our neighbors.
Today’s youth can help shape a brighter tomorrow for the world. The church can encourage them to do so as a vital expression of faith in the One whose Resurrection promises the brightest future of all.
Question of the day: How will you help shape the future?
Focal Scriptures: Genesis 11:1-9; Exodus 31:1-11; Revelation 21:1-5
Genesis 11: “God Turned Their Language into ‘Babble’”
1-2 At one time, the whole Earth spoke the same language. It so happened that as they moved out of the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled down.
3 They said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and fire them well.” They used brick for stone and tar for mortar.
4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower that reaches Heaven. Let’s make ourselves famous so we won’t be scattered here and there across the Earth.”
5 God came down to look over the city and the tower those people had built.
6-9 God took one look and said, “One people, one language; why, this is only a first step. No telling what they’ll come up with next—they’ll stop at nothing! Come, we’ll go down and garble their speech so they won’t understand each other.” Then God scattered them from there all over the world. And they had to quit building the city. That’s how it came to be called Babel, because there God turned their language into “babble.” From there God scattered them all over the world.
Exodus 31: Bezalel and Oholiab
1-5 God spoke to Moses: “See what I’ve done; I’ve personally chosen Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur of the tribe of Judah. I’ve filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him skill and know-how and expertise in every kind of craft to create designs and work in gold, silver, and bronze; to cut and set gemstones; to carve wood—he’s an all-around craftsman.
6-11 “Not only that, but I’ve given him Oholiab, son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan, to work with him. And to all who have an aptitude for crafts I’ve given the skills to make all the things I’ve commanded you: the Tent of Meeting, the Chest of The Testimony and its Atonement-Cover, all the implements for the Tent, the Table and its implements, the pure Lampstand and all its implements, the Altar of Incense, the Altar of Whole-Burnt-Offering and all its implements, the Washbasin and its base, the official vestments, the holy vestments for Aaron the priest and his sons in their priestly duties, the anointing oil, and the aromatic incense for the Holy Place—they’ll make everything just the way I’ve commanded you.”
Revelation 21: Everything New
1 I saw Heaven and earth new-created. Gone the first Heaven, gone the first earth, gone the sea.
2 I saw Holy Jerusalem, new-created, descending resplendent out of Heaven, as ready for God as a bride for her husband.
3-5 I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: “Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They’re his people, he’s their God. He’ll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone.” The Enthroned continued, “Look! I’m making everything new. Write it all down—each word dependable and accurate.”
For a complete lesson on this topic visit LinC.
 This Sunday
December 14, 2014
Lectionary Scriptures:
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Luke 1:46b-55
Psalm 126
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8, 19-28;
Isaiah 61: Announce Freedom to All Captives
1-7 The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me
because God anointed me.
He sent me to preach good news to the poor,
heal the heartbroken,
Announce freedom to all captives,
pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of his grace—
a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies—
and to comfort all who mourn,
To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,
give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,
Messages of joy instead of news of doom,
a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.
Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness”
planted by God to display his glory.
They’ll rebuild the old ruins,
raise a new city out of the wreckage.
They’ll start over on the ruined cities,
take the rubble left behind and make it new.
You’ll hire outsiders to herd your flocks
and foreigners to work your fields,
But you’ll have the title “Priests of God,”
honored as ministers of our God.
You’ll feast on the bounty of nations,
you’ll bask in their glory.
Because you got a double dose of trouble
and more than your share of contempt,
Your inheritance in the land will be doubled
and your joy go on forever.
8-9 “Because I, God, love fair dealing
and hate thievery and crime,
I’ll pay your wages on time and in full,
and establish my eternal covenant with you.
Your descendants will become well-known all over.
Your children in foreign countries
Will be recognized at once
as the people I have blessed.”
10-11 I will sing for joy in God,
explode in praise from deep in my soul!
He dressed me up in a suit of salvation,
he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo
and a bride a jeweled tiara.
For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers,
and as a garden cascades with blossoms,
So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom
and puts praise on display before the nations.
Luke 1:46-55 And Mary said,
I’m bursting with God-news;
I’m dancing the song of my Savior God.
God took one good look at me, and look what happened—
I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!
What God has done for me will never be forgotten,
the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.
His mercy flows in wave after wave
on those who are in awe before him.
He bared his arm and showed his strength,
scattered the bluffing braggarts.
He knocked tyrants off their high horses,
pulled victims out of the mud.
The starving poor sat down to a banquet;
the callous rich were left out in the cold.
He embraced his chosen child, Israel;
he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.
It’s exactly what he promised,
beginning with Abraham and right up to now.
Psalm 126: A Pilgrim Song
1-3 It seemed like a dream, too good to be true,
when God returned Zion’s exiles.
We laughed, we sang,
we couldn’t believe our good fortune.
We were the talk of the nations—
“God was wonderful to them!”
God was wonderful to us;
we are one happy people.
4-6 And now, God, do it again—
bring rains to our drought-stricken lives
So those who planted their crops in despair
will shout hurrahs at the harvest,
So those who went off with heavy hearts
will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
19-22 Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.
23-24 May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it!
John 1:6-8 There once was a man, his name John, sent by God to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. John was not himself the Light; he was there to show the way to the Light.
Thunder in the Desert
19-20 When Jews from Jerusalem sent a group of priests and officials to ask John who he was, he was completely honest. He didn’t evade the question. He told the plain truth: “I am not the Messiah.”
21 They pressed him, “Who, then? Elijah?”
“I am not.”
“The Prophet?”
“No.”
22 Exasperated, they said, “Who, then? We need an answer for those who sent us. Tell us something—anything!—about yourself.”
23 “I’m thunder in the desert: ‘Make the road straight for God!’ I’m doing what the prophet Isaiah preached.”
24-25 Those sent to question him were from the Pharisee party. Now they had a question of their own: “If you’re neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet, why do you baptize?”
26-27 John answered, “I only baptize using water. A person you don’t recognize has taken his stand in your midst. He comes after me, but he is not in second place to me. I’m not even worthy to hold his coat for him.”
28 These conversations took place in Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing at the time.
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary:
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Verse 1
[1] The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Upon me — Though the prophet may speak of himself, yet it is principally to be understood of Christ.
Anointed — Set me apart, both capacitating him with gifts, and commissioning him with authority; and yet more, as it is applied to Christ, a power to make all effectual, from whence he hath also the name of Messiah among the Hebrews, and of Christ among the Greeks; nay, Christ alone among the prophets hath obtained this name, Psalms 45:7. The prophet describes first, who Christ is, and then what are his offices.
Liberty — This appertains to Christ's kingly office, whereby he proclaims liberty from the dominion of sin, and from the fear of hell.
Verse 2
[2] To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Vengeance — It being necessary, that where God will deliver his people, he should take vengeance on their enemies; principally on the enemies of his church, and the spiritual ones chiefly, Satan, sin, and death.
Verse 3
[3] To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Ashes — By ashes understand whatever is proper for days of mourning, as by beauty whatever may become times of rejoicing.
Oil of joy — He calls it oil of joy in allusion to those anointings they were wont to use in times of joy, gladness for heaviness; and it is called a garment in allusion to their festival ornaments, for they had garments appropriated to their conditions, some suitable to times of rejoicing, and some to times of mourning.
Called — That they may be so.
Trees — That they shall be firm, solid, and well rooted, being by faith engrafted into Christ, and bringing forth fruit suitable to the soil wherein they are planted.
Verse 8
[8] For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Love judgment — I will do them right, for I love justice in myself, and in them that practise it.
Robbery — All things gotten by injustice, though it be for sacrifice.
Direct — I will lead them so, that they shall do all things in sincerity.
Everlasting covenant — Though you have broken covenant with me, yet I will renew my ancient covenant made with your fathers, confirmed with the blood of Christ, and it shall be everlasting, never to be abrogated.
Verse 9
[9] And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.
Shall be — That is, eminently a promise of the increase of the church; such shall be their prosperity, and multiplying, that they shall be known abroad by their great increase; or else, the meaning is, the church shall have a seed of the Gentiles, whereas the church has been confined to one corner of the world, now it shall remain in one nation alone no more, but shall fill all the nations of the earth.
Hath blessed — There shall be such visible characters of God's love to them, and of God's grace in them.
Verse 10
[10] I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
I will — This is spoken in the person of the church.
Garments, … — With salvation as with a garment, and with righteousness as with a robe.
Verse 11
[11] For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
Righteousness — His great work of salvation shall break out and appear.
Praise — As the natural product, and fruit of it.
Luke 1:46b-55
Verse 46
[46] And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
And Mary said — Under a prophetic impulse, several things, which perhaps she herself did not then fully understand.
Verse 47
[47] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour — She seems to turn her thoughts here to Christ himself, who was to be born of her, as the angel had told her, he should be the Son of the Highest, whose name should be Jesus, the Saviour. And she rejoiced in hope of salvation through faith in him, which is a blessing common to all true believers, more than in being his mother after the flesh, which was an honour peculiar to her. And certainly she had the same reason to rejoice in God her Saviour hat we have: because he had regarded the low estate of his handmaid, in like manner as he regarded our low estate; and vouchsafed to come and save her and us, when we were reduced to the lowest estate of sin and misery.
Verse 51
[51] He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath wrought strength with his arm — That is, he hath shown the exceeding greatness of his power. She speaks prophetically of those things as already done, which God was about to do by the Messiah.
He hath scattered the proud — Visible and invisible.
Verse 52
[52] He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath put down the mighty — Both angels and men.
Verse 54
[54] He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
He hath helped his servant Israel — By sending the Messiah.
Verse 55
[55] As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
To his seed — His spiritual seed: all true believers.
Psalm 126
Verse 1
[1] When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
Turned — Brought the captive Israelites out of Babylon into their own land.
Dream — We were so surprized and astonished.
Verse 4
[4] Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.
Turn — As thou hast brought us home, bring also the rest of our brethren.
As — As thou art pleased sometimes to send floods of water into dry and barren grounds, such as the southern parts of Canaan were.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Verse 16
[16] Rejoice evermore.
Rejoice evermore — In uninterrupted happiness in God.
Pray without ceasing — Which is the fruit of always rejoicing in the Lord.
In everything give thanks — Which is the fruit of both the former. This is Christian perfection. Farther than this we cannot go; and we need not stop short of it. Our Lord has purchased joy, as well as righteousness, for us. It is the very design of the gospel that, being saved from guilt, we should be happy in the love of Christ. Prayer may be said to be the breath of our spiritual life. He that lives cannot possibly cease breathing. So much as we really enjoy of the presence of God, so much prayer and praise do we offer up without ceasing; else our rejoicing is but delusion. Thanksgiving is inseparable from true prayer: it is almost essentially connected with it. He that always prays is ever giving praise, whether in ease or pain, both for prosperity and for the greatest adversity. He blesses God for all things, looks on them as coming from him, and receives them only for his sake; not choosing nor refusing, liking nor disliking, anything, but only as it is agreeable or disagreeable to his perfect will.
Verse 18
[18] In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
For this — That you should thus rejoice, pray, give thanks.
Is the will of God — Always good, always pointing at our salvation.
Verse 19
[19] Quench not the Spirit.
Quench not the Spirit — Wherever it is, it burns; it flames in holy love, in joy, prayer, thanksgiving. O quench it not, damp it not in yourself or others, either by neglecting to do good, or by doing evil!
Verse 20
[20] Despise not prophesyings.
Despise not prophesyings — That is, preaching; for the apostle is not here speaking of extraordinary gifts. It seems, one means of grace is put for all; and whoever despises any of these, under whatever pretence, will surely (though perhaps gradually and almost insensibly) quench the Spirit.
Verse 21
[21] Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
Meantime, prove all things - Which any preacher recommends. (He speaks of practice, not of doctrines.) Try every advice by the touchstone of scripture, and hold fast that which is good - Zealously, resolutely, diligently practise it, in spite of all opposition.
Verse 22
[22] Abstain from all appearance of evil.
And be equally zealous and careful to abstain from all appearance of evil - Observe, those who "heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears," under pretence of proving all things, have no countenance or excuse from this scripture.
Verse 23
[23] And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And may the God of peace sanctify you — By the peace he works in you, which is a great means of sanctification.
Wholly — The word signifies wholly and perfectly; every part and all that concerns you; all that is of or about you.
And may the whole of you, the spirit and the soul and the body — Just before he said you; now he denominates them from their spiritual state.
The spirit — Galatians 6:8; wishing that it may be preserved whole and entire: then from their natural state, the soul and the body; (for these two make up the whole nature of man, Matthew 10:28;) wishing it may be preserved blameless till the coming of Christ. To explain this a little further: of the three here mentioned, only the two last are the natural constituent parts of man. The first is adventitious, and the supernatural gift of God, to be found in Christians only. That man cannot possibly consist of three parts, appears hence: The soul is either matter or not matter: there is no medium. But if it is matter, it is part of the body: if not matter, it coincides with the Spirit.
Verse 24
[24] Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
Who also will do it — Unless you quench the Spirit.
John 1:6-8, 19-28
Verse 6
[6] There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
There was a man — The evangelist now proceeds to him who testified of the light, which he had spoken of in the five preceding verses.
Verse 7
[7] The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
The same came for (that is, in order to give) a testimony - The evangelist, with the most strong and tender affection, interweaves his own testimony with that of John, by noble digressions, wherein he explains the office of the Baptist; partly premises and partly subjoins a farther explication to his short sentences. What St. Matthew, Mark, and Luke term the Gospel, in respect of the promise going before, St. John usually terms the testimony, intimating the certain knowledge of the relator; to testify of the light - Of Christ.
Verse 19
[19] And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
The Jews — Probably the great council sent.
Verse 20
[20] And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
I am not the Christ — For many supposed he was.
Verse 21
[21] And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet And he answered, No.
Art thou Elijah? — He was not that Elijah (the Tishbite) of whom they spoke.
Art thou the prophet — Of whom Moses speaks, Deuteronomy 18:15.
Verse 23
[23] He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
He said — I am that forerunner of Christ of whom Isaiah speaks.
I am the voice — As if he had said, Far from being Christ, or even Elijah, I am nothing but a voice: a sound that so soon as it has expressed the thought of which it is the sign, dies into air, and is known no more. Isaiah 40:3.
Verse 24
[24] And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
They who were sent were of the Pharisees — Who were peculiarly tenacious of old customs, and jealous of any innovation (except those brought in by their own scribes) unless the innovator had unquestionable proofs of Divine authority.
Verse 25
[25] And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
They asked him, Why baptizest thou then? — Without any commission from the sanhedrim? And not only heathens (who were always baptized before they were admitted to circumcision) but Jews also?
Verse 26
[26] John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
John answered, I baptize — To prepare for the Messiah; and indeed to show that Jews, as well as Gentiles, must be proselytes to Christ, and that these as well as those stand in need of being washed from their sins.
Verse 28
[28] These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Where John was baptizing — That is, used to baptize.
 WILL ANYBODY KNOW? by Travis Franklin
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
This incredible passage of Scripture from Isaiah is a third part of the prophecy within Isaiah. A disciple of Deutero-Isaiah possibly wrote this third portion. Certainly the theme is the same. Jesus used part of this passage to identify what he seeks to do in his ministry. It is an appropriate text for the Advent season as it seeks to define the place and role of this restored community of Jews in Jerusalem to the world. As we move to the birth of God’s son into our own world, isn’t it appropriate to ask ourselves what role will this event have in our life?
A reference in this text reflects that the prophet is anointing by God to carry out his calling from God. Elsewhere in the Old Testament, this kind of anointing is usually reserved for kings. By using powerful imagery this prophet takes on God’s authority. The author obviously wants readers to understand where his message has its source. This passage shifts the role and responsibility of God’s people. Written in a postexilic time frame, the Jews have now been granted their return to the promised land. They have been restored as God’s chosen people. This restoration will take on a new and different role. The salvation they have experienced firsthand is to be now a salvation that they share with all people, everywhere. The restoration of Jerusalem has a purpose. The reason behind this restoration lies in the hope that all nations will come to acknowledge that God has blessed Jerusalem. God seeks to pledge God’s blessing not only on the city but also on all who dwell within it. We discover the power of this passage as God seeks not only to restore and rebuild, but also to illustrate what such blessing is to the entire world.
As the church moves toward Bethlehem, it is no surprise that God seeks to use us in this redemptive event. We describe what blessing and restoration does in the lives of people. Paul is right in Romans 8 when he writes about God working for good in the world with those who love God and with those who are called according to God’s purpose. Advent is filled with this sense that God is behind, in, through, over, above, under, all over this great drama unfolding before us. God is intentional as this is the focus of Advent 3. Isaiah has been anointed by none other than the Lord.
As the Hebrews needed to be reminded of their response to restoration so, too, we followers of Christ need reminding. Responsibility goes with salvation. Our experience cannot simply be reduced to a day and place. Such an experience demands a continual response. We seek to be faithful to what restoration means and how it defines us each moment we live. We too are called to become a living illustration of what it means to be blessed and restored by God. Perhaps then all may see and come to such blessing and restoration.
When the tragic events of 9/11 happened we could not believe it was happening on our soil. After that dark and yet heroic day, we began to rally as a nation to one another. We realized how much we needed one another as a nation and as a community. Such events, even tragic ones, shape us and define us individually and collectively. Such was the case of the restoration of the Jews to Jerusalem. God through the prophet wants the people to understand that this is a defining moment in their lives both individually and collectively. The events of restoration are a turning point for them as God seeks to use God’s work in history. God molds who people are and who people become.
In preparation and waiting may we come to realize and to answer for ourselves how this birth at Bethlehem might shape and mold us. May its power claim us and transform us. Maybe this Christmas we will be open to what it is God is seeking to do in us. Could it be that this Christmas God wants to know what difference this birth make to us? Will God be able to tell the difference? As important, will anybody else?
Sermon adapted from The Abingdon Preaching Annual 2008, ©2007 Abingdon Press
The Abingdon Preaching Annual 2012 is available now from Ministry Matters.
 Worship Connection: December 14, 2014 by Nancy C. Townley
Third Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28
CALLS TO WORSHIP
Call to Worship #1
L: Come, continue on the journey. It is not far now.
P: But where are we going?
L: God is welcoming us to God’s kingdom.
P: Can we see it from here?
L: We see it in the faces of those who know of God’s love.
P: Will that same love be given to us?
L: It already has been given, and his name is Jesus! He is God’s beloved Son, our Light and Hope.
P: Quickly, let us journey toward his light. AMEN.
Call to Worship #2
[The lantern is brought from the back of the worship area to the worship center and placed on the center while the choir sings (UMH 728) "Come, Sunday" , as directed, with a soloist singing the second verse]
Choir: Come Sunday, oh, come Sunday, that’s the day. Lord, dear Lord above, God Almighty, God of love, please look down and see my people through. I believe that God put sun and moon up in the sky .I don’t mind the gray skies, cause they’re just clouds passing by. (Refrain).
Soloist: Verse 2: Heaven is a goodness time, a brighter light on high. [spoken: do unto others as you would have them do unto you] Send and have a brighter day by and by.
Choir: Refrain and Verse 3: I believe God is now, was then, and always will be. With God’s blessing we can make it through eternity. (Refrain)
L: Lord, dear Lord of Love, let your light shine before us this day as we continue our Advent journey.
P: Help us to remember that the light draws us to you. AMEN.
Call to Worship #3
L: Welcome to worship on this Third Sunday in Advent. Our focus today is the Light which beckons us onward.
P: As these days are growing darker, we need to focus on the light.
L: Jesus is the light which God has given especially to the world.
P: Help us make our hearts ready to receive Jesus, our hope and our light. AMEN.
Call to Worship #4:
L: A Light has been given for us, to welcome us home.
P: Praise God for the lantern of hope and welcome.
L: Today open your hearts, take courage. God is with us!
P: We come this day, continuing our journey toward our true home. AMEN.
PRAYERS, LITANY, BENEDICTION
Invocation/Opening Prayer:
Lord of Love and Light, shine through our darkness, bringing us hope. Open our hearts for the journey, our eyes for the light, our spirits for the peace which you bring. Fill our mouths with laughter and speech with shouts of joy that we shall reveal the love with which you surround us. We offer this prayer in the name of the One who is coming into the world bringing your hope, love, peace, and joy, Jesus Christ. AMEN.
The Advent Light:
Theme for bulletin insert:Lights from three sources grace our worship center. The first light comes from the candle, which was placed here two weeks ago, but was not lighted.. The second source, placed here last Sunday, is a flashlight, with its small, bur directed beam of light to show us the way to Hope. Today’s light is from a lantern.
L: Two weeks ago, on the first Sunday of Advent, we placed this candle on our worship center, but it remained unlit so that we would take the time to actually think about the darkness and hope for the light.
Person 1: We light this candle, remembering that in the midst of darkness, God created the world and all that is in it. In the midst of our darkness, God has again brought light
[Person 1 lights the Advent Candle].
L: Last week we placed a flashlight in our worship center as the second light of Advent. This common object becomes uncommon as it reveals God’s love and direction for our lives.
Person 2: We turn this flashlight on, with its small beam. The darkness is great, but God’s powerful light will show us the way, our path is illuminated by God’s gracious love. This light represents direction and hope.
[Person 2 turns the flashlight on. Note: make sure that the light is either shining on the floor or down an aisle, not in the face of any persons in the sanctuary]
L: Today, on the third Sunday of Advent, we place a lantern in our worship center. We remember the significance of the lantern lit on a porch to welcome the weary traveler.
Person 3: We light this lantern as a reminder of God’s continuous welcome for us, pouring God’s light of love into our darkness and drawing us home.
[Person 3 lights the lantern in the worship center]
L: Let us pray: Lord of Welcoming Light, be with us today as we continue our Advent journey. Help us to look for the light of your abiding presence, brought to us through the years by the prophets and most especially by Jesus Christ your beloved Son. AMEN.
Prayer of Confession
God of mercy, light and love, we confess that we have not been people who are quick to pray. When an emergency befalls us, we turn to pleas and prayers which usually begin with the heart-wrenching cry, "Why?". Help us to remember that you are always ready to hear and respond to all our prayers. Remind us that even though we have often failed to witness to your love and live as people of compassion and faith, you love us unconditionally. Forgive our stubbornness and willfulness. Cleanse our souls and spirits and make us truly ready to receive your light. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. AMEN.
Pastoral Prayer
Lord of time and hope, we are rushing headlong into the holidays to come. We look at our calendars and our day planners and wonder how we will get everything done in the time allotted to us before the "big Day" arrives. We begin to panic at the thought of projects still to be finished, contacts that need to be made, preparations for festivities that have only just begun. And the darkness of obsessive holiday planning overtakes us and clouds our minds and spirits. But you are a God of time and Light. You bring hope to us, as you always have through the voices of the great prophets, and now through the One who is to come, Jesus Christ. Remind us again what this season is truly about......love, hope, peace and joy. Calm us down. Slow us down. Help us remember that it is in loving relationship that you gave your Son to us and it is in loving relationship that your Word is carried into the hearts of the people. No tinsel, ribbons, tape, cards and convey the eternal message adequately. You have given us the Light, to shine in our path and cut through our darkness. Shine in the hearts of your people today. Bless those dear ones whom we have named before you today with your healing, reconciling, comforting presence and love. Give strength to all who face difficult situations and let your compassionate light shine on them guiding their decisions and their steps. Bring us at last to your presence, where the light of hope and love continually pour out on us. These prayers and hopes we offer in confidence and gratitude for your love and presence. AMEN.
Litany
[Note: If you have liturgical dancers, or youth who can gracefully lift the objects from the worship center as the lines are being spoken, you may want to add this to the litany]
L: In the midst of our darkness, God has given us hope.
[Dancer lifts the lighted pillar candle, turns in the four directions (north, east, south, and west, and then places the candle back on the worship center]
P: The light of the candle burns in our spirits.
L: In the midst of our journey, God has provided a light for our path.
[Dancer lifts the flashlight, turns in the four directions (north, east, south, and west, and then places the flashlight back on the worship center]
P: The beam of the flashlight illuminates the path and gives us comfort as we journey forward.
L: In the midst of our travels, God’s light shines brightly inviting us home.
[Dancer lifts the lantern, turns in the four directions (north, east, south and west, and then places the flashlight back on the worship center)
P: The glow of the lantern light reminds us of God’s home for us.
L: Rejoice, People of God, for the Light is shining for us.
P: Praise God for the many ways in which God has provided for us on our travels.
[Standing behind the worship center, or beside it, the dancers lift their arms toward the heavens, in front of their bodies and then, keeping their arms raised, the bring them to the side, in a praise position.]
L: God has called us, through the voices of the prophets, through the witness of John the Baptizer as a voice crying in the wilderness, and through God’s Son Jesus Christ, the Light to the world.
P: Darkness cannot overcome this light.
L: Prepare your hearts for the coming of the One who will be your Light at all times.
P: Rejoice! For God has sent the One who will proclaim the Good News of Salvation.
[The dancers leave the worship area and return to their seats]
Benediction, Blessing, Commission:
L: May the light of this Advent season shine in your hearts, on your path, and beckon you to God’s Love and service to the world. Go in peace. May the God of peace go with you. AMEN.
ARTISTIC ELEMENTS
[Note #1: It will be important to include in your worship bulletin a brief description of the meaning of this worship visual setting]
[Note #2: in these Advent services we will be visualizing worship by using various non-traditional sources of light. Last Sunday we began by placing an unlighted pillar candle on the worship center. Today we add a flashlight.]
[Note #3: You will need to have space either behind the worship center or to one side of the worship center for the dancers to move during the litany]
SURFACE: Place a riser on the left side of the worship center. Place a riser on the right side of the worship center on which a flashlight may be supported or leaned so that its beam will shine on a spot in the aisle or in front of the worship center. If you desire, the light can be focused on the ceiling. Place an additional riser, lower then the first one placed on the worship center, and in front of the one on which the candle is standing.
FABRIC: Cover the entire worship center with landscapers’ burlap, making sure that it comes to the floor in front of the worship center. Beginning at the riser on the left side of the worship center drape a long strip of blue cloth across the worship center toward the right and then down in front of the center onto the floor, puddling the fabric. Make sure that some of the blue fabric is near the riser for the flashlight, and for the new riser in front of the candle riser.
FLOWERS AND FOLIAGE: No flowers or foliage are used for this week. No greens of any kind.
CANDLES: Use a tall white pillar candle, placing it on the riser on the left side of the worship center.
ROCKS & WOOD: Rocks and pieces of wood may be placed on the floor in the front of the worship center, near the puddled fabric, but use them sparingly.
OTHER: Place a lantern in the worship center, in such a position that it is easy to light.
 Worship for Kids: December 14, 2014 by Carolyn C. Brown
From a Child's Point of View
Today's theme is joy. To children, it seems that Christmas joy is based on the parties, presents, decorations, and family visits. It will take work to help them identify and respond to the reasons for Christmas joy found in today's texts.
Old Testament: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11. The changes in speakers and poetic imagery make this passage difficult for children to follow. Older children will catch occasional phrases and, if the passage is read with joy, will hear its joyful feeling. However, all children will depend on the preacher to point out the source of Isaiah's joy.
Isaiah cites three reasons for our Christmas joy. First, God is on the side of the underdog (verses 1-4). This is happy news for children in a world controlled by older people. It is happier news to children who feel they are not as smart or athletic or popular as their peers. It is the happiest news to children who feel they are undervalued because of their race, economic standing, and so on.
Second, God loves justice or in children's words, fairness or fair play (vs. 8). Elementary children are extremely interested in fair rules for clubs and games, and they value adults whom they feel treat children fairly. Because even privileged children often feel that they are not fairly treated, knowing that God wants fairness is a cause for joy among children.
Third, God has saved us (verse 10). During Advent, that saving is illustrated by telling the story of God coming to live among us.
Psalm: Psalm 126. Especially if it is read with feeling from The Good News Bible, children hear the joy in this psalm. Without knowing the historical context or unraveling the verses about planting and harvesting, they can understand that the psalmist's happiness is a response to something God has done. Children gain more by using verses 1-3 as their own response to what God did at Christmas, and what God does for us today, than by hearing explanations of the historical context and references.
Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24. Verses 16 through 18 are the easiest for children to understand and offer most for them to think about during the final days before Christmas. During a week that often includes participation in Christmas programs and parties at school and in organizations, it is easy for children to be swept up in selfish wants, and fears that they are being slighted. It is also easy to become tired and crabby. Paul urges children (and the rest of us) to remember what we are celebrating and to be thankful and happy. On this third Sunday of Advent, verses 23-24, especially as translated in the Good News Bible, may then invite the preacher to outline specific ways we can celebrate Christmas faultlessly and completely with spirit, soul, and body.
Gospel: John 1:6-8, 19-28. The key word for children in this text is witness. John responded to what God was doing through Jesus by becoming a witness. He talked to everyone who would listen. We are called to follow John's example and share the joy of God's Christmas activity with others. We can be joyful witnesses.
Watch Words
Do not call children to rejoice or speak about Christmas joy without citing specific reasons for such activities and feelings.
Children use the word fair before they use either just or justice. Point out that the words mean the same thing. Then use them interchangeably to help children learn the connection.
Witness means to see and tell what happened. At Christmas we are to witness to what God has done and is doing.
Let the Children Sing
Young readers can join in on the repeated "rejoices" in the chorus of "Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart."
The words of "There's a Song in the Air," while not familiar, are simple enough for older children to read as they sing this carol about the spread of Christmas joy.
Both "Joy to the World" and "O Come, All Ye Faithful" are filled with joy, but are also filled with long, difficult words. Children respond more to the music than to the words of these carols, so if you sing these, have the organist pull out all the stops and set an upbeat tempo.
Sing about witnessing Christmas joy with "Go Tell It on the Mountain."
The Liturgical Child
1. Light the first three candles of the Advent wreath, saying:
We lighted the first candle of the Advent wreath to remind ourselves to watch for God at work in our world. We lighted the second candle to remember the changes God wants us to make. And today, we happily light the third candle of the Advent wreath for joy. We light this candle because God loves us and takes care of us. We light it because God pays special attention to the people others ignore and overlook. We light it because God came to live among us as a tiny baby, who grew into a man who loved and taught and healed and died to save us. This is the candle of Christmas joy.
2. Invite older children or youths to pantomime the Gospel text as it is read. As verses 6-8 are read, "John" takes his place at the center of the chancel. The questioners enter on verse 19 and use their bodies and hands to emphasize their questions. John responds with his hands and body. All leave on verse 28. Simple costumes add a lot. One good practice session is essential.
3. Create a litany that expresses Christmas joy. The worship leader describes the joy of someone involved in the birth of Jesus (Mary, Elizabeth, the shepherds, wise men, and so forth) and the joy of people today. The congregation responds with the psalmist's words, "How we laughed, how we sang for joy!" For example:
Leader: Elizabeth was very old when she became pregnant with her son, John the Baptist. Mary was a poor girl living in a small town in an unimportant country when she was chosen by God to be Jesus' mother. Mary went to stay with Elizabeth while they waited for their sons to be born.
People: How we laughed, how we sang for joy!
4. Use 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 as the Charge and 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 as the Benediction. Read or recite from The Good News Bible.
Sermon Resources
1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas, by Dr. Seuss, is a book that has been turned into a yearly TV special. Like Ebeneezer Scrooge in Dickens' Christmas Carol, the Grinch is disgusted by Christmas. After attempting to stop it by stealing the presents and food on Christmas Eve, the Grinch discovers that Christmas joy is based on more than presents and parties.
2. Straighten out children's misconceptions about how several Christmas customs express our joy. Adult comments often lead children to conclude that we participate in such activities as caroling in nursing homes and gathering food and gifts for the poor in order to remind ourselves of our own security and health, and therefore to become more joyful. Children also get the idea that we give gifts to show how much we like and love one another, rather than to share our joy. The Christian gives a gift to say, "I am so happy about what God has done and is doing that I want to share that happiness. So here is a gift which I hope will give you happiness."
Adapted from Forbid Them Not: Involving Children in Sunday Worship © Abingdon Press
 Sermon Options: December 14, 2014
The Good News of Christmas
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
In the comic strip Garfield by Jim Davis, Odie is asleep on the floor. Garfield walks up, lifts Odie's ear, and whispers, "Christmas is coming," then walks off. Odie is still asleep, but now there is a smile on his face and his tail is wagging ninety to nothing.
Christmas is coming and the excitement builds. The prophet speaks the words Jesus will read in his hometown and then proclaim, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21) . In the very life of Jesus, these words become flesh and blood. The birth of Christ brings the good news of joy, unity, and salvation for all.
I. Christmas Is Good News Because It Brings Joy
Christmas is more than just lights and trees and presents. It is more than just a warm feeling. Christmas is that sense of renewal and liberation that comes from knowing great joy. Filled with the Spirit of God, the prophet promised that joy through the proclamation of the good news, through the binding of the brokenhearted, through liberty for captives and release for prisoners. After ripping into a Christmas present, a three-year-old girl picked up the toy and said, "Ooohhh, I've wanted one of these ever since I was a little girl." The marvelous thing about the joy of Christmas is that we didn't know we wanted it until it came. And the minute we first beheld God's glory wrapped in swaddling clothes, we knew it was what we had always wanted; what we had always needed. It fills us with joy.
II. Christmas Is Good News Because It Brings Unity
Through the gift and proclamation of this good news of comfort, liberty, and release, we find unity in Christ. The differences that exist between us no longer seems important when we stand at the foot of the manger, knowing that the innocent Christ child will one day grow to be the innocent Savior who loves us so much he willingly dies for us. That love removes all differences and makes us truly one in Christ.
One of the greatest instances of Christian unity I've ever witnessed was in Israel in 1992. On a tour of the Holy Land, our group was made up of United Methodists, Presbyterians, Disciples of Christ, and Roman Catholics. On Russian and Greek Orthodox Christmas Eve, our Epiphany, we stopped at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Attached to the church is an ancient monastery. We visited the room where the Roman Catholic priest Jerome lived and translated the Old and New Testaments from the Hebrew and Greek into the Latin Vulgate, making the Bible accessible to ordinary people.
There, we paused to sing Christmas carols. While we were singing, a group of Korean and German Christians joined us. In mixed languages, in mixed national and denominational affiliations, we sang and celebrated the birth of the Savior of us all.
III. Christmas Is Good News Because It Brings Salvation
A cartoon shows two lightning bugs. One asks the other: "Do you think this is all there is, or do you believe in an afterglow?" That's a pertinent question. We live in the afterglow of both Christmas and Easter. We can't have one without the other. Easter without the Incarnation becomes a supernatural myth. Christmas without the Cross, the Resurrection, and the empty tomb is just a sentimental story that has no purpose or meaning. But the afterglow of both events gives life direction, purpose, and meaning. The One whose birth we celebrate also died and was raised from the dead to bring us salvation. Living in the afterglow is living in the light of Christ and being the light for others by proclaiming God's good news. (Billy D. Strayhorn)
Peace? At Christmas?
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Eight-year-old Johnny was sitting in church watching as the third Advent candle was lit. As the flame sputtered and then grew to life, Johnny tugged on his mother's dress and asked loudly, "Why are they lighting another candle, Mommy?" His mother leaned down and, as quietly as possible, explained, "We're getting ready for Jesus to get here." Quickly, Johnny shot back, "Well, I sure wish he'd hurry up!"
The Thessalonians also wanted to "hurry up" the coming of Jesus. In fact, his second coming is the major subject of both letters to this church. The Thessalonians were consumed by this future event. Many questions and doubts arose in their minds. Living in the in-between time is not the easiest place to live. So Paul writes them to explain how they should live until Jesus comes. In his closing prayer, Paul mentions "the God of peace" who will make us faultless "at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 23). In this often hurried-up season we celebrate the first coming of Jesus, the one called the Prince of Peace.
Peace. Something seldom found in our world. Whether the conflict is in the Middle East or in the heart of a struggling teenager, in Europe between two "religious" factions or in the worried mind of a fixed-income senior adult, peace is a rare commodity.
For the Thessalonians, peace was also rare. There was anxiety about those who died (4:13). There was concern about the coming of the Lord, its timing and its nature (4:16). But Paul reassures them all with this letter: "Be at peace among yourself" (5:13). Then, he shows us all the way to peace while we wait for Jesus' arrival.
I. We Experience Peace by Living Peacefully
In verses 16-18, Paul lists three characteristics of peace-filled people. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances," sounds remarkably like his counsel to his other Macedonian congregation, the Philippians (Phil. 4:4-6). But in Philippians, he includes the results of doing these three things: "The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (v. 7). Peace at Christmas is possible if we heed Paul's words.
If we're going to have peace in the church and in our personal lives this season, the "big three" are essential.
II. We Experience Peace by Yielding to God's Spirit
The second way to peace in our hearts and in the church involves the Spirit (vv. 19-22). God's Spirit must be given free rein in our hearts and in the church. His word must be proclaimed, and his people must "test everything." In celebrating the coming of the Prince of Peace, our personal lives may be anything but peaceful. Christmas can be a time for flaring department store tempers, churning checkout lane stomachs, and parking-spot brawls at the mall! "Test everything," Paul says.
We Christians must reevaluate how agitated and tumultuous we've allowed our celebration to become. While the rest of the world hurries and worries, God calls on us to hold fast to the good of this season and discard the bad. Is your Christmas a time of peace? If not, examine your life. Then, as Paul commands, "hold fast to what is good" and avoid the evil, chaotic temptation to be swept away in the commercialization of Christmas.
You think it's too late? Has your celebration of the coming of our Lord already been anything but peaceful? Paul's final words are hopefilled: "The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this" (v. 24). Only the God of peace can ensure that the Prince of Peace finds his way into our hearts this season. (H. Blake Harwell)
Playing Games
John 1:6-8, 19-28
The whole passage reads like three TV game shows, with John the Baptist being questioned by a panel of celebrity judges, all trying to find out who he is, what he is doing, and what it all means. Some of the questions prove better than others.
I. "To Tell the Truth"
On the show "To Tell the Truth," a panel of near-famous questioners would face a panel of three contestants with all three claiming to be the same individual. "My name is..." whatever—all three said the same name, and then there would be some clues given about this person and the occupation. The challenge was to see whether the near-famous could determine, by asking questions, which of the three was the real one. The three played it close to the vest, trying not to reveal too much. It was funny to the extent that the questioners got befuddled and confused.
This passage is funny in the same way. Celebrity questioners—priests and Levites sent from the Pharisees—are asking questions in turn and trying to figure out who John really is. "Are you Elijah? A prophet? An impostor?" John plays it close, of course, saying more of who he is not than who he is. And they are so confused, comically so.
At the end of the game show, the announcer would say, "Will the real ———- please stand up!" One would, and confusion would give way to clarity. One can only imagine that the Pharisees wished, if secretly, someone would stand and clear things up concerning John.
II. "What's My Line"
A variation on "To Tell the Truth" was "What's My Line." It was up to the panelists, through questions, to determine the occupation of one contestant, who did his or her best to confuse the celebrities. The studio and TV audience would know what the panelists didn't—that is, the contestant's "line"—and the show was funny to the extent that the celebrities were off target and unable to see what, to us, was so obvious. If the contestant could keep them that way, he or she would win the money.
The text for today is funny in the same way. We already know who John is—a witness sent to testify to the Light, one who has come to proclaim the advent of the Savior. A prophet, in other words, after the fashion of Elijah, if not precisely Elijah himself.
And the questioners in our text are very confused: unable to see what we already know; unable to see what seems to us so obvious. They know something of what John is doing, but they do not know what it means or, more precisely, what his real job is. And they are off target.
Why are you baptizing? Who are you? What do you say about yourself? And you get the sense that John has the money in the bag.
III. "Jeopardy!"
The last game show is still on, the one where Alex Trebek gives the answer, and the contestants supply the question. If they get the question right, they win the prize.
John has given his questioners the "final Jeopardy" answer, but it would seem they have gotten the question wrong. When John says, "Among you stands one whom you do not know...", their answer seems to be, "Where is the Messiah?" Why, in Bethany, of course. Across the Jordan where John was baptizing. But that's the wrong question.
The real question is not, "Where is he, that we might see him?" It is, "Who is he, that we might follow him?" One has to feel sorry that these unfortunate contestants seem to have missed the grand prize. (Thomas R. Steagald)
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 1 in 3 Americans want a divorce between clergy and civil marriages by Cathy Lynn Grossman / Religion News Service
(RNS) Should clergy divorce themselves from civil marriage?
Such a church-state split — already endorsed by some Catholic and evangelical leaders — is showing surprising popularity in two new surveys released Tuesday (Dec. 2) by LifeWay Research.
In a survey of 2,000 American adults, the Nashville-based Christian research company found:
• Nearly six in 10 Americans (59 percent) say marriage should not be “defined and regulated by the state.”
• Nearly half (49 percent) say “Religious weddings should not be connected to the state’s definition and recognition of marriage.”
• About a third (36 percent) say clergy should “no longer be involved in the state’s licensing of marriage.” More than half (53 percent), however, disagree.
•Those most likely to favor a split between religious weddings and government or civil marriage include 54 percent of men, 53 percent of Catholics and 45 percent of Protestants.
LifeWay also conducted a parallel survey of 1,000 Protestant pastors. It found that one in four favor separating the religious rites from their signature on a government-issued marriage license that makes the ceremony legally binding. This is how it’s done in many foreign countries already, but not — so far — in the United States.
Ed Stetzer, executive director of LifeWay Research, called it noteworthy that so many pastors are willing “to stop saying ‘By the power vested in me by the state … ’ during a church wedding.”
“Christians tend to see marriage as a sacred covenant between God, the church, and the couple being married,” Stetzer said in a press release. “Many others see marriage as a contract that ties the couple together in the eyes of the state.”
The rapid expansion of gay marriage to 35 states and the District of Columbia spotlights the tension between these views. Although clergy cannot be compelled to officiate at either gay or straight weddings, many traditionalists say the trend is moving toward redefining marriage in ways they see as far from God’s intent.
Last month, the traditionalist magazine First Things launched a campaign for clergy to pledge to stop signing marriage certificates. So far, more than 330 clergy have signed the pledge.
But the “I don’t” campaign to alter the “I Do” patterns has support from liberals as well.
“The state doesn’t tell you how to celebrate Christmas or Ramadan, and it shouldn’t tell you how to get married,” Paul Waldman wrote in The American Prospect in July.
Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput told the nation’s Catholic bishops last month that Catholic priests might consider opting out of certifying civil marriages as a sign of “principled resistance” to growing legal recognition of same-sex marriage.
“It’s hard to see how a priest or bishop could, in good conscience, sign a marriage certificate that merely identifies ‘Spouse A’ and `Spouse B,’” Chaput said in his prepared remarks.
Meanwhile, many brides and grooms are voting with their feet — away from clergy at their wedding.
For more than a decade, state offices of vital statistics have not distinguished between clergy and nonclergy wedding officiants, so there are no national statistics to prove a trend. However, an unscientific 2010 study by TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com found a shift away from clergy ceremonies: 31 percent of the websites’ users who married in 2010 said they used a family member or friend as their officiant, up from 29 percent in 2009, the first year of the survey, according to The Washington Post.
 Supreme Court seems increasingly wary on death penalty by Richard Wolf / USA Today
WASHINGTON (RNS) The Supreme Court — the last stop for condemned prisoners such as Scott Panetti, a Texan who is mentally ill — appears increasingly wary of the death penalty.
In May, the justices blocked the execution of a Missouri murderer because his medical condition made it likely that he would suffer from a controversial lethal injection.
Later that month, the court ruled 5-4 that Florida must apply a margin of error to IQ tests, thereby making it harder for states to execute those with borderline intellectual disabilities.
In September, a tipping point on lethal injections was nearly reached when four of the nine justices sought to halt a Missouri prisoner’s execution because of the state’s use of a drug that had resulted in botched executions elsewhere.
And in October, the court stopped the execution of yet another Missouri man over concerns that his lawyers were ineffective and had missed a deadline for an appeal. The justices are deciding whether to hear that case in full.
Now, on top of drug protocols, developmental disabilities and attorneys’ mistakes, the court must decide in Panetti’s case whether mental illness should be another reason to keep prisoners alive.
“There’s frustration on the part of at least some of the justices about the death penalty, and what to do about it,” said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center.
At least three justices — Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito — consistently vote against blocking state executions. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Anthony Kennedy usually line up with them.
The court’s four liberals — Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan — have shown the most hesitation or opposition. Ginsburg said in September that capital punishment cases have been the “most troubling” of her 21-year career on the court.
Kennedy joined the liberals in May, writing the court’s opinion in Hall v. Florida that struck down overly rigid IQ test requirements. “Intellectual disability is a condition, not a number,” Kennedy wrote.
While the court has yet to hear a case on the ethics of lethal injections, it has moved toward the liberals’ position in recent years on issues of mental capacity.
In Atkins v. Virginia (2002), the court ruled 6-3 that executing people with intellectual disabilities violated their Eighth Amendment rights against cruel and unusual punishment. This year’s ruling in Freddie Lee Hall’s case fine-tuned that decision.
In Roper v. Simmons (2005), the court ruled 5-4 that juveniles who were under age 18 when they committed their crimes are not eligible for the death penalty. It since has limited the use of life without parole for juvenile offenders as well.
The court’s precedent on mental illness dates back to 1986, when it ruled in Ford v. Wainwright that prisoners must be deemed mentally competent before being executed. Determining competency was left up to the states, however.
“It’s difficult to define mental illness, whereas it’s easier to define mental retardation and quantify it,” Dieter says. “Mental illness is one area where they could really open up a whole new exemption.”
 After Ferguson and Eric Garner decisions, white Christians say it's time to stand with blacks by Adelle M. Banks / Religion News Service
WASHINGTON (RNS) “African-American brothers and sisters, especially brothers, in this country are more likely to be arrested, more likely to be executed, more likely to be killed.”
 It’s the kind of statement that’s often cited by black clergy and civil rights activists. But hours after a grand jury on Wednesday (Dec. 3) chose not to indict the New York City police officer who put Eric Garner into a fatal choke hold on Staten Island, those words came from none other than white evangelical leader Russell Moore.
With back-to-back grand jury decisions that white police officers will not face charges in the deaths of unarmed black men, white Christians, including evangelicals, have grown more vocal in urging predominantly white churches to no longer turn a blind eye to injustice and to bridge the country’s racial divides.
“It’s time for us in Christian churches to not just talk about the gospel but live out the gospel by tearing down these dividing walls not only by learning and listening to one another but also by standing up and speaking out for one another,” said Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.
Other white evangelicals issued similar pleas.
“I weep & pray for his family,” tweeted Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, the day before he led a prayer for justice at his school in Wake Forest, N.C. “I beg our God to bring good out of this tragedy.”
“’Love your neighbor as yourself’ means you picture yourself being choked and surrounded by five men while you say, ‘I can’t breathe,’” tweeted Scott Slayton, a white Southern Baptist pastor in Chelsea, Ala.
The Rev. Alan Cross, a white pastor in Montgomery, Ala., said the publicized video of Garner’s choke hold has moved some white Christians to speak when they might not have after Officer Darren Wilson was cleared in the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. Cross is encouraging them to not just speak but listen to black people’s perspectives instead of only considering their own.
“What often happens when white evangelicals try to speak into this is that we continue to think first in terms of our own position,” said Cross, a Southern Baptist and author of “When Heaven and Earth Collide: Racism, Southern Evangelicals, and the Better Way of Jesus.”
“We should consider what people in the black community are saying, what are they going through, what is their experience.”
Cross and others went online in the hours after the Garner decision to share how blacks were reacting. Author Barnabas Piper chose to post what others were saying about Ferguson and Garner on his blog, saying as “a young white man” he wasn’t in the best position to explain it all.
“Put yourself in the shoes of the authors and immerse yourself in the experiences they describe,” he wrote. “You and I need to do so if we want to contribute anything to stopping injustice and closing the racial gap that exists.”
The Rev. Barbara Williams-Skinner, co-chair of the National African-American Clergy Network, sees a growing interest among white Christians and others to speak up about the “pile on” of events capped with the Garner decision.
“It just so offends the human spirit of people of every race that it compels them to act,” she said. “We don’t have to ask young white students and young white adults anymore to act. They understand … if the system will so violate the rights of people of color today, they will violate everybody’s rights tomorrow.”
She had already witnessed an interest across races in the Ferguson events when her network’s planned letter on justice from black church leaders took on a more interracial feel.
Even before the Garner decision, the progressive Christian group Sojourners had gathered 50 leaders, including black clergy and white evangelicals, for a retreat on Tuesday and Wednesday that included a “historic pilgrimage of racialized St. Louis” and a discussion of theological implications for “our nation’s broken justice system.”
“There were white evangelicals in the room in Ferguson who were weeping when the Garner decision came down,” said the Rev. Jim Wallis, founder of the Washington-based social justice group.
White Christians beyond evangelicalism added their voices to the outcry about the ruling.
“The degradation and demeaning of black life must stop,” said Serene Jones, president of New York’s Union Theological Seminary. “What the hell kind of country do we live in?”
Moore, noting some of the reaction after he called for racial reconciliation in the wake of the Ferguson strife, said some white Christians see no reason to speak up for better race relations.
Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore / RNS photo by Adelle M. Banks
“I have gotten responses, and seen responses, that are right out of the White Citizens’ Council material from 1964 in my home state of Mississippi, seeing people saying there is no gospel issue involved with racial reconciliation,” he said in a podcast.
He doesn’t agree with them.
“Are you kidding me? There is nothing that is clearer in the New Testament than the fact that the gospel breaks down the dividing walls that we have between one another.”
 How self-understanding might help us quit shouting by Tom Ehrich / Religion News Service
(RNS) A simple Internet transaction today opened my eyes. I just signed up for a time-tracking app called Toggl. Not because I was having trouble keeping track of work time and projects. I just thought it looked interesting.
What will happen next? That’s the mystery. I might use it for a while and decide it’s more trouble than it’s worth.
But I could be surprised. I could discover that tracking the time I devote to specific tasks will change how I work — or even more, change how I understand myself.
The quest, as always in self-understanding, is knowing what matters to me, where I place my values. The point isn’t to root out wasted time or to fulfill some external standard. The point is to see how I actually pour out my life. Given freedom, how do I use it?
For example, when I track my time, I will discover that I spend hardly any time working or worshipping in a congregation. I spend many hours each week dealing with faith — writing, praying, reading — but after three decades of total immersion in church life, I am disengaged. What does that mean?
Or take Facebook. For a time, I decided Facebook was a total “time suck.” But then I noticed myself reading in-depth articles posted there about police violence and violence against women. I don’t directly inhabit either topic, but it is vital that I know about them.
Facebook, in turn, has led me to news sites like Salon and Medium, as well as conservative outlets. I realize that I am hungry for insights into the America that actually is emerging — not the stick-figure stereotypes offered by politicians or TV ads, but the voices of people themselves.
Will Toggl make me more efficient as a time manager or more effective as a writer? Probably not. But I hope to grow in my self-understanding.
If I could wish anything for our troubled nation in these fractious times, it would be greater self-understanding. Not in the sense of narcissistic self-obsession, but in knowing what lies beneath our fervent feelings.
Rather than just shout at each other, we should understand why we feel so strongly. It has been immensely helpful to look inside black rage over police brutality. I think we need to know, too, why police officers behave the way they do. Rather than vilify each other, seek to comprehend.
We once did this work of self-discovery and other-discovery over the cracker barrel, in church and at the back fence. Now we inhabit bubbles — living and working with our own kind, hanging out with the like-minded, mostly staying safe inside. The “other” is a stranger and threat.
Dealing with bubble-living is way beyond the capacity of a time-tracking app, of course. But the way to civility will be walked one step, one self-discovery, one other-engagement at a time.
By attaining more self-understanding, we lay ground for understanding the one who is shouting at us. Maybe then we can listen and not just shout back.
 7 indicators of constructive criticism (HOW TO IDENTIFY CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM) by Ron Edmondson
Constructive: Serving a useful purpose; tending to build up.
Criticism: The act of passing judgment as to the merits of anything.
Constructive criticism
You’ve heard the term. As a leader, I hear it all the time.
If you’re a leader then you’ve certainly had people offer criticism. Some even say they are just giving “constructive criticism.” Or, they believe so at the time.
Most of my pastor friends have heard, “Pastor, let me give you a little constructive criticism.” (Sometimes just as they are about to deliver the weekly message.)
So what does “constructive criticism” mean?
I’m thinking we often misuse that phrase.
And it’s not just with leaders. It’s in every phase of life. I think it’s a societal issue. It’s even on social media. We think we are offering “constructive criticism” when we update our Facebook status or tweet about our service with an airline or a restaurant or a school system. Or anywhere else we feel a need to criticize for some reason. We may not label it that way, but I’m convinced it’s what we think we are doing — offering constructive criticism.
In reality, I’ve learned that phrase — constructive criticism — is sometimes just a nice way to say, “I have a personal complaint about a personal issue, but it will make me sound less self-serving and more justified if I label it (maybe just in my mind) as constructive criticism.”
I have been thinking about that term lately. Even as I might use it personally.
First, let me be clear, I’m not down on constructive criticism. I think it’s good. And needed.
Using that definition (serving a useful purpose; tending to build up) constructive criticism serves a place within any organization — even the church. It can, by definition, help us all.
There is a place for constructive criticism.
But, how can we make sure the criticism we offer is actually constructive?
And what is it actually? I think that’s the bigger issue.
How do we know when it is “constructive criticism”?
And how can we give constructive criticism to others?
By definition, here are seven indicators of constructive criticism:
It builds up the body or organization for everyone. It’s helpful for the good of the entire vision. Everyone can benefit from constructive criticism.
It is not self-serving. It doesn’t seek a merely personal gain. Scripture makes humility an ideal, encourages unity among believers and commands us to consider others better than ourselves — even to pray for our enemies.
It offers suggestions for improvement. I’m not saying it does every time. Sometimes we just know something is wrong, but this would be an indicator the criticism is constructive.
It creates useful dialogue. Again, this may not happen every time, but if conversation can lead to the benefit of everyone, then it could be an indicator of being constructive — it helps build — construct.
It affirms others or the vision. Constructive criticism would never tear down the overarching goals and objectives of the body or organization. That would be counter to the definition. Criticism might, but not constructive criticism.
It can be realistically implemented or discussed. I’m just working with the term and definition here, so if the criticism is an impossibility — would never work — then it seems to me it isn’t “serving a useful purpose”. (Extreme example: I once had someone criticize my allowance of phones in the worship center. They thought I should be like a school teacher and take them up at the door. Okay…)
It is not overly divisive. Constructive criticism serves to build up — not tear down, so to meet the definition it must not divide people as much as it at least makes an attempt to bring people together around common values and vision. Of course, that’s not always possible. It’s near impossible to get everyone to agree on anything, but constructive criticism doesn’t seem to be the type of criticism that would splinter the group's opinions or divide people extensively.
Those are my rambling thoughts on the issue. I’m all for offering better criticism. Constructive criticism.
There may be a need for non-constructive or destructive criticism sometime. Jesus cleared the temple that way. We may need to clear some things. If so, let’s deconstruct.
But all I’m saying is (if I can attempt to constructively criticize the way some of us criticize) that constructive criticism should live up its name.
Ron Edmondson blogs at RonEdmondson.com.
 Mary's window by Steve Harper
Imagine an ordinary day in your life — business as usual — except for one thing: You are visited by an angel. Whoa! So much for the ordinary day. That’s exactly what happened to Mary, and Luke’s words hardly do the moment justice, “She was confused by these words” (Luke 1:29 CEB).
But don’t let Mary’s surprise fool you. It is exactly the response we all should make when we have an encounter with God. If you come out of your God-moment with clarity and perfect understanding, I am guessing it was not God whom you met. No one who is enveloped by the Mystery can perfectly and completely put it into words.
Mary’s window on Advent reminds us that the purpose of our God encounters is not understanding, but trust: “Let it be with me just as you have said” (Luke 1:38) is the response of every servant.
In Western societies in particular, we are far too prone to view faith in terms of persuasive information (even revelation) that makes a response credible. Faith is, and must be, sensible. We are children of the Enlightenment, where reason reigns, the mind dominates and words suffice.
But for Mary, and any who since have met God as she did, we are left with as many (perhaps more) questions than we have answers: “How will this happen?” (Luke 1:34). And ironically, it is the wonder of our questions (asked in the presence of angels) that keeps us engaged in our faith journey far more than if we could build our booths on the mountain of transfiguration, and sit inside them with all our ducks in a row.
This Advent, look through Mary’s window — the window of surprise that ignites wonder, love and praise. You will never come to the end of what you see.
Steve Harper is the author of “For the Sake of the Bride.” He blogs at Oboedire.
 Our response to brokenness by Courtney T Ball
I heard angry yelling coming from the street outside. Up to that point, it had been a relaxing Saturday morning in the summer. I walked out onto my front porch to see what was happening.
I live in the city in what could be called a modest middle-class section of town. For the most part it's a fairly quiet, older residential neighborhood full of smaller single-family homes. Nothing too fancy, but green lawns, lots of kids and dogs, a decent school within walking distance. Groups of middle school boys on bikes can be a bit of a nuisance during the summer, but otherwise it's pretty safe.
When I stepped outside, I saw a teenage boy and girl in the middle of the intersection. He was lying on the ground, wearing red sweatpants and no shirt. She was standing over him, pulling on his hand, begging him to get up and stop yelling. I don't remember what he was screaming. He was mad at her for some reason and refused to get up off the street. He didn't look hurt. He looked deranged.
I yelled out to them — mostly to her — "Are you okay?"
He jumped up. "We're fine! Go back inside. It's none of your business!" He looked to be about fifteen. Young enough to still be called a child, but also big enough that he gave me pause.
But I couldn't just ignore him. "You're yelling in the middle of the street in front of my house. This is my neighborhood. I'm not going to just go back inside."
"This is my neighborhood too, m-----------! I live right down the street. And I can yell if I want to." He pointed to his house on a corner of the opposite side of the street a block away. I knew the house well. It was owned by an unscrupulous landlord who owned several rentals in the neighborhood. All of them were problem properties: old, run-down houses with tenants who caused frequent visits from the police. In my job as a community organizer, I often heard complaints about the landlord. As I said, the neighborhood was generally very safe, but that house had long been a source of concern. There was once a drive-by shooting that put holes in a couple of its windows. No one was hurt, but it was still scary.
I stood there looking at him, trying not to get drawn into a fight. I'm no fighter, and even if I was, he was still just a kid.
He took my hesitation as an opportunity for more offensive language. "Why are you still standing there, staring at me? What, you like looking at boys? Are you a pedophile? Why don't you kiss my a--, you sick b------!" At that, he turned around and mooned me.
I kind of lost it then. "Get the hell out of here, you little s---! I'm calling the police!"
Mortified, his girlfriend grabbed his arm and started pulling him down the street. He went with her, but continued to yell profanities at me and drop his pants to show me his behind. I pulled out my phone and called in a complaint to the police. They arrived at his house within a few minutes. I don't know what they said to him, and I figured it wouldn't resolve the situation, but I didn't know what else to do.
I heard nothing else from him that day, but the next day when I was out jogging, my wife was in the yard gardening, and he yelled at her as he walked by. (He frequently walked by our house to get to his girlfriend's place.) "Hey! Tell your husband to stay away from me. If he comes anywhere near my house, I'll sic my pit bulls on him!"
Not sure how to respond to this strange threat, she slowly said, "Okaaay," and he continued down the street, apparently satisfied with his efforts at intimidation.
When I got home and heard the story, something happened inside me. A switch flipped. Normally, I'm a gentle person. I abhor violence, and as a Christian, I believe Jesus taught his followers to handle conflict peacefully. But when I learned that this punk had spoken threateningly to my wife while I was away, all my pacifist leanings were swept away by a wave of anger and fear.
I didn't care anymore that he was just a kid. I wanted to hurt him. I wanted him to be afraid of me, to know without doubt that if he came anywhere near my family or tried to harm them, I would not hold back from causing him as much pain as possible. I didn't go after him. I knew I couldn't do that, but I found myself planning ways to hurt him if he came too close. I even pulled a metal baseball bat out of my garage and put it just inside my front door. I started thinking of other places I might put weapons. What if he had a bigger weapon or came with friends? What would I have to do to protect my family?
Part of me knew I was losing it a little, and so I kept most of these thoughts to myself. After a several days went by without incident, I finally started to calm down a little. Then one day his girlfriend was walking by our house while my wife and I were outside. She stopped and said, "I want to apologize for the way my boyfriend acted the other day. He was really upset. Just don't tell him I apologized, though, because he wouldn't like that."
I don't completely understand why, but more than anything else, her apology melted my anger. It was replaced with sadness. With that apology, I could just see a long future for her of messed up, abusive relationships. She would try to take care of guys like him who couldn't deal with their anger, thinking if she just loved them enough or sacrificed enough, or apologized enough, they would love her back and become better people. How many years would it take her to learn that it wasn't up to her to fix unstable boys or broken men?
"Thanks," I said, "I'm not going to tell him, but it's not you who should apologize. It would mean a lot more if it came from him."
"I know, but I still wanted to say I'm sorry. "
She turned and continued down the street to his house. I thought about her: her youth, her naiveté. And then I remembered that the angry young man I would make my enemy was really nothing more than a confused boy who was probably facing a lot more difficulties at that moment than me. I was supposed to be the adult in this situation, and instead I was letting my own fear and anger change me into someone else.
Over the next few days I saw the two of them walking down the street past my house several times. He always made sure to swagger, demonstrating his bravado, but I also noticed that he never looked at my house. It was impossible to catch his eye.
Finally, one afternoon when I was in my driveway getting something out of my truck, they passed by closely enough that he couldn't pretend I wasn't there. I spoke first. "Hey, can we talk?"
"No, we can't talk! I got nothin' to say to you. You called the cops on me. I don't want to talk to your old a--. Don't think I won't fight you just because you're old." (I'm thirty-seven, I thought. I guess that's old to a teenager.)
I persisted. "I don't want to fight you. I just want to talk things out."
"Well I don't want to talk to you." He repeated his threat from before. "Just stay away from me, or I'll sic my dog on you."
"I'm not scared of you, and I don't want to fight."
He looked confused. "Fine, just leave me alone."
"Fine. If that's what you want." And that was the end of it. They walked off, and we never had any problems after. Several months later, his family moved out of the rental house and I don't think I've seen him since.
I wish I could say that we worked things out, that the conflict was eventually transformed into a more friendly, neighborly relationship, but that never happened. He wasn't ready for that, just like he wasn't ready to have a healthy relationship with his girlfriend. He was an angry kid, and who knows? He probably had reason to be angry.
One thing I know is that he had no idea how to react to the combination of me being direct, confrontational, but ultimately unwilling to use violence. He kept giving me every opportunity, provoking me to see if I would retaliate. It was sometimes very difficult not to react in the way he wanted me to. I quickly lost my temper in our first exchange, and it was confusing to him when I wouldn't do so again. Not knowing what to do with me after that day, he just left me alone.
I once heard the biblical scholar John Dominic Crossan talk about the story in which Jesus tells his followers, "You must not oppose those who want to hurt you. If people slap you on your right cheek, you must turn the left cheek to them as well."* Crossan explained that this offering of the left cheek is more than simply letting yourself become a doormat who allows others to practice whatever harmful behavior they like.
Instead, turning the other cheek is a nonviolent, confrontational statement. It says, "I will not run away. I will not hide. I will not ignore your behavior. Nor will I cower before you. I will not let fear or anger take over my soul. I will not perpetuate the cycle of violence. No, I will stand firm, with dignity, and exercise my right to exist on my own terms."
This is not natural for most human beings. It certainly did not come naturally to me even in this relatively small confrontation. In the beginning I failed. I let anger and fear take over my soul. I hate to think what might have happened if things escalated any further than they had.
I can't imagine what it must have been like for Jesus (or other nonviolent leaders) to be faced with so much injustice, oppression, and brutality and still choose the way of nonviolent confrontation. To be able to recognize those who would harm you as broken children of God and respond with truth-telling love even to the point of offering one's own life ... no wonder people believed he was divine. This is not a path most humans would choose. It's too hard.
I hope, as a Christian, I will do better the next time I am attacked by the world's brokenness and faced with the choice of how to respond. Rather than fear and anger, I hope I can choose love.
*Matthew 5:39 or Luke 6:29.
You can see more of Courtney's work at CourtneyTBall.com, or sign up to receive his weekly email, “Life and Depth.”
 3 principles for giving beyond Christmas by Lindsey Foster Stringer
Seven red kettles ringing. Six email campaigns dinging. Five Gofundme requests!
Over the last two weeks, I've received each type of request for monetary donations listed above and then some. The Salvation Army, Kiva, a Gofundme request for a family in need of shelter, an alumni association raising scholarship money and my own church.
There’s a lot of need in this world and that need isn't something that we, as Christians, can turn a blind eye to. But our bank accounts, even collectively, are limited in how much they can accomplish to relieve the suffering of others. How do we decide practically what we should give to and how much to give?
My husband and I tithe to our local church and we feel like we have that figured out. But when it comes to the offerings side of giving which are, at least for us, in addition to our tithe, it has not always been easy to decide whom to give to and how much.
I know this is hard to figure out, and I certainly don't have all the answers, but here are three principles I've found helpful for giving during the Advent and Christmas season and beyond:
1. If you aren’t giving, there's no time like the present to start. Build a giving category into your budget and cut out some non-essential spending this month. You might consider cutting back on how much you're spending on Christmas presents and entertaining and give away the difference.
2. Give to organizations that are good stewards. If you aren’t sure, you can ask what percent of donations goes toward operating (and not program) expenses. Generally speaking, the lower the percentage, the better, but this should not be the only indicator of good stewardship that is considered. You also want to consider the results that are achieved with donations. For bigger organizations, I like to use GuideStar to research non-profits that I’m not familiar with.
If you're considering giving to individuals or smaller organizations, be prayerful about it. It's perfectly appropriate to (respectfully) ask for more information about how a donation will be used.
3. Decide now if you want to pick one organization to give your budgeted offering money to this month or if you want to make a lot of smaller donations. We started doing this in the past year and it has made communicating with each other about our giving much easier. If you decide to make several smaller donations, having your budget set in advance will also help you keep your giving aligned with your overall budget and other priorities. Then give smaller amounts as donation requests arise until your budgeted amount runs out.
There are 12 days of Christmas, so don’t stop giving just because the holidays are over. Giving becomes easier when you make it a habit, especially a monthly one. What will be your eight maids-a-milking donation in August?
Lindsey blogs at changetherace.com and is the author of “Mortgage Free in 3.”
 Review: ‘Tolkien’ by Randall Hardman
I first became a lover of Tolkien's Middle-earth in the fall prior to the release of the film adaption of “The Fellowship of the Ring.” I had received for my birthday a small, green paperback copy of “The Hobbit” from my older brother and was then instructed to put down whatever I was currently reading (which, conveniently, was nothing) and read the first few pages. Like thousands before me and thousands after, I not only tore through the first few pages, I tore through the book. It was, at that time in my life, the single most magnificent piece of literature I had ever read and still to this day, along with ”The Lord of the Rings,” it would vie for the number one spot (and I've read a great deal of books since then!)
 With what looks to be Peter Jackson's final adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's legacy, Devin Brown, professor of English at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, has done individuals like me a great service. For the past three or four years, Brown has established himself as a leading scholar on both J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, teaching classes, publishing essays, speaking at conferences and writing books on both figures and their famous works. Brown's latest book, “Tolkien: How an Obscure Oxford Professor Wrote The Hobbit and Became the Most Beloved Author of the Century” serves as a worthy contribution to both scholarly and popular understandings of Tolkien and the world he crafted.
It's an interesting thing to know how tenuous the creation and publication of “The Hobbit” and its subsequent stories actually were. For most of us living in the 21st century, the existence and popularity of these works are just a fact of life. I for one, because of my deep love for the literature and the way it has spoken to me through the years, can't really imagine having an entire book shelf devoid of the name Tolkien. But as Brown argues time and again, “The Hobbit” was almost an idea lost in the wind.
Few people know that the first line of “The Hobbit” (“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit”) was written on a blank page of an exam that Tolkien was grading (yes, professors get bored too!) Few people know that Tolkien almost quit several times because he figured nobody would want to read his work. Few people know that Tolkien wrote his first Middle-earth stories because of a bed-ridden sickness during the First World War. And few know that the approval or disapproval to publish “The Hobbit” once lay with a ten-year old boy.
All of these are curious facts, of course, and ones which Brown illuminates to his readers throughout the book. And that's the major contribution of Brown's work, I think, to both scholarly and popular audiences: how an almost-nothing professor produced an almost-nothing work, only to find both his name and his literature both high in the realm of eternal imagination. To sum what I think Brown finds most impressive about Tolkien, sometimes the most beautiful works of art are things which are so intimately wound up in contingency that we must see a larger narrative at work in its actuality.
Brown also spends a great deal of time illustrating how Tolkien's Christian faith helped shaped the world he was creating. Against popular literary attempts to make nominal Tolkien's faith and distance it from his Middle-earth, Brown shows how deeply set his faith was and how much it shaped what Tolkien believed himself to be doing, both in his work and in his relationships. Indeed, even with the contingency of Tolkien's own works, we might say that Lewis' “Narnia” and other works also hinged on Tolkien, for it was he that contributed perhaps most significantly to Lewis' conversion. This, again, I think Brown would concede is not just the result of historical happenchance but a larger divine narrative at work (and that, of course, is how one sees Tolkien's faith enter in his stories).
It is a biographical story worth reading, and as with Brown's previous two works on “The Hobbit,” there are lessons to be learned. At 145 pages (one thing which distinguishes it from other leading biographies), the book is an easy read but one that the reader will inevitably find himself in and personally learning from. For the fan of Tolkien's Middle-earth, it deserves a spot on the bookshelf.
Tolkien: How an Obscure Harvard Professor Wrote The Hobbit and Became the Most Beloved Author of the Century by Devin Brown
Abingdon Press. 145 pages
 People of faith have legitimate questions about use of lethal drones by George Hunsinger
(RNS) Since June 18, 2004, the first day U.S. drones killed people in what has been called the U.S. “global war on terror,” people of faith have questioned whether the use of lethal drones is justifiable.
Since then, the CIA has conducted an estimated 400 or more drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. Drone strikes are continuing in Syria and Iraq. Hundreds of civilians have been killed, according to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, including women and children.
These “targeted” killings are conducted remotely in countries against which we have not declared war. Lethal drone strikes occur without warning, target for death specific individuals who are secretly selected, and are operated remotely by individuals thousands of miles away.
The U.S. religious community questions the morality of such drone warfare.
Many people of faith who are not pacifists adhere to the “Just War” tradition as enshrined in international law, which assumes that war is always an evil, but that sometimes there is a greater evil that requires military force.
The criteria for that “sometimes” include: that the war be waged by a legitimate authority; that it is clear who is a civilian and who is a combatant; that civilians should always be immune from direct attack; that there be a reasonable probability of success; that the use of force be proportional to the goals of the conflict; that military force be used only in the face of imminent danger; and that war should always be a last resort.
Applying these criteria to the use of drones raises a number of disturbing questions.
What kind of authority from Congress does the Administration have to use lethal drones? Does this authority extend to targeted killings outside active war zones? Is it clear what the geographical zone of this war is? Should lethal drones be implemented by the CIA, as they are now, given that the CIA is by its very nature secretive?
Are lethal drones sufficiently capable of distinguishing between civilians and combatants? Why is the rate of civilian casualties so alarmingly high? Do drones cause more civilian casualties than traditional military methods?
What are the current and long-term goals of the use of lethal drones? Are drones likely to accomplish these goals or does their use create more hostility and serve as a recruiting tool for terrorist extremists? As other nations acquire the capacity for drone warfare, does that change the likelihood of accomplishing these goals?
Is the damage caused by drones to human life and property really proportional to the goals sought? Is the possibility of an attack on U.S. personnel sufficiently imminent to justify the use of drones?
Is the use of drones a last resort — have other options such as financial restraints, cooperative law enforcement, encouraging people to not join extremist groups, economic incentives, and mobilizing public opinion been fully exhausted? War should always be a last resort, but drones make it easier to rush into war. For the time being, the use of drones has very few up-front risks for the nations that use them. They are controlled several thousand miles from the battlefield and do not require any use of ground troops.
The use of lethal drones, therefore, raises questions of conscience for the religious community. People of faith including myself have a responsibility to shine a bright light on this doubtful means of conducting war. We are among those who must raise the questions, and we are doing just that by organizing the first ever Interfaith Conference on Drone Warfare, which will be held Jan. 23-25 at Princeton Theological Seminary. People from a wide range of religious backgrounds — including myself — will address these questions, and much more. All people of faith are invited to register for the conference.
The goal of beginning this conversation in the religious community is to study the use of lethal drones and then make policy recommendations to the U.S. government. We will call on religious communities to advocate that these policy recommendations become reality.
 God takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary by Joseph Yoo
I'm guilty of adopting the "go big or go home" mentality in all that I do. When I want to do an act of kindness, I want to make it count. I want it to have a big impact. I want it to change lives.
So it's easy to dismiss small and ordinary acts because they seem so... ordinary. I want to discover a way to give someone a lifetime supply of fish rather than giving them one fish or teaching them how to fish.
The pressure to come up with something that's life-altering is unbearable. And the side effect of that is it's easy to get discouraged trying to come up with something that grand that you simply don't do anything. Nothing seems right or big enough or life changing enough.
Which leads me to dinner at Wendy's.
The restaurant was empty except for my wife, our foster son and myself — because it's Wendy's. The young woman who took our order eventually made her way to our table while cleaning.
"Is that your son?" she asked.
"Yes... well, no. He's our foster son," I replied.
"Oh. That makes sense, because you know, he doesn't really... look like you guys."
We get that a lot. After all, my wife and I are so blatantly Asian and the our foster son is not.
She begin to ask all sorts of questions about fostering and we were more than happy to answer them. Then she asked, "So when will he be able to go back to his parents?"
About a month ago, the county let us know that they are recommending termination of parental rights and that our foster son will be up for adoption. That was never the plan. We took him in fully expecting him to be reunited with his parents. And now, we have no idea what to do. We go back and forth. We debate. We discuss.
And that's what we basically told the Wendy's employee.
Sympathetically, she looked at our foster son and said, "You guys should keep him. He's really, really cute."
There's no denying that. He's as adorable as a gigantic four-year-old can be.
We smiled and said, "That doesn't hurt his case, huh?"
If only it were that simple.
After we finished our meal, we decided to go all-in on our "healthy" dinner and get some Frostys for dessert.
So I went to the counter to order two Frostys from the worker who took an interest in us. I was about to pay when she said, "This one is definitely on me. You guys enjoy these Frostys."
I can't tell you how incredibly blessed I was by this small act of generosity. This went beyond three dollars worth of ice cream.
At times I've felt that God has been far too silent for my liking during this discernment process. How I desperately want God to open up the heavens and just tell me what to do like, "Hey, Moron. Adopt him." I'd respond to that. But silence has been the response.
Through an act of kindness from a stranger, I felt reassured that though I may perceive silence, I should not mistake that for abandonment.
God was with me. God is with us. And God will be with us regardless of our decision. It went deeper than free Frostys.
I was amazed at how far a small act of kindness can go and how silly it is to dismiss acts of kindness because they seem so small or ordinary. That's the great thing about God: taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary.
Small things can make a huge impact.
Shane Claiborne talked about how it was the small things that Jesus did that stuck with folks. The people he healed became sick again; the people he raised from the dead eventually died again; the people he fed became hungry again.
But it was the way Jesus made them feel that stayed with them.
Grace-filled eye contact for those who'd felt judgmental eyes burning holes in their skin; a loving touch on those who'd been exiled from community; genuine conversations with folks who were ignored — these were just as life-changing as turning water into wine.
Which reminds me of the Mother Teresa quote: "Not everyone can do great things but we can all do small things with great love."
We don't know how much a small thing done with great love can impact someone's life. At the same time, we shouldn't be too obsessed with the impact we can have — we should simply love and do.
Go and let someone know God is with them through acts of love and grace. You just don't know how God will use you.
 Hanukkah: The minor Jewish holiday that's a major deal by Lauren Markoe / Religion News Service
(RNS) You may know the basic props of Hanukkah: a menorah, a dreidel and chocolate coins. But here’s the inside story on Hanukkah, which begins Tuesday at sundown (Dec. 16).
Q: Isn’t this a no-big-deal Jewish holiday that’s pumped up just because it falls so close to Christmas?
Hanukkah is considered a minor Jewish holiday, and the story it commemorates — the ancient and outnumbered Maccabees who triumphed over their Hellenistic oppressors to preserve their faith — is not based in the Torah, the Hebrew Bible.
And there’s no denying that Hanukkah is a bigger deal in majority Christian nations because it’s celebrated near — and sometimes on — Christmas. With all the Christmas hoopla, it’s not surprising that Jews have turned Hanukkah into a grander celebration than it might have been otherwise.
But Hanukkah is still important, and underscores one of the most significant themes in Jewish history: the struggle to practice Judaism when powerful forces seek to extinguish it.
Q: Why does the miracle of Hanukkah lead Jews to eat jelly donuts?
It’s all about the oil. When the pious Maccabees reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem, around 165 B.C., they found only enough unadulterated oil to light the temple’s candelabra, or menorah, for one day. But miraculously, according to the Talmud, a body of rabbinic teaching, the oil lasted for eight days.
To celebrate Hanukkah, aka the Festival of Lights, Jews light a candle on the first night of Hanukkah, two on the second, and one more on each successive night of the eight-night holiday. Gastronomically, Hanukkah focuses on foods cooked in oil, most typically latkes (potato pancakes fried in oil) and jelly donuts.
Q: Hanukkah? Chanukkah, Hanukka. How come there are a million different ways to spell Hanukkah?
Variations abound mostly because of the eighth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the “chet,” with which the word “Hanukkah” begins in Hebrew. “Chet” doesn’t have an equivalent in English. And the double K’s? In classical Hebrew, there’s a dot in the middle of the Hebrew letter “kaf,” which indicates an especially robust “k” sound.
Q: OK, now that I know how to spell it, what does it mean?
Hanukkah means “dedication” in Hebrew, in that the Temple, which had been turned into a pagan shrine, was rededicated to God.
Q: Do Jewish children get presents on all eight nights of Hanukkah?
Ah, the Jewish parents’ dilemma: They want their kids to appreciate Hanukkah, and not be jealous of friends who will be visited by Santa; but they don’t want children to equate Hanukkah only with presents. A common practice is to give a biggish present on the last night, and small to medium presents on other nights, taking breaks with no-present nights.
Q: What’s with the spinning top?
It’s called a dreidel (from the Yiddish, the language of many European Jews) and it’s practically the official game of Hanukkah. The dreidel (pronounced “DRAY-del”) has four sides, each with a Hebrew letter that stands for the saying “a great miracle happened there” — “there” being Jerusalem. If you’re in Israel, the letters stand for “a great miracle happened here.” Depending on which letter the dreidel lands on, you get a certain amount of chocolate coins, paper clips, raisins … whatever you are playing for.
Q: How come there are no good Hanukkah songs?
There are. You’re just not going to hear them on the radio in the U.S. because Jews are less than 2 percent of the U.S. population and there isn’t a big market for these tunes. Plus, some of the best Hanukkah songs are in other languages spoken by Jews. But if you’re looking for a catchy Hanukkah song in English, try the Maccabeats’ “Miracle” or Peter, Paul and Mary’s “Light One Candle,” which is a famous folk song that many people don’t know is actually about Hanukkah.
 Ending our nation's addiction to torture by Ron Stief
(RNS) The sickening details of the CIA’s immoral torture program have been laid bare with the release Tuesday (Dec. 9) of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s torture report. The report describes deeply disturbing acts of torture and confirms that it produced no meaningful intelligence that could not have been obtained through other means.
It is difficult to read the report and not conclude that both morality and common sense demand that we take every step necessary to prevent the U.S. torture program from ever being reactivated.
The CIA’s use of waterboarding had already been widely reported. But it doesn’t make it any easier to read official reports of a detainee who was waterboarded to the point that he was convulsing and vomiting, where even the torturers asked central CIA officials to stop his repetitive waterboarding.
Detainees were forced to suffer ice water “baths,” while others were told that they would be killed in order to cover up what had been done to them. In one instance, the CIA imprisoned a mentally challenged relative of a detainee and taped his crying in an attempt to force the detainee to provide information. Still others endured sleep deprivation sessions of up to 180 hours, often while chained to a wall in a standing position.
And it was all for naught. The report clearly spells out that the CIA’s torture program was not effective. As Sen. John McCain, a torture survivor himself, reminded us all on the Senate floor, torture often results in fabricated information and generally fails to produce actionable intelligence, if only because torture produces a situation of confusion and desperation.
The report also shows that the CIA assigned many inexperienced and unqualified officers to run the torture program. According to the chief of one of the CIA’s black sites, this casualness resulted in “the production of mediocre or, I dare say, useless intelligence … ”
But more importantly, it led to the wanton disregard for human rights, dignity and life. Torture runs contrary to the teachings of all religions, violates the basic principles of our Constitution and international law and is wrong in any and all circumstances.
So why did the nation allow torture to happen, and where do we go from here?
Faith leaders and others who helped the nation and families suffering from grief and fear after the 9/11 attacks remember well those touch-and-go moments. While our government was coming to terms with the attack and planning a response, faith leaders were holding the hands of those questioning our common humanity, wondering whether a safe future was possible and even asking how a just God could have allowed the attacks.
And then, top U.S. leadership, all the way to President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, decided to do the unthinkable: The U.S. would torture detainees in the war on terror.
Yet internationally recognized principles of human rights, such as the Convention Against Torture, dictate that even in times of war (declared or undeclared), no nation can abandon the requirements of conscience or the treaties, laws and rules of engagement that govern the treatment of prisoners and the conduct of war. Otherwise, human society is little more than eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth anarchy, where no one ever wins — not for very long, anyway.
It is especially important that in times of national tragedy, leaders understand their responsibility to ensure that, whether out of anger, or fear, or even out of a justified desire for self-defense, a people and its policies do not abandon the very values that have shaped national identity.
Now what? Congress should act now to ensure that our country never goes down the road of moral bankruptcy again and pass legislation that creates one humane standard for all intelligence-gathering interrogations, including requiring that the International Committee of the Red Cross be provided access to all detainees. Congress should also permanently bar the CIA from detaining people.
These are all reasonable steps and are current practice after President Obama’s 2009 executive order ending the torture program. At the moment, though, none of these is required by law. Congress can change that, and in doing so, can ensure that the CIA’s torture program is never restarted.
It won’t be easy to end our nation’s addiction to torture. For many in our country, including people of faith, and certainly for those in the back rooms of the entertainment industry, torture sells as an antidote to fear. But it doesn’t work. It’s time to permanently stop torturing — whether in a secret prison in Poland or the solitary confinement wing of a public prison in California — in the name of U.S. citizens.
 Selfish or sacrificial? by Tiffany Manning
Over the past two years, the award-winning “Hunger Games” films have captured the attention of moviegoers of all ages. This trilogy is based on an act of sacrifice: The protagonist Katniss Everdeen takes her sister’s place in the Hunger Games, an annual competition in which youth fight until only one survivor remains. In the most recent installment of the trilogy, “Mockingjay Part 1,” many of the characters make great sacrifices for the greater cause of justice. Committed to overthrowing the Capitol and its reign of terror, people give up their homes, occupations and loved ones in an effort to stand up against President Snow, the leader responsible for the destruction and devastation.
It’s all about me
Adolescence is a self-centered season of life. Teens seek to be autonomous, viewing themselves as independent individuals who are capable of making their own decisions. This newfound independence causes many teenagers to become self-absorbed, leading to friction in relationships with family members and other adults in authority. Because they are so preoccupied with their personal thoughts, they do not always consider how their actions affect others.
It’s all about Christ
Christians are called to model their lives after Jesus Christ, a man who was anything but self-centered. He always put others’ concerns first, disregarding social norms in order to extend love to all of God’s children. Jesus offered up his safety, his wealth, and ultimately his life so that others can live life abundantly. The call to follow Jesus is a call to live sacrificially with a heart that is focused on God and other people. We are called to be just as committed to helping individuals in need as we are to taking care of ourselves. As youth leaders, with Jesus as our example and our ever-present help, we can support teens as they transition from being self-centered to self-sacrificing.
Question of the day: For whom would you be willing to make sacrifices?
Focal Scriptures: John 15:1-17; Luke 21:1-4; Luke 1:26-38
For a complete lesson on this topic visit LinC.
 This Sunday
December 21, 2014
Fourth Sunday in Advent - 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Luke 1:47-55; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38
Lectionary Scriptures:
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Luke 1:47-55
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:26-38
2 Samuel 7: God’s Covenant with David
1-2 Before long, the king made himself at home and God gave him peace from all his enemies. Then one day King David said to Nathan the prophet, “Look at this: Here I am, comfortable in a luxurious house of cedar, and the Chest of God sits in a plain tent.”
3 Nathan told the king, “Whatever is on your heart, go and do it. God is with you.”
4-7 But that night, the word of God came to Nathan saying, “Go and tell my servant David: This is God’s word on the matter: You’re going to build a ‘house’ for me to live in? Why, I haven’t lived in a ‘house’ from the time I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt till now. All that time I’ve moved about with nothing but a tent. And in all my travels with Israel, did I ever say to any of the leaders I commanded to shepherd Israel, ‘Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?’
8-11 “So here is what you are to tell my servant David: The God-of-the-Angel-Armies has this word for you: I took you from the pasture, tagging along after sheep, and made you prince over my people Israel. I was with you everywhere you went and mowed your enemies down before you. Now I’m making you famous, to be ranked with the great names on earth. And I’m going to set aside a place for my people Israel and plant them there so they’ll have their own home and not be knocked around any more. Nor will evil men afflict you as they always have, even during the days I set judges over my people Israel. Finally, I’m going to give you peace from all your enemies.
11-16 “Furthermore, God has this message for you: God himself will build you a house! When your life is complete and you’re buried with your ancestors, then I’ll raise up your child, your own flesh and blood, to succeed you, and I’ll firmly establish his rule. He will build a house to honor me, and I will guarantee his kingdom’s rule permanently. I’ll be a father to him, and he’ll be a son to me. When he does wrong, I’ll discipline him in the usual ways, the pitfalls and obstacles of this mortal life. But I’ll never remove my gracious love from him, as I removed it from Saul, who preceded you and whom I most certainly did remove. Your family and your kingdom are permanently secured. I’m keeping my eye on them! And your royal throne will always be there, rock solid.”
Luke 1:46-55 And Mary said,
I’m bursting with God-news;
I’m dancing the song of my Savior God.
God took one good look at me, and look what happened—
I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!
What God has done for me will never be forgotten,
the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.
His mercy flows in wave after wave
on those who are in awe before him.
He bared his arm and showed his strength,
scattered the bluffing braggarts.
He knocked tyrants off their high horses,
pulled victims out of the mud.
The starving poor sat down to a banquet;
the callous rich were left out in the cold.
He embraced his chosen child, Israel;
he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.
It’s exactly what he promised,
beginning with Abraham and right up to now.
Romans 16:25-26 All of our praise rises to the One who is strong enough to make you strong, exactly as preached in Jesus Christ, precisely as revealed in the mystery kept secret for so long but now an open book through the prophetic Scriptures. All the nations of the world can now know the truth and be brought into obedient belief, carrying out the orders of God, who got all this started, down to the very last letter.
27 All our praise is focused through Jesus on this incomparably wise God! Yes!
Luke 1: A Virgin Conceives
26-28 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:
Good morning!
You’re beautiful with God’s beauty,
Beautiful inside and out!
God be with you.
29-33 She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.
He will be great,
be called ‘Son of the Highest.’
The Lord God will give him
the throne of his father David;
He will rule Jacob’s house forever—
no end, ever, to his kingdom.”
34 Mary said to the angel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.”
35 The angel answered,
The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
the power of the Highest hover over you;
Therefore, the child you bring to birth
will be called Holy, Son of God.
36-38 “And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.”
And Mary said,
Yes, I see it all now:
I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.
Let it be with me
just as you say.
Then the angel left her.
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary:
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Verse 1
[1] And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
Sat — That is, was settled in the house which Hiram's men had built for him, then he reflected upon the unsettled state of the ark.
Verse 2
[2] That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
Curtains — That is, in a tent or tabernacle, verse 6, composed of several curtains.
Verse 3
[3] And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.
Nathan said — Pursue thy intentions, and build an house for the ark. The design being pious and the thing not forbidden by God, Nathan hastily approves it, before he had consulted God about it, as both he and David ought to have done in a matter of so great moment. And therefore Nathan meets with this rebuke, that he is forced to acknowledge his error, and recant it. For the holy prophets did not speak all things by prophetic inspiration, but some things by an human spirit.
Verse 4
[4] And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,
The word of the Lord came — Because David's mistake was pious, and from an honest mind, God would not suffer him to lie long in it.
Verse 5
[5] Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?
Shalt thou — That is, thou shalt not.
Verse 6
[6] Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.
Tent and tabernacle — These two seem thus to be distinguished, the one may note the curtains and hangings within, the other the frame of boards, and coverings upon it.
Verse 8
[8] Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
My servant — Lest David should be too much discouraged, or judge himself neglected of God, as one thought unworthy of so great an honour, God here gives him the honourable title of his servant, thereby signifying that he accepted of his service, and good intentions.
Verse 10
[10] Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
Appoint — That is, I will make room for them, whereas hitherto they have been much distressed by their enemies. Or, I will establish a place for them, that is, I will establish them in their place or land.
My people — Among the favours which God had vouchsafed, and would vouchsafe to David, he reckons his blessings to Israel, because they were great blessings to David; partly, because the strength and happiness of a king consists in the multitude and happiness of his people; and partly, because David was a man of a public spirit, and therefore no less affected with Israel's felicity than with his own.
Before time — Namely in Egypt.
Verse 11
[11] And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
And as since — Nor as they did under the judges. But all this is to be understood with a condition, except they should notoriously forsake God.
And have caused thee — That is, and as until this time in which I have given thee rest. But these words, though according to our translation they be enclosed in the same parenthesis with the foregoing clauses, may be better put without it, and taken by themselves. For the foregoing words in this verse, and in verse 10, all concern the people of Israel; but these words concern David alone, to whom the speechs returns after a short digression concerning the people of Israel. And they may be rendered thus.
And I will cause thee to rest, … — More fully and perfectly than yet thou dost.
He will, … — For thy good intentions to make him an house, he will make thee an house, a sure house, that is, he will increase and uphold thy posterity, and continue thy kingdom in thy family.
Verse 16
[16] And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
Before thee — Thine eyes in some sort beholding it: for he lived to see his wise son Solomon actually placed in the throne, with reputation and general applause, which was in itself a good presage of the continuance of the kingdom in his family: and being considered, together with the infallible certainty of God's promise to him and his, (of the accomplishment whereof, this was an earnest,) gave him good assurance thereof; especially considering that he had his eyes and thoughts upon the Messiah, Psalms 110:1, etc. whose day he saw by faith, as Abraham did, John 8:56, and whom he knew that God would raise out of the fruit of his loins to sit on his throne, and that for ever: and so the eternity of his kingdom is rightly said to be before him.
Luke 1:47-55
Verse 47
[47] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour — She seems to turn her thoughts here to Christ himself, who was to be born of her, as the angel had told her, he should be the Son of the Highest, whose name should be Jesus, the Saviour. And she rejoiced in hope of salvation through faith in him, which is a blessing common to all true believers, more than in being his mother after the flesh, which was an honour peculiar to her. And certainly she had the same reason to rejoice in God her Saviour hat we have: because he had regarded the low estate of his handmaid, in like manner as he regarded our low estate; and vouchsafed to come and save her and us, when we were reduced to the lowest estate of sin and misery.
Verse 51
[51] He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath wrought strength with his arm — That is, he hath shown the exceeding greatness of his power. She speaks prophetically of those things as already done, which God was about to do by the Messiah.
He hath scattered the proud — Visible and invisible.
Verse 52
[52] He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath put down the mighty — Both angels and men.
Verse 54
[54] He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
He hath helped his servant Israel — By sending the Messiah.
Verse 55
[55] As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
To his seed — His spiritual seed: all true believers.
Romans 16:25-27
Verse 25
[25] Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Now to him who is able — The last words of this epistle exactly answer the first, chapter i. 1-5: Romans 1:1-5: in particular, concerning the power of God, the gospel, Jesus Christ, the scriptures, the obedience of faith, all nations.
To establish you — Both Jews and gentiles.
According to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ — That is, according to the tenor of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which I preach.
According to the revelation of the mystery — Of the calling of the gentiles, which, as plainly as it was foretold in the Prophets, was still hid from many even of the believing Jews.
Verse 26
[26] But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
According to the commandment — The foundation of the apostolical office.
Of the eternal God — A more proper epithet could not be. A new dispensation infers no change in God. Known unto him are all his works, and every variation of them, from eternity.
Made known to all nations — Not barely that they might know, but enjoy it also, through obeying the faith.
Verse 27
[27] To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
To the only wise God — Whose manifold wisdom is known in the church through the gospel, Ephesians 3:10. "To him who is able," and, to the wise God," are joined, as 1 Corinthians 1:24, where Christ is styled "the wisdom of God," and "the power of God." To him be glory through Christ Jesus for ever - And let every believer say, Amen!
Luke 1:26-38
Verse 26
[26] And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
In the sixth month — After Elisabeth had conceived.
Verse 27
[27] To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
Espoused — It was customary among the Jews, for persons that married to contract before witnesses some time before. And as Christ was to be born of a pure virgin, so the wisdom of God ordered it to be of one espoused, that to prevent reproach he might have a reputed father, according to the flesh.
Verse 28
[28] And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Hail, thou highly favoured; the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women — Hail is the salutation used by our Lord to the women after his resurrection: thou art highly favoured, or hast found favour with God, Luke 1:30, is no more than was said of Noah, Moses, and David. The Lord is with thee, was said to Gideon, Judges 6:12; and blessed shall she be above women, of Jael, Judges 5:24. This salutation gives no room for any pretence of paying adoration to the virgin; as having no appearance of a prayer, or of worship offered to her.
Verse 32
[32] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
He shall be called the Son of the Highest — In this respect also: and that in a more eminent sense than any, either man or angel, can be called so.
The Lord shall give him the throne of his father David — That is, the spiritual kingdom, of which David's was a type.
Verse 33
[33] And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
He shall reign over the house of Jacob — In which all true believers are included.
Verse 35
[35] And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee — The power of God was put forth by the Holy Ghost, as the immediate Divine agent in this work: and so he exerted the power of the Highest as his own power, who together with the Father and the Son is the most high God.
Therefore also — Not only as he is God from eternity, but on this account likewise he shall be called the Son of God.
Verse 36
[36] And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
And behold, thy cousin Elisabeth — Though Elisabeth was of the house of Aaron, and Mary of the house of David, by the fathers side, they might be related by their mothers. For the law only forbad heiresses marrying into another tribe. And so other persons continually intermarried; particularly the families of David and of Levi.
Verse 38
[38] And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord — It is not improbable, that this time of the virgin's humble faith, consent, and expectation, might be the very time of her conceiving.
 THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF LOVE by Kenneth H. Carter, Jr.
Luke 1:26-38
It is no accident that Mary takes center stage this time of year. Mary, so venerated by some Christians, so ignored by some Christians, so misunderstood by some Christians. At times Catholics have transformed the peasant Jewish teenage girl into an otherworldly queen. At times Protestants and Evangelicals have pretended that she never existed, or they have missed the truth that she is the first disciple, that she displays radical faith and trust in God.
Mary hears the call of God and she responds. She models faith, obedience, servanthood, discipleship, and hospitality. The Annunciation is the word of God, through the messenger, to Mary. “You have found favor with God. The power of the Holy Spirit will come upon you. You will give birth to the Savior.”
“How can this be?” Mary asks. “Nothing will be impossible with God,” the angel/messenger says to her. The call of God is to an ordinary woman, and yet the call is to do something extraordinary. God chose an ordinary human being—Mary—to be the vessel through which the Son of God would be born. What is impossible for us is possible with God. Paul, writing later to the church at Corinth, would reflect on this truth that is common and profound: “We have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).
In a busy season of the year it is good to get clarity about what is happening. God calls ordinary people, people like you and me. This has always been the way of the Lord; again, Paul writing to the Corinthians: “Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But . . . God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are” (1 Corinthians 1:26-28).
Or we can go farther back into the tradition and rehearse the call of Moses, who suggested that he was not eloquent of speech and that his brother might be a better candidate for God’s mission (Exodus 3). The call of God comes to ordinary human beings, like Mary. Yet through ordinary people the extraordinary happens.
The call of God, found in the Annunciation, finds its response in a later text, the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-56). Mary senses it: “I am an ordinary person. I am not perfect.” Preachers grasp this: we are imperfect people, and we preach to gatherings of imperfect people.
The good news of the gospel is that when God begins to search for us, God is not seeking perfection. God chooses the ordinary. God loves the unlovable. In fact, God reverses just about every expectation we might have of how the Lord would enter into this world and save it.
Does God flatter the proud? No, God scatters the proud. Does God seek an invitation from the throne? No, God brings those from thrones down, and lifts up the lowly. Does God hang out at the finest restaurants? No, God throws a banquet for the poor. Does God choose a queen or a princess to be the mother of Jesus? No, God chooses Mary. Does God choose the wise, the noble, and the powerful in this world to accomplish the divine will? No, God chooses you and me. Does God love those who are lovable? Yes, and God loves the unlovable; God forgives the imperfect; God reaches out to the lost.
Christmas is really all about this attribute of God, who loves us, who reaches out, down to us, who stoops to our weakness. “Mild he lays his glory by,” Charles Wesley wrote in the carol “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” God comes in the unspectacular and the humble.
That is what Christmas is about. As a child growing up, our large family party was always on Christmas Eve. We all gathered—my greatgrandmother, my grandparents, their three children, and the eight greatgrandchildren. Maybe we do tend to see the past through rose-colored glasses, but I remember those times as among my happiest moments on earth. We were euphoric, ecstatic.
Years later, my grandparents and great-grandmother moved into the city to be near medical care. After my great-grandmother and grandfather died, my grandmother decided that she wanted to move back home. So the house was refurbished. We painted it and cleaned it out. I was in college by then, and walking back into the house, I could not believe how small it was. How did the thirteen of us fit in that room? Then I looked at pictures of those gatherings, and I saw the cinderblock walls—it really was a very simple house—and I looked at the Christmas tree—a Georgia pine tree, not like the large ones we put up now. What was happening in those gatherings?
It all becomes clear again. What made such a setting—simple, nothing grand or extravagant about it—one of the very places on earth that is most holy to me now? The clue is in the call of God to Mary and her response. God chooses the simple to confound the wise. God chooses the humble to shame the strong. God always chooses the ordinary to do something extraordinary. What is impossible for us is possible for God.
In a stable, probably more like a cave, on a hillside in the country, out of the way, a baby was born to two scared young people. They had nothing to offer, only the circumstance of their lives. They heard the call of God, each in their own way. They responded in faith. Christmas, for us, twenty centuries later, is no different. What is the call and what is our response? What is God saying to you this Christmas? What are you saying to God?
 Let It Be! by Travis Franklin
Luke 1:26-38
Luke identifies for us a common Advent story—the familiar work of God through the announcement of the angel and the somewhat surprised and confused response of Mary. The story depicts God as taking the initiative in the human drama only to be misunderstood by the human that God seeks. Such seems to be a common theme among the gospel stories as God’s presence, work, or activity is met with fear, misunderstanding, a sense of mystery, awe, power, and certainly high drama. This story is yet one more example of such an encounter between God’s angel, Gabriel, and Mary, the soon-to-be mother of Jesus.
Advent offers an introduction to a great drama about Gabriel’s announcement and Mary’s response. The story has all the characteristics that make God’s work in the world such a good read. Luke portrays part of how God seeks expression among God’s people by using Gabriel. Angels are messengers and mediators of God’s word and will. Luke uses them regularly in his gospel story as messengers. The message Gabriel delivers to Mary is fourfold. Mary will have a son named Jesus, the child will be the Son of God, the child will sit on the throne of David, and the birth of the child will come to pass via the work of the Holy Spirit of God. It is the same form of the message the angel earlier had for Zechariah. Luke also affirms that nothing with God is impossible.
God initiates contact with people through an angelic announcement. Mary responds by listening, puzzlement, misunderstanding, questions, and eventually faith. Luke’s story we have heard before many times throughout biblical history. Luke retells the ongoing unfolding of God’s salvation history with the world. Yet, Luke tells it with high drama and with simplicity. In a nutshell, God acts in life. Humans are encouraged to listen, question, seek understanding, and dialogue, but ultimately respond with trust and faith to what it is God is seeking to do.
As the church makes its dramatic journey to the manger, this story invites us to respond to God’s initiative once again. As Gabriel appeared to Mary we realize how God comes to us. Such intrusions into our ordered and ordinary life catch us off guard. Still such intrusions into life always demand a response from us. This process offers the opportunity to invite the congregation to examine what it means to be disciples.
When was the last time you were surprised? I remember the day my parents called a family meeting to tell us we were moving. We had lived in our community for six years and were settled. Such news came out of nowhere and caught my sister, my brother, and me completely by surprise. Our lives would never be the same. Such is the stuff of life. Such is the drama of Mary’s new life, altered forever in a moment. Isn’t that the way life is? Isn’t that the way God works?
The real power of this story, however, we find in Mary’s response to what God seeks to do in her life. Despite the surprise, Mary finally comes to that powerful place of acceptance as she responds saying, “Let it be.” In light of all that has transpired, her response is incredible. She provides us an example of how we too might respond to God’s surprises in our own life. The issue for us always, however, is can we just let it be? Often, we need to know and be in control. Can we simply just let it be? Such a faithful response provides us with a living illustration of who we need to be as we too ponder the Bethlehem stable. Without seeking to control or glamorize or add or overanalyze, can we just let the story be what it is this Christmas? Can we allow God to say what needs to be said through this simple birth? Can we step back in awe and wonder of a child and just ponder these things in our hearts and allow God to do what God needs to do with us, in us, and through us? Can we just let it be?
 Worship Elements: December 21, 2014 by Sandra Miller
Fourth Sunday of Advent
COLOR: Blue or Purple
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Luke 1:47-55; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38
THEME IDEAS
The Holy One cannot be confined, not even in a beautiful house of sweet-smelling cedar. Rather, God is eternal, planted in us through the ages. It begins with God’s promise to Abraham and is reflected in Nathan’s words to David, “Go, do all that you have in mind; for God is with you.” God is surely with Elizabeth, and God is with Mary, the favored one in whom the Holy One is made manifest. In our faith and in our waiting, Christ is planted in us and in our global society for the generations to come. Nothing is impossible with God.
INVITATION AND GATHERING
Call to Worship (2 Samuel 7, Luke 1:47-55, Luke 1:26-38)
Host of Hosts, from sunrise to sunrise,
and generation to generation, we are your people.
You have been with us wherever we have gone.
You will be with us wherever we may go.
You planted us in a land flowing with milk and honey,
then you planted our salvation in Mary’s womb.
Jesus, who is the Christ, is planted firmly
in each one of us.
Our souls magnify the Holy One.
Our spirits rejoice in God, our Savior.
Opening Prayer (2 Samuel 7, Luke 1:26-38)
Beloved, Holy Lover,
we welcome you to our house,
the sacred space we have built
to gather together as your people.
Here we come to offer you
our thanksgiving and praise
in response to the abundance
of your creation.
Here we come to share with you
our prayers of confession and petition,
for they lie heavy on our hearts.
Even knowing that you are here
and everywhere,
we come longing to hear you say,
“I am with you always.” Amen.
PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE
Prayer of Confession (Luke 1:47-55)
Compassionate, Forgiving God,
we trespass on your mercy
and take your favor for granted.
We think only of ourselves.
We forget the lessons
of those who came before us,
and ignore our responsibility
to those who will follow us.
We grow proud and seek power.
We do not see the destruction of our actions
and how it distances us from you.
We do not recognize our hunger for what it is,
or where it leads us.
We grow faint.
Bring us home to you, Merciful Beloved.
Words of Assurance (Luke 1:47-55)
The Holy One forgives and bestows favor
on each of us, even and especially
when we are lowly in spirit.
We are blessed from generation to generation
by the Mighty One, whose strength and mercy
are forever.
Passing the Peace of Christ
The light and hope of Christ lives in each of us.
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Response to the Word (2 Samuel 7, Luke 1:26-38)
Beloved, when we were in exile,
you dwelled with us in our tents.
When we were afflicted,
you comforted us in your mercy.
Like sheep in the pastures,
you gathered us to you.
In this pregnant time of waiting,
we yearn for the coming of your Son again,
as if for the first time.
For with you, Holy One,
all things are possible.
THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION
Invitation to the Offering (Luke 1:26-38)
The God of Abundance lays the bounty of all creation before us, strengthens us when we are weak, and fills us when we are hungry. Let us share deeply and joyfully, that all may come to the table of God’s heavenly feast.
Offering Prayer (Romans 16:25-27)
God only Wise,
accept these offerings,
the fruit of our labor and lives,
in obedience of our faith,
through Jesus Christ,
to whom be the glory forever!
Amen.
SENDING FORTH
Benediction (Luke 1:47-55, Romans 16, Luke 1:26-38)
Be strengthened according to the proclamation
of Jesus Christ.
Go, do all that you have in mind,
for the Holy One is with you.
Nothing is impossible with God.
CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS
Gathering Words (Luke 1:47-55, Luke 1:26-38)
In the never-ending flow from Abraham to Christ,
in the ever-reaching flow from Christ to the present,
you are planted in Life by the power
of the Holy Mystery, the power of the Holy Spirit.
We are your people; you are our salvation.
Waiting for your coming, rejoicing in your being,
we offer you our hearts, prayers, and praise.
Merciful One, in you we have found our place.
Praise Sentences (Romans 16:25-27)
Glory to God, through Jesus Christ!
Glory forever and ever!
Glory to God whose wisdom knows no bounds.
Glory forever and ever! Amen.
From “The Abingdon Worship Annual 2011,” edited by Mary J. Scifres and B.J. Beu, Copyright © 2010 by Abingdon Press. “The Abingdon Worship Annual 2015” is now available.
 Worship Connection: December 21, 2014 by Nancy C. Townley
Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Luke 1:47-55; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38
CALLS TO WORSHIP
Call to Worship #1:
L: Welcome, dear people, God has blessed our gathering.
P: We come again on this journey, following the light.
L: God’s light shines for us today, bringing peace and comfort.
P: May we, like Mary, respond to God’s presence and love, with confident joy. AMEN.
Call to Worship #2
L: Light the lamps, prepare the room, God is coming to us!
P: Make our hearts and spirits ready to receive God’s most gracious gift, God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
L: Push the darkness away. The light is truly coming!
P: May God’s light shine on us, in us and through us that God’s glory may be seen. AMEN.
Call to Worship #3
[Using The Faith We Sing, p. 2092 "Like A Child" you might consider this as a call to worship, involving children and youth.]
L: In the beginning, when all was darkness, God spoke the word of Light and brilliant light shown forth. It was the glorious light of Creation.
P: Praise be to God for the wonders of all this earth and its inhabitants.
L: In due time, when darkness began to invade the land again, God sent the prophets to reclaim God’s people.
P: Praise be to God for the words and spirits of the prophets who boldly proclaimed God’s love.
[Leader: children, youth, come to the worship center, seat yourselves in front of the center now if you will][During the singing of this song, have the children and youth come forward and sit in front of the worship center. You may add verses 2 and 3 if you need more time for the children and youth to gather.]
L: In the fullness of time, God sent God’s son, that the world would know forever that God is with us. God has blessed us with these young people as reminders of God’s continual presence with us.
[Choir: singing: Like a child, love would send to reveal and to mend, like a child and a friend, Jesus comes. Like a child we may find claiming heart, soul, and mind, like a child strong and kind, Jesus comes.]
P: Praise God for the wondrous ways in which God enters our lives.
L: Let us worship the God of Light and of Presence.
P: AMEN.
Call to Worship #4:
L: Welcome this day to worship.
P: The light of this season has beckoned us forward.
L: Come and rejoice, for God’s light is coming to us.
P: Praise be to God who pours light into our lives.
L: Open your hearts and spirits and receive the blessings of God.
P: May we always be ready to respond in joyful ways to God’s love. AMEN.
PRAYERS, LITANY, BENEDICTION
Invocation/Opening Prayer
In the rush of preparation for holiday celebration, we come to this place to be fed by God. We need the peace, hope, love and joy that this season represents. We need to listen again with wonder at the magnificent words of Mary as she proclaims her faithful participation in God’s most miraculous gift. Open our hearts this day, Lord, to receive the words and the blessings, to be fed and then to be those who will share with others as you have shared with us. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. AMEN.
The Advent Light
Theme for bulletin insert:Lights from four sources grace our worship center. The first light comes from the candle, which was placed here three weeks ago, but was not lighted.. The second source, placed here two weeks ago, is a flashlight, with its small, bur directed beam of light to show us the way to Hope. The third source, a lantern, was placed in our center last week to remind us of the Light of God that beckons to us. The warmth and comfort of God’s welcome to us is represented by our fourth source of light, a table lamp. We have also placed floor lamps around the sanctuary as a reminder of the comfort and peace of God’s eternal Presence.
L: Three weeks ago, on the first Sunday of Advent, we placed this candle on our worship center, but it remained unlit so that we would take the time to actually think about the darkness and hope for the light.
Person 1: We light this candle, remembering that in the midst of darkness, God created the world and all that is in it. In the midst of our darkness, God has again brought light
[Person 1 lights the Advent Candle].
L: Two weeks ago, we placed a flashlight in our worship center as the second light of Advent. This common object becomes uncommon as it reveals God’s love and direction for our lives.
Person 2: We turn this flashlight on, with its small beam. The darkness is great, but God’s powerful light will show us the way, our path is illuminated by God’s gracious love. This light represents direction and hope.
[Person 2 turns the flashlight on. Note: make sure that the light is either shining on the floor or down an aisle, not in the face of any persons in the sanctuary]
L: Last week, we placed a lantern in our worship center. We remembered the significance of the lantern lit on a porch to welcome the weary traveler.
Person 3: We light this lantern as a reminder of God’s continuous welcome for us, pouring God’s light of love into our darkness and drawing us home.
[Person 3 lights the lantern in the worship center]
L: This week we have placed a table lamp in our worship center, reminding us of the comfort and warmth of God’s presence with us.
Person 4: We light this lamp as a reminder that God is always with us to comfort, to heal, to strengthen and guide us. God’s love draws us home and warms our hearts and spirits.
[Person 4 lights the table lamp in the worship center]
L: Let us pray: Lord of Comforting Light, be with us today as we draw closer to the wondrous event of the Birth of your son. Help us to remember that your light has guided our journey bringing us to this place. Remind us that Mary so willingly said "yes" to you when you asked her to be the one to bear the Christ Child. May we be as eager to serve you as Mary was. AMEN.
Prayer of Confession
It’s getting harder and harder to focus on the true meaning of Christmas, the incarnation of God’s love in the birth of God’s Son Jesus Christ. We are caught in the web of festivities, travel, gifts, and glitter. And we have to admit that we really do enjoy all the holiday opportunities. But as we get closer to the big family celebrations and the actual celebration of Christmas, we begin to wonder how we are going to "survive" it all. We say to ourselves, "We won’t let all this stress happen to us next year." But we know better. We allow ourselves to be continually drawn in to the demands of others, leaving little or no time for ourselves, our families, and especially for You, gracious God. Forgive us. You are all too familiar with our reasons and excuses for what is happening. Help us to make some changes in our lives and our focus, so that this time of celebration may have the deepest sense of joy and purpose, not just be the rush and clamor of yet another holiday season that disappears all too quickly. Keep us focused on the eternal "yes" response to your call to us, to live our lives as those who would joyfully serve You. Heal and comfort us, Lord, this day and always. For we ask this in the name of Jesus, our Savior. AMEN.
Pastoral Prayer
One week left, Lord, just one week left. Can we get all the things done that we have set before us? Have all the cards been mailed, the greetings extended, the gatherings coordinated and placed in our calendar for this last rush before the BIG DAY? Have we forgotten anything? Have we forgotten anyone? It would be easy to say, we have forgotten the reason for the season....that phrase which is imprinted on key chains and coffee mugs. We think that if we post the note that says "Jesus is the reason for the season", we will truly be fulfilling our Christmas commitment. How foolish we are! Placing the words on the wall, taped to a bulletin board, on a refrigerator, does not place the words in our hearts. We replace the glorious story of God’s Incarnate word, with tinsel and wrapping paper and believe that we are ready to celebrate. When will we learn? Come to us now, comforting God, with your powerful words of healing. Help us to remember the witness of Mary, a young girl, who never expected to play such a role in salvation history. Put the brakes on our rushing and sit us down to hear the story of your absolute Love for us. Get us ready for the birth of your Son who will become our Savior. Move us from the focus of our festivities to a focus on witnessing about your love through serving others. Challenge us to reach out to people in need, not only with a check to support a particular endeavor, but with actual contact in ministries of sacrifice and service. In such times as this remind us that we are called to proclaim your love through witness and service. AMEN.
Litany
L: Darkness was over the world before creation. God called for Light and it was given. Bright, beautiful, warm, powerful. Are you ready to receive the Light?
P: We want to be ready.
L: Words of praise and community became words of anger and division. God’s light shone but humankind covered their faces, hid themselves behind masks of prejudice and indifference. They needed the light, but turned their backs on it. Are you are ready to receive the Light?
P: We want to be ready.
L: Conquest, turmoil, abuse, fear covered the land. Hope was a dimly flickering flame, hidden deep within some hearts, extinguished in others. Darkness was again gaining a foothold in all the lands. Cries were heard "O Lord, how long will you hide your face from us?" But it was not God who was hidden. It was the hearts of the people, hungering and fearful. Are you ready to receive the Light?
P: We want to be ready.
L: In the fullness of time, God again sent someone who is to be the Light to the world. This someone is God’s Son Jesus, who teaches us how to live, how to witness to God’s love, and how to serve. This is the true light, which illumines everyone. Are you ready to receive the Light?
P: Lord, help us to be ready. We so easily live in the darkness and long for the true Light. Open our eyes, our hearts, our ears, and our spirits. Help us to witness to Your most blessed gift, your Son Jesus Christ. AMEN.
[Invite the congregation to sing "I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light,", UMH 206 at the close of the Litany]
Benediction, Blessing, Commission:
God of Light and Hope, in whom there is no darkness, cause your light to shine on us and through us to others, that they may know of you and of your Love. Let us witness to your gift of Jesus who came and taught us how to live as children of Light. Go in peace, dear friends, and know that the God of light, hope, peace, and joy goes with you. AMEN.
ARTISTIC ELEMENTS
[Note: It will be important to include in your worship bulletin a brief description of the meaning of this worship visual setting]
[Note #2: in these Advent services we will be visualizing worship by using various non-traditional sources of light. On the first Sunday in Advent we began by placing an unlighted pillar candle on the worship center. On the second Sunday in Advent we added a flashlight.
Last Sunday, the third Sunday in Advent we used a Lantern. Today we place a table lamp in our worship center to celebrate the fourth Sunday in Advent.]
[Note #3: If you are also placing floor lamps in the sanctuary, please make sure that the cords are placed so that no one trips over them.]
SURFACE: Place a riser on the left side of the worship center. Place a riser on the right side of the worship center on which a flashlight may be supported or leaned so that its beam will shine on a spot in the aisle or in front of the worship center. If you desire, the light can be focused on the ceiling. Place an additional riser, lower then the first one placed on the worship center, and in front of the one on which the candle is standing.
FABRIC: Cover the entire worship center with landscapers’ burlap, making sure that it comes to the floor in front of the worship center. Beginning at the riser on the left side of the worship center drape a long strip of blue cloth across the worship center toward the right and then down in front of the center onto the floor, puddling the fabric. Make sure that some of the blue fabric is near the riser for the flashlight, and for the new riser in front of the candle riser.
FLOWERS AND FOLIAGE: No flowers or foliage are used for this week. No greens of any kind.
CANDLES: Use a tall white pillar candle, placing it on the riser on the left side of the worship center.
ROCKS & WOOD: Rocks and pieces of wood may be placed on the floor in the front of the worship center, near the puddled fabric, but use them sparingly.
OTHER: Place a table lamp in the worship center, in such a position that it is easy to turn on. Obscure the electrical cord behind the worship center.
 Worship for Kids: December 21, 2014 by Carolyn C. Brown
From a Child's Point of View
Today's texts focus on two of God's promises. David is given a promise which is kept when Mary is told about the birth of Jesus. Mary is given a promise that she will be the mother of God's Messiah. That promise is also kept.
Old Testament: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16. Children enjoy this story, but cannot follow it as it is read from the Bible. They depend on the preacher to retell it, eliminating the overwhelming details to focus on the key events: David offered to build a house (a temple) for God. God replied that God did not need a house, but would give a dynasty (a different kind of house) to David. Because they like riddles and jokes based on word plays, children enjoy God's humorous word play on "house" when it is pointed out.
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38. The story of the Annunciation may not be familiar to all children. If they are hearing the story for the first time, the conception vocabulary can be a major obstacle to understanding. To bypass this obstacle, simply say that Mary would become pregnant even though she was not yet married. Older children and soap opera-wise children will add the details using their own vocabulary. (The Good News Bible offers the best translation of these terms but may not be the best choice today because it does not use the "house of David" terms which connect this story to the Old Testament reading.)
All children accept the story literally and take it at face value. Questions about the meaning of the doctrine of the Virgin birth are beyond their mental ability.
Luke 1:47-55 or Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26. (The Magnificat is the preferred reading for this Sunday.) The Magnificat is Mary's response to the Annunciation. Psalm 89 is the psalmist's response to God's promise to David. Children need to hear the stories behind these poems before they can make any sense of the poems. Even then, they will respond more to the feelings expressed by the poets than to the content of the poetic images. Therefore, it is important that the readers of the poems express their confident joy.
David, the shepherd boy chosen to be king of a struggling nation which became strong under his leadership, could also have sung the Magnificat. Older children enjoy identifying people today who either long to sing or can sing this song. They also enjoy naming times in their own lives that make them want to sing Mary's song.
Epistle: Romans 16:25-27. This doxology is the least child-accessible of today's texts. No translation makes it meaningful to children. So read this for the adults.
Watch Words
Do not use Annunciation without identifying the story to which it is connected, and do not use Magnificat without explaining its Latin base.
Do not expect children to catch the play on house in 2 Samuel. Explain what kind of house David intended to build for God and what kind of house God promised to David.
Let the Children Sing
"To a Maid Engaged to Joseph" tells the Annunciation story in words older children can read with understanding. Its simple melody is easy to sing the first time.
"My Soul Gives Glory to My God" ("Song of Mary" in some hymnals) by Miriam Therese Winter invites us to sing along with Mary. Older children can read the words. Younger children will follow the first two verses before getting lost in difficult words.
"There's a Song in the Air," "Gentle Mary Laid Her Child," and "What Child Is This?" are carols that focus on Mother and Child in fairly simple, concrete language.
The Liturgical Child
1. Light all four candles of the Advent wreath, saying:
We light the fourth candle of the Advent wreath for the promises God made and kept. Today we especially remember God's promise to David that his family would be rulers forever, and God's promise to Mary that she would have a son who would be a Savior and ruler of the world. As we light this candle, we know that God kept those promises when Jesus was born, lived, taught us, died for us, and rose again. God keeps promises!
2. Introduce the Old Testament and Gospel lessons as stories that belong together. With a few comments about promises made and kept, read the lessons one after the other.
3. Ask a teenage girl to present the Magnificat as a dramatic reading or recitation. She may read at a lectern or stand in costume at the center of the chancel. Practice with her for a strong reading.
4. Children's Christmas excitement is at fever pitch this week. In the church's prayer, remember their excitement about visiting grandparents and cousins, parties, and hoped-for presents. Also pray about selfishness and tired crabbiness that can get in the way this week.
5. Create a litany about the promises God has made and kept. Briefly describe God's promise to Abraham and Sarah, the rainbow promise to Noah, the promise to the slaves in the desert that "I will be your God and you will be my people," and so forth. Begin each description with "God promised . . . " and conclude each with, "And God did." The congregation's response to each promise is, "We can count on God to keep the promises!"
Sermon Resources
1. Knock-knock jokes are one way children celebrate and explore the humorous possibilities in word plays. Tell a knock-knock joke to prepare listeners to catch and enjoy God's play on the word house. For example:
Knock! Knock!
Who's there?
Apple (repeat first three lines several times)
Knock! Knock!
Who's there?
Orange
Orange who?
Aren't ya (sounds like "orange") glad I didn't say "apple" again?
2. Talk about our promises. Children are allowed to go out if they promise to be back at a set time. Parents coax hesitant young swimmers to jump into the pool with the promise, "I'll catch you!" Scouts recite and are urged to keep the Scout promise. Children make promises to each other to meet at the park, to write from camp, to keep their secret, and so forth. "But you PROMISED!" is the anguished response when any of these promises is broken. Adults have learned to place different values on different promises and to accept that promises can be broken. For children, a promise is a promise and should be completely dependable. God keeps promises on children's terms.
3. Consider a dialog sermon in which Mary and David (in costume) compare and contrast their experiences with God's promises. Some points to discuss:
--Both were poor nobodies who were chosen by God;
--both were given a promise and a task; and
--both were promised that God would bring blessings through them.
4. As they leave the sanctuary, speak briefly with children about the pictures they drew and the magnificats they wrote using the worship worksheet.
Adapted from Forbid Them Not: Involving Children in Sunday Worship © Abingdon Press
 Sermon Options: December 21, 2014
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
David was a man of action. He had defeated Goliath and had outlived King Saul, succeeding him on the throne. David defeated all Israel's enemies, made Jerusalem his capital, and built a palace lined with cedar. He developed a bad conscience because God was still being worshiped in a tent. David told the prophet Nathan that he wanted to build God a temple. The Lord said no—instead, he would establish the house of David. There is a play on words here: instead of building God a house, God would establish David's house (dynasty) forever.
I. Our God Is a God of Grace
Consider what the Lord did for David: "I took you from...following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel" (v. 8). God enabled him to defeat all his enemies.
The Lord gave him a great name—still honored after many centuries (v. 9). Despite David's sin, the Lord was gracious to him. He was not rejected. Think how much we owe to God's grace this Christmas. He has blessed us beyond anything we could deserve. He has forgiven us and given us another chance. He sent his Son and his Holy Spirit to pay our debt and to guide us. Celebrate the graciousness of God.
II. Our God Is a God of Hope
This passage has been a seedbed of hope for both Jews and Christians. King David's descendants ruled from his throne for four hundred years. After the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C., this passage became the source of messianic hope—that God's anointed would establish his rule on earth. Christians saw that hope fulfilled in Jesus.
We celebrate the fulfillment of this divine promise at Christmas. Jesus was born to establish the kingdom of God on earth. David's descendant rules still, "and he shall reign forever and ever—hallelujah!" Christ is our hope, the anchor of our faith.
Ours is a universal faith, not limited to one place such as a Temple in Jerusalem. Christ is present every place in the church of God the Holy Spirit. The church is a living temple. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Avoid a "cathedral psychology" this Christmas—giving the devotion due God to a building. We worship not a place but a person. We are to serve the One worthy of all honor and glory. (Alton H. McEachern)
What a Mighty God We Serve
Romans 16:25-27
Paul ended his Epistle to the Romans where every sermon and every Christian writing should end: in thanksgiving to God for what God has done. In this doxology, Paul acknowledged several truths about the work of God.
I. The Power Behind God's Work
Paul wrote of God who is able (v. 25). The idea of God's adequacy is a common theme in the New Testament. Paul told the Ephesians that God was able to do greater things than we can ask for or envision Eph. 3:20) . Jude declared that God was able to keep us from falling or stumbling ( Jude 24). Paul reminded the Corinthians that our adequacy was not in ourselves but in God (2 Cor. 3:5) . To the Philippians, Paul gave the assurance that the God who began his good work in them had the power to complete that good work ( Phil. 1:6) . Behind the glorious gospel that Paul proclaimed to the Romans was a God who was able.
One of the most famous sermons in American history was Jonathan Edwards's sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." He suggested, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." On the same theme, John Donne, one of the noblest of all English preachers, wrote, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God: but to fall out of the hands of the living God, is a horror beyond our expression, beyond our imagination." Without God, we are nothing. With God, we have adequate provisions for life, for he is able.
II. The Purpose of God's Work
Paul's mind worked so quickly that at times his words could not keep up with it. That appears to be the case in this doxology. The key idea in these phrases cascading from the pen of the Apostle is found in the "mystery," which "is now disclosed." Paul explained in his Ephesian letter that this mystery was God's plan to include Gentiles as fellow members of the family of God ( Eph. 3:1-11). This is the universalism of the New Testament—not the declaration that everyone will be saved but the declaration that everyone can be saved. From the time of Abraham's call (Gen. 12:3) , God's purpose has been to include all humankind in his eternal family. However, each person must respond by faith to the offer of grace.
Alexander MacLaren expressed this truth concisely in his statement: "One thief was saved upon the cross that none might despair; and only one that none might presume."
III. The Product from God's Work
What happened when this gospel was proclaimed to the world? Paul explained in the final phrase in verse 26. When the gospel was proclaimed, people responded in faith and obedience. With the gospel, the first disciples turned the world right side up. With the gospel, Paul conquered the Roman Empire. With the gospel, Martin Luther ushered in the Reformation. With the gospel, John Wesley captured England for Christ. With the gospel, Billy Graham has brought light to the world. If we are faithful to do what we can do, then God will be faithful to do what we cannot do.
When a simple Christian woman shared the gospel with a young boy dying in the hospital, he was touched by the simplicity of the message. "Say it again," he whispered to the woman. She repeated her earlier litany, "God made you. God loves you. God sent his Son to save you. God wants you to come home with him." Johnny looked into her face and said, "Tell God, 'Thank you.'" When Paul concluded his Roman Epistle with a repetition of the mighty acts of God, he responded in the same way: "Tell God, 'Thank you.'" (Brian Harbour)
Angel Etiquette
Luke 1:26-38
The writer of the Gospel of Luke has a fondness for angels. They instruct, announce, guide, and protect. The appearance of these visitors, these aggelos or "messengers," produces a standard response from the human community: fear, doubt, and an awe-ful wonder. The normal manners of conversation and community are always turned upside down in these holy/human encounters. One of the church's tasks in this celestial season is to review the handbook for angel etiquette: Holy Scripture.
I. Proper Greetings
Luke's Gospel describes Mary's response to her visitation as "perplexed" (v. 29). Small wonder. All the normal rules for conversation are broken in the first thirty seconds. The carefully preserved distinctions between strangers and all of the gender roles have been reversed in the words, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you!" No wonder Mary "pondered what sort of greeting this might be" (v. 29). There was no socially approved pattern for this response. She was in the middle of a conversion conversation, a dialogue that no one could dictate or predict.
II. Calendar Sins
If Gabriel's first sentence broke the conventions of human speech, then the next announcement threatened the conventions of human behavior. At the very least, Mary would be guilty of calendar sins, a pregnancy prior to the proper time and season. More unnerving than the disregard of human timetables for newly engaged couples was the angel's declaration that God's time was now to be measured in human life cycles. Immortality putting on mortality broke all the conventions of time. A human birth would mark the cosmic calendar. Centuries would have a birthdate to count on, if and when Mary agreed.
III. Only the Impossible Required
One sign of good manners is the observation of limits. A well-mannered person does not insist on the impossible, at least not with perfect strangers. In a Gospel filled with concern for the poor and the marginalized, those who represent the unable, the basic rule of moderation is broken. The power of this good news is that God is able. An older woman and a young girl will soon be comparing notes over their pregnancies. The only human etiquette required here is a radical "Yes!" to a holy possible end. This is the creed behind the creeds: God is able.
IV. No Time to Think Twice
Angels seem to operate with a kind of wild patience. All the human/holy encounters in this Gospel are over in a flash, or at least that's the impression that the Gospel writer leaves. Perhaps that flashpoint quality is not universal, but it seems as if Mary has little time to make a forever choice. Perhaps the minutes not only seem like hours in the presence of a member of an angelic host but actually are hours. Perhaps the visitation lasted centuries, at least on Mary's part, but the handbook, the Scriptures, seems to indicate that encounters of this kind are the heartbeat kind. It's over before she knows it or at least can explain it.
What Mary does, she does quickly. She agrees to a lifelong relationship to the holy, and the length of that life is in eternal terms. What she does is magnificent: a free-willed human being beginning a brand-new text of holy/human manners. (Heather Murray Elkins)
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