Thank You! Bob Kutter for leading worship at Grey Eagle UMC this past Sunday. Thank You! also to all the people who helped with the Hanging of the Greens Service at Peace United Church. My vacation was good and refreshing. However, when I got to the office this morning, I was met with 122 emails in the inbox. Now that I have dispensed with all of them I move on with this coming Sunday's scripture readings.
This Sunday is the Second Sunday of Advent. I will be continuing with the sermon series that Bob Kutter started at Grey Eagle: "All Earth Is Waiting: Good News for God's Creation at Advent", by Katie Z. Dawson. (The link is to her book at Amazon.com.) This week's subject/emphasis is "Clear the Way". Our readings will come from the following Lectionary readings.
Isaiah 40:1-11 – There is a lot of familiar passages in this reading. I read verses 1-8 at many of the funerals I lead. We hear the word “comfort”. We are also reassured with the image of the shepherd feeding his flock and holding the lambs. But do we hear the voice in the wilderness crying out to us that the Lord is coming and is here? Do we hear the voice that commands us to make a way for the Lord? Are we prepared to see the glory of the Lord? God in the wilderness voice; God in the world.
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 – God’s past forgiveness of the people’s wrongs means that God’s steadfast love will grant salvation (verses 1, 2 and 7). However, we must be ready to hear that good news. A few years ago the UCC wanted to remind people that God’s word did not end with Jesus and the bringing together of the Bible. They said it like this: “Don’t put a period where God places a comma . . . The Still Speaking God”. Are we ready to hear that voice in the wilderness, in our neighbor, in God’s creation? Where do you hear and see the presence of God?
2 Peter 3:8-15a – Our reading is about the future coming of the Lord. By the time this letter was written the first generation after Jesus was dying off and people were beginning to wonder just when Jesus' coming would happen. (They thought it would happen during that first generation.) The writer assures people that the Lord will be coming in the Lord’s own good time, which, by the way, is not measured in our own timings (one day = 1,000 years). This slowness is the Lord’s patience in waiting for all to be saved. While we are waiting, we are to be living lives of holiness and godliness and at peace. So, the question is, “Are other people seeing God in you?” When you speak will they hear the voice of God speaking through you?
Mark 1:1-8 – “The beginning of the good news ("good news" = "gospel") of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” With those words, not even a sentence, we are off and running. Mark is the shortest Gospel with, what I feel to be, the most human Jesus. And when Jesus died the centurion declared, “Surely, this man was God’s Son!” (15:39). No birth story and no resurrection appearances (assuming that the original ending was at 16:8). John the Baptizer prepares the people for the coming of the Lord; the Savior who will baptize people with the Holy Spirit. (4-8) John then baptizes Jesus in the Jordan River (9-11). Mark states that Jesus was tempted in the desert but gives no description (12-13). Then, in verse 14, Jesus starts his ministry in Galilee. Mark is in a hurry to tell the good news and you can read the entire Gospel in one sitting.
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 – God’s past forgiveness of the people’s wrongs means that God’s steadfast love will grant salvation (verses 1, 2 and 7). However, we must be ready to hear that good news. A few years ago the UCC wanted to remind people that God’s word did not end with Jesus and the bringing together of the Bible. They said it like this: “Don’t put a period where God places a comma . . . The Still Speaking God”. Are we ready to hear that voice in the wilderness, in our neighbor, in God’s creation? Where do you hear and see the presence of God?
2 Peter 3:8-15a – Our reading is about the future coming of the Lord. By the time this letter was written the first generation after Jesus was dying off and people were beginning to wonder just when Jesus' coming would happen. (They thought it would happen during that first generation.) The writer assures people that the Lord will be coming in the Lord’s own good time, which, by the way, is not measured in our own timings (one day = 1,000 years). This slowness is the Lord’s patience in waiting for all to be saved. While we are waiting, we are to be living lives of holiness and godliness and at peace. So, the question is, “Are other people seeing God in you?” When you speak will they hear the voice of God speaking through you?
Mark 1:1-8 – “The beginning of the good news ("good news" = "gospel") of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” With those words, not even a sentence, we are off and running. Mark is the shortest Gospel with, what I feel to be, the most human Jesus. And when Jesus died the centurion declared, “Surely, this man was God’s Son!” (15:39). No birth story and no resurrection appearances (assuming that the original ending was at 16:8). John the Baptizer prepares the people for the coming of the Lord; the Savior who will baptize people with the Holy Spirit. (4-8) John then baptizes Jesus in the Jordan River (9-11). Mark states that Jesus was tempted in the desert but gives no description (12-13). Then, in verse 14, Jesus starts his ministry in Galilee. Mark is in a hurry to tell the good news and you can read the entire Gospel in one sitting.
Peace in Christ,
Pastor Gary Taylor
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