3rd Sunday in Advent - WL/SJ Dec. 13, 2009

Proclaiming the Good News
Discovering a Heart for Praise and Proclamation

John ascended into the pulpit near the Jordan river, cleared his throat, offered a prayer, and then said:

⁷John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” ¹⁰And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” ¹¹In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” ¹²Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” ¹⁴Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

Wow now I don't know about you but I believe John may of had some issues in entry level preaching classes at seminary. The "brood of vipers" and slamming the pulpit hell fire and brimstone preaching may feel a bit of place in Lutheran circles at least. It would catch most of us off guard if I began the sermon with the charge of the law - the condemnation of sin that we are all under. John begins with the problem and points to a solution. In Lutheran preaching we see this as the introduction of the law and the proclamation of the Gospel as the solution.

A local pastor asked his sexton to post the title of his sermon on the signboard outside the church to read "Are Ministers Crazy?" Not hearing this as a question, the sexton posted, "Our Minister's Crazy" much to the amusement of the community.

Advent is a time for us a the people of God to prepare for the Light of Christ. We see it in the process of light today, the lighting of the 3rd Advent candle, the story of St. Lucy, and the longing we have for a Savior. It is in this time that we hear about the problem - the human condition that we find ourselves in - and how the Advent readings guide us and point most assuredly to the birth of the Messiah Christ the Lord.

Top Ten Signs You Are In For A Long Sermon

10. There's a case of bottled water beside the pulpit in a cooler.

9. The pews have camper hookups.

8. You overhear the pastor telling the sound man to have a few (dozen!) extra tapes on hand to record today's sermon.

7. The preacher has brought a snack to the pulpit.

6. The preacher breaks for an intermission.

5. The bulletins have pizza delivery menus.

4. When the preacher asks the deacon to bring in his notes, he rolls in a filing cabinet.

3. The choir loft is furnished with La-Z-Boys.

2. Instead of taking off his watch and laying it on the pulpit, the preacher turns up a four-foot hour-glass.

And The Number One Sign You Are In For A Long Sermon

1. The minister says, "You'll be out in time to watch the Super Bowl" but it's only September!

In all seriousness the task of proclamation and praise for the Advent of our God is both of our hands, hearts, and voices. Be it at the water cooler (well most break rooms now have pop dispensers and everybody brings in there own bottles), at the mall, or even after services we are given the charge to be in likeness (well in a Lutheran sorta way - lets not get too crazy) to John the Baptist and join the ranks of others who have prepared the way for Christ the Messiah.

Going About the Task of Preaching and Praise

1. Know what you are talking about.
1. Always a good idea. Installing a facet...
2. Reading the text, study the original language (thanks to Pastor Hahn), read it in the community of others who offer their insights, read it again, pray over the text - see the pattern?
   
3. ¹⁵The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. ¹⁶On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. ¹⁷The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing ¹⁸as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it.
4. “It is wrong to assume that on the one hand there is a word, or a truth, and on the other hand there is a community existing as two separate entities, and that it would then be the task of the preacher to take this word, to manipulate and enliven it, in order to bring it within and apply it to the community. Rather, the Word moves along this path of its own accord. The preacher should and can do nothing more than be a servant of this movement inherent in the Word itself, and refrain from placing obstacles in its path.” Bonhoeffer on preaching.
5. As a pastor it is my charge to be the called leader in this congregation to take care of this task. We work together in the movement of the Word from the preached Word to the hearers hearts. It is my earnest prayer that I do not put any obstacles in the way of this movement.
   
6. What can we do to be proclaimers and help others discover a heart of praise? The movement of law to Gospel? From the pain of sin to the joy of absolution?
7. Know the story, live the story, and proclaim the story with me. Follow the weekly readings and join the conversation.
   
2. Take confidence not in your own abilities but in the confidence the Word assures and grants us.
1. Sermon trapped in the parsonage office.
2. When I first arrived on internship I was married to my notes. I wanted to be sure that all the thoughts, word for word, came across as I preached. I was nervous I would say something wrong, skip over something important, making a theological fupa, or worse, cause ill harm on someones faith. But hear these words:
3. ⁶Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
4. The task of preaching did not belong to me it was God using me as a vessel. It was a change in my heart to be humble, open, and willing for the Holy Spirit to use me to speak to the congregation.
   
5. How could John proclaim such words without some kind of guidance if not power? Can we not claim that power as we approach the Word and promise of Advent today?
3. Embrace the power of the Good News as it comes to us anew every day as it drives us to proclaim.
   
1. ¹⁵As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, ¹⁶John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” ¹⁸So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
2. A sermon can be as simple as a song:

3. God is so good, God is so good,
   God is so good, God's so good to me.
   

4. God loves us so, God loves us so,
   God loves us so, God's so good to us.

5. Preach the good news that love comes down in human form, born in a manger, to bring peace and salvation to all. That God indeed is so good that he answers the cries of his people Israel by sending a Savior - Jesus he will answer the cries of our hearts today.
   

What are our motives? In our home we have a new puppy who often I wonder what her next move will be. I am not as young as I once was and not able to leap tall buildings and scale furniture as once I did - maybe I never could but love thinking that I once had the potential to do so.

There is such hope and delight in her delicate puppy spirit. She bounds around taking secret treasures to hide and later devour when her puppy parents are not looking. We may call it her little POW camp of toys, pieces of paper, food, socks, shoes, and the occasional missing set of keys under the bed or table but she sees it as hope.

What some in the church call hopeless do others see hope? I was a bit discouraged to see that our synod and national church took press in the Cedar Rapids Gazette. It may be a win for some but I fear it is a loss for the church. When the very essence of the Gospel would compel us to move forward and onward in ministry together these actions move us back to the decisions already made in August. (CR Gazette Newslink here)

If we have the inability to work together for a common mission being the Gospel of Jesus Christ then we can no longer be a church - honestly. How can two groups or more work against each other and somehow advance the cause of Christ?

Some to think about on the eve of the largest storm in Iowa history - or close to it.

2nd Sunday in Advent - WLC/SJ

Preparing the Way for the Lord

Three boys are in the schoolyard bragging about their fathers. The first boy says, "My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a poem, they give him $50."

The second boy says, "That's nothing. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a song, they give him $100."

The third boy says, "I got you both beat. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a sermon. And it takes eight people to collect all the money!"

3See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. ²But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; ³he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. ⁴Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

We do much to prepare - from washing walls and scrubbing before painting to cleaning our homes to make ready for guests during this holiday season. Much of what we do in life is centered in the theme of preparation. Think of the many thinks you prepare for. ACT tests to enter college, a job interview, a catechism review with the pastor, throughout the many milestones in life there are stages of preparation. Many of you today can recall (or perhaps you have blocked out) the stressing weeks and months before your wedding day. How important is good preparation and planning?

Advent is a time for us to center ourselves in a time of preparation. We are to be ready for Christ not only at the coming of Christmas but as a future event when He will return as He has promised in the Holy Scripture. Are you ready - can you endure the day of his coming?

A Sunday school teacher asked the children just before she dismissed them to go to church, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?"

Annie replied, "Because people are sleeping."

Awake O sleeper and rise from your slumber. Greet the new morning that has dawned - do not be caught off guard as will be the case for some. May we endeavor to use this time of Advent to prepare our hearts, our homes, and our congregation to be a place for God Emmanuel to dwell in us richly.

How can we prepare the way for the Lord?

1. Ground yourselves in prayer and thanksgiving.

1. ³I thank my God every time I remember you, ⁴constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, ⁵because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ

2. Are we discouraged, do we have trails and temptations, is there trouble anywhere? Take it to the Lord in prayer.
3. I thank my God for the ability to serve as pastor, teacher, and fellow worker with you in the kingdom of God. Bathe yourselves in the task of praying for the members of this parish, your family, and for the work of the Gospel yet to take place here.
4. Pray specifically for the task of preparation.
   
2. Salvation is revealed to us - do not be full of fear.
1. “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. ⁵Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; ⁶and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
2. The power of music during this season of Advent and Christmas.
3. Become a messenger of the Gospel.
1. ⁷⁸By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, ⁷⁹to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
2. What is "good news this season?