Call to Worship s1
Call to Worship:
Advent is a term from the Latin word 'adventus' which means "arrival".
Advent is a time of waiting, a time of planning and through all the ‘busy-ness’ a time for reflection in the lead up to the arrival of Christmas. It is the church season that leads up to Christmas Day when Christians remember that Jesus came into the world and that Jesus also promised one day to return in glory.
During the season of Advent, Christians across the world prepare for the celebration of the arrival of the Lord into the world through the birth of his Son Jesus Christ. In Isaiah 9 we read ‘a child is born to us! A son is given to us! And he will be called our ruler, He will be called ‘Wonderful Counsellor’ “Mighty God” Eternal Father” “Prince of Peace”. Advent is a time to celebrate light in the midst of darkness. It is also a time to look forward to when Jesus will come a second time. In John 3 v 16 & 17 we read, “ For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge but to be its Saviour”
On this first advent Sunday may we reflect on
· the gift of Jesus, born on earth.
· the gift of the ever-lasting presence of God who in Joshua 1 v 5 promised ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’.
What a promise! That means God is always near us.
May we give praise for the gift of God’s presence on earth.
Message:
This morning I’d like to reflect on God’s presence this advent. I think it is so easy to become familiar with the story of Christmas, but a prayer list in the Tearfund Prayer Diary made me think afresh about the text in Isaiah 9 which foretold Jesus’ birth..
‘a child is born to us! A son is given to us! And he will be called our ruler, He will be called ‘Wonderful Counsellor’ “Mighty God” Eternal Father” “Prince of Peace”.
The words of Isaiah are so familiar thanks to the beautiful composition of Handel’s Messiah and is heard and read so often at this time of year. I am going to look at each of the phrases Isaiah uses to describe the birth of Jesus and think about how this relates to God’s presence today.
Isaiah states “a child is born to us” “A son is given to us”
Every year we prepare for Christmas and start to look for gifts looking for things that are just right for our loved ones. We work hard at finding things that will be useful, appreciated and ‘just what they’ve always wanted’. I must admit I failed miserably one year when I gave my husband a coal scuttle – it was certainly useful but perhaps not “just what he’d always wanted”! Sometimes if we are honest the process can become a chore, but our gifts are representing the greatest gift of all.
God’s gift to us is a different thing altogether. His gift to us, “A son is given”, is so amazing. In a book called “Wisdom for the Race of Life”, Kris Akabusi, the Olympic Athlete, gives a rather quirky illustration of God’s gift to us, “A son is Given”.
“Imagine that at the end of garden is a colony of ants. You enjoy watching them. The problem is that you know that the grass is about to be cut and the ants’ whole world will be destroyed by the powerful electric lawnmower.
So everyday you go down to the bottom of the garden and say, ‘Ants, ants, you are in great danger. Your house is about to be destroyed’. You could even leave them a note, or put a big sign up. The problem is that the ants cannot understand you. Imagine, however that in some miraculous way you are able to become an ant and go down there and warn them in their own ant language. Then they would understand.
Well, of course, we cannot become ants – but Jesus did become a man. He came into the world and told us that we were in trouble and offered us the way of escape”
“The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy…….His Law gives wisdom to ordinary people or… to people who simply put their trust in him.”
Isaiah states, “He will be called our ruler”, “And the government shall be around his shoulders” –
Isaiah knew that Jesus would be no ordinary child and he identified that Jesus would have the power and the glory. It is reassuring that we are told ‘of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.’
It is important for us to remember those who are in positions of responsibility and authority in our nation that they would recognise Jesus the source of all earthly power and authority.
Isaiah states “He will be called Wonderful Counsellor”
For some people this time of year does not hold joy and pleasure because they are hurting or are under stress. Family pressures, loneliness, bereavement can all lead to Christmas being the hardest time of the year. But this short poem by Angela M. Armstrong explains
We have to remember
We have to be reminded
We have to be encouraged
By God's own Holy word
Which reminds us
"I will never leave you nor forsake You"
For God is always near Angela M. Armstrong
May those who are sad this Christmas feel the presence of God through Jesus the Wonderful Counsellor.
Isaiah refers to “Mighty God”
This acknowledges the strength and power of God – nothing is impossible with God. Sometimes things seem impossible but if we turn to God he can help overshadow the impossible by his almighty power because he is a Mighty God.
Isaiah refers to “Everlasting Father.”
Here I like the word everlasting because God promises to be with us forever. In Joshua he says I will never leave you nor forsake you. God gives us assurance of his presence however we still have a choice…We have to decide whether to accept and welcome that presence.
And finally Jesus is called “The Prince of Peace”
At this point in time there are over forty wars being fought around the world. Author Shane Claiborne writes “ When we have new eyes, we can look into the eyes of those we don’t even like and see the One we love so let us ask the Prince of Peace to give warmongers new eyes so that they may become peacemakers.” The Prince of Peace can also work through us, in our daily lives, as we seek to be non-confrontational and to consider our communications with others.
So as we lead up to Christmas we can consider that “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light”, whose presence is ‘Ruler, Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.
God’s presence is constant. In the reading from Corinthians today we hear that “God is to be trusted, the God who called you to have fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord.”
We can trust in his presence and depend on him. God is always there but sometimes it is us who can drift away from the closeness of God.
I am sure all of you have heard the writing Footprints. It is a beautiful piece of writing, which highlights that God is always with us.
Footprints
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed He was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from His life. For each scene He noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to Him and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of His life flashed before Him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of His life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of His life.
This really bothered Him and He questioned the LORD about it. LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.
The LORD replied, my precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.
I think that this is a lovely visual description of how God will walk with us through the good times and the bad because ‘life is life’ and will be full of joys and sorrows in differing proportions. I remember reading a book called ‘Why do bad things happen to good people?’ I don’t actually remember much of the content because it’s a while since I read it but I never forgot the title.
God doesn’t promise that we will have no trials, but he does promise that he is there for us if we turn to him and he will give us strength.
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show regarding the attacks on the twin towers on Sept. 11. The interviewer, Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?" Anne Graham gave a fairly powerful response. She said "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"
I think this is a stark reminder that God is there, but, because we have the choice, we can turn to him or we can push him away. If we turn to him we can access his strength and his presence.
I have a book here by a man called Jean Dominique Bauby called, ‘The Diving Bell and The Butterfly’. When I ordered the book and it arrived I though ‘what a peedie book’. However, how wrong I was – this is a very big book! Jean Dominique Bauby was the editor of the fashionable Paris magazine ‘Elle’. He had a young family, good job and a good life. Then he took a massive stroke that resulted in a rare condition referred to as ‘locked in syndrome’. He found himself completely paralysed, speechless and only able to move one eyelid; hence the title, ‘The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’. It was with his eyelid that he dictated this book by listening to the alphabet and winking at his chosen letter to laboriously produce each word, letter by letter. Knowing that, “This is a very big book”!
He reflects that many people were praying for him and wrote..
“Yet all these lofty protections are merely clay ramparts, walls of sand, Maginot Lines, compared to the small prayer my daughter Celeste sends up to her Lord every evening before closing her eyes. Since we fall asleep at roughly the same hour, I set out for the kingdom of slumber with this wonderful talisman which shields me from all harm.” Jean Dominique Bauby felt God’s presence through his daughter’s prayers.
With God’s presence ‘you will never walk alone’. These words have been high jacked by a popular football team but were originally in the musical Carousel. I think the words are a beautiful reminder for us...
When you walk through the storm
Hold your head up high
And don’t be afraid of dark
At the end of storm
Is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark
Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on walk on with hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone
You’ll never walk alone.