UNEXPECTED PAIRING
Advent Sermon Recordings LINK
Unexpectedly, the Word became flesh and made home among us. This is not what people EXPECTED of God–to condescend to human form and become one of us! Heaven meets earth. How does this change us, our relationships, our choices, our lives? Where are we invited to be OPEN to the unexpected? Where is God doing a new thing in and through us when we open ourselves to pairing ourselves with God’s gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love?
The unexpected pairing of Advent is mind-boggling and beyond any palatal sensation or eye-popping look…
God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, reaches from the Highest heavens to condescend to the lowest form to become human cells growing in a woman’s womb.
God who spoke creation into being, and yet who seemed silent for 400 years finds voice amongst God’s creation through a baby’s cry that will become the voice to declare, “God’s reign is here,. Now. …The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed.”
Such an unexpected pairing – heaven meets earth. Heaven breaks into the humblest of dwellings on earth to declare: God is with you, God is for you. God sets you free to be YOU in community – you are not alone begins with a baby.
And, so every Advent season we take time with the ordinary, and unexpected pairings we find in the infancy narrative of Jesus. We must.
For it is these stories that communicate, as Matthew says “the genesis of Jesus birth”.
God who spoke, “Let there be light, and there was light” – Speaks a new WORD that is the old, ancient WORD that has been with God from the BEGINNING.
It is the Beginning of this GOOD NEWS about Jesus Christ, Son of God that we celebrate again this year.
God stoops to human form. God makes home among us in human flesh.
Spirit embodied.
Spirit nurtured.
Into our very existence comes the one who affirms that our physical earthly life matters and we each hold the breath of God in our being. We who wander and can feel aimless and purposeless and confused – we are the ONES for whom God broke into into human existence to TELL and LIVE a story of inclusion, embrace and hope.
And, it is story this is each of your story’s. The Spirit of God chooses to be paired with you. You in your unique, beloved body. You.
SO, we celebrate Advent though unexpected pairings:
Advent Daily Devotional
25 Days Seeking Justice Across Borders Email: truthandjustice.union@gmail.com
November 27 (Worship in Action)
Temple & Wilderness Luke 1:5-25; 67-30 Candle of Hope
December 4
Spirit & Body
Luke 1:38, 46-55; Matthew 1:18-25 Candle of Peace
December 11 (Second Sunday meal)
Holy & Profane Luke 2:8-20 Candle of Joy
December 17
10am | Cooking for the Neighborhood 7:30pm| Longest Night Worship
December 18
Sword & Star Matthew 2:1-18 Candle of Love
December 24
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Worship | 4pm and 6 pm
*5:15 pm hot chocolate, cookies, and community
January 1
New Year’s Worship Community meal
January 7
Grace & Truth
John 1
Prayer Retreat | 9:30 –11:30