First Lesson: 2 Samuel 7: 1-11, 16
Responsive Reading: Psalm 89: 1-4, 19-26
Second Lesson: Romans 16: 25-27
​Gospel Lesson: Luke 1: 26-38

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
This morning I want to tell you the story of a Rabbit.  Not just any Rabbit, but rather a toy Rabbit who longed to be brought to life.  I want to tell you how this story helps illustrate the meaning of the fourth Advent candle known as the “Love Candle” which we light this morning along with Christmas which we will celebrate early this evening.

Marjorie Williams tells the tale of the Velveteen Rabbit[1].  On Christmas morning, the Velveteen Rabbit was pulled from the boy’s stocking[2].  The boy played with the Velveteen Rabbit for a couple of hours, only to forget about him in the presence of company and other presents.  The Rabbit then proceeded to live in the nursery room cupboard.  The Rabbit was shy around the other toys.  None of the other toys were nice to the Velveteen Rabbit because of its cheap material and lack of engineering.  One day though the Velveteen Rabbit made a friend in the nursery’s oldest toy “The Skin Horse.”  The Skin Horse because of its years in the nursery was the wisest of all the toys.  The Skin Horse proceeded to explain to the Velveteen Rabbit that all the other toys were bitter because they knew “They could never be brought to life[3].”

The Velveteen Rabbit was confused by the Skin Horse talking about being “brought to life.” The Velveteen Rabbit had never seen any real rabbits; the nursery was all he had ever known. Their conversation goes as follows.

Skin Horse begins: “Real isn't how you are made…It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real[4].”

Rabbit responds: “"Does it hurt?”

Skin Horse answers: “Sometimes, "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt.”

Rabbit then asks: “Does it happen all at once, like being wound up?”

To which Skin Horse explains: “It doesn't happen all at once, You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are real, you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand[5].”

As the Velveteen Rabbit hears all this talk about becoming real and being brought to life, it seemed to be nothing but wishful thinking and impossibility for this stuffed rabbit. 

What ends up happening with the Velveteen Rabbit, we’ll get back to its story in a bit.

Now a second story, Mark was an 11-year-old orphan who had previously lost his parents[6]. Mark was now living with his aunt who really didn’t want Mark around.  Despite, Mark’s lack of affection in life he was a good-natured child.

Mark didn’t stand out in school in any way until he started staying after school each day because he dreaded going home.  He began to help his teacher straighten up her room.  Mark didn’t say much, but when he did, he spoke of how much he missed the presence of his deceased mother.

Christmas was coming soon; Mark no longer was staying after class.  Mark’s teacher began to wonder what exactly was happening.  So she asked Mark who informed her that he was busy making her a surprise for Christmas. 

Finally, the last day before Christmas arrives. Mark approaches his teacher with a present.  Mark hands her a small wooden box. 

The teacher is amazed at the effort and beauty that Mark had put into designing the box.
To which Mark said, “That’s not the gift.”

Mark said, “The gift is inside, only you can’t touch it, taste it, or feel it, but mother always said it makes you feel good all the time, warm on cold nights, and safe when you’re all alone[7].”

The Teacher was confused as she gazed into an empty box.  She asked Mark “What will make me feel so good?”

To which Mark answered “Love,” “And mother always said its best when you give it away[8].”

As we hear these two stories of the Velveteen Rabbit longing to receive “new life” and Mark illustrating the nature of love being Christmas’ greatest gift, We come to our Gospel lesson for Today from Luke 1 where an Angel comes to visit Mary to announce the upcoming birth of her child[9]. 

Our lesson for Today is a love story between not only God and Mary, but God and the whole wide world.  It’s a story that illustrates how Our God wants a different kind of life for us than merely drifting off into obscurity upon a nursery room floor.

Mary was a young girl no older than thirteen.  Mary was ordinary and common.  Mary was now being given the most important of all tasks “Bring God into this world as a child.” 

A Velveteen Rabbit becoming real such a tale seems to be nothing but impossible.  But the story of Mary is filled with impossibilities. 

-A Virgin Birth??? Sounds foolish to all who would hear of it[10].

-Joseph risking staying with Mary despite being a laughingstock when people hear the Virgin Birth tale?? Joseph isn't that dumb[11].

-Someone other than Mary would have been worried about being stoned to death for her alleged adultery[12], perhaps because of Mary’s youth she didn’t know any better, or perhaps she figured that her God because of his great love for her had a way even as she wondered “How exactly will this be[13]?”
You see the story of Mary is a tale of the impossible becoming possible.  New life being created apart from traditional ways and methods.  Love being received not in the form of presents, but rather the form of a child.

As we hear the tale of the Angel and Mary this morning, perhaps this causes us to reflect upon the Velveteen Rabbits within our own life.  The hopes and dreams which seem to be nothing but impossibilities[14]. 

These Velveteen Rabbits might be broken relationships; they might be physical troubles, financial troubles, past hurts, these might be obstacles that seem impossible to overcome. 

What the story of Mary giving birth to the Savior of the world should remind us is that God’s purposes are way bigger than your problems.  Like in the story of Mark and the schoolteacher, God’s love is being shown on this day in ways that we can’t necessarily see. 

Princess Alice was the daughter of England’s Queen Victoria[15].  Princess Alice was living in Germany when a diphtheria outbreak began within her family.  Alice had already lost one daughter to the illness[16].  Alice though looked out one night upon a sick son Ernest who was crying being devasted at the recent loss of his sister while fighting his own illness.  Alice serving as the child’s primary caregiver was given very specific instructions “Do not kiss the children or else risk becoming infected then dying yourself.  Alice though looked at her hurting, crying son and just couldn’t help it.  She bent down and kissed her child.  Princess Alice would soon contract diphtheria[17].  Princess Alice would go be with the Lord a short time later. 

Princess Alice’s story speaks to the type of Love that we receive on this day that we light the fourth candle of our Advent wreath.  We receive a love that we cannot touch, taste, or feel.  We are receiving Love in the form of a child born into a dying world, seeking to embrace us with a message of love and forgiveness.  Love poured out on a cross has the power to bring “new life” even to those who believe it to be impossible. 

Back to the tale of the Velveteen Rabbit.  Just like the Angel would come one night to change Mary’s life forever, a special visitor does the same for the Velveteen Rabbit.

One night after losing another toy, the Boy’s nana discovers the Velveteen Rabbit lying in the nursery[18].  Nana brings the Rabbit to the boy.  The Rabbit soon becomes the boy's ’favorite toy; the Velveteen Rabbit even gets to see real rabbits for the first time.  The boy though soon grows very sick, all his toys including his beloved Velveteen Rabbit are ordered to be removed from his room and destroyed seemingly to be gone forever.  As the Velveteen Rabbit is taken outside to face its pending grave, the Rabbit begins to weep only coming out of its eyes are tears no different than Jesus wept upon seeing the death of his friend Lazarus, pretty soon though a miracle happens the Velveteen Rabbit soon becomes real.  The following spring, the boy is standing outside reflecting on his previous favorite toy.  When he sees a Rabbit, the boy looked at the Rabbit’s nose, eyes, and markings of its fur and felt they were strangely familiar[19].  You see the thing about Love and Resurrection is they promise that things do not remain the way they appear to be.  No different than an ordinary, common thirteen-year-old Girl is about to give birth to the Savior of the World.  Amen


[1] Higgins, Scott. “The Velveteen Rabbit.” Stories for Preaching. Web. Dec.2.2017. 
[2] Williams, Margery. “The Velveteen Rabbit.” Project Guttenberg E Books. 29. Mar.2004. Web. Dec.2.2017. 
[3] Williams, Margery. “The Velveteen Rabbit.”
[4] Higgins, Scott. “The Velveteen Rabbit.”
[5] Williams, Margery. “The Velveteen Rabbit.”
[6] Higgins, Scott. “An Empty Box?” Stories for Preaching. Web. Dec.2.2017. Higgins cites an unknown source for story. 
[7] Higgins, Scott. “An Empty Box?”
[8] Higgins, Scott. “An Empty Box?”
[9] Luke 1:26-38. 
[10] Gunter, Dr. Dwight. “The Possible Impossible.” Preacher’s Magazine. 2. Dec.2007. Web. Dec.2.2017. 
[11] Gunter, Dr. Dwight. “The Possible Impossible.”
[12] Gunter, Dr. Dwight. “The Possible Impossible.”
[13] Luke 1:34
[14] Gunter, Dr. Dwight. “The Possible Impossible.”
[15] “Princess Alice of the United Kingdom.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 18. Nov.2017. Web. Dec.2.2017.
[16] Princess Alice of the United Kingdom.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
[17] “Love, sacrificial.” Sermon Illustrations. Web. Dec.2.2017. 
[18] “The Velveteen Rabbit.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 26.Nov.2017. Web. Dec.2.2017. 
[19] Williams, Margery. “The Velveteen Rabbit.”

First Lesson: Isaiah 61: 1-4, 8-11
Responsive Reading: Psalm 126
Second Lesson: 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-24
Gospel Lesson: John 1: 6-8, 19-28

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”-Isaiah 55:12.

“I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer.”- Actor Jim Carrey

Arthur Gordon tells the following story[1].  It was early in the morning at a large metropolitan airport.  The weather was very bad on this day.  Passengers were waiting around, awaiting word on whether their flight would be canceled.  Standing in line was an old gray-haired lady.  Standing ahead of her was what looked like a professional business traveler.  The traveler looked rough, he had just flown in on a red-eye flight, never fell asleep, and anyone who looked at him could see his exhaustion.  He had already been waiting around the airport for an hour, now the man was waiting for the second hour awaiting word on the fate of his flight.

The man was already worked up because of the previous flight.  He was mad that there hadn’t been enough coffee for all the passengers (especially him) and told the ticket agent that the airline was an “embarrassment.”

The agent looked at the man as calm and polite as could be, apologizing for any previous inconvenience. 
The traveler though would not calm down about the “coffee.”  The old lady witnesses this outburst and decides to intervene.  She taps the upset traveler on the shoulder, then asks “Mind if I say something to you[2]?”

The traveler was too taken back to respond.  The lady proceeded to tell him “Sir, you have just traveled across the entire continent in five or six hours. You were lifted above the clouds… where you saw the dawn rushing to meet you.  You just experienced a miracle that mankind could only dream about for thousands of years. And you stand there complaining about having no coffee[3].”

The traveler is speechless, before eventually uttering “Madam, you are quite right[4].” The traveler then turned away and everyone who witnessed the exchange realized that delayed air-travel was not as a big deal in the grand scheme of life as they had previously thought. 

Today’s Old Testament lesson comes to us from the Book of Isaiah[5].  Isaiah lived in Jerusalem around 700 years before the birth of Jesus.  Isaiah lived during days when the Assyrian army was in the process of conquering Northern Israel and threatening to conquer Southern Israel.  Isaiah’s message was that if the people of Israel didn’t change their ways, then they too would be conquered.  Isaiah was disappointed by his political rulers who tended to worship “foreign gods.”  Despite all the chaos taking place around Isaiah, he was able to find joy.  Isaiah believed that no matter how dark the days around him got, the Lord was continually looking out for his people.  

To assure the people of Israel of this, Isaiah spoke of a great promise.  A promise that would bring great “joy” to all God’s people, the promise of which Isaiah spoke was how a child would soon be “born.”  This child will be named “Immanuel[6]” as a reminder how Our God is always with us beyond even the end of time itself. 

We hear this message from within our lesson for today which proclaims: “The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners[7].”

Isaiah’s message reminds us that perhaps what brings Joy to the World is not what we think it to be.

Money does not bring Joy.  Howard Hughes was one of the richest people in the world.  Hughes made it big in Hollywood as a movie producer around the time of the Great Depression[8].  Hughes eventually became the principal owner of Trans World Airlines.  Hughes was a real estate tycoon owning all sorts of land surrounding Las Vegas.  If money brings Joy, Howard Hughes should be the happiest guy around.  Howard Hughes could not find joy, because of his obsession with minor details.  Hughes would look himself up in rooms for months at a time.  Hughes couldn’t live the last years of life without tissues by his side, obsessing over every bit of dust, as a potential cause for grave harm[9].  Hughes intended to be so isolated from the outside world; he would stay in hotel rooms without even daring to open the drapes for months at a time[10].  Hughes was in great pain for much of his life due to previous aircraft crashes and eventually developed an addiction to codeine.  Howard Hughes died in 1976, at the age of 70.  At the time of his death, the 6’4 Hughes weighed 90 Lbs.  His hair, beard, and fingernails were so long that the FBI could only confirm it was him via fingerprint[11]. One of the richest men in the world died within an intense hatred of the world around him. 

If Howard Hughes serves as an example that we do not find Joy in money, Michael Jackson serves as an example that we do not find Joy in fame.   Jackson was born the 8th of 10th children to a working-class family in Gary, Indiana[12].  Around the age of 7, Jackson joined his brothers in a musical group known as the Jackson 5.  By the age of 11, the Jackson 5 was one of the most popular and well-known musical groups in the country.  After branching out on his own, Jackson’s album Thriller became the bestselling music album of all-time[13].  Did all this success bring Michael Jackson joy? No.  Jackson’s life was marked by broken relationships.  Jackson would die at the age of 51 in 2009.  After his death, a couple of Jackson’s bodyguards wrote books recalling their time with Jackson[14].  What they recalled how seemingly “sad” “lonely” and “lacking joy” perhaps the most famous man in the world truly was. 

Lastly, we do not find Joy in pleasure.  Norma Jean Mortensen grew up living in foster homes with her mother confined to a psychiatric hospital[15].  Norma Jean would soon get recognized as being a very pretty girl Norma Jean wanted to be known for more though than her looks.  Norma Jean moves to Hollywood takes a new name in Marilyn Monroe.  Monroe quickly became a huge overnight success in Hollywood.  She was no longer just a pretty girl, but the most desired woman in the world.  She was now hanging around Joe DiMaggio and President Kennedy.  Marilyn Monroe had the type of appeal that she could bask in pleasure whenever she wanted.  Marilyn Monroe was miserable.  She went through three-failed marriages, and she would confine herself to dressing room “vomiting” because of her fears of performing.   On the night of her death at the age of 35, she called a friend announcing that she had taken enough sleeping pills to kill herself, the actor responded: “Frankly, my dear I don’t care.” These were the last words Monroe would hear before her death. 

What the stories of Howard Hughes, Michael Jackson, and Marilyn Monroe illustrate is how “Joy” is often not found in the things that we think can provide it.  In these stories, darkness seemingly overwhelms light, whereas in the story of the Prophet Isaiah light given in the form of a child will soon overwhelm all darkness.

Today, we light the third candle of our “Advent” wreath.  The candle we light today is known as the “Candle of Joy.”  The candle symbolizes the joy experienced by the Shepherds when the Prophet Isaiah’s promises came true upon the Birth of the Christ Child.  The candle reminds us how Joy does not come necessarily in the quick fixes of money, fame, or pleasure, but Joy instead in an eventual outcome promised to Christian people “A new birth will soon change everything.”  With this birth, darkness will become light and death will become life.  The candle reminds us that true Joy will soon come into our lives, the source of all this will be Jesus Christ alone.

Let me close this morning with one final story[16]- In the third century, there was a bishop named Cyprian who was anticipating death soon. Cyprian had lived a very different existence from the man at the airport, Howard Hughes, Michael Jackson, or Marilyn Monroe.  Cyprian had not seen earthly success, yet he maintained a sense of joy.  Cyprian decided to write one last letter to his friend Donatus to express what he truly believed.  Cyprian wrote the following: “It’s a bad world, an incredibly bad world.  But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret.  They have found a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of our sinful life.  They are despised and persecuted, but they care not.  They are masters of their souls.  They have overcome the world.  These people are Christians and I am one of them[17].”  Joy to the World!  Amen
 


[1] The following story is told in the July 1989 edition of Guideposts.
[2] Stier, Leon. “Make Up Your Mind to Be Thankful- and Happy.”EMail Mediatations.21. Nov.2017. Web. Dec.7.2017.    
[3] Stier, Leon. “Make Up Your Mind to Be Thankful- and Happy.”
[4] Stier, Leon. “Make Up Your Mind to Be Thankful- and Happy.”
[5] Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11. 
[6] Isaiah 7:14. 
[7] Isaiah 61:1. 
[8] ‘Howard Hughes.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 06. Dec.2017. Web. Dec.11.2017. 
[9] Howard Hughes.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.                                   
[10] Howard Hughes.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
[11] Greenman, Amanda. “Surprisingly Miserable Lives of 12 Rich and Successful People.” The Richest.com. 18.Nov.2014. Web. Dec.11.2017. 
[12] “Micheal Jackson.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 10.Dec.2017. Web. Dec.11.2017. 
[13] Micheal Jackson.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
[14] Greenman, Amanda. “Surprisingly Miserable Lives of 12 Rich and Successful People.”
[15] The following story was originally told by Father John Powell and appears in the June 1990 issue of Dynamic Preaching. Story found on Sermon Illustrations.com under Love on December, 8, 2017. 
[16] Bright, Bill. “What is Joy?” Christianity.com. 19. Dec.2003. Web. Dec.7.2017. 
[17] Quote by Cyprian found on Good Reads on Dec.11.2017.  

First Lesson: Isaiah 40: 1-11
Responsive Reading: Psalm 85: 1-2, 8-13
Second Lesson: 2 Peter 3: 8-15
​Gospel Lesson: Mark 1: 1-8

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
 
Let me begin this morning by telling a story about Grandma.  Grandma tends to worry quite easily.  Grandma, when she worries, tends to get quite dramatic.  The main source of Grandma’s worries is her only daughter Carol who lives in California.  If Grandma hasn’t heard from Carol for a few days, it’s not uncommon for her to call me up and to ask if I can fly to California to “claim the body.”  Grandma has been making these calls to me since I’ve been about fourteen years old.
 
Perhaps the most dramatic tale of Grandma’s worry over Carol, took place when Carol was twelve years old in 1972.  Carol was playing with her cousin Amy, no differently than other children do.  On this day, Carol and Amy wondered away from the house, not uncommon for a pair of twelve-year-olds.  Grandma hadn’t seen Carol and Amy for a couple of hours, not that uncommon.  Well, Grandma and her cousin Bonnie Jean started to get worried.  You see about a half-mile north of where Grandma lived at that time was the Anderson Family Farmstead.  The Andersons had pigs outside that a person could see whenever they traveled by their place.  These pigs were as normal as pigs can be.  Now when Grandma couldn’t locate Carol in the pre-cell phone age, her conclusion was Farmer Anderson’s wild pigs must have eaten Carol and Amy.  Grandma got on the phone and started calling her other children telling them how their sister had been eaten by wild pigs.  Just as Grandma’s stress and worry reached a seeming breaking point, Carol and Amy came casually strolling through the door.
 
Now wild pig attacks might not be your greatest concern on this day, but worry is present in all our lives.
 
The Reverend Micheal Lindvall tells the following story[1].  Priscilla Atterby worried every day of her life.  Priscilla's worrying nature was such that she drove her children out of town.  One child moved to California, Priscilla always called worrying about earthquakes.  Another child moved to Chicago, Priscilla always called worrying about “crime” and “fire.”  In school, Priscilla had heard of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
 
Now Priscilla’s worrying got seemingly more intense with each passing year[2].  Priscilla Atterby died at the age of 84.  On the day of her funeral,  the minister was reading from the 14th Chapter of John’s Gospel “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid[3].” The minister looked down at Priscilla as he read these words.  Priscilla’s whole life had been marked by stress, anxiety, and worry.  Priscilla’s heart was continually troubled, yet as mourners peered into Priscilla’s casket on this day, they saw a different-looking Priscilla.  Priscilla’s face seemed to be absent of worry lines[4].  For the first time that people could remember, Priscilla Atterby looked to be at “peace.” 
​
You see peace in this life can be a funny thing.  Back to my Grandma, ever since I’ve known her, she’ll blow things out of proportion due to her worry.  When the situation gets dire, when she is at a point that would stress other people, Grandma is as peaceful as can be. 
Today we consider the meaning of peace within our own lives.  On this day, we light the second candle of the Advent wreath known as either the Bethlehem Candle or the Peace Candle.  This candle reminds us how a Savior shall soon be born in Bethlehem that shall bring peace as the world has never known. 
 
The Prophet Isaiah several hundred years before Jesus’ birth proclaimed the following. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.[5].”
 
On the occasion of Jesus’ birth, a heavenly choir began to sing.
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased[6]

Now peace for many people seems like a dream, they might live in war-torn nations, they might live the most broken of home lives, or they might be world class worriers like Priscilla Atterby.
 
Most of us long for peace in our lives, but yet it often seems quite difficult to find. Here’s the thing about peace, we live this life as broken people.  We seem unable to piece our lives back together.  But here’s the thing about Peace as pointed out by Methodist Bishop Kenneth Carter. “He is our peace. Peace is not a human achievement. Peace is a gift from God[7].”
 
Whereas peace might not be in our lives on this day like the Candle Advent reminds us that Christmas is not here, but soon coming, our Lord promises Peace will come soon into our lives[8]. 
 
Today’s scripture lesson tells us the tale of John the Baptist[9].  Now John the Baptist is an interesting person.  John the Baptist ate bugs.  John the Baptist’s camel-hair clothing was so odd that the scriptures feel necessary to mention it.   John the Baptist lived far away from people, living way out in the wilderness.  John the Baptist was so different they people flocked to see him.  People walked miles and miles to hear him[10].  John the Baptist’s message was simple “prepare,” prepare because you will soon meet  “One whose sandals he was worthy to untie[11].” One who was not going to baptize with mere water, but baptize instead with The Holy Spirit[12].
Perhaps the reason that John the Baptist stood out so much from the crowd was that John the Baptist was at peace.  John the Baptist’s judgments about what was worth worrying about were so different from everyone else.  John the Baptist because of this refused to change, even as it would eventually cost him his life.  John the Baptist above all believed that peace would not come via human diplomacy, but peace will only come via the presence of a savior.
 
Now as we hear the story of John the Baptist, we might wonder what might peace look like within our own lives?  To illustrate this let me close with two different stories.
 
The year was 1948; three men robbed a bank in Hoyt, Kansas[13]. They ended up taking about $1000. One of these men was Al Johnson.  The police had no leads and years passed with the case being closed.  Al Johnson was seemingly in the clear; only he wasn’t.
 
 In the years afterward, Al Johnson got married to a devout Christian woman.   Every day after the robbery, Al Johnson’s conscience spoke to him.  Al Johnson began praying about it.  Al Johnson had never had a day of peace since the robbery had taken place.  So four years later, Al Johnson gets in the pulpit at the Seward Avenue Baptist Church to repent that he was the bank-robber.
 
You see Al had recently gone before the District Attorney to confess; he had even taken out a bank loan to begin the process of paying back the stolen $1000.  Johnson or his co-conspirators were not charged though due to the statute of limitations. For the first time in years, Al Johnson was at peace.  Al Johnson’s life was different every day moving forward because of that peace.  Al Johnson spent his remaining days as a devoted father and a prominent Christian layman within the community[14].  
 
What Al Johnson’s story reminds us is no matter how dark your previous days have been, our Savior can bring you peace[15].
 
Final story for this morning, once upon a time a woman was caught in a terrifying storm in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, she began to gather all the children on board of the ship[16].  To keep her and the children from panicking, she kept telling the children Bible stories about God’s people overcoming adversity: Moses and the Egyptians, David and Goliath, Daniel and the Lions Den, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and the fiery furnace.  The ship’s captain during the voyage had observed this woman.  Like John the Baptist, she was different due to her temperament.  She seemed calm as could be, regardless of the weather conditions around them.  So after the ship reaches the dock, the captain approaches the woman then asks “How were you able to maintain your calm when everyone feared this ship would sink[17]?”
 
The woman began to explain “I have two daughters[18].”  “One of them lived in New York” and “One of them lives in heaven.” I knew I would be seeing one of my daughters within the next few hours, and it didn’t matter which one[19].”  This woman was at peace regardless of the outcome of any storm her life could throw at her.
 
You see peace in life is a funny thing.  No matter how fast technology advances, it doesn’t guarantee it.  We all have our own wild pigs whose encounter we dread and fear.  What our Savior and Prince of Peace tells us on this second Sunday of Advent is just as we soon experience Christmas, one day we will also experience peace. 
 
(Jesus said), “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world, you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world[20].”  Amen


[1] Lindvall, Micheal. The Good News from North Haven: A Year in the Life of a Small Town. The following is from a short story called “Merciful Snow.” 1991. Pages 26-33.  The following story was found on Leon Stier’s Email Mediations entitled “Peace at Last”  published on Feburary 9th, 2015 and accessed on November 28th, 2015. 
[2] Lindvall, Micheal. The Good News from North Haven: A Year in the Life of a Small Town. Pages 26-33. 
[3] John 14:27.
[4] Lindvall, Micheal. The Good News from North Haven: A Year in the Life of a Small Town. Pages 26-33
[5] Isaiah 9:6. 
[6] Luke 2:14.  
[7] Carter, Kenneth. “Our Patience, God’s Peace.” Day 1. 07.Dec.2008. Web. Nov.28.2017. 
[8] Carter, Kenneth. “Our Patience, God’s Peace.”
[9] Mark 1:1-8.
[10] Markquart. Edward. “A Parable: The City and The Wilderness.” Sermons from Seattle. Advent2. Series B. Web. Nov.28.2017. 
[11] Mark 1:7
[12] Mark 1:8. 
[13] Chappell, Pastor Paul. “Confessing a Bank Robbery.” Ministry 127. Web. Nov.29.2013. Taken from May 5, 1952 edition of Lewiston Evening Journal.
[14] Kairos Christian Community of  Lilongwe, Malawi Facebook page published on 16.June.2012. Web. Nov.29.2017. 
[15] Zingale, Tim. “Turning Around.” Sermon Central. 28.Nov.2005. Web. Nov.28.2017. 
[16] Stier, Leon. “Calm in a storm.” Email Mediations.  25. Apr.2013. Web. Nov.28.2013. Adapted from Surprise Endings written by Ron Mehl published by Multnomah Publishers in 1995.
[17] Stier, Leon. “Calm in a storm.”
[18] Stier, Leon. “Calm in a storm.”
[19] Stier, Leon. “Calm in a storm.”
[20] John 16:33. 

First Lesson: Isaiah 64: 1-9
Responsive Reading: Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19
Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 1: 3-9
Gospel Lesson: Mark 13: 24-37

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
Human history is littered with some of the wisest and most powerful of people making what turned out to be very foolish predictions.

In the year 1773, King George III of the United Kingdom was asked about the possibility of Revolution amongst the American colonies he responded that he didn’t believe the colonists had the stomach for war[1].

In 1903, America’s most prominent Astronomy professor was a gentleman named Simon Newcomb[2].  Newcomb made the following comments on the possibility of Air Travel “May not our (engineers) mechanicians . . . be ultimately forced to admit that aerial flight is one of the great class of problems with which man can never cope, and (should)  give up all attempts to grapple with it?”.  Air Travel at high speeds according to Newcomb was an impossibility.

1903, Henry Ford’s lawyer was a gentleman named Horace Rackham, Rackham was in the process of seeking out financial advice from the President of his local Michigan Savings Bank regarding investing in Ford’s new invention called “the automobile.”  When Rackham was told not to invest, the reason was “Ford’s automobile is merely a fad, whereas the horse is here to stay[3].”

October 21st, 1929.  Irving Fisher was an economics professor at Yale University[4].  Fisher was jubilant about a recent uptick in the stock market.  Fisher then made the following bold prediction: “Stock prices have reached a permanently high plateau.”  Three days later, the U.S. economy is devastated by Black Tuesday’s stock market crash. The U.S. Economy would not recover for nearly two decades. 

In 1962, a gentleman named Dick Rowe was the head of talent for a British record label named Decca Records[5].  Rowe had a long and successful career in the music industry.  On January 1st a young foursome from Liverpool came to audition for Rowe.  Rowe rejected the band deeming “Guitar groups are on their way out.”  The group known as the Beatles that Rowe said “no” has since proceeded to sell over 800 million records worldwide. 

Now all these predictions were made by really, smart people who years down the line ended up looking quite foolish and silly.  This background brings us to Today’s First Sunday in Advent.  Throughout Advent this year, we are going to look at the background for each of the Advent candles that we light.

On this day, we light what is known as the ““ Prophecy Candle.”  The Prophecy Candle seeks to remind us how Christ’s coming fulfilled previous promises given within the Old Testament while assuring us that a second advent shall eventually take place when Christ returns to Earth.

The point of the Prophecy Candle is to remind us how hard it is truly is to predict the future.  Earlier, this Summer, The Superior Hiking Trail had a guided hike scheduled in the Grand Marais area.  The hike was to start at 10 A.M.  So around 6 AM; I look at that day’s forecast.  I see a warning of severe thunderstorms to take place later that afternoon up in Cook County.  I look at the radar, see some weather cells seemingly several hours away that could have caused trouble.  I dreaded being out in the woods with safety several miles away.  I didn’t want to drive sixty miles only to hear “no hike, Today.” So I decided that I was going to stay home.  By noon on that day, the weather was as nice as it was all summer. Seventy degrees without a cloud in the sky, talking to fellow hikers later “They commented on the glorious weather.”  Now Meteorology is not an easy science, but on this Saturday I had certainly been led astray by it. 

So human predictions regardless of the experts behind them promise to have a high degree of error, what makes Biblical predictions different?

Biblical predictions are different because of the nature of the one making the predictions.   No matter how smart we get in this life, we remain unable to control the future[6].

What happens in the life of Jesus?  Jesus’ life is marked by predictions that eventually come true[7].

One-Thousand years before his birth.  Psalm 22 predicts Christ’s death by declaring that his hands and feet shall be pierced, they will divide his garments and cast lots for his clothing[8].

Several hundred years before his birth.  The Prophet Isaiah declares[9] “the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Immanuel means “God with us.”  Isaiah also is specific in tying the Messiahs’ family tree to Israel’s greatest King in David[10]. 

The prophet Micah about six hundred years before Jesus’ birth declares that the tiny village of Bethlehem [11]shall be the birthplace of Israel’s next great religious leader. 

The Old Testament closes in the Book of Malachi by promising a prophet just like Elijah to get people ready for the Messiah[12].  This prediction was known by the author of the Gospel of Luke[13] as he speaks of a “new Elijah” named John the Baptist. 

The overriding theme of the Old Testament shared by both Jews and Christians alike is that a Messiah is soon coming.  The Messiah’s presence will soon change everything. As Christian people, we believe Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection were all predicted and have all come true.

The world is full of all sorts of people claiming to be prophets, all sorts of people claiming to speak for God.  The test of whether prophecy though is ultimately true or false is whether what a person says ends up being reality. 

Matthew 16:21 “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

There is a lot in this world; we can’t say for certain.  The 1998 Minnesota Vikings were the best Vikings team in my lifetime.  They went 15-1, only losing one game by three points.  They set an NFL record for most points scored in a single season.  They were one game away from going back to the Super Bowl.  I had never been more confident in a Vikings game in my life heading into the conference title game versus the Atlanta Falcons, three short hours and Minneapolis would have the greatest party I had ever seen.  The game starts out according to the script; Vikings are up 27-20 with a little over two minutes, left in the game, all that was needed to clinch the game was the Vikings kicker Gary Anderson making a relatively easy kick.  Anderson hadn’t missed a kick all season.  I was convinced that I knew the outcome, only Anderson misses the kick, the Falcons score a touchdown, win the game in overtime, I exit the Metrodome in dead silence along with 64,000 other people.  No matter how much evidence I had, no matter my degree of certainty, I could not predict the future correctly.

As Christian people, there is a lot we don’t know.  When meteorologists can’t get the forecast right, we need to admit the future is more uncertain that want to admit.  The day of Christ’s return. “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father[14].”

The point of Advent is the Savior is indeed coming.  The Savior has said he’s coming bring us into his presence.  We can do one of two things with this knowledge.  We can assume that we possess the ability to sort out these grand mysteries of the universe like so many experts before us, or we can place our faith in the one whose promises continually come true.   We can find our hope in our powers and abilities, or we can place our hope in the one who conquered death. 

Tim Zingale tells the following story[15].  Once upon a time, a tourist was traveling alongside Lake Como in Northern Italy.  The tourist comes upon a castle, which was a sight like a tourist had never seen before in his life.  The grounds were in perfect order, and the beauty was indescribable.  The tourist hoping to look around a little more knocks on the gate.  To his amazement, a friendly gardener answers.  The tourist asked whether the gardener owned the castle? No, he was told that the owner lived far, far away.  The tourist asked, “When was the owner last here?”  The gardener answered, “He hasn’t been here for a dozen years.” The tourist wondered what about the owner’s representatives? The gardener replied, “Haven’t seen a single one of them either.”   The tourist was stumped at this point, he finally asks “Why all this effort, when you don’t know when the owner might come? To which the gardener replied, “Because the owner might be coming, later today!”

Jesus remains with us even when he might seem completely absent, even when we maybe seemingly haven’t encountered his presence for years: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age[16].”

So therefore as Christian people, we are called to remain vigilant “Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning,  lest he comes suddenly and finds you asleep[17].”

The point of Advent is this. Jesus has come. Jesus is coming. Jesus will come again.

Jesus comes as a babe born in a lowly manager[18].  Jesus comes as he hangs upon the cross alongside people no different than you and me.  Jesus comes as he bursts out of an empty tomb, declaring death’s power will soon fade away.  Jesus is coming when we receive the promises of the forgiveness of our sins upon hearing his Gospel.  Jesus is coming as we receive his promises in water, bread, and wine.  Jesus will come again because even if it takes hundreds or even thousands of years, his promises will eventually come true.   Amen 


[1] Found on Sermon Illustrations.com under “Prophecy”on November 27th, 2017.  The following example comes from The World’s Worst Predictions.
[2] “Simon Newcomb.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 8.Nov.2017. Web. Nov.27.2017. 
[3] “Worst Predictions.” Human Science. Wikia. Web. Nov.27.2017. 
[4] “Irving Fisher.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 16. Nov.2017. Web. Nov.27.2017.
[5] “The Beatles Decca Audtion.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 7.July.2017. Web. Nov.27.2017. 
[6] Hual, Jeff. “How Will You Keep Christmas This Year? (Part 4).” Mockingbird Ministries (MBird).  18. Dec.2009. Web. Nov.27.2017. 
[7] Hual, Jeff. “How Will You Keep Christmas This Year? (Part 4).”
[8] Psalm 22:16, 17
[9] Isaiah 7:14.
[10] Isaiah 11:1
[11] Micah 5:2. 
[12] Malachi 4:5-6. 
[13] Luke 1:17. 
[14] Mark 13:32. 
[15] Zingale, Tim. “Hope, Waiting, Anticipation, and Longing.” Sermon Central. 3. Dec.2002. Web. Nov.27.2017. 
[16] Matthew 28:20. 
[17] Mark 13:35-36. 
[18] Based on section of Zingale’s sermon.