Our Songs Employ, a Celebration of Love
7-8
Dec 2019, Christ Mountain Top
Dec 2019, Christ Mountain Top
Praying
the Scripture, Psalm 72.1-6
the Scripture, Psalm 72.1-6
Advent
Wreath, from Isaiah 11.1-9
Wreath, from Isaiah 11.1-9
used at 6 pm for praying the Scripture
Children,
Matthew 3.1-12
Matthew 3.1-12
Message,
Luke 1.39-46
Luke 1.39-46
Zoe:
Yes, this puppy is the BEST dog in the
world, EVER.
world, EVER.
And it’s no contest.
She loves to fetch, and the frisbee is
one of the all-time favorites. When I don’t overthrow it, she leaps up and
catches it on the run. One time, she was on a dead run, ahead of the throw, and
I threw it on a line just over her head. She turned her head and caught it.
one of the all-time favorites. When I don’t overthrow it, she leaps up and
catches it on the run. One time, she was on a dead run, ahead of the throw, and
I threw it on a line just over her head. She turned her head and caught it.
Now, an achievement like that is
deserving of praise, with real enthusiasm. Woo-hoo! That’s my puppy! Good girl,
Zoe!
deserving of praise, with real enthusiasm. Woo-hoo! That’s my puppy! Good girl,
Zoe!
Danny:
Stole my car, spent time in jail, knocked
mom down
mom down
That last one was scary, not acceptable,
over-the-line
over-the-line
So, Dad took him to the Y, rented a room
for $25/week, and checked on him a LOT
for $25/week, and checked on him a LOT
Danny was always welcome in my parents’ home,
he just wasn’t welcome to be violent. The door was always open.
he just wasn’t welcome to be violent. The door was always open.
Danny’s been through a lot. We talk pretty
regularly. He spends holidays at my parents’. I love him. In the words of Jacob to his brother Esau, to
see Danny’s face is “like seeing the face of God.”
regularly. He spends holidays at my parents’. I love him. In the words of Jacob to his brother Esau, to
see Danny’s face is “like seeing the face of God.”
“Joy
to the World” is now 300 years old
to the World” is now 300 years old
Joy
to the earth! The Savior reigns:
to the earth! The Savior reigns:
let
all their songs employ;
all their songs employ;
while
fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
repeat
the sounding joy,
the sounding joy,
repeat
the sounding joy,
the sounding joy,
repeat,
repeat the sounding joy.
repeat the sounding joy.
Isaiah
the prophet does his work while Judah is in slow decline. He calls the people
to a renewed commitment to the LORD. The powers that be do not recognize what
is ahead and have little interest in change. The people are mostly content with
what they’ve got, or unable to imagine something else, and they don’t pay him
much mind. Even in his call, the LORD tells him that the people with “listen
and not comprehend” (6.9-10). Nevertheless, Isaiah offers his ministry, and
most of it is in song form.
the prophet does his work while Judah is in slow decline. He calls the people
to a renewed commitment to the LORD. The powers that be do not recognize what
is ahead and have little interest in change. The people are mostly content with
what they’ve got, or unable to imagine something else, and they don’t pay him
much mind. Even in his call, the LORD tells him that the people with “listen
and not comprehend” (6.9-10). Nevertheless, Isaiah offers his ministry, and
most of it is in song form.
And
a shoot will come out from the stump of Jesse,
a shoot will come out from the stump of Jesse,
and
a branch from its roots will bear fruit.
a branch from its roots will bear fruit.
6 And a wolf shall ⌊stay⌋
with a lamb,
with a lamb,
and
a leopard shall lie down with a kid,
a leopard shall lie down with a kid,
and
a calf and a lion and a fatling together
a calf and a lion and a fatling together
⌊as a small boy leads⌋
them.
them.
7 And a cow and a bear shall graze;
their
young shall lie down together.
young shall lie down together.
And
a lion shall eat straw like the cattle.
a lion shall eat straw like the cattle.
8 And ⌊an infant⌋
shall play over a serpent’s hole,
shall play over a serpent’s hole,
and
⌊a toddler⌋ shall put his hand
on a viper’s hole.
⌊a toddler⌋ shall put his hand
on a viper’s hole.
9 They will not injure and they will not destroy on all of
my ⌊holy mountain⌋,
my ⌊holy mountain⌋,
for
the earth will be full of the
knowledge of Yahweh,
the earth will be full of the
knowledge of Yahweh,
as
the waters cover the sea.[1]
the waters cover the sea.[1]
“They
shall not harm or destroy on all my holy mountain.” The first of John Wesley’s
general rules is “Do no harm.” And yet … Mary, now pregnant and unwed, heads
across country to her relative Elizabeth – married, too old to bear children,
and miraculously pregnant. There is plenty good reason for Mary to get out of
Dodge, to get away from judgment and rumor, and perhaps to get away from those
who intend to punish her for her adultery. And the law said that she could be
put to death for her indiscretion.
shall not harm or destroy on all my holy mountain.” The first of John Wesley’s
general rules is “Do no harm.” And yet … Mary, now pregnant and unwed, heads
across country to her relative Elizabeth – married, too old to bear children,
and miraculously pregnant. There is plenty good reason for Mary to get out of
Dodge, to get away from judgment and rumor, and perhaps to get away from those
who intend to punish her for her adultery. And the law said that she could be
put to death for her indiscretion.
But what of Elizabeth? Would she welcome
Mary? An angel has told Mary about Elizabeth, but there is no indication in the
story that an angel has told Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah – a priest –
about Mary’s pregnancy by the Holy Spirit. They are a priestly family, and
among the priesthood taboos and holiness are an even bigger deal than among the
general public. Despite the fact that Elizabeth and Mary are related, it is not
hard to imagine Elizabeth closing the door in her face, it is not hard to
imagine Elizabeth doing that kind of harm. We’ve all heard enough stories of
exactly that happening in our own time – the shame, the disgrace. We’ve heard
stories of parents denying their own daughters the right to bear their children
or the right to keep them.
Mary? An angel has told Mary about Elizabeth, but there is no indication in the
story that an angel has told Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah – a priest –
about Mary’s pregnancy by the Holy Spirit. They are a priestly family, and
among the priesthood taboos and holiness are an even bigger deal than among the
general public. Despite the fact that Elizabeth and Mary are related, it is not
hard to imagine Elizabeth closing the door in her face, it is not hard to
imagine Elizabeth doing that kind of harm. We’ve all heard enough stories of
exactly that happening in our own time – the shame, the disgrace. We’ve heard
stories of parents denying their own daughters the right to bear their children
or the right to keep them.
However, that was not the experience of
Elizabeth and Mary. In the words of Larry Leland, Elizabeth “did two things. She
opens the door. And she opens her mouth.”
Elizabeth and Mary. In the words of Larry Leland, Elizabeth “did two things. She
opens the door. And she opens her mouth.”
That
open door welcomed the woman with the scarlet letter, the stigmatized, the
sinner – at least in the eyes of the rest of the world. That open mouth declared
blessing, gave honor, and proclaimed Jesus. Like Isaiah, it is written as song:
open door welcomed the woman with the scarlet letter, the stigmatized, the
sinner – at least in the eyes of the rest of the world. That open mouth declared
blessing, gave honor, and proclaimed Jesus. Like Isaiah, it is written as song:
“Blessed
are you among women,
are you among women,
and
blessed is the fruit of your womb! [2]
blessed is the fruit of your womb! [2]
That
open mouth was heard, in the language of the text, as a “loud shout.” “Woo-hoo!”
open mouth was heard, in the language of the text, as a “loud shout.” “Woo-hoo!”
That’s
love. Too often today, God’s people are known – whether fairly or not – for being
a closed family system fixated on how we are connected to Abraham or Jesus but
not interested in opening the door to others. The perception is that we offer
condemnation rather than blessing to sinners. But not Elizabeth. And not Jesus,
who said, “Pray for your enemies. Bless and do not curse.” Fortunately, not
God. God is so intent on opening doors that God ripped a hole in the heavens to
come down (Isaiah 64.1., Exodus 3.7-8). God is so intent on opening God’s mouth
with blessing that Jesus prays from the cross, “Father, forgive them” (Luke
23.34) and that the angels proclaim to shepherds “Peace on earth” (Luke 2.14).
love. Too often today, God’s people are known – whether fairly or not – for being
a closed family system fixated on how we are connected to Abraham or Jesus but
not interested in opening the door to others. The perception is that we offer
condemnation rather than blessing to sinners. But not Elizabeth. And not Jesus,
who said, “Pray for your enemies. Bless and do not curse.” Fortunately, not
God. God is so intent on opening doors that God ripped a hole in the heavens to
come down (Isaiah 64.1., Exodus 3.7-8). God is so intent on opening God’s mouth
with blessing that Jesus prays from the cross, “Father, forgive them” (Luke
23.34) and that the angels proclaim to shepherds “Peace on earth” (Luke 2.14).
So,
let’s join the songs of Isaiah and Elizabeth. Let’s open doors – even to those difficult
to receive. Let’s open our mouths in blessing.
let’s join the songs of Isaiah and Elizabeth. Let’s open doors – even to those difficult
to receive. Let’s open our mouths in blessing.
Joy
to the earth! The Savior reigns:
to the earth! The Savior reigns:
let
all their songs employ;
all their songs employ;
while
fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
repeat
the sounding joy,
the sounding joy,
repeat
the sounding joy,
the sounding joy,
repeat,
repeat the sounding joy.
repeat the sounding joy.
[1]
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer,
J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English
Bible (Is 11:1–10). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer,
J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English
Bible (Is 11:1–10). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[2]
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer,
J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English
Bible (Lk 1:42). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer,
J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English
Bible (Lk 1:42). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.