Sermon, December 6, 2015 Jesus Sets Us Free Pastor Cheryl Foulk

Transcription

1 Sermon, December 6, 2015 Jesus Sets Us Free Pastor Cheryl Foulk This Advent, in many countries, Christians are preparing for the celebration of Jesus birth. With decorations, music, and generosity, the world is remembering God's gift.

2 Here at First UMC we're grabbing paper angels off the Angel tree, singing carols, and looking for more ways to share the joy. In Moscow, Russia, a believer there wrote of his excitement over the upcoming Christmas activities: being with his family, playing games, exchanging presents. Like a kid, he is impatient for Christmas to come. He reflected that for three generations in his family there had been no celebration of Christmas because of the government ban. He knew nothing about Christmas as a child and was in college before he heard the story of Jesus' birth and became a Christian.

3 He feels it is very important then to share with others his faith and the joy of Christmas. He expresses the wonder that now they have the freedom to celebrate! I'd like to take his phrase and add to his words: Not only do we have the freedom to celebrate, but we also celebrate the freedom that Christ brings to us. In our Gospel lesson read from Luke 4:16-19, Jesus is in his hometown synagogue and reads the Scripture lesson for the day from Isaiah. The words are like a mirror and fittingly describe Jesus' mission of freedom and deliverance: He will bring good news to the poor, release to the prisoners, restoration of sight to those who cannot see, and freedom to the oppressed. This is tremendous news to all of us, especially those who feel that there is no hope because their burdens are so heavy. What does it look like to be free in Christ? Some of us are using the Bible study entitled Sent during these weeks of Advent. In one of the lessons, we were introduced to a woman who is called Sunshine. She has lived on the streets of Houston, Texas, for over 10 years. Sunshine didn't say much, and her appearance often was weary, tattered. We weren't told know how she came to be homeless, or what all has happened to her in those years. There is a ministry in Houston called the Art Project, connected to St. John's UMC. The Art Project reaches out to people who are homeless and invites them to express their gifts through painting and pottery. Sunshine did not want to have anything to do with their activities at first. They continued to invite her, to draw her in a circle of acceptance. She became part of the art classes; I imagine it was a tremendous step for her to attempt a painting.

4 When you think that you are nothing and your life has little worth, then what you do has no value also. One day she came to class with her hair cut and in fresh clothing. When asked about her change, she said The Spirit told me it was time to get the dirt out. On one of the cups that she had made, she wrote on it her favorite verse: John 3:16 and the word LOVE. Sunshine is becoming unbound, through the grace and love extended to her by her friends at St. John's. It is happening through worship and prayer, and meals and laughter. She is becoming free to express who she is, and her unique gifts. Even though she has lived on the streets for a very long time, she is also fearfully and wonderfully made as we read in the Psalms. Her light is shining brighter and brighter. Apostle Paul wrote that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Spirit of the Lord is moving in Houston, and Sunshine's story makes me smile. Spirit of the Lord is moving in Lancaster, in our community, in our church, in our lives. I believe that the Spirit of the Lord cannot be contained. The Spirit can be found in jail cells, drug houses, school rooms, emergency rooms, AA meetings, NA meetings, in offices, at stores, on the streets and in the alleys, in our homes. We are celebrating the freedom that the Spirit of Christ brings: the freedom to see ourselves and others as God's children and accept that we are all loved by God.

5 the freedom to be a work in progress and find continual release from the sin that would drag us down. the freedom to care for those who others may turn away from. the freedom to be willing to make mistakes as we reach out. the freedom to forgive and to let go of prejudices, hatreds, bitterness. The freedom to encourage and stand with our neighbors who are struggling with life. The freedom in the darkest days to still find the light of Christ shining in our world. The Christmas message is that Jesus came to bring abundant life. As we share the good news, people's lives may be transformed and we may be transformed. A young woman worked at a coffee shop; she had just lost her mother and had to be back to work the day after the funeral. Shop was full; tips were low because people had been holiday shopping. Older guy that was sitting by himself, only drinking coffee. She kept giving him refills, wondering when he would ever leave, and then she might get a better paying table. She was trying to get the orders out, but the loss in her life was overwhelming and then she just started crying.

6 When she passed by his table, he must have seen the tears in her eyes, and asked with some hesitation Are you o.k.? She told him about her mom. No one else had asked her how she was, no one. It was a busy morning at work. He listened quietly and told her that her mother sounded like a beautiful person and that he would remember them when he prayed. Young waitress found comfort in an unlikely place through an unlikely person. Carrying a tray of dirty dishes, she realized that she wasn't alone and that God was a part of her life, and cared for her. In her Advent devotional book, Mary Lou Redding wrote that Embracing one person at a time, we help those we meet to believe that they matter and that they are embraced by God. We can offer words and demonstrate love that brings power to someone, or we can ignore their kinship to us, and their pain. Then the opportunity for God's light to shine is lost. All of us probably have a favorite Christmas story/ movie. One of mine is Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol. I have watched several movie versions, some I like better than others. In any version, the scene that touches me the most is at the end, when Scrooge awakens and he finds it is Christmas morning. The night is finally over; the review of his life revealed how selfish he was and how his fears imprisoned him. But now it is morning: Scrooge is changing, and he begins to make amends. He orders the largest goose at the market for the Cratchit family's Christmas dinner. Scrooge can hardly contain himself: he is so giddy, and silly and joyful in those moments. Perhaps it is because he has another chance at life. But I think that he is so happy because he was finally free to love! Jesus came to set us free so that we could love one another.

7 A woman was keeping her 3 grandsons on a day in the week after Christmas They didn't want her to come in the living room because they were making her a surprise. When they did invite her in, she saw what they had been working on. Around the nativity set and beyond the shepherds and magi, was every stuffed animal from the toy chest. Elmo and Cookie Monster, Care bears, Winnie the Pooh, My Little Pony and Paw Patrol pups were all in the crowd. The youngest boy said They came to see Jesus, Grandma. Everyone can come. You are invited to join all those who come seeking a Savior, who come seeking new life. The Spirit of the Lord brings good news to those who have nothing, to those who have everything, to all of us who need a second chance. The Spirit of the Lord offers us freedom from our regrets and from our fears. May this gift of freedom in Christ shine out in us this Advent and Christmas season!