December 20, 2015
Stetson Memorial UMC
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Inspired by Marcia McPhee
Sermon Series “Awed and Odd”
Hope in the Midst of Hopelessness
Presence in the Midst of Loneliness
Matthew 1:20-23
Hebrews 6:19
Romans 15:13
Job 8:13-18
Isaiah 9:2, 6-7
(All Scripture is taken from the NIV Bible)
“Why Do I Feel Hopeless. . . ”
Prayer for the
Spirit’s leading. . .
A
reading from the book of Job. . . chapter eight. . . verses thirteen through
eighteen. . . listen to the word of God for you and me. . . the children of
God.
Each Sunday that we gather here together there is
an air of hope all around this sanctuary. We share our hopes, our dreams, our
pain and our joy with one another. We have heard answered pray and we have
heard new prayer request. There is hope. But most of all, each Sunday I come
here I get to see Nolan Howes. That little cherub is hope. . . hope for our
church. . . and hope for the future. . .
hope for the world.
Can you imagine a life without any hope at all? I
think that we all have those days when we may feel a little hopeless. . . unending tasks we must do, trying to get the
cross word puzzle done in ink, dishes to be done and dinner to prepare. . . needing
to do. . . fill in the blank. I am talking about a hopelessness that brings
you to your knees because you can’t stand. . . hopelessness that you just can’t
shake and so you sit in sack cloth and ashes as Job did. Job lost everything even his best friends didn’t understand the depth
of his sorrow. But Job did one thing that you and I can find strength in. . . Job
never cursed God. . . he never really gave up the faith that he had in God.
There is where his hope was found. . . the treasure of his heart. . . with
Emmanuel, God with us.
This advent, we are journeying to the cross by
another road than what we may usually travel. We have been traveling a road
that at times may have made us squirm a little. We have been inspired by Marcia
McPhee’s “Awed & Odd” Sermon series where she states:
“We
Christians believe in “folly”–that there is peace, love, joy and hope in the
midst of the good and difficult times. This makes us “odd”–according to those
who proclaim the victory of decline and death all around. It is especially in
this season of expectant hope that we can instead proclaim the awe-inspiring
presence of God’s reign that continually makes all things new. This is a season
of odd “union”–swords into plowshares, wolves and lambs resting peacefully
together, and the “speechless” singing for joy!”
Today is the Fourth Sunday of Advent. . . we have taken
off our blinders and have seen God in world and working even though broken. We
have talked about seeing peace in the midst of conflict and have decided that
even though the world around us may be that God is always working out His plan
even if I don’t perceive it. We know because we have seen the light of God
working within situations that others might deem hopeless.
We also decided that we are a little “odd” because
we are “awed” by God who even in the darkness is there creating order out of
chaos. And we decided that we would rather be awed for God even though the
world calls us odd.
One place we have gone is finding “Love In the
Midst Of Hate”. We decided that Jesus, our Risen Lord, is the One to show us
the way by the example that He set. We also decided that as Jesus judges and
reigns there will be peace in the midst of conflict and no more hate because
all there will be love. And we have decided that if we look with eternal eyes
we can see and react to “Joy in the Midst of Despair?” We have also realized
that no matter what the circumstance. . . Joy is a choice. . .
So,”hope in hopelessness”, how do we find. . . Ok.
. . how can we even find hope in hopelessness? As I stated last week about joy.
. . hope too is a choice. Now we can give up hope or turn to the One who gives
all comfort and strength. I am not going to make it sound easy to have hope
just exude out of us. That would be a lie. But maybe. . . just maybe, we can
look at Job’s example.
Now Job had lost everything. . . lost his home, his
family, his wealth. . . even though the
mill is closed and I have lost all that I held dear I will hope in the God of
Job who is the giver of all that is good. . . but Job chose not to curse
the Lord and trust that God was working out his plan for his life. . .
Hebrews 6:19New
International Version (NIV)
19 We have this hope as an
anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the
curtain,
Last week we talked about Mary and how she found
joy in the midst of despair. She really did trust in God her Savior because she
could have had bad things happen to her because of this blessed condition. But
what about Joseph, he could have divorced her quietly. Joseph could have
divorced her publicly but he chose hope when he listened to the angel.
Matthew 1:20-23New
International Version (NIV)
20 But after he had
considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because
what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a
son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people
from their sins.”
22 All this took place to
fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will
conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means
“God with us”).
Not only hope for himself but hope for all who
would come after him. He chose hope for you and for me. We now have God within
our midst all because of one man’s choice of hope. . .
Because of one man’s hope we can have the choice of
feeling God’s presence in the midst of loneliness. We can say to ourselves “God
is here with me through this. . . ” or “God is far away from me and doesn’t
fulfill His promise to walk with me.” Which would you rather choose?
Isaiah
9:2, 6-7New International Version (NIV)
2
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on
those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
6
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his
shoulders.
And
he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He
will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing
and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The
zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
We really do need eyes to see, ears to hear and a
heart that is open to what God is doing in the world around us. Then we will be
able to see the peace and love that is evident to all who seek love. We will
have joy even though there is despair around us. We no longer have to feel
hopeless and alone. But it begins here (touch
chest) and here (touch eyes). As
we have an open Heart and lead by the Spirit of God we will use eyes of love
and grace as we seek the love of God in the world around us. We are no longer
hopeless but hopeful because of loves work one early morning in a stable for we
realize we are never alone.
Romans 15:13New
International Version (NIV)
13 May the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow
with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray. . . pray for us to awaken and experience and see the joy of the Lord in the
midst of despair. . .
Amen
December 20, 2015
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Inspired by Marcia McPhee
Sermon Series “Awed and Odd”
Hope in the Midst of Hopelessness
Presence in the Midst of Loneliness
Matthew 1:20-23
Hebrews 6:19
Romans 15:13
Job 8:13-18
Isaiah 9:2, 6-7
(All Scripture is taken from the NIV Bible)
message: “Why Do I Feel Hopeless…”
text
video
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blog
Children’s Message - Mystery Box
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
December 20, 2015
Fourth Sunday of Advent
&
edited December 17, 2015
In the Midst of Hate – v3
(merging edits to original and version 2)
edited December 16, 2015
There is joy, if we choose joy – v4
(editing version 3)
edited December 15, 2015
There is joy, if we choose joy – v3
(editing version 2)
edited December 15, 2015
There is joy, if we choose joy – v2
edited December 15, 2015
There is joy, if we choose joy
edited December 14, 2015
Joy, if we choose it – v2
edited/ expanded December 14, 2015
Joy, if we choose it
December 14, 2015
Full, if we choose it
December 14, 2015
choose joy
December 14, 2015
no matter my situation
December 13, 2015
Third Sunday of Advent
Inspired by Marcia McPhee
Sermon Series “Awed and Odd”
Joy in the Midst of Despair
Luke 1:46-55
Isaiah 61:1-3
(All Scripture is taken from the NIV Bible)
message: “I Will Choose Joy. . .”
text
video
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Children’s Message - Mystery Box
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
December 13, 2015
Third Sunday of Advent
&
edited December 8, 2015
In the Midst of Hate – v2
edited December 8, 2015
Seeking to Find Love – v2
edited/new December 7, 2015
Seeking to Find Love
December 7, 2015
In the Midst of Hate
edited December 7, 2015
Seek Love – v3
(Editng version 2)
edited December 7, 2015
Seek Love - v2
December 7, 2015
Seek Love
December 6, 2015
Second Sunday of Advent
Inspired by Marcia McFee
Sermon Series “Awed and Odd”
Love in the Midst of Hate
Isaiah 11:1-4a, 5-9
Romans 15:1-2, 5-7
message: “Seek Love…”
text
video
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Children’s Message
- Mystery Box
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
December 6, 2015
Second Sunday of Advent
&
November 29, 2015
First Sunday of Advent
Inspired by Marcia McFee
Sermon Series “Awed and Odd”
Peace Within the Conflict
Isaiah 2:4
Psalm 122:6, 7
Romans 13:11
Matthew 24:42, 44
message: “Peace in the Valley…”
text
video
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Children’s Message
- Mystery Box
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
November 29, 2015
First Sunday of Advent
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All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for
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