Thursday, December 01, 2016

sermon, In the Business, by Pastor Ruth Foss, Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church, Patten, ME, November 27, 2016, First Sunday of Advent - Hope



November 27, 2016
Stetson Memorial UMC
1st Sunday of Advent
“A Sacred Moment”
Sermon Series
Psalm 130
Matthew 3:1-12 MSG
Romans 13:11-12 NIV


“In The Business...”

A prayer of illumination so that God will speak through me or in-spite of me. . .

I would ask that you would stand as you are able for the reading of the Gospel according to Matthew. We will be reading chapter 3, verses 1-12. Listen to the word of God for His people. . . you and I. . .  (Read the gospel from the Message translation)

Good morning. I can’t believe that next week is December. Where has the year gone? It seems that I have been so busy with life that time has just slipped away. Now here we are at the end and not quite sure how I got here. There have been so many things to do and see that I think that I feel as if I need a vacation from life. I need a time to just slow down and take a breath. But this is not the right time to be doing that either.

We have begun the Christmas season which I am the business. Even society is ramping up on the business. Last Friday was Black Friday. . . the busiest shopping day of the year. In fact, it is so busy that many places have started their Holiday season on Thanksgiving Thursday. . . even before the turkey is cold. . .

We, as people, as Christians need to find a way to slow down, otherwise we are going to miss the best part of this season of giving. We are going to miss the best gift that we could ever receive. The gift of God’s own Son in the form of a baby on a cold and silent night. As we slow down, we will see the sacredness all around us.

Today we begin the season of Advent in the church calendar. It is the season we expectantly await the celebration of His birth and wait expectantly for his return. The Christmas season is a time where the sacredness of it all gets drowned out by the secular business. The word sacred itself means set apart and holy. The sacredness of something is revered and respected but this time of reverence and awe seems to get lost in the lights and glamor. In order to see. . . to feel. . . to touch the sacred, we need to slow down our pace and just be for the moment. . . lest we miss the awe and wonder of the manger.

This Advent season we are going to do just that. We are going to slow down. . . even if for but a moment. . . to see what might be missed in the hustle and bustle of the season. I would invite us. . . you and I. . . on a spiritual journey to see all things through the kaleidoscope. . . the display of beauty within the sacred space of Advent. . .

©     Sacred Time
©     Sacred People
©     Sacred Space
©     Sacred Knowing
©     Sacred Being
©     Sacred Doing

I would ask that we would stop for a moment and just breath in the sacredness of the space we are in right now. . . this sanctuary where God shows up to meet us each Sunday. . . By the way. . . in order to really enter into the Sacredness of Advent. . . we need to do it more than just on Sunday’s so I would ask that each of us spend some time each day. . . even just five minutes and focus on. . . meditate upon the Sacredness we talk about each week. . .  Let each build upon each other until we embrace genuine purpose within this sacred moment. . .

So, Advent is a sacred time. John the Baptist spoke about time. The time of heaven intersecting the time of the then and now. The time had come for a heart and life change. The time had come. . . and continue today. . . to prepare the way of the Lord. We are that thunder in the desert. We are that message of sacredness. We are the voice calling out in the desert “make way for the kingdom of God. . . it is right before us. . . do you not perceive it?”

We, at times, let the busy-ness of the holiday season overrun the sense of sacred. In fact, setting apart time for God. . . for the real reason for the season. . . God incarnate. . . gets set aside to create trappings of the holiday in which we celebrate the Holy.

We are given the gift of now from God. Within this gift of now. . . this sacred time of now. . . is given to God. . . to family. . . to friends. . . and those who need help. Within the sacred time, we are the gift given to others in which God can be seen within the mask that we, as society, have created to hide what is sacred beneath the “sensationalism” of the season.

The Word became flesh and lived among us. . . that is the message of the season. Speak through the Spirit of this one truth. How are you going to spend this “holiday season”? Are you and I going for the superficial. . . or is there something more. . . is there a better way? I challenge you and I to take a road far different than the highway that leads to the Bethlehem Stable. I challenge you and I to slow ourselves down and sit within the Sacredness of the manger.

 “11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:11-12 NIV)

Amen.


--------------------------
December 1, 2016
walking in sacred time
December 1, 2016
Have we forgotten Christ
December 1, 2016
we carry God’s message of hope
December 1, 2016
we are heralds in the darkness
December 1, 2016
we light this candle
December 1, 2016
God’s promises endure - 2
edited / new name December 1, 2016
we live in the light of the holy
December 1, 2016
we live in the light of hope
December 1, 2016
we have forgotten God
December 1, 2016
sit within the sacredness of the stable
December 1, 2016
walking barefoot
December 1, 2016
taking off our shoes
December 1, 2016
this sacred time of now
December 1, 2016
the gift of our days
December 1, 2016
the gift of now
December 1, 2016
within the sacred time
December 1, 2016
trappings of the season
December 1, 2016
the time of heaven
December 1, 2016
a closeness of heaven
December 1, 2016
we are God’s voice
November 30, 2016
prepare the way of the Lord
November 30, 2016
removing God from Advent
November 30, 2016
removing God from Christmas
November 30, 2016
the sacred space of Advent – v2
edited November 29, 2016
the light of the manger – v2
November 29, 2016
removing God from the sacred
November 29, 2016
within this sacred time
November 29, 2016
the light of the manger
November 29, 2016
God incarnate - 2
November 29, 2016
a sacred time
November 29, 2016
are our hearts open
edited November 29, 2016
are we waiting for Jesus – v2
November 28, 2016
the sacred time of Advent
November 28, 2016
breathing in Advent
November 28, 2016
breathing in these minutes
edited November 28, 2016
to touch the sacred – v2
November 28, 2016
slowing our steps in Advent
November 28, 2016
journeying on a dirt road
November 27, 2016
to touch the sacred
November 27, 2016
the wonder of the manger
November 27, 2016
the sacred space of Advent
November 27, 2016
lost in the lights and glitter
November 27, 2016
set apart and holy
November 27, 2016
we will celebrate his birth
November 27, 2016
we wait for His coming
November 27, 2016
before the turkey is cold
November 27, 2016
The day is almost here - 2
November 27, 2016
The night is almost over
November 27, 2016
put on the armor of light
Romans 13:11-12
November 27, 2016
change your life - 2
November 27, 2016
preaching in the desert
November 27, 2016
our hope is in His word
November 27, 2016
hope in that flickering candle
edited/ new name November 27, 2016
we light this candle in the hope
November 27, 2016
going doing
the Magi and John the Baptist
November 27, 2016
there is hope in the promise
November 27, 2016
are we waiting  for Jesus
edited November 27, 2016
where is Jesus – v2
November 27, 2016
awaking in Advent
November 26, 2016
we light this candle in hope
November 26, 2016
coming to Christ
November 26, 2016
crying with John
November 26, 2016
why aren’t we shouting
November 26, 2016
where is Jesus
November 26, 2016
do we listen to John
November 26, 2016
a voice of hope
November 26, 2016
preparing our hearts - 2
November 26, 2016
we join him at the Jordan
edited November 26, 2016
we stand convicted – v2
November 26, 2016
we begin in hope
November 26, 2016
we feed the flame
November 26, 2016
we begin in advent
November 26, 2016
we light the spark
edited/ new name November 26, 2016
we light a candle of hope
November 26, 2016
lighting a candle of hope
November 27, 2016
First Sunday of Advent
Prepare Ye the Way
worship theme: Sacred Time
Psalm 130
Romans 13:11-12
Matthew 3:1-12
Advent sermon series based on Marcia McFee’s series “Sacred”
and sermon “In the Business. . . “
text

video (partial before disk was full, 11:47 minutes)
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
and Children’s Message
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
November 27, 2016
First Sunday of Advent
&
November 20, 2016
Thanksgiving
Christ the King Sunday
Psalm 100
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Luke 1:68-79
and sermon “A Thanks-Giving ”
text
video
by Pastor Ruth Foss
and Children’s Message – an acorn squash in the Mystery Box
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
November 20, 2016
Christ the King Sunday


All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 42,710+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.


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