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
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