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Advent Devotion 18

Dec. 14, 2022

In the small book Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, an all church read for this Advent season, the wife in the book is very much committed to the church.  The family goes to mass on a regular basis.  The 5 daughters go to parochial school.  They sing in the choir at church.   They donate to the offering.  Church is an important part of the family’s life.  

But at one point, the husband is telling the wife about his day.  And he mentions a young boy who came to him wanting to sell him some sticks; the husband is in the fuel business.  He gives the boy a ride home in the pouring rain and a handful of change for the sticks.   When the wife hears of this, she is a bit cold about the whole thing.  “You know some of these bring the hardship on themselves?”  And then “Always there’s one that has to pull the short straw.” [p. 11]

In this season we are thinking about seeking Christ.  Now if Jesus came across a poor child, scrounging to keep body and soul together, can we imagine him saying, “Well, some people bring these troubles on themselves.  Some just draw the short straw.”   Can we imagine Jesus saying this to the man born blind, Peter’s mother-in-law who was sick, or the man possessed by demons in the cemetery?  Not really.  Jesus shows us that the Christ is compassionate and understanding and empathetic and sees the harm caused by society.  

So, if we are truly seeking Christ, then we must expect to find ourselves becoming more compassionate, understanding, and empathetic.  And we never know when we are going to need to express those qualities.  We don’t know when someone will cross our path who needs to experience compassion and understanding and empathy.  We many have our day planned, our to do list ordered, our game plan in place.  And then in the course of things, we encounter someone, or we get a phone call, or an email, and we sense a need.  Is the first thought that comes to mind, ‘Oh, well, some people just draw the short straw.’  Or, ‘It’s just too bad they brought that on themselves.’  It may be.  But then we must go on from there.   

When we truly seek Christ, we will find our hearts softening and our ears opening, and maybe our wallets opening, too.  And that is what should happen.  I’m pretty sure if Jesus had a wallet, it was empty most of the time.  

Prayer

Today, may we be open to sharing compassion, understanding, and empathy.  May that become part of our daily routine and we seek Christ.  Amen.

Advent Devotion 19

Thursday Dec. 15, 2022

Health experts tell us that exercise is good for us.  It is important to move, to exert yourself, to put your body to use.  Activity has all kinds of health benefits.  So, for many years, I have pursued walking as my primary form of exercise.  Usually I walk around the park near our house.  I grab some water, some headphones to listen to an audio book, and sometimes a dog, and off I go.  On the way back I usually stop at our community garden and take care of things there.  Then I head home.  That is my exercise for the day.  Kind of like eating your leafy green vegetables.  Because you are supposed to.

What I have noticed recently is that, well, I actually like walking.  Getting out.  Enjoying the fresh air, even when it is beastly hot.  Seeing what there is to see along the way.  Encountering other people.  I have realized that I really do actually like going walking.  It’s not just about doing it because I ‘should.’  That was an interesting discovery.

And I am thinking that it might work like that when it comes to serving others; expressing the Christ within us.  Maybe we do something because, well, we think it is the right thing to do.  It is consistent with our values.  We know it is what we ‘should’ do.

But then, we actually find out that we like helping others.  We feel good when we make a difference.  Our life is better when we are investing it in the well-being of others.  And we may find that we have made new friends and relationships that are enriching our lives.  

We are told that Jesus promises his followers abundant joy.  Maybe when we seek Christ, we don’t just find added responsibility to weigh us down, but we find joy that lifts us up.  

Prayer

We are grateful that we have been called to a spiritual path that connects helping others and finding our highest good.  If we are not feeling joyful this season, maybe we need to find someone to help, a way to make a difference, or a place to listen to what someone needs to share.  When we truly seek Christ, we know we will find joy.  Amen.

ADVENT DEVOTION 20

Dec. 16, 2022

Last night we wanted to watch something streamed from a laptop to the TV.  Ok.  There is a cord for that.  But it didn’t work with the laptop.  And we have another little cord.  But that wouldn’t fit.  Recently my son got some new kind of plug that puts the phone into the TV.  But that wouldn’t accommodate the ports on the laptop.  Then I thought of a device that my daughter got for me.  It is some kind of adaptor.  She told me I would need it to access other devices using the ports on my laptop.  So, this little gizmo stays in my briefcase, waiting for that all important moment when it is needed.  Well, last night, I said, “I might have something that will do this.”  You probably already know that I about the most unlikely person to have some kind of obscure techie paraphernalia.  But, my little plug worked and we got to watch my sister-in-law deliver a sermon in her church about her work with a nonprofit in Africa.  

Everyone in my family was surprised that I had the device to resolve the situation and solve the plug in problem.  And to me, that is how it is with Christ.  It’s often a surprise.  We aren’t even looking for it.  It was not expected.  And then there it is.  An embodiment of love and grace that we simply did not see coming.  

So, as you live by your to-do lists and your calendar and Alexa this time of year especially, keep your eyes open and your heart, too, for the coming of Christ.  In an unexpected way.  

Like the unexpected way a baby born in a little obscure village to ordinary people changed the world.  Our world.  Our lives.  Even two thousand years later.  

Prayer

May we be open to the unexpected ways that Christ comes to us.  May we be on the lookout for the surprising ways of Divine Love;  eager to meet Christ, in others, and even in ourselves.  Amen.

Sermon 12.18.22

Date: December 18, 2022 Intergenerational Worship

Scripture Lesson: ‘Jesus Is Born’ from the children’s Bible by Desmond Tutu

Sermon: Oh, Baby!

Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells

This is the season when we are preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus, so I want
to tell you a baby story.
Many years ago, we had a family in the church that was expecting a baby. It turns
out that they had not only one baby but two. Twins! A boy and a girl. A few days
after the babies were born, I went with Jeff, my spouse, to the hospital to visit the
mother and father, and to meet the two new babies. I had never seen baby twins
before. I was very excited.
We got to the hospital and the mom and dad were in the room and so were the
babies. After greetings and congratulations were shared, the couple asked if we
wanted to hold the babies. Of course! I held one and Jeff held the other. They
were tiny. They were so light, they hardly weighed a thing! They could not talk
not walk or laugh — yet — but they were still so beautiful!
Babies are weak, they are needy, they want to eat all the time and they have to be
fed. And then since they can’t use the toilet, they need their diapers changed.
Many, many, many diapers. Babies can’t wash up. Or put on their clothes. Or
pick up their toys. They are useless, needy, and demanding. But they are also
cute, warm, and, somehow, lovable. Maybe we just feel drawn to a creature that
needs so much help!

So, Jeff and I were in the hospital room, holding those twin babies, and a doctor
and a nurse and an aide came in and they were talking with the parents and taking
care of business. No one was paying any attention to us, off to the side, holding
the babies. So I said to Jeff, “We could just leave. Take them with us. We know
what to do with a baby.”
Of course that would be crazy and we would never do that. But how did I even
have such a wild idea? Well, a baby will do that to you. Just give you crazy ideas
and change your life. That weak, vulnerable, little being, just tugs at the heart
strings and overpowers you. It’s not logical. It can’t really be explained. The
power of a baby. They are just irresistible and precious. Tiny miracles.
So I am wondering about some of your stories about baby encounters. When have
you been taken in by a baby? When has a baby made an impression on you? Have
you seen a baby that has just captured your heart?
Stories from the congregation

Isn’t it amazing how these little creatures make an impact on us and just take us
down to pure love. Period.
In the Bible, in the stories of the birth of Jesus, we are told that in Jesus God was
entering the world to show us that we are loved and that we are created to love
each other.

We learn from the Bible that God had been trying for a long time to get this
message of love across to people. God tried kings and rulers, and priests, and
military leaders, and all kinds of people, to try to show us that we are loved and
that we are created to love each other. But somehow, people forget, or get busy
with other things. So, we are told that God decided to come in Jesus to show us
about love.

Now when you think about it, a story about a baby being born in a barn amongst
the animals, to parents far away from home, that is a story that draws us in. It

makes us care. We pay attention. We feel love and caring for this little weak,
needy, demanding baby and the parents. This story tugs at our hearts. God makes
it easy for us to want to love that baby and the parents. That baby makes it easy for
us to accept the love God has for us.
God comes to us in Jesus. And the story of the baby Jesus captures our hearts and
shows us who we are and why we are here. To love.
A baby is easy to love. We want to love a baby. Look how I wanted to take those
newborn babies right out of the hospital! I fell in love. Right then and there. And
with someone else’s baby. A baby makes it easy to learn about love.
That’s why we are here. To love.
Now I want you to look around at everyone who is here. It’s ok to turn around in
your seat. To crane your neck. Take a good look all around. Everyone here, every
single person in this room, was once a baby. Every person we know was once a
baby. Everyone on the earth, all 8 billion people, every one was once a baby. Just
like Jesus. And so were you! So let that baby into your heart this Christmas
season. Love is waiting to be born. Amen.

A reasonable effort has been made to appropriately cite materials referenced in
this sermon. For additional information, please contact Lakewood United Church
of Christ.