Lighting the Way for Others - Luke 1:67-80

Lectionary Readings for December 01, 2019
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Luke 1:67-80
Psalm 46
Colossians 1:11-20
Luke 23:33-43

Any time I preach or lead a group, regardless of age, I start the same way. I’m going to say three short sentences. Please repeat each sentence, with enthusiasm.
God made me.           God loves me.            God has plans for me.

During the past week, I’ve met with nearly a dozen of you. If you have not yet scheduled a time to share a cup of coffee or a meal with me, please do so as soon as possible. These conversations are critically important in helping me understand our future together. More on that in a few weeks.

During one of these meetings, one of you asked me an unexpected question:
Charles, what can we do for you?
What I told them applies to every single person here today. 

The two most important things you can do for me – and more importantly, for this church – are:
1 – Each month, invite at least one person to be your guest and join you at an upcoming church event. It could be Sunday worship… or Christmas eve… or a potluck. The keys here are that they are your guest and you will join them.
2 – Each month, introduce me to someone you know who you believe would benefit from having a connection with our church. Someone who needs to hear and experience God’s love, forgiveness, and acceptance.

I’m going to be doing this for as long as I’m your pastor. And if each of you will do that, we’ll be able to share the Good News of God’s love with more people than ever!

It would be irresponsible of me to make that request of you without giving you at least a hint of training. This week’s invitational tip: Play to our strengths.

1 – We are family, and we genuinely care about others. If you know someone who is lonely, is simply alone, or feels rejected, invite them!

2 – We have great music. If you know someone who enjoys music, Advent (and the traditional songs that go with it) is the perfect time to invite them.

Getting the word out, welcoming the disconnected, and sharing Good News with others are all themes of today’s reading. 

Let’s start with this week’s party trivia, stuff I’ve rarely, if ever, heard mentioned in church.

1 – Zechariah’s speech is the first of six canticles – ancient hymns – in the first two chapters of Luke, and it’s the only one NOT focused on Jesus.

2 – Zechariah’s speech is called the Benedictus – after the first word of the Latin translation.

3 – Zechariah was a privileged priest in an oppressed community, which means he was top-dog in a rejected community.

4 – This was written around 70 AD after the Jewish-Roman war and during Roman occupation. The Jews were a desert people who had been invaded by a powerful foreign government. And yet, their lives of misery and fear were the incubator for the gift of hope born in Bethlehem. But I’m getting ahead of today’s story.

Zechariah’s name means “God remembers,” and John’s name means “God’s gift” or “God is gracious.” Any first-century Jewish listener would have immediately known that this story would be a message of God remembering His ancient covenant promises to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-2) and blessing those listening.

In many ways, John is our role model for the Advent season. John was the messenger, the bridge FROM the past (the law which had become an oppressive burden separating people from God) TO the future (the Gospel Message, the Good News of a loving, intimate relationship with God… the gift of Jesus that we celebrate during Advent).

As I read and reread today’s reading, I was particularly struck by two verses: 74 and 78.

Verse 74 “We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear…”
I love asking why; that simple question helps us discover so much. We can rejoice about the ways we’ve managed to survive and thrive in life, but why is it good to be alive? This verse explains that God rescues us from what holds us back so that we can serve God. OK, great, but how does God want us to serve. 

Verse 78 “…to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”
The greatest service we can offer God is sharing the light of God’s love, mercy, and grace with others. 
Think about that as you look at glowing Christmas trees at night. One little light pierces the darkness but is not terribly impressive. But 50, 500, or 1,000 little lights working together… they become a beacon of joy and peace for the entire community on cold, silent nights. Similarly, when we work together to share God’s love, we – the people of Susanville Methodist – become beacons of joy and peace for our entire community.

Getting back to the question one of you asked me and my request / plea…
Do you know anyone who needs to hear some good news, THE G News?
Do you know anyone who needs to hear that they are loved?
Do you know anyone who needs to hear that their life has purpose?
Do you know anyone who needs to be surrounded by people who care about them?
Whoever is coming to your mind right now, I invite you… I beg you… stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone and invite them to be your guest, to sit with you one day during this Advent season.

 In the coming weeks, this church will be prepared… will be transformed visually with lights – and audibly with song – to convey our celebration of hope for the future. With John as our model, let’s share that hope for the future, that anticipation of new possibilities with people who need to see and hear it.

Amen? Amen!