ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.
Listen "Sermon | Luke 1:57-66 | Advent: HOW DOES A WEARY WORLD REJOICE? - 3. "We Allow Ourselves to Be Amazed""
Episode Synopsis
Sermon | Luke 1:57-66 | Advent: HOW DOES A WEARY WORLD REJOICE? - 3. "We Allow Ourselves to Be Amazed"
We continue today with our series: How Does a Weary World Rejoice?
There is always plenty to be weary about…but how do we rejoice?
First Sunday: our response was to “acknowledge our weariness”
Second Sunday: our response was to “find joy in connection”
TODAY: “We allow ourselves to be amazed”
Luke 1:57-66
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.
Being good and faithful Jews, the newborn son is brought to be circumcised and named.
BUT…they do the out-of-the-ordinary thing and choose the name “John” rather than a more customary name.
Ἰωάννης - Yahweh is gracious (Yoannayce)
He is to be called “John.”
Finally, Zechariah is ready to embrace this calling alongside Elizabeth.
And he erupts in a song of joy — a prophecy about John’s role in the redemption and peace of God coming through the Messiah for whom John is a herald.
Zechariah’s prophecy is worth the read…
but…we’re focusing on the people from their town…
having witnessed all they have through this family…
They have reverence for God.
They are keenly aware that God is present with them…particularly through Yoannayce
And so the whispers begin…
The pondering about what exactly Yoannayce is going to be and do.
Allowing ourselves to be amazed…
pondering are the sure-fire way to rejoice amid weariness.
So…what do we do with this?
Let’s consider the wonder around us even now.
How often do you see your entire community come together in peace and joy?
How often do the dividing lines between people cease to matter?
Yet… haven’t you witnessed these things already this Advent season?
Have you been to the Artcraft and joined the entire room in a song of “Santa Claus is coming to Town” while watching Elf?
Have you joined a mass of people to watch the tree-lighting on the square where everyone is glad to be together for one celebration?
Have you seen the joy on people’s faces as you experience the magic of this season?
Somehow…
Some way…
People are coming together—if even just for a moment.
For a glimmer of a moment people are setting aside anything that might divide them…allowing themselves to be amazed at the sights and sounds…
to enter into the joy of the season.
Bills are still rising…
War is still waging…
People are still hurting…
But something AMAZING is happening right now…as it does each year.
Take time to see it.
Awe over it.
Whisper about it.
Ponder how and why and what it could mean…
Take time to allow yourself to be amazed…
Because God is still at work, friends—often times not in ways we might expect…
But God is still at work.
Because God is still among us…birthing life in and through us for this hurting world who need to be amazed.
So let us go and be heralds ourselves of the peace of Christ shining through this Advent season…
Shining through the weariness…
Shining through the particular denominational preferences…
Shining through people who think, live, vote, worship, speak, look, and love so differently.
And take time to remember that THAT shining…is amazing.
We continue today with our series: How Does a Weary World Rejoice?
There is always plenty to be weary about…but how do we rejoice?
First Sunday: our response was to “acknowledge our weariness”
Second Sunday: our response was to “find joy in connection”
TODAY: “We allow ourselves to be amazed”
Luke 1:57-66
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.
Being good and faithful Jews, the newborn son is brought to be circumcised and named.
BUT…they do the out-of-the-ordinary thing and choose the name “John” rather than a more customary name.
Ἰωάννης - Yahweh is gracious (Yoannayce)
He is to be called “John.”
Finally, Zechariah is ready to embrace this calling alongside Elizabeth.
And he erupts in a song of joy — a prophecy about John’s role in the redemption and peace of God coming through the Messiah for whom John is a herald.
Zechariah’s prophecy is worth the read…
but…we’re focusing on the people from their town…
having witnessed all they have through this family…
They have reverence for God.
They are keenly aware that God is present with them…particularly through Yoannayce
And so the whispers begin…
The pondering about what exactly Yoannayce is going to be and do.
Allowing ourselves to be amazed…
pondering are the sure-fire way to rejoice amid weariness.
So…what do we do with this?
Let’s consider the wonder around us even now.
How often do you see your entire community come together in peace and joy?
How often do the dividing lines between people cease to matter?
Yet… haven’t you witnessed these things already this Advent season?
Have you been to the Artcraft and joined the entire room in a song of “Santa Claus is coming to Town” while watching Elf?
Have you joined a mass of people to watch the tree-lighting on the square where everyone is glad to be together for one celebration?
Have you seen the joy on people’s faces as you experience the magic of this season?
Somehow…
Some way…
People are coming together—if even just for a moment.
For a glimmer of a moment people are setting aside anything that might divide them…allowing themselves to be amazed at the sights and sounds…
to enter into the joy of the season.
Bills are still rising…
War is still waging…
People are still hurting…
But something AMAZING is happening right now…as it does each year.
Take time to see it.
Awe over it.
Whisper about it.
Ponder how and why and what it could mean…
Take time to allow yourself to be amazed…
Because God is still at work, friends—often times not in ways we might expect…
But God is still at work.
Because God is still among us…birthing life in and through us for this hurting world who need to be amazed.
So let us go and be heralds ourselves of the peace of Christ shining through this Advent season…
Shining through the weariness…
Shining through the particular denominational preferences…
Shining through people who think, live, vote, worship, speak, look, and love so differently.
And take time to remember that THAT shining…is amazing.
In God we trust