Sermon: "Afraid of the Divine Epiphany" by Randy Roberts
Part 2 – Christmas . . . F.E.A.R.*
(*For Every Anxious Reason)

Prayer: Stew Harty

Pastoral Welcome: Jacqueline Lynch

Children’s Feature: Calvin Thomsen

Meditation:

Joseph, have you heard what Mary said occurred?

Yes, it may be so.  Is it likely?  No.

Mary may be pure, but Joseph, are you sure?

How is one to tell?  Suppose, for instance, well,

Maybe, maybe not.  But Joseph, you know what 

Your world will say about you anyway. – W. H. Auden

Heaven goes by favor.  If it went by merit, you would stay out, and your dog would go in. – Mark Twain

Here’s the gospel: you’re more sinful than you ever dared believe; you’re more loved than you ever dared hope. – Tim Keller

Scripture Reading Luke 1:26–30, TNIV Tianna Campbell - 1st service
 Harrison Mace - 2nd service

INTRODUCTION TO THE SERMON

Jesus is the reason for the season.  You’re heard and read that statement over and again, a thousand times.  And it is true.  We need to hear it regularly because, if we don’t, it’s too easy to begin to think that the reason for the season is shopping or gifts or carol singing or snow skiing or traveling or any of a thousand other reasons.  Jesus is the reason for the season.

But that statement is only partially true.  Some time ago, a church member approached me and said that he had heard a pastor say, “We are the reason for the season.”  I had two almost simultaneous responses to that – and I’m not sure which came first!  One response was to think, “How selfish!  How dare we think that we are the reason for the Christmas season!  In fact, if Jesus is not the reason for all we do at Christmas time, then we ought to cancel the season altogether!”  But the second response was, “Wow!  He’s exactly right!  We are the reason for the season!”

Think about it.  The reason Jesus came was to reveal God to the world in such a way that we human beings would come to understand his to such a degree that we would desire to become eternal friends with him.  Simply put, Jesus came to reconcile the world to God.  He came to bring men and women and children back to God.  That was at the core of all he did and said.

As such, while recognizing that Christmas celebrates the story of Jesus and his birth, the reason that he came was to bring us back to God.  So it is true – we are the reason for the season!  And that reality – the gospel – is at the core of today’s passage.  I hope you experience the gospel as we join Mary and the angel.

I remind you: we are spending the first three Sabbaths of Advent in the first two chapters of the Luke.  Our purpose is to look at the three times that Luke records the words of the angelic visitors: “Do not be afraid.”  Last week we considered the story of Zechariah and the angel Gabriel.  This week we consider the story of Mary and the angel.

A reminder about December 25 and its special worship service: there will be no Sabbath School that day.  Rather, enjoy a more leisurely Christmas Sabbath morning with your family and then join us either for first service at 10 a.m. or for second service at 11:45.

God’s best to you.

Randy Roberts
Senior Pastor

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