December 2, 2017 - Church at Worship

Sermon: "When God’s Call Upends Your World" Mary Moments: God’s Unexpected Calls (part 1 of 4) by Randy Roberts with Kim Rawson

Pastoral Welcome: Joey Oh

Advent Candle-lighting: Primero Family; Camillo Grant, Cylie Lyn, and Cayleigh.  Richardson Family; Ian, Kristelle, Inari, and Illiana.

Baptism: Joel Chapen

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-33, TNIV read by Jeyelle Fabra and Faith Albis

Sermon Notes:

The Advent season has arrived. This annual celebration turns our minds to thoughts of God’s gracious work in Christ in bringing humankind to Himself. We think of Bethlehem and shepherds and a manger and swaddling clothes and a Baby. We read stories about this season. We watch White Christmas. We sing carols. We exchange gifts. In the midst of it all, it’s easy to miss the fact that to some of those to whom the first Christmas came, it dramatically interrupted (read, upended!) the flow of their day-to-day lives. It was not an easy message to hear. It was frightening, life-altering, overwhelming. Such is often the case when God breaks in. When God’s call comes, it can unnerve even the most hardy among us. Think of Gideon. When God’s call came to Gideon, Gideon’s response was, “If God is with us, why do we still face so much trouble?” (see Judges 6:13) Think of Saul (later Paul) on the road to Damascus. When God’s call came, he fell to the ground, was blinded by the light, and cried out, “Who are you, Lord?” (see Acts 9:5) Think of Jeremiah. As he pondered God’s call on his life, he wept before God: “You overpowered me, and prevailed.” (see Jeremiah 20:7) And think of a young maiden named Mary. When the angel appeared to deliver to her God’s call, Luke says, “Mary was greatly troubled at his words.” (see Luke 1:29) In other words, God’s call is often not a soothing, soft whisper that quiets our fears. At times, it is a word that destabilizes everything about our lives. As we celebrate Advent this year, we consider Mary Moments: God’s Unexpected Calls. It just may be that the Advent season is more disrupting than we previously thought. Join us! Randy Roberts Senior pastor