Special Emmaus City Advent Liturgy | Sunday, December 14, 2014 –
Jesus Is Our Joy: Why We Need Advent
Jesus Is Our Joy | Why We Need Advent Homily Audio:
For the previous Advent liturgy notes, click on the link below:
Advent 2014 | Jesus Is Our Peace: The Whole Christmas Story
Advent 2014 | Jesus Is Our Peace: The Whole Christmas Story
Jesus Our Joy | Why We Need Advent Passage and Homily Notes
(1) Joy Comes into Our Darkness and Fear
8 And in the same region
there were shepherds out in the field, keeping
watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and
the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. – Luke 2:8-9
“We need Advent. So often we want to make Christmas about idyllic manger scenes when Christmas is about un-wed mothers, the oppression of Empire, and the slaughter of children. I think we want to imagine Christmas an unblemished perfect little story, because we are afraid of the darkness. We need Advent because it tells us the whole story. Advent reminds us that Christmas – that the birth of Messiah – is for a world still waiting in darkness, still waiting for justice, still waiting for healing. Advent tells us that Messiah isn’t just a cute baby born in a barn to poor parents. Advents tells us that Messiah is God’s answer to human darkness. God’s light sent to people living under the thumb of the Roman Empire, people living under the oppression of white privilege in Ferguson and Staten Island, people living in systemic poverty … ”
“Joseph matter-of-factly informed his brothers, ‘All shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians’ (Gen. 46:34, NIV). In the course of four hundred years, the Egyptians prejudiced the Israelites’ attitude toward shepherding. … Around 1000 B.C., David’s emergence as king temporarily raised the shepherd’s image. The lowliness of this trade made David’s promotion striking (2 Sam. 7:8). … In the days of prophets, sheepherders symbolized judgment and social desolation (Zeph. 2:6). Amos contrasted his high calling as prophet with his former role as a shepherd (Amos 7:14). Dr. Joachim Jeremias says shepherds were ‘despised in everyday life’ (“The Shepherd in Later Judaism” in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament). In general, they were considered second-class and untrustworthy. … The Mishnah, Judaism’s written record of the oral law, also reflects this prejudice, referring to shepherds in belittling terms. One passage describes them as ‘incompetent’; another says no one should ever feel obligated to rescue a shepherd who has fallen into a pit. … How surprising and significant that Father God handpicked lowly, unpretentious shepherds to first hear the joyous news: ‘It’s a boy, and he’s Messiah!’” – Randy Alcorn, “A Second Glance at the Shepherds”
“We need Advent. So often we want to make Christmas about idyllic manger scenes when Christmas is about un-wed mothers, the oppression of Empire, and the slaughter of children. I think we want to imagine Christmas an unblemished perfect little story, because we are afraid of the darkness. We need Advent because it tells us the whole story. Advent reminds us that Christmas – that the birth of Messiah – is for a world still waiting in darkness, still waiting for justice, still waiting for healing. Advent tells us that Messiah isn’t just a cute baby born in a barn to poor parents. Advents tells us that Messiah is God’s answer to human darkness. God’s light sent to people living under the thumb of the Roman Empire, people living under the oppression of white privilege in Ferguson and Staten Island, people living in systemic poverty … ”
“Joseph matter-of-factly informed his brothers, ‘All shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians’ (Gen. 46:34, NIV). In the course of four hundred years, the Egyptians prejudiced the Israelites’ attitude toward shepherding. … Around 1000 B.C., David’s emergence as king temporarily raised the shepherd’s image. The lowliness of this trade made David’s promotion striking (2 Sam. 7:8). … In the days of prophets, sheepherders symbolized judgment and social desolation (Zeph. 2:6). Amos contrasted his high calling as prophet with his former role as a shepherd (Amos 7:14). Dr. Joachim Jeremias says shepherds were ‘despised in everyday life’ (“The Shepherd in Later Judaism” in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament). In general, they were considered second-class and untrustworthy. … The Mishnah, Judaism’s written record of the oral law, also reflects this prejudice, referring to shepherds in belittling terms. One passage describes them as ‘incompetent’; another says no one should ever feel obligated to rescue a shepherd who has fallen into a pit. … How surprising and significant that Father God handpicked lowly, unpretentious shepherds to first hear the joyous news: ‘It’s a boy, and he’s Messiah!’” – Randy Alcorn, “A Second Glance at the Shepherds”
“As we look around our
world, we might conclude that death has the upper hand, and because of that we
live with fear and despair. Advent is the time we confront these dark fears in
our lives. Fears of illness, financial fears, fear of failing in school,
failure in friendships, fears of growing old and forgotten, fear of loneliness,
marriage fears. … Financial fears often force us into the darkness of greed
and selfishness, fear of failure pushes us to be dishonest, to cheat. The fear
of loneliness often leads us into destructive relationships. … Darkness can be
found in the outbreak of terrorism; darkness is found in the social evils of
crime and drug abuse; darkness is found when countless numbers die of
starvation everyday; darkness is found in a world where human rights are
denied, where the human spirit is crushed. … There is terrifying darkness in
our world, and we often try to cover it over with the tinsel and lights of
Christmas, but that won’t dispel the real darkness of our lives. Advent is the time to boldly confront the
darkness of our lives … We don’t have to point fingers or look far … for
there is darkness in each one of us.” – Franciscan Friar John Yonkovig, pastor
of St. Agnes Church in Lake Placid, N.Y.
“Celebrating Advent means learning
how to wait. Not all can wait – certainly not those who are satisfied,
contented, and feel that they live in the best of all possible
worlds! Those who learn to wait are uneasy about their way of life, but
yet have seen a vision of greatness in the world of the future and are
patiently expecting its fulfillment. The
celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who
know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something
greater to come.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
2) Joy Comes in Jesus: Receiving Him as a Gift and Sharing His Good News with Others
10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that
will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of
David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find
a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was
with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”15 When the angels went away
from them into heaven, the shepherds
said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has
happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste
and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they
made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all
these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all
they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. – Luke 2:10-20
Celebrating Advent ... is about remembering God’s presence in
hard times.
Jesus was born “on tax day to a couple that had the cloud of pregnancy hanging
over their heads, a couple that was out of town and didn’t have money and in a
cave, and was alone and afraid in the middle of the night." And the
shepherds came to serve them.
“When he opened the sky above
Bethlehem, a shaft of his glory pierced our darkness. We are not left on our
own. God is there. … But to these shepherds, God’s glorious immediacy offered
no joy. They were terrified. We would have been too. … It’s our guilty
consciences that make God terrifying. … God is terrifying to guilty sinners,
even though he is in himself gloriously beautiful. But God is pursuing us, even
though we avoid him. He himself takes the initiative to break through our
terror. … If God were unhappy or
frustrated and depressed and cranky, how could you explain the joy of the
angels? … (and) there’s more where
that came from. That’s what happened to the shepherds here. God is good,
and his goodness is of a spreading nature, spilling out of heaven down into
this world, spreading out widely, to all the people, without rank or
distinction. Verse 11 rejoices that a Savior has been born for us – not for the
angels, not for the privileged, not for the worthy, but for us. … If God
spreads joy wherever he goes, we spread trouble wherever we go. Look at the
history of the world. The vast majority of people on the face of this earth
just want to be happy. We don’t mean any harm. We just want to love our quiet
little lives and be left alone. And if nearly everybody feels that way, what’s
gone wrong? Why is the world in such a mess? You and I are the problem. Our
good intentions are not strong enough to control our evil impulses. We need a
Savior to rescue us from ourselves. And God, with great understanding and
compassion, has given us what we most deeply need – a Savior in Jesus Christ.”
– Ray Ortlund, Jr., “Luke 2:14 and Reasons for Joy at Christmas”
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” – Psalm 51:12
3 Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us
to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is
imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are
being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last
time. 6 In this you rejoice,
though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various
trials, 7 so that the tested
genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is
tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the
revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen
him, you love him. Though you do not now
see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled
with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of
your faith, the salvation of your souls. – 1 Peter 1:3-9
“I know my supreme need is joy in God and I
know I can't experience deep joy in God until I deeply trust in God. ... If
fear keeps our lives small, does a life that receives all of God in this moment
grow large, too?" – One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully
Right Where You Are, Ann Voskamp
Jesus Is Our Joy | Why We Need Advent Hymns and Songs
All Creatures of Our God and King lyrics and melody
By West Coast Revival (original by St. Francis of Assisi)
Early 1200s
“Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into
singing! For the Lord
has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.” – Isaiah 49:13
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Thou, burning sun with golden beam,
Thou, silver moon with softer gleam.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!
Lift up your voice and with us sing
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Thou, burning sun with golden beam,
Thou, silver moon with softer gleam.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!
Let all things their Creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness.
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son
And praise the Spirit, Three-in-One.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!
All the redeemed washed by His blood
Come and rejoice in His great love.
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Christ has defeated every sin.
Cast all your burdens now on Him.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!
He shall return in pow’r to reign
Heaven and earth will join to say
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Then who shall fall on bended knee?
All creatures of our God and King
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!
Come and rejoice in His great love.
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Christ has defeated every sin.
Cast all your burdens now on Him.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!
He shall return in pow’r to reign
Heaven and earth will join to say
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Then who shall fall on bended knee?
All creatures of our God and King
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!
“‘Well
done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will
set you over much. Enter
into the joy of your master.” – Matthew 25:23
You Are God and You Are Good lyrics and melody
By Austin Stone Worship
2014 A.D.
“Blessed
are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:3
For the fatherless, we pray be the Father.
Let those who lost their way be understood.
For the widow and the broken –
Be the Lover who will hold them.
We know that You are God and You are good.
Yes, we know that You are God and You are good.
For the widow and the broken –
Be the Lover who will hold them.
We know that You are God and You are good.
Yes, we know that You are God and You are good.
For those who mourn today, be the comfort,
And who hunger after You, be satisfied.
You bless the poor in spirit for heaven is their kingdom.
We know that You are God and You are good.
We know that You are God and You are good.
Yes, we know that You are God and You are good.
You are God, You're the risen King.
You are good, Lord of everything.
No mountain, no valley could ever separate us from Your love.
You are God and You are good.
Yes, we know that You are God and You are good.
As we look upon Your Word, God give us vision.
Restore us by the power of Your blood.
Come now, Holy Spirit – when You whisper let us hear it.
We know that You are God and You are good.
Yes, we know that you are God and you are good.
So come now in power!
And let our chains be broken!
You are God, You're the risen King.
You are good, Lord of everything.
No mountain, no valley could ever separate us from Your love.
You are God and You are good.
Yes, we know that You are God and You are good.
As we look upon Your Word, God give us vision.
Restore us by the power of Your blood.
Come now, Holy Spirit – when You whisper let us hear it.
We know that You are God and You are good.
Yes, we know that you are God and you are good.
So come now in power!
And let our chains be broken!
Pour out Your Spirit!
Jesus, our hearts are open!
You are God, You're the risen King.
You are good, Lord of everything.
No mountain, no valley could ever separate us from Your love.
No power, no darkness, could ever stand between us!
No mountain, no valley could ever separate us from Your love!
You are God and You are good.
Yes, we know that You are God and You are good.
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” – Psalm 51:12
1719 A.D.
"Oh
sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness
in the sight of the nations.” – Psalm 98:1-2
All of Heaven and all creation sing
The wonders of His love!
All of Heaven and all creation sing
The wonders of His love!
Joy to the world!
The Lord has come!
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven,
And nature sing!
All of Heaven and all creation sing
The wonders of His love!
He rules the world
With truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders and
Wonders of His love!
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven,
And nature sing!
All of Heaven and all creation sing
The wonders of His love!
He rules the world
With truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders and
Wonders of His love!
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Sing praises to the Lord with the
lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!.” – Psalm 98:4-6
Next post: Special Emmaus City Advent Liturgy | Sunday, December 21, 2014 –
Jesus Shapes Our Love: His Choice, His Cost, His Cross
– Sully
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