Good Shepherd Lutheran Church(elca)
Following Christ, Growing in Faith, Sharing God's Love
<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if !mso]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <![endif]--> “God’s Promises” Luke 1:68-79 Pr. Tom Schoenherr December 5-6, 2009 I believe it happened with each of our three children that due to a bad cold or an ear infection their fever would wake them crying during the night. I would change them and bring to Barb for the comfort of food, but then as I took them back to their bed, the crying would resume. I would then walk with them into the living room, singing softly, rubbing their backs, sharing our hopes and dreams for them, and seeking to comfort them as I walked back and forth. The early morning hours when it is still so dark and silent are the most lonely and forsaken times for me. In that darkness their fevers and their tears seemed all the worse. The tears often would not stop and there was nothing I could do to make it better. As I talked and prayed with them, I would also be looking forward to seeing the light of dawn. It seems to me that problems are worse during the night, but there is hope as the dawning light appears. In Advent we look forward to the dawn of the coming of Jesus Christ. The troubles that beset us can keep us in the darkness. Our troubling problems, our fears and our sin, our guilt and regrets can grab hold of us and they are all that we can see. There doesn’t seem to be anything we can do to change it. If we turn away from the hope we have in Christ and we don’t trust God’s promise of the dawn of his love, then our darkness becomes the darkness of the shadow of death. But God keeps promises. Abraham and Sarah had no children and god came to them with the promise of Isaac. Zechariah and Elizabeth had no children and God came to them with a promise, just as God’s angel also appeared to Mary with a promise. Zechariah questioned the angel Gabriel about God’s promise of a son who would turn the people of Israel to trust in the Lord God. He would prepare the way for the Messiah, Jesus Christ. But Zechariah wanted a sign. Gabriel told Zechariah that he would not be able to speak until the child who was promised was born. When the baby was born, neighbors and relatives rejoiced with Zechariah and Elizabeth. They all thought the child’s name would be Zechariah after his father. Elizabeth said, “No, his name is to be called John.” Then they motioned and made sign language to Zechariah and he wrote on a tablet, “His name is John.” I wonder if Zechariah went to pick up his son during the night, when a fever may have wakened him and he was crying. I wonder if Zechariah walked the floors of their home carrying john in his arms to comfort him. Maybe as he was walking in the middle of the night he speaks this Benedictus, words of praise of God who keeps his promises, who brings salvation and whose way is peace for all. Zechariah says that God has looked with delight on his people. God raises up a Savior as he promised centuries before. God remembers the covenant he made with Abraham and the Most High God sends his own son to bring salvation and forgiveness to his people. And as they walk in the living room, Zechariah speaks to John that he would be the prophet of the Most High who will go before him to prepare his way. Our god is not distant but he comes to be very near to us. God keeps his promises for you and me, our congregation, and the world. God’s vision for us as his people is one of gathering together around God’s Word and Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Empowered by the Holy Spirit we are sent to the world to keep on preparing the way of the Lord; to speak of God who keeps his promises, who brings salvation and healing, and whose way is the way of peace. And when we cry and our tears and our fears overwhelm us, God picks us up and walks with us to comfort us with his promise. As God’s people we carry one another in our arms sharing our tears and our fears, speaking comfort and hope through the night until the dawn of Christ fills all with light, hope and peace. God has and is still and will continue to fulfill his promises for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
“God’s Promises”
Luke 1:68-79
Pr. Tom Schoenherr
December 5-6, 2009
I believe it happened with each of our three children that due to a bad cold or an ear infection their fever would wake them crying during the night. I would change them and bring to Barb for the comfort of food, but then as I took them back to their bed, the crying would resume. I would then walk with them into the living room, singing softly, rubbing their backs, sharing our hopes and dreams for them, and seeking to comfort them as I walked back and forth. The early morning hours when it is still so dark and silent are the most lonely and forsaken times for me.
In that darkness their fevers and their tears seemed all the worse. The tears often would not stop and there was nothing I could do to make it better. As I talked and prayed with them, I would also be looking forward to seeing the light of dawn. It seems to me that problems are worse during the night, but there is hope as the dawning light appears.
In Advent we look forward to the dawn of the coming of Jesus Christ. The troubles that beset us can keep us in the darkness. Our troubling problems, our fears and our sin, our guilt and regrets can grab hold of us and they are all that we can see. There doesn’t seem to be anything we can do to change it. If we turn away from the hope we have in Christ and we don’t trust God’s promise of the dawn of his love, then our darkness becomes the darkness of the shadow of death.
But God keeps promises. Abraham and Sarah had no children and god came to them with the promise of Isaac. Zechariah and Elizabeth had no children and God came to them with a promise, just as God’s angel also appeared to Mary with a promise.
Zechariah questioned the angel Gabriel about God’s promise of a son who would turn the people of Israel to trust in the Lord God. He would prepare the way for the Messiah, Jesus Christ. But Zechariah wanted a sign. Gabriel told Zechariah that he would not be able to speak until the child who was promised was born.
When the baby was born, neighbors and relatives rejoiced with Zechariah and Elizabeth. They all thought the child’s name would be Zechariah after his father. Elizabeth said, “No, his name is to be called John.” Then they motioned and made sign language to Zechariah and he wrote on a tablet, “His name is John.”
I wonder if Zechariah went to pick up his son during the night, when a fever may have wakened him and he was crying. I wonder if Zechariah walked the floors of their home carrying john in his arms to comfort him. Maybe as he was walking in the middle of the night he speaks this Benedictus, words of praise of God who keeps his promises, who brings salvation and whose way is peace for all.
Zechariah says that God has looked with delight on his people. God raises up a Savior as he promised centuries before. God remembers the covenant he made with Abraham and the Most High God sends his own son to bring salvation and forgiveness to his people. And as they walk in the living room, Zechariah speaks to John that he would be the prophet of the Most High who will go before him to prepare his way.
Our god is not distant but he comes to be very near to us. God keeps his promises for you and me, our congregation, and the world. God’s vision for us as his people is one of gathering together around God’s Word and Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Empowered by the Holy Spirit we are sent to the world to keep on preparing the way of the Lord; to speak of God who keeps his promises, who brings salvation and healing, and whose way is the way of peace.
And when we cry and our tears and our fears overwhelm us, God picks us up and walks with us to comfort us with his promise. As God’s people we carry one another in our arms sharing our tears and our fears, speaking comfort and hope through the night until the dawn of Christ fills all with light, hope and peace.
God has and is still and will continue to fulfill his promises for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
