Sermon for December 2nd, 2018 - Revision history

Iraneal at 01:11, 1 December 2018

2018-12-01T01:11:34Z

Iraneal at 01:05, 1 December 2018

2018-12-01T01:05:39Z

Iraneal at 00:07, 1 December 2018

2018-12-01T00:07:02Z

Iraneal at 23:36, 30 November 2018

2018-11-30T23:36:02Z

Iraneal at 23:11, 30 November 2018

2018-11-30T23:11:46Z

Iraneal at 22:58, 30 November 2018

2018-11-30T22:58:17Z

Iraneal at 22:56, 30 November 2018

2018-11-30T22:56:47Z

Iraneal at 21:39, 30 November 2018

2018-11-30T21:39:21Z

Iraneal at 21:23, 30 November 2018

2018-11-30T21:23:36Z

Iraneal: Created page with "==Isaiah 40:1-11=="

2018-11-30T21:22:20Z

Created page with "==Isaiah 40:1-11=="

New page

==Isaiah 40:1-11==

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:11, 1 December 2018
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	But Isaiah reminds us that the grass withers, the flower fades ... political and religious leaders come and go, careers and investments wax and wane, and the presents under the tree are quickly forgotten in the new year.		But Isaiah reminds us that the grass withers, the flower fades ... political and religious leaders come and go, careers and investments wax and wane, and the presents under the tree are quickly forgotten in the new year.

−	One thing, and only one thing lasts forever: The Word of God, the good news, the promise that the darkest night will pass and a new day will dawn. As we begin this Advent season, let this be our hope and our confidence: That through ~~the~~ darkness and through ~~the~~ dawn, our good shepherd gathers us in his arms, holds us close, and leads us to greener pastures. Thanks be to God.	+	One thing, and only one thing lasts forever: The Word of God, the good news, the promise that the darkest night will pass and a new day will dawn. As we begin this Advent season, let this be our hope and our confidence: That through our darkness and through our dawn, our good shepherd still gathers us in his arms, holds us close, and leads us to greener pastures. Thanks be to God.

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 Fast forward to the 1st century, to the time when the gospels were written.  The earliest Christians (who were all Jewish) had lost their friend, their teacher, the one they thought would save them from Roman oppression.  And in the year 70--just before the earliest gospels were written, the city of Jerusalem was destroyed once more, and its people were killed or scattered.
-And in this time of darkness, the gospel writers turned again to the ancient scriptures, to the words of Isaiah.  Once more, these words brought comfort.  They reminded those first century Christians of their Lord, Jesus, who also frequently used words from Isaiah to comfort people in despair.  Through Isaiah's words, joined with their own words in this new story, they resurrected Jesus and his teachings to bring hope and comfort to others.
+In this time of darkness, the gospel writers turned again to the ancient scriptures, to the words of Isaiah.  Once more, these words brought comfort.  They reminded those first century Christians of their Lord, Jesus, who also frequently used words from Isaiah to comfort people in despair.  Through Isaiah's words, joined with their own words in this new story, they resurrected Jesus and his teachings to bring hope and comfort to others.
-They read Isaiah not just in a way that affirmed their belief that Jesus, the Messiah, had come.  Now they read Isaiah in a way that affirmed their hope that Jesus, the Messiah, would come again.
+Yes, they read Isaiah in a way that affirmed their belief that Jesus was the Messiah they had been waiting for.  But now--in the absence and loss of their good shepherd--they also began to read Isaiah in a way that affirmed their hope that Jesus would someday come again.
 Fast forward again to the present day.

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:07, 1 December 2018
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	"Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”		"Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

−	In other words, it's going to be okay. This time of suffering won't last forever. Be patient. It gets better.	+	In other words, it's going to be okay. This time of suffering won't last forever. Be patient. It gets better. The grass may wither, the flower may fade, your city may be destroyed, your life may be in ruins, but God's word will outlast all these things, and God's word (remember, that's what prophets are supposed to deliver) is this (verse 11):
		+
		+	"He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep."
		+
		+	In other words, God will take care of you, even in your darkest hour. That's good news. Glad tidings.
		+
		+	Fast forward to the 1st century, to the time when the gospels were written. The earliest Christians (who were all Jewish) had lost their friend, their teacher, the one they thought would save them from Roman oppression. And in the year 70--just before the earliest gospels were written, the city of Jerusalem was destroyed once more, and its people were killed or scattered.
		+
		+	And in this time of darkness, the gospel writers turned again to the ancient scriptures, to the words of Isaiah. Once more, these words brought comfort. They reminded those first century Christians of their Lord, Jesus, who also frequently used words from Isaiah to comfort people in despair. Through Isaiah's words, joined with their own words in this new story, they resurrected Jesus and his teachings to bring hope and comfort to others.
		+
		+	They read Isaiah not just in a way that affirmed their belief that Jesus, the Messiah, had come. Now they read Isaiah in a way that affirmed their hope that Jesus, the Messiah, would come again.
		+
		+	Fast forward again to the present day.

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 They read his words in that light, scanning and searching for any reference that looked like it might possibly apply to their hero, their savior, their messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.  Whenever they found something that seemed to fit, they included it in the story to back up what they already believed.  Some, like Matthew and Luke, who were not with Jesus during his lifetime, took creative license and when they saw something they liked in Isaiah, and added the appropriate episode to their version of Jesus' story.
-My sincere apologies if, in the last few paragraphs, I just burst anyone's Bible bubble or ruined your favorite Christmas scripture verses.  Part of my intention in this sermon series on Isaiah, and on the verses from Isaiah that are commonly read at Christmas time, is to debunk a very long tradition of interpreting Old Testament "prophecies" that is dubious at best, and at worst is downright harmful and offensive to our Jewish brothers and sisters who share and study these same scriptures, and whom Christians throughout history have often presumed to be "oblivious" or "ignorant" simply because they do not see what we see when reading them.
+My sincere apologies if, in the last few paragraphs, I just burst anyone's Bible bubble or ruined your favorite Christmas scripture verses.  Part of my intention in this sermon series on Isaiah, and on the verses from Isaiah that are commonly read at Christmas time, is to debunk a very long tradition of interpreting Old Testament "prophecies" that is dubious at best, very easy to disprove, and at worst is downright harmful and offensive to our Jewish brothers and sisters who share and study these same scriptures, and whom Christians throughout history have often presumed to be "oblivious" or "ignorant" simply because they do not see what we see when reading them.
 But it is also my intention in this sermon series, having debunked, to then rebuild.  To establish a way of reading Isaiah that is faithful to its original context, that is appropriate to the season of Advent and Christmas, one that rather than dividing us, draws us closer to our Jewish friends, and to many religious traditions in our world who earnestly hope and yearn for a better world, and someone--a messiah--to lead them into that future.

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 They read his words in that light, scanning and searching for any reference that looked like it might possibly apply to their hero, their savior, their messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.  Whenever they found something that seemed to fit, they included it in the story to back up what they already believed.  Some, like Matthew and Luke, who were not with Jesus during his lifetime, took creative license and when they saw something they liked in Isaiah, and added the appropriate episode to their version of Jesus' story.
-*Debunking and Rebuilding
+My sincere apologies if, in the last few paragraphs, I just burst anyone's Bible bubble or ruined your favorite Christmas scripture verses.  Part of my intention in this sermon series on Isaiah, and on the verses from Isaiah that are commonly read at Christmas time, is to debunk a very long tradition of interpreting Old Testament "prophecies" that is dubious at best, and at worst is downright harmful and offensive to our Jewish brothers and sisters who share and study these same scriptures, and whom Christians throughout history have often presumed to be "oblivious" or "ignorant" simply because they do not see what we see when reading them.
-*A voice cries out:  In the wilderness...  OR  A voice cries out in the wilderness.
-*Joke about commas, punctuation
+But it is also my intention in this sermon series, having debunked, to then rebuild.  To establish a way of reading Isaiah that is faithful to its original context, that is appropriate to the season of Advent and Christmas, one that rather than dividing us, draws us closer to our Jewish friends, and to many religious traditions in our world who earnestly hope and yearn for a better world, and someone--a messiah--to lead them into that future.

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:39, 30 November 2018
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	==Isaiah 40:1-11==		==Isaiah 40:1-11==
		+	Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
		+
		+	3 A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
		+
		+	6 A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. 9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” 10 See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

	==Messiah: A Voice in the Wilderness==		==Messiah: A Voice in the Wilderness==
		+
		+	*Debunking and Rebuilding
		+	*A voice cries out: In the wilderness... OR A voice cries out in the wilderness.
		+	*Joke about commas, punctuation

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:23, 30 November 2018
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	==Isaiah 40:1-11==		==Isaiah 40:1-11==
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		+	==Messiah: A Voice in the Wilderness==