Sermons Archive

Emmanuel God with Us
The Rev. Janice Robinson
December 16, 2007

Each of us is a word spoken by God through the medium of our parents. We are robed in flesh and spoken in a world torn by division, and strife. We are divine words thought into being, pregnant with meaning, and swelling with life. We have been nurtured into fullness through the trials and chances, successes and rhythms of living, and loved into expression. We spill over and slide next to one another, now joining together reflecting the glory of Divine Utterer, and next, separating from one another reflecting a distortion of the image in which we were made that repels and frightens.

This season of anticipation, expectation, preparation, and promise which we call Advent, invites us to a time of stillness and reflection. The prophet Isaiah paints a picture of a coming time when all that seemingly does not reflect the glory that is God will be transformed. That which was not, will be; the blind shall see, the lame leap like deer the speechless will sing; waters will break forth in the desert making of it an oasis rather than a wilderness; a place of joy rather than of fear. Such is the vision of salvation. In the words of Isaiah, written elsewhere, “For as rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose.” (Isaiah 55:11)

God anticipates the realization of the divine dream spelled out in Genesis, knowing our potential before we were spoken. A vision in which we, straining towards one another seek ways in which, together, we can most openly and fully witness to the inauguration of that dream, the Incarnation. The holiest of God’s words comes as a vulnerable child showing the gentleness, the wonder, and the love of the Creator of all words. We are meant to be reflections of God’s highest hope, spoken out loud, Jesus born of Mary.God’s dream

This season also reminds us that God expects, looks forward to our development, our growth. God waits patiently and asks us to do the same. The author Simone Weil, wrote in her notebooks, “Waiting patiently in expectation is the foundation of the spiritual life.” We are meant to accomplish something for God, to assist in bring the divine dream to fruition. It can not occur in isolation, but only in relationship with God’s other words spoken in this world. Unless we are wiling to wait patiently we will miss our encounter with God’s most holy Word, sent to teach us the fullest expression of the divine dream, and our roles in its accomplishment.

We dare not believe that we have the wisdom and the strength within ourselves to accomplish it alone. History tells us that each time we have withheld ourselves from one another, or tried to dominate one another, or make ourselves, rather than our Creator, the center of the dream, seems further and further away. This reflects a distortion of the dream’s echo buried within our souls. Priest and author Henri Nouwen writes, “Without patience our expectation degenerates into wishful thinking. Patience comes from the word “patior” which means “to suffer.”… What seems a hindrance becomes a way; what seems an obstacle becomes a door; what seems a misfit becomes a cornerstone.” Having patience, is recognition that all is revealed in God’s time and not our own. We are not in control. This is God’s dream and we have been invited to help make it fully realized throughout the world. Patience takes discipline, and discipline takes practice as well as God’s assisting grace.

God has prepared us for our role in this divine dream, as we were made in the Divine image. We are meant to be part of God’s assuring declaration of love, to this world. There are many in this world who have made no commitment to God’s dream; others have voiced commitment, but lived something else; and still many others who don‘t know, and/or don’t understand God’s dream, or their role in it. However, unless we, in the words of educator and author, Parker Palmer, “Let our lives speak” we may well miss knowing and living the life meant for us. We will remain caught up in lives someone else wants for us, or lives lived as quid made in the Divine image. We are meant to be a part of God’s pro quo for something. In either case we are the poorer for not pursuing lives that will bring the fullest expression of the word God intends us, no, needs us to be for the fullness of God’s dream to be realized.

A poor peasant girl named Mary, who thought of herself as plain and ordinary, with nothing special to commend her, through her faith, willingly became the medium through which God’s self-revelation became known. She says of her participation, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.” If we patiently wait to be led by God, our joy will be made complete.

The greatest gift that we can give to God is to excavate our lives, learning about the wonderful gift God gave us, our lives, and living them faithfully and authentically. What is God saying to your life? We are called to live then, as “children of God”, showing forth God’s glory. What a wonderful gift to bring to Bethlehem this year. Paul reminds us, “Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2)

God has been promised that the Lord will come in glory to claim us. We do not know the day or the hour, but if like Mary we can be patient, faithful, and open to the leading of the Spirit, we will see the fullness of God’s dream realized. We will walk on that highway called the “Holy Way” as one of “God’s people”. We will not stray, nor will we know fear, or sorrow, or sighing anymore. We will be made glad in the knowledge of our redemption through God’s holiest Word, Jesus Christ, and come singing with joy before the Lord.

Words are powerful, they convey meaning. They can give expression to dreams, and visions. They can be ingested and shape and mould a life from the inside. We carry God’s meaning for this world, and each of us, no matter our cultural, racial, economic, ethnic, or religious heritage, or current age, orientation, status, or position are full of shades of meaning, each of which forms a part of God’s dream. May we remember this Advent season, the meaning of a young woman’s life that blossomed and gave expression to the beginning realization of God’s wondrous dream.

Amen!