Sermon – 12-24-23 – 10:15 a.m. – Advent 4 – Love – Cycle B
Scriptures: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Luke 1:46b-55; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38
Sermon Title: “What Now?”

Advent is a strange time. We are anticipating the baby in the manger. The list of scriptures that many Christian denominations follow has us thinking of end times. We do not want to hear this. This list of designated scriptures is called The Lectionary. Our Roman Catholic relatives and neighbors and friends will probably be hearing the same scripture today as you are hearing. But our minds and money just know the extravaganza of food and gifts and family gatherings.

Some of us like a quiet Christmas. Some of us are alone but we yearn for the excitement. Some of us will gather with family but we barely know how to converse with these people who feel obligated to gather.

Well, you may have noticed that we really did not have doomsday readings today but the baby is still not in the manger. But we are close. We are close to the moment when love came down. But we are still waiting. Who knows the hour and the minutes until midnight?

Well long before Jesus appeared, his ancestor David was king of Israel. You may have heard of the Ark that was the Israelites most holy symbol of God – it was like the Ark was God. They carried the Ark with them wherever they went. The Ark did not yet have a real home. When David was king, he begged God to let himself, David, build a permanent temple for the Ark instead of just being protected by a tent. Daivd begged God about this issue like children beg Santa Claus for certain gifts.

Did God favor David with this desire of David’s? No, God did not. God’s plan was to have David’s son, Solomon, build the temple when Solomon became the king of this land. So even though God really liked David and David was a very good king in most ways, David did not get his wish. This is our Old Testament lesson. But did God leave David high and dry? No. God reminded David that God had protected David ever since he was a shepherd boy and David’s name would be known way into the future.

David’s “line” would move along all the way down to our Jesus. A direct line. Jesus is the permanent king, the king who represents “love.” Jesus is the gift! His essence is love. Love wants the best for the other person. Our love for each other strengthens both ourselves and the ones we love.

We are gifted this morning with the story of Mary being told that she will become the mother of this baby of love. Some of you were introduced to Billy Goat and Sherry Sheep several weeks ago when the lesson was about Jesus in the end times separating the sheep from the goats. You may remember that Billy Goat wanted to learn how to be a sheep. The sheep were the good guys. So Sherry Sheep offered to help him do that when Billy Goat asked her how he could become a good guy.

Don’t you think it is strange that I just said that Jesus was the judge who is separating the people who would go to heaven from the people who would go the opposite direction when before that I was saying that Jesus is love. I think that is strange also. Let’s see how Sherry Sheep maneuvers around this dilemma. Sherry Sheep contacts Billy Goat and says, “Come, get into this time machine with me. We are going backward in time, so hang on. It will be a short trip. A little bit more than 30 years” “Oh,” says Billy Goat. What is a time machine? How is this going to teach me to be a good guy?” Sherry Sheep replies, “It is going to be an experience of love. Can you believe that this Jesus who separated you from me can be loving?”

Billy Goat replies, “Well maybe if I can get on his good side when Jesus is a baby, it will last until the judgment day!” “Maybe so,” says Sherry Sheep. “Let’s see what God will do with you.” .Off they go to Nazareth in the area called Gallilee and quietly find themselves in a garden. “Let’s be really quiet while we enter this garden,” says Sherry quietly. Hiding in a huge, green bush, they see a lovely young girl, like a teenager. She is alone until suddenly there appears this masculine angel with an urgent message for the girl. This angel is gentle even though he is excited about his news for the girl. The angel slowly draws close to the girl and says, “I am Gabriel, an angel of the Lord. Mary, don’t be afraid. I know you are not accustomed to seeing an angel in your garden. But I am here to give good news to you.”

Bill and Sherry watch with their mouths open in awe. In fact, they quietly fold their legs and slide to the ground so they can fold their front legs in prayer. They are thinking, “Tell us already.”
Mary is waiting also. Her breathing almost stops.. “An angel in my garden!” she is thinking to herself. Before she can call her mother or father, the angel continues. “You, Mary are going to have a baby by the Holy Spirit.” This baby shall be named Jesus. He will be your Savior and everyone’s Savior who wants a Savior!”

Sherry Sheep is wondering what Mary is thinking. Sherry Sheep has already had more than one baby sheep. She wonders if Mary likes the idea of having a baby. Sherry does not need to wait long to know how Mary feels about having this special baby – this baby who will be the descendant of David – a king in the line of kings. This baby will be a forever baby!

Just then, Mary speaks profoundly in reply to Gabriel, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the Angel Gabriel, left.

There is silence. Sherry Sheep and Billy Goat are still cross-legged on the ground. Silence. Then Mary slowly slips into the house after being silent for a long time in the garden.

Billy Goat says reverently to Sherry Sheep, “This is the goodness side of judgment! How can I stay in all this love?” Sherry wisely replies, “Sometimes it is easy and sometimes it is not easy to stay in this condition. We are creation. We are not the Creator. We are not perfect all the time. But do you know the most exciting part, Billy? Did you hear, Billy? This baby, who will be born in nine months, will be our Savior. So when we slip out of love mode, this Jesus will pull us back – well not so much pull as invite us – into his arms of love. We can be saved or restored every single time we need it. After a while, we need to be rescued less and less because the love will grow around us and inside us and we will not be tempted to stray. We will just want to stay.” Amen