Is. 61 I Thes. 5:16-21 Dec. 14 Sermon

Jesus loved Is. 61. These words form most of the mission statement of Jesus in Luke 4. You can tell he’s his mother’s son, as they bear some linkage to her great prayer coming to terms with Gabriel’s announcement. It’s a promise of moving from Christmas blues to Christmas joy. It is directed toward the people who need Christmas. Jubilee-the tidings of comfort and joy are directed to those in trouble. As usual, it is part of the already in motion, but far from complete tension in the faith. In other words, if you are doing well, reach out. If not, learn to receive help, but still reach out to those in trouble. God’s plan here is to lift up those who are down, to bring them up to a new and better level.

I don’t think that this is directed at the economically vulnerable alone. Hard times affect not only the pocketbook, but the spirit as well. Isaiah calls for us to bind up physical wounds but reach out to help heal emotional or psychological wounds as well. At Crown Pointe, the women did a good job in offering suggestions on how they coped with their first Christmas as widows to a lady who lost her husband over a month ago. How do we receive oil of gladness to help with the pall of mourning? The holidays can be a time of refreshed grief. It is often best to admit that. Some people do well to find a focal point, such as buying a special ornament for the tree or trying to offer a public service as when the Frensenmeyer family remembered bob with a Christmas dinner to the community. It can be sharing some memories; maybe memories that others haven’t heard, or enjoy rehearing.

It’s easier to be in the Christmas spirit to those in our Christmas cards than those we have to deal with at a Christmas gathering. Today, our reading from Paul is quite similar to last week’s advice from Peter. Paul realizes that life in community is not easy. Still, we are warned not to be Scrooges in this season, or any season. We continue the spirit of Christmas, the spirit of the Incarnation of God’s hopes for the world in some of these steps. Paul gives these steps for the first time in written form, in this the possibly oldest New Testament document, older than the gospels by a good twenty years. In its way, Paul tells us to treat people as if expecting or hoping for an extra good present from them. It is difficult to see each other as presents from God. Our packaging is not always the best and the social graces we learn often hide serious flaws, far worse than those dread words: some assembly required or batteries not included. We see family again and calculate their flaws and annoying habits, but rarely look for the best in them. Part of that spirit is praying for others. I mean praying in their spiritual development, emotional growth, as well as in the times of illness. We can thank God for the people in our lives, not only pray about their needs as if they are only a collection of problems. Instead, Paul tells us to look for the best in people. We are at our best when we try to bring out the best in others.

Paul tells us to watch out for the exhausted. One way we can do that is to help limit people’s push toward exhaustion. Women, especially, put too much on their to do list at this time of year, not the honey do list, but the huge list of expectations they maintain and even create at this time of year. I don’t know if we should commemorate Mary’s labor pains by laboring so hard to try to make a perfect Christmas. Then our nerves get on edge and we are as cranky as Scrooge. Exhausted is not way to go into a holiday. Exhausted in so way to prepare for the feast of the incarnation of God’s own being into our lives at Christmas. Advent is time to get ready for the big day filled with God’s good energy.