November 29, 2015 - First Sunday of Advent, lighting the Hope Candle

This past Sunday (Nov. 29th) was the first Sunday of the Advent Season for 2015.  Here at Woodlawn Christian Church we lit the first of the four Advent Candles, the candle of Hope.  In my Children's Sermon, I discussed how the 'Hope' that we feel at this time of year is the coming celebration on Christmas of the birth of the Christ Child, as well as the awaited second arrival of Christ.  This 'Hope' that we all share isn't a wish or something we'd like to see happen, rather it is something that we are reassured by our faith is, in fact, going to happen.

Ryan Daisy and Emily Winker were home from college, and so I asked them to light our first candle.  The reading they did during the lighting ceremony is attached at the end of this blog post.

I've also attached the video of the sermon, I hope all who take the time to watch and listen enjoy what they hear.  May the all abiding and overwhelming Grace of our God fill your heart with hope, hope for the future, and hope in God's unending and undenied Love for you all.

In His Love, Grace & Hope!

Roy

First Sunday in Advent: The candle of 'Hope'

Reader 1

Listen to the prophet Isaiah:

In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!

Reader 2

The poet George Herbert once wrote: “He that believes in hope dances without music.”

This is a good picture for a life of faith. To hope in God’s grace is to move to a rhythm that other people may not hear. It is to act out a drama others cannot imagine. It is to glide through life guided by a tune that plays only in your own heart.

The hopes of our faith make no sense from the outside. It’s a rough world, with forces that try to dominate our lives. But we hope in a God of truth and justice to have the final word.

In a world where violence and force always seem to win the day, we hope in a force of love that is the supreme power. In a world where wealth and status seem to have the upper hand over desperate, needy people, we hope that poverty and innocence have God’s special blessing.

Candle-lighter: Lighting of the candle of 'Hope'

Advent Hymn One Candle Is Lit No. 128 (verse 1)

Reader 1

Having hope means constantly expecting a different kind of future, even when history seems to confirm our fears. Hope is for those who feel the pain of the world. Hope is for those who agonize at human cruelty. Hope is for those who hear the cries of homeless and hungry children, and cry along with them.

In a world where hope seems so far away, we are a people of hope. We listen for the voice of angels in the wind. We stretch to see the first light of a new day on the horizon. We long for a new birth of grace in every human heart. We wait. We listen. We hope.

Reader 2

Christ we sit in darkness, but you are our light. We long for your coming into our hearts, into our lives and into our world.

You are the One for whom all the peoples of the earth wait. Our world has been shaken by fire and earthquake and storm; Our security has been shaken by bombings and wars and uncertainty.

We wait in anticipation expecting God’s light to penetrate our darkness and radiate within us.

In the midst of our doubts and our insecurities we are reminded that you are never shaken. Your faithfulness reaches to the ends of the earth.

We watch and wait expecting new light to shine as the season of joy approaches.

You are our rock and our refuge, an ever present help in trouble. Come down, come in, walk with us so that we trust in you and not be shaken.

We wait in hope attentive to all the signs of Christ’s coming.