Sunday, December 13, 2020 - Exile & Freedom: Understanding our Whys
Theme: Envisioning New Realities - Exile & Freedom: Understanding our Whys
Lighting of the Advent Candles (Joy)
Continuing on this journey through Advent we come to the day that symbolizes joy. The joy of God is not happiness but “is strength for living, the empowerment to love, the delight in creative beginning... God is joyful when those God has created rejoice over God’s grace and over Godself.” (Jürgen Moltmann) We celebrate joy today not because everything is fine or that we have found a utopia to live in. Today we celebrate joy because no matter where we have been, no matter our experiences God is extending love and grace to us.
Today we relight the candles of hope and peace, which envisions a reality where God is persistent in bringing peace into this world. (The candles of hope and peace are relit.) As we hold onto peace in this restless world we move forward into a joy given by God who is constantly seeking us out and encouraging us to live into new realities. (The candle of joy is lit.)
Prayer
Ezra 1:1-4 Common English Bible Translation
In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia’ rule, to fulfill the Lord’s word spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Persia’s King Cyrus. The king issued a proclamation throughout his kingdom (it was also in writing) that stated: Persia’s King Cyrus says: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has commanded me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. If there are any of you who are from his people, may their God be with them! They may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the Lord, the God of Israel-he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And as for all those who remain in the various places where they are living, let the people of those places supply them with silver and gold, and with the goods and livestock, together with spontaneous gifts for God’s house in Jerusalem. (Question: How do you cultivate joy in your life?)
Psalm 126:1-3
When the Lord changed Zion’s circumstances for the better, it was like we had been dreaming. Our mouths were suddenly filled with laughter; our tongues were filled with joyful shouts. It was even said, at that time, among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them!” Yes, the Lord has done great things for us, and we are overjoyed. (Question: How do you celebrate joy?)
Isaiah 61:1-3a
The Lord God’s spirit is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim release for captives, and liberation for prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and a day of vindication for our God, to comfort all who mourn, to provide for Zion’s mourners, to give them a crown in place of ashes, oil of joy in place of mourning, a mantle of praise in place of discouragement. (Question: What do you need to be released from to experience joy?)
Ezra 3:1-3
When the seventh month came and the Israelites were in their towns, the people gathered together as one in Jerusalem. Then Jeshua, Jozadak’s son along with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel, Shealtiel’s son along with his kin, started to rebuild the altar of Israel’s God so that they might offer entirely burned offerings upon it as prescribed in the Instruction from Moses the man of God. They set up the altar on its foundations, because they were afraid of the neighboring peoples, and they offered entirely burned offerings upon it to the Lord, both the morning and the evening offerings. (Question: How do you hold onto joy even when the world seems fearful?)
Isaiah 61:4
They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore formerly deserted places; they will renew ruined cities, places deserted in generations past. (Ps 126:4-6) Lord, change our circumstances for the better, like dry streams in the desert waste! Let those who plant with tears reap the harvest with joyful shouts. Let those who go out, crying and carrying their seed, come home with joyful shouts, carrying bales of grain! (Question: What are you willing to do to have joy?)
Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom and the power
and the glory, forever. Amen
Blessing
Song List (to listen to from wherever you get your music)
My Soul Cries Out with a Joyful Shout – 100 GTG
Angels We Have Heard on High – 113 GTG (verse 1)
Good Christian Friends, Rejoice – 132 GTG (verse 2)
Joy to the World – 134 GTG (verse 2)
Quotes by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
-“The joy of God has gone through the poverty of the manger and the distress of the cross; therefore it is invincible and irrefutable.”
-“Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy.”
Quotes by Jürgen Moltmann
-“Joy is strength for living, the empowerment of love, the delight in a creative beginning. It wakes us up, and makes us alive from within.”
-“Real joy is feeling about life, but fun is a superficial experience; joy is lasting and enduring, and puts its stamp on one’s whole attitude to life. Joy is fulfilled time; fun is short-lived and serves to pass the time, as they say. The feeling about life behind the party-making, fun society is probably boredom and a certain contempt for life. Real joy stimulates the soul, makes relationships flourish, makes the heart light and limbs nimble, mobilizes undreamed-of powers, and increases confidence.”
Quote by Brené Brown in Daring Greatly
“…research participants consistently described both joyfulness and gratitude as spiritual practices that were bound to a belief in human connectedness and a power greater than us… Participants described happiness as an emotion that’s connected to circumstances, and they described joy as a spiritual way of engaging with the world that’s connected to practicing gratitude.”