“This Will Be a Sign to You” – What Do You See? (Advent Part 1)

Sermon Title: “This Will Be a Sign to You”

Good News Statement: God moves us from anticipation to expectation

Preached: Sunday, December 3, 2023 at Dogwood Prairie UMC & Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSVUE): Jeremiah 33:14-16 Today’s Advent Scripture reading comes from the Prophet Jeremiah, who after accepting his call and finding time to discern what God asked him several chapters ago—“What do you see?” (Jeremiah 1:11-13)—finally is able to see what God needs him to see. Jeremiah sees the burning of a city but also sees the hope of the Righteous Branch of David springing forth to save the people of Judah. Today we are reading from Jeremiah Chapter Thirty-Three, Verses Fourteen thru Sixteen. May the hearing and understanding of the Word of God bring you hope and peace.

 

The Righteous Branch and the Covenant with David

¹⁴ The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. ¹⁵ In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ¹⁶ In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

 

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”

 

 

Introduction:

Advent is a season of anticipation: a season of preparing our heart, mind, body, and soul as we await for the arrival of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word made flesh, who will be found lying in a manger in Bethlehem. But before we make it to Bethlehem, to witness what the angels tell the Shepherds as they were guarding their sheep at night, “This is a sign for you,” we must build up our anticipation by experiencing the season through our senses. We must experience the Advent Season through what we see, what we hear, what we taste, and what we feel. Have you ever wondered what the Christmas season would be like if you couldn’t see it, hear it, taste it, or feel it?

Together during the Advent Season, we are going to experience Christmas through our senses with the hope that through our senses we will receive a deeper meaning of what Advent, and Christmas, are all about. With the help of Matt Rawle, the lead Pastor at Asbury United Methodist Church in Louisiana, and the author of Experiencing Christmas: Christ in the Sights and Sounds of Advent, we will adventure, together, through the Season of Advent anticipating and expecting the arrival of Jesus Christ . Instead of just reading about the birth narrative of Jesus, we are going to live it out and be participants in the narrative of Jesus because we found the true meaning of Christmas this year.

Our journey begins by traveling back in time and by asking ourselves, “Do you see what I see?”  Back in the Book of Genesis God said, “Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw light, that it was good” (Genesis 1:3-4. KJV). God spoke, and then saw. God saw the light and saw that it was good. God then separated the waters from the waters and saw that it was good. God made the dry land and saw that it was good. The sun, moon, and stars, the vegetation, the creeping things, and then humanity…and saw that it was good. The creation unfolds through the repetition of those two actions: “God said…” and “God saw…” I can almost imagine that God’s eyes were closed in that first utterance of “let there be,” and maybe there really wasn’t much to see anyway. With eyes closed God speaks, and then when God’s voice ceases to reverberate through the cosmos, God opens divine eyes and sees that the light is good. God spoke and then saw. We speak and then see. But what do we see when we open our eyes?

On this first Sunday of Advent, we are invited to see what God needs us to see: to open our eyes to the expectation of Christmas. God needs us to see the hope of the season. God needs us to see the anticipation of what is to come. God needs us to see the expectation of salvation lying in a manger. God needs us to see the light, the Word made flesh, in the darkest of times. God needs us to see the true meaning of the season. Today, I invite you to open your eyes to the Christmas Season, and seek to see God at work in your life.

Body:

This past Summer, as a Birthday present, while in Louisiana, Emily took me zip-lining. She has gone several times before, and loved each high-flying adventure. On our drive over there, with a smile on her face and excitement in her eyes, she was telling me about each experience. Me, on the other hand, had never been zip-lining nor am I huge fan of heights. (I will climb ladders and get on roofs, as long as I am given an advanced warning.) But here we were, getting ready to go zip-lining.

After putting on our harnesses and going over the instructions and how a single piece of metal, smaller than my hand, was going to keep me safe, Emily and I walked around on the waiting platform for a while. When she looked out into the swamp, she saw excitement, adventure, and the ability to see the earth from the tree-tops. When I looked out into the swamp, I saw alligators, murky and muddy and unclear water, and possibly my last birthday. What she saw was totally different than what I saw.

Once we climbed the spiraling stairs to the highest platform, there was no turning back. There was a group of us that went. Everybody went and left me on the platform. After what seemed like forever, I took a few deep breaths, closed my eyes, and pushed myself off of the ledge. What a way to celebrate turning 28 years old! I landed safely on the other platform, which was lower than the previous one, knowing that I was getting close to the end—which meant my feet were going to be back on the ground once again. I fought my fear of heights. At one point I let go of the connecting rope and sailed through the air with arms and feet dangling above the alligator infested swamp. I made it to the end! I sailed above God’s creation, seeing fear the whole way to the bottom.

As I think about that experience and what I am asking you all to do during this Advent Season—to see what God needs you to see—I realized that what Emily and I saw were two totally different things. I saw the fear of anticipation that I was doing something that I did not want to do; and Emily saw the excitement of expectation of being set free. My point is, is that sometimes during the Advent Season we all witness the same thing, but we all don’t see it the same way. Let me put this into Christmas perspective.

For example, many people, when looking at a Christmas Tree, see a green triangular object that is filled with needles, that either has a straight or crooked trunk. For others, they see something that points upward towards heaven that has branches that will one day hold precious memories and lights to shine in the darkness, and a place to rest the guiding star or the angel of God. Both sets of people see a Christmas Tree, but only one group of people see a Christmas Tree as part of God’s creation. How about the Christmas wreath? We see Christmas wreaths hanging on doors, on windows, on walls, and outside of homes and businesses. They are typically circular in shape, made with evergreen branches, and are sometimes seen with pine cones and ribbons. Christmas wreaths are simply a decoration. But what if I told you that there is more to see to a wreath than just a circular decoration. The Christmas wreath represents God’s eternal love and grace, Christ’s never ending salvation, and the promise that Jesus was, is, and always will be in our life. Jesus’ reign, like a circle, has no end.  Lastly, what about that sweet peppermint treat that hangs on Christmas tree branches and stirs our hot chocolate. The candy cane, created over 350 years ago, represents much more than the arrival of Christmas. The white represents Christ’s purity, the red represents Christ’s sacrifice, and the cane itself can be a “J” for Jesus, fish hook that reminds us that we are to be fisher of God’s people, and a shepherd’s staff of comfort. We see Christmas Trees and Christmas wreaths and candy canes everywhere during the Christmas season, but are we simply seeing them as decorations or as something that reminds us of the true meaning of the season. What do you see during the Christmas season?

Movement One: The Old Testament Prophecies

Matt Rawle extends on the idea of seeing something for more than it is when he introduces this theme of “seeing” in his book. He writes, “When you see a box of Christmas lights, what do you see? Do you see the potential for an amazing display, artfully adorning your home signifying the changing of the season from Thanksgiving to Advent and Christmas? Maybe these small filaments wrapped in plastic represent a winter wonderland or the first attempt at ‘lawn of the year.’ Maybe this roll of wire and bulbs will soon be an illuminated seen depicting Christ’s birth. Or for some, seeing Christmas lights reminds you of having to get out the ladder, finding clips that don’t adhere to the roof, and an afternoon of second guessing your decision to plug four strands of lights together when the warning clearly says, ‘Do not plug more than three strands of lights together.’ We may be looking at the same box of Christmas lights, but what we see might be two very different things. What we can agree on is that Christmas just isn’t Christmas without light” (pp. 6-8): after all, Jesus is the light of the world (john 1:1-5).

When it comes to Christmas, what do you see? Do you see hustle and bustle? Do you see brown, blue, and white trucks driving by your house non-stop? Do you see Christmas lights and inflatable Santas and Frostys in yards? Do you see people carrying bags on both arms? Or do you see the true meaning of Christmas—the hope, peace, joy, and love of Christ being illuminated through manger scenes and heard through songs of Christmas cheer? What do you see?

Believe it or not, God needs us to answer this question. This question is so important to God that he asks several prophets and religious leaders the same question he asks us on a daily basis. When Saul was in great distress about the Philistines, he sent for a medium, who was cut off by the King, to “bring up” Samuel from his death. Saul said to the medium, “’Have no fear; what do you see?’ And the medium said to Saul, ‘I see a divine being coming up out of the ground [which was Samuel’” (1 Samuel 28:13). Furthermore, on two separate accounts, the Prophet Amos was asked by the LORD, “’What do you see?’ And Amos responds, ‘I see a plumbline…I see a basket of summer fruit’” (Amos 7:8 and 8:2). Later on, the Prophet Zechariah, when describing the lampstands and olive trees, is asked by an angel, “What do you see?” (Zechariah 4:2). A few verses later, Zechariah describes another vision related to the flying scroll, and the angel asks him, “What do you see?” (Zechariah 5:2). What do you see is the question that God needs us to answer this Advent Season. Amos saw more than a plumbline and a basket of summer fruit: he saw destruction and a people who were rotten and not level with God. Zechariah saw visions of the yet to come. When God asks us, “What do we see?” we need to be able to answer with what God needs us to see and not so much with what we want to see. What do you see?

From our scripture passage today, we see Jeremiah exemplifying that very practice. Jeremiah, in our text, sees the signs for the coming Messiah. Jeremiah writes, “The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our Righteousness’” (Jeremiah 33:14-16). Prior to this passage, Jeremiah, similar to that of Amos and Zechariah, is asked by God “what do you see?” Jeremiah 1:11-13, during the initial acceptance of his calling, notes, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Jeremiah, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see a branch of an almond tree.’ Then the Lord said to me, ‘You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.’ The word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, ‘What do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see a boiling pot, tilted away from the north.’” Several chapters later in Jeremiah 24, the Lord said to Jeremiah, ‘”What do you see?’ Jeremiah responds, ‘Figs—the good figs very good and the bad figs very bad, so bad that they cannot be eaten’” (Jeremiah 24”3).

I can imagine Jeremiah writing his poetry in the evening illuminated by firelight, except Jeremiah isn’t sitting near the hearth. He sees Jerusalem burning in the distance. Jeremiah, who was called to be a prophet in 625 BC, lived during the time of Judah’s last kings. Sometimes called the “The Weeping Prophet,” Jeremiah’s words were heavy, full of lament and warning. He was a “soul in pain,” who “screamed, wept, moaned, and was left with a terror in his soul” (Abraham J. Heschel). He saw a city burning and coming to its end but in the end was a righteous beginning. Jeremiah saw what we long to see. Jeremiah saw hope in the Righteousness One.

Jeremiah lived with a polarity of despair and hope,  dancing between terror and grace, offering both warning and pardon to a people seemingly deaf to both. Again, Jeremiah saw hope when no one else did. The fire consuming the city was destructive, but it also symbolizes God’s new, righteous branch rising from the smoldering rubble. Jeremiah saw hope in destruction and he saw hope in the form of new beginnings much like the one that we long to see who is to be called Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14). He saw hope in the one he called “The Lord is our Righteousness.” He saw hope in the one which the Prophet Isaiah describes as “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

Furthermore, Jeremiah saw hope in the one who Isaiah describes as “The Servant, a Light to the Nations.” Isaiah notes, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry out or lift up his voice or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth, and the coastlands wait for his teaching” (Isaiah 42:1-4). Jeremiah saw what God needed him to see: hope and righteousness. Are you willing to do the same? Are you open to seeing hope this Advent Season; of bringing renewal to those less fortunate than you?

Movement Two: Anticipation to Expectation

Our scripture text invites us to see the hope of the Advent Season. But more specifically, it invites us to witness that fact that there is more to Advent than what we see at the surface. Advent is more than anticipation and waiting: it is about seeing and expecting the hope of Christ’s salvation. The text from Jeremiah reminds us that our anticipation needs hope. There’s more to what we see. Anticipation plus hope equals expectation. Advent is about expectation, our acceptance of God’s surprising presence. We anticipate a Messiah, but do we expect a baby? We anticipate that Jesus saves, but do we expect that salvation to come about in such a vulnerable and loving way? Let me share with a story I recently read to help you understand the expectation of Advent.

Chris Hemsworth, best known for his role of Thor in the Marvel Universe, is also the narrator of a Disney Plus program titled, Limitless with Chris Hemsworth. Limitless explores the limits of the human body, offering “fascinating insights into how we can all unlock our body’s superpowers to fight illness, perform better and even reverse the aging process.” During the course of the series, Hemsworth had his DNA tested and discovered his genetic makeup includes two copies of the gene APOE4, which studies have linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. According to the National Institute of Health, having two copies of this gene makes one ten times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s.

Knowing this information, you might anticipate suffering, sadness, and feeling of defeat, which are all honest and appropriate emotions. Hemsworth said in a Vanity Fair article, “You don’t know what tomorrow holds, so live it to the fullest. Whether or not [knowing about the disease] helps you live longer, it’s about living better right now.” Finding out that Hemsworth had a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s wasn’t what he was anticipating, but now he is expecting and hopes to live a full life every day. The journey from anticipation to expectation hinges on hope.

We anticipate the arrival of Jesus Christ on Christmas, but do we expect to witness salvation in a feeding trough, in lowly manger, in the small town of Bethlehem . We anticipate the arrival of Jesus Christ on Christmas, but do we expect to hear the cry of unconditional love in the small town of Bethlehem. We anticipate the arrival of Jesus Christ on Christmas, but do we expect that a simple, every day, person will bow down in the filth of a stable. We anticipate a lot when it comes to Christmas and the birth of the Messiah, but now it’s time to expect—experience, embrace, embody—and see the hope that it is “wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12). Let us be glad, let us be hopeful, knowing that today is the day that the Lord has made. The beauty of the day is not that it is new, but that we are being made new. The glory of the day is not that it marks a change, but that we are being changed. Let us, with hope, expect a new beginning this Advent Season. When God asks us, “What do you see?”, we must be willing to look below the surface of the season and see the hope that has come to save us all.

Expectation changes what we see. Jeremiah saw a city burning to rubble and envisions righteousness, justice, and a new branch springing from the ashes for all the world. We anticipate destruction when we read Jeremiah 33, but Jeremiah looks with eyes of hope and offers the expectation of rebirth. How might expectation change your vision early in this Advent Season? What are you anticipating that needs a touch of hope this Advent Season?

Movement Three: Conclusion

Matt Rawle ends the first chapter of his book with these words, “The First Sunday of Advent is a special Sunday because everything looks dramatically different than when we gathered last.” The Christmas trees fill us with anticipation of gifts, adorned with the symbols of our faith. The Advent wreath leads us to anticipate hope, peace, joy, and love, but also invites us to expect to have hope, peace, joy, and love during the season. The manger scene anticipates the arrival of Mary and Joseph, the Shepherds, the Magi, and Jesus Christ, but it also brings expectation knowing that soon we will see salvation in the flesh.

Experiencing Christmas is moving from anticipation into expectation. This time of year just looks different. Lights up on the rooftop, window displays fill store windows, trees in living rooms, and SUVs with antlers and a red-nosed hood ornament catch our eyes. There are more people serving with the poor, there are more people at local restaurants celebrating, there are more cars in the street and neighborhood because families are visiting. Things look different this time of year because all of creation, with intent or accident, recognizes that when God put on flesh, everything changed. Let me say that again, “When God put on flesh, everything changed.” We look at the world and ask God, “God, do you see what I see?” Now, with God putting on flesh, God answers our question with His own question, “Do you see what I see?”

What do you see in the world today? Where is the church needed the most? What does the world need to see from the church? What do you suppose God sees when God looks upon the world? The Incarnation is about God putting on flesh to assume and redeem our senses, and now, we must do the same thing if we want to see and expect that hope of Christmas.

What will you do differently this Advent Season to help you see the hope and rebirth of Christmas? Will you pray more; will you read your devotional more closely; will you read the birth story of Jesus Christ every day; will you find time to volunteer somewhere; will you check in with those around you more frequently; will you choose to support an organization; will you help others find Christ this Advent Season; or will you find ways to bring church to the people and people to the church? Everything changes during Christmas, and it’s time we do the same.

What do you see? A Christmas tree is more than a green triangular plant; a wreath is more than a decoration; a candy cane is more than a peppermint treat; and a box of lights is more than something to illuminates the darkness. And Christmas, as the Grinch would say, “Maybe doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!” How will you anticipate the birth of Christ this Advent Season? And how will you be in expectation of seeing the hope of the Advent Season played out in your life? What do you see? Do you see what God sees? Where do you see the hope of Advent in your life?

Let it be so…

 

Closing Prayer:

Let us pray: Dear God of Incarnate Flesh, we pray that you will help us see what you need us to see this Advent Season. Open our eyes to see your hope, peace, joy, and love as we expect the arrival of salvation to appear wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. O Lord, as the season fills with hustle and bustle, may we never lose sight of your hope: a hope that assures us that we can keep moving forward, a hope that brings rebirth, and a hope that administers strength at our weakest moments. May we see the hope this Advent Season. Amen.

 

Benediction:

What do you see? How will you see the hope of Christ This Advent Season? May the expectation of Christ’s hope fill your heart today and every day as you anticipate the arrival of Jesus Christ. May the Lord bless you and keep you; May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go forth expecting the arrival of hope, peace, joy, and love this Advent Season. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.