This week’s worship from our advent series gets into the good stuff! This week we really get into the familiar and exciting parts of the story! It’s almost Christmas and there’s just a little more online shopping to finish up!!
To be honest, I really want to be that excited and have almost nothing left to do. But if you’ve worked in a church or a church office, you know that the last week or so before Christmas Eve is among the most active time rivaled only by the last week before Easter.
Today my to-do list includes four or five bulletins (I’ve already lost count), website and social media updates, creating some graphics, recording and editing the video for The Journal, important staff communications, and some pastoral calls. These all need to be done today because tomorrow will be filled with recording videos for at least three different worship services.
Because I don’t think of myself as the kind of person who is well organized, this is a time that is filled with confusion about what to tackle from minute-to-minute. And in my years of ministry, I find that Christmas always comes! God always shows up! The candles get lit and the carols are sung and we experience God’s Christmas Spirit!! And so from my confusion always comes wonder at what God can do.
Luke 1:26-38
26 When Elizabeth was six months pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee, 27 to a virgin who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 When the angel came to her, he said, “Rejoice, favored one! The Lord is with you!” 29 She was confused by these words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. God is honoring you. 31 Look! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. 33 He will rule over Jacob’s house forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.”
34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen since I haven’t had sexual relations with a man?”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come over you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the one who is to be born will be holy. He will be called God’s Son.36 Look, even in her old age, your relative Elizabeth has conceived a son. This woman who was labeled ‘unable to conceive’ is now six months pregnant. 37 Nothing is impossible for God.”
38 Then Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Consider these questions:
- What does your last week before Christmas feel like? Are you ready? How have you prepared?
- In question 1, did you respond with the status of shopping or the status of your house in anticipation of guests? Did you respond with how you have prepared your spirit?
- Have you ever received a surprise announcement? What was the announcement? What were your emotions in response? How did the element of surprise impact the announcement and/or your response?