Lighting of the Advent Candles

One: We have lit three candles?for hope, for peace, and for joy. Today we light the fourth candle?the candle of love. With this flame we signify the love of God that surrounds and fills us at all times, but that we recognize in a special way in the Christmas story. There is no greater power than love. It is stronger than rulers and empires, stronger than grief or despair, stronger even than death. We love, because God loves us.

Assurance of Forgiveness

“You are called to belong to Jesus Christ.” For the sake of the One God promised to send, named as God’s Son, who died, was raised, and through whom we receive grace, God forgives you all your sins. You are God’s beloved, called to be saints. Grace to you and peace.

Isaiah 7:10-16

??????????????????????? 10Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, 11Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. 12But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. 13Then Isaiah said: ?Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? 14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. 15He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

Matthew 1:18-25

??????????????????????? 18Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ?Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.? 22All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23?Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,? which means, ?God is with us.? 24When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent. When we started our Advent journey in November, we were reminded that Advent is a time of waiting and preparing; Advent can be a journey that can lead us to something new and exciting. We started with a pending invitation to walk towards the light of God.? Then we were given a tangible hope with a promise that life and new creation will emerge from a dead stump. Last week we were reminded that a desert can bloom and the journey with God involves God moving and us moving. For all of these Scripture passages from Isaiah, have taken us on a journey. This Advent season has helped us to prepare for the birth of Jesus Christ through being filled with places-holy places, hard places, and the pathways in between. Together, these places present ?a geography of salvation??a map of the heights and depths our good God will go to bring us home. Through these weeks of Advent, we have ?visited? some of these sacred locales. Along the way we have learned that we can meet God us on the mountaintop, in the valley, and in the desert?but that God also draws near to wherever it is we find ourselves, and today we find ourselves here. Our journey to Bethlehem will be filled with landmarks from the book of Isaiah, and will lead us to the stories many of us know. We are moving from waiting for our invitation to celebrating when the house of the Lord is established, to knowing that even in the midst of a broken creation, signs of hope will emerge, and today, to remembering that Advent isn?t only about God?s movement toward us, but also about our movement toward God. Movement in relationships is always important, especially with God.