Worship on the Lord’s Day
Second Sunday of Advent 10:00 am December 08, 2024
Minister: The Rev. Brad Childs Welcoming Elder: Lynn Vaughan
Music Director: Binu Kapadia Vocalist: Linda Farrah-Basford
Guitar: Lorraine Wheatley
Children’s time presenter: Brad
We gather to worship God
Music Prelude: Binu and Lorraine
Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you
P: And also, with you
Welcome and announcements
Preparation for worship
Call to worship: Jafarijam family.
L: In a world too often filled with problems, we come to this place to search for peace.
P: We come with hearts open and ready to be loved.
L: We light the second candle of Advent as a symbol of God’s peace for us in a troubled world. (Light the candle of peace)
L: May the light of God’s peace be with us all.
P: In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Opening praise: Hope is a star 119: vss 1-2)
Prayers of approach and apology
We honour you for your beauty and magnificence. You give us life and dwell among us. You are the living water that cleanses us, the voice that calls us back when we stray, and the one who sends us into the community to serve others.
We thank you for empowering us to participate in your excellent plans for our world through your love.
God of Forgiveness, in Baptism, we are washed clean from our sins. It marks the beginning of our new life in Christ and the blessing of your Holy Spirit. Yet, we acknowledge that we sometimes fall short—we hurt others and ourselves through our words and actions and neglect the good we could do.
We often slip back into old ways instead of embracing the new life you offer, and we sometimes don’t fully utilize the gifts you have given us.
Please help us to remember that we are forgiven. Guide us to live each day with the freshness of the new life we’ve received. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, who always was, is, and will be. Amen.
Response: We come to ask your forgiveness
Assurance of God’s love
Brennan Manning shares a touching story about a woman who visited her priest. She told him that she had a vision of Jesus when she prayed.
“He appears to me as real as you are standing here right now, Father,” said the woman. “And he speaks to me. He tells me that he loves me and wants to be with me. Do you think I’m crazy?”
“Not at all,” the priest replied. “But to be sure it’s Jesus you’re seeing, ask him a question the next time he appears. Ask him to tell you the sins I confessed to him in confession. Then come back and tell me what he said.”
A few days later, the woman returned.
“Did you have another vision of Jesus?” the priest asked.
“Yes, I did, Father,” she answered.
“And did you ask him about the sins I confessed?” the priest asked nervously.
“Yes, I did,” the woman replied.
“And what did he tell you?” the priest inquired.
“Jesus said… ‘I forgot.”
This beautiful exchange reminds us of God’s incredible grace. As Isaiah 43:25 says: “I, even I, Am He who blots out your transgressions… and remembers your sins no more,” says the LORD.
In Christ, our sins are as far away from us as East is from West. Know forgiveness and forgive your neighbours in kind.
Musical offering (Dayspring Singers): One Single Light
Words and music by Dave and Jean Perry ©MCMXCIII Alfred Music Co. Inc.
We listen for the voice of God.
Song: Jesus loves me (373)
Children’s Time
The Giving Tree by Shell Silverstien! Do you know this book? Oh, it’s really good. We don’t have time to read it all now, maybe later we could, but for now I want to point out how the Tree in the book and the boy are friends. The book moves through the story with the boy getting older and returning each time to take something more from the tree.
First, he collects the leaves. He would climb up her trunk, swing from branches and eat her apples. When he got tired, he slept in the tree’s shade.
As the boy got older the tree was more and more often alone.
“Come boy, swing from my branches and be happy.”
But the boy felt too old. He wanted money instead. But the tree had no money. So the tree offered all the apples.
The boy took away all the apples and sold them for money.
But again, the tree was alone.
After a long time, the boy came back.
“Climb me” she said.
What I need now is a house for my family.
So, the tree offered to have to boy cut off it’s limbs to build a house.
Again, the boy was gone for a long while.
“Come play,” said the tree.
I’m too old and sad said the boy. I want to make a boat and sail away.
“Cut me down said the tree and make your boat”
After a very long time the boy came back,
“I’m sorry I have nothing left,” said the tree. She was sad but had nothing to give. I am just an old stump now.”
Next the boy sits on the stump and again the two were together. And the tree was happy.
One of the interesting things about this story is the idea that the tree represents God. God gives and gives and gives, and for everything we need, He provides. Like the boy, we all grow, and slowly, we become less interested in God and more interested in what God might be willing to do for us or give us. But in the story, the Tree keeps giving until it has nothing left to give. And yet, when the boy finally returns, the tree still loves him and wants only one thing… to be together.
The tree is a little like God. But the lesson is this – No matter what, God loves you, even if you take and take and take because all God really wants is to be together.
Prayer
Let’s pray. Our God, we thank you that you give and give and we’re sorry that we take and take too much. We ask that you help us to leave something for those who come behind us. God, we thank you for your forgiveness, your love, your care, and for everything
The Lord’s Prayer (535)
Song: There’s a voice in the wilderness (128)
Scripture readings: Malachi 3:1-4; Luke 1:68-79; Philippians 1:3-11; Luke 3:1-6
Response: My Lord, he is a’ comin’ soon
Message: “Peace”
Somewhere around the year 58 AD, the apostle Paul is falsely accused of bringing non-Jewish Messianic followers of Jesus (a subset of the Hebrews at the time) into the inner sections of the Jewish Temple. At the time, these followers of Jesus coming from outside Judaism would be considered God-fearers or proselytes. Officially, the temple system would consider them to be at the outset of converting.
As you may recall from a previous service, that would be problematic, to say the least. The cultural issues would be massive. Certain sections of the court were meant for the Highest high priest alone, areas for the high priest, areas for men, areas just for women, areas for priests doing maintenance work, areas for the regular priests, a section for children, a gate for Levites, a gate for sacrifice, a gate for each of the many major offerings, and all manner of other separations.
They didn’t enter the temple, however. The accusation is frivolous, and yet, Paul is nevertheless, very ill-treated, bound, and chained. He is led in shackles to the fortress in Antonia. After refusing to buy his way out of imprisonment, Paul seeks to plead his case as all Roman citizens are allowed to do. During the transition, he waits nearly two years until Governor Festus arrives, who will hopefully send him to Caesar’s court. For two years, he waits in prison under house arrest. He is allowed certain privileges (like the secretary who scribes all his prison letters), but he is nonetheless a prisoner of the state. By the way, just as a side note, Paul probably never wrote more than a few lines of scripture himself.
Now, I said Paul doesn’t pen the letters. But, in fact, at a few different points, Paul seems to feel the need to sign a letter intentionally where he has put pen to parchment. If you would take out your bible and find Galatians 6:11 and we will read that together. It’s maybe a little odd and perhaps silly to some, but also, it’s not. In Galatians, Philemon, 2 Thessalonians, and 2 Timothy, Paul himself adds, “See [as proof of it being me] what large letters I use to write.” Apparently, Paul has a very large penmanship.
Personally, I believe that whatever happened to Paul before the event on the road to Damascus, I feel that he not only lost his sight but also never fully recovered from it. If you read that story about him being struck blind and having to study with, I think it’s fair to say something was never the same after that event where he was stuck blind only to later have “something like scales drop from his eyes.” And I think because Paul’s vision was poor, he couldn’t write the letters himself. And if he did, the printed words would be massive on the page, taking up a lot of space and at great financial cost.
In any case Paul is in prison writing to the churches. And like anyone would, Paul becomes homesick and misses friends and loved ones, and this is when he writes what can only be called a “love letter” not to a woman but to a church he began with the assistance of a woman named Lydia in the city of Philippi (in what is now northern Greece). It is the letter to the Philippians read this morning.
It’s interesting to picture – a prisoner writing about Peace and Joy – but that is precisely what we have here. For those of you who opened the Bible to read along with today’s conversation, you might have noticed that Paul’s letter is easily lost in the vastness of the scriptures. It’s easy to miss. For some, it’s hard to find. That’s not your fault. The letter from Paul we are talking about is short. It’s a letter from one person to the congregation he feels most at home with and most loved by. The entire message Paul pens (with the assistance of his scribe) is only about 3 pages long in today’s print. On a papyrus scroll, it wouldn’t have been much longer due to the size of the measurements of the scroll. It’s short. And yet… no matter its brevity, the word “Rejoicing” or “Joy” appears 16 times in this small space of words and ideas. Philippians, the biblical book, despite Paul’s circumstances – is a book of absolute and pure joy in thanksgiving and, surprisingly, even more about perfect peace.
Paul loves this congregation. The letter is particularly and passionately personal. When Paul refers to the people in this particular church congregation, he repeatedly uses words and phrases like “you are my brothers and sisters in faith” or “You who are my true Family”. Theologians have had much to say about Paul’s letter to the family in Philippi. Still, the concept of the Apostle Paul’s love for them as individuals and as a church has never been a difficult discussion. Beyond this, Paul is also very impressed with this congregation because they mean what they say. They have been persecuted, yet they are sending large amounts of funds to other congregations that they see as struggling more than they are. In many ways, Philippines is the letter I would write to Dayspring.
I would be remiss if I didn’t just mention that I was shocked to hear that Dayspring had not received an absolute onslaught of applications from potential ministers in the PCC interested in serving here.
Feel free to ask if you know those involved, but I was highly adamant when I attended The Presbyterian College at McGill. Whenever we were asked to speak about our sponsoring congregations and presbyteries, people always knew I would be the rather braggadocious one. It was well understood at the college as well as the United Theological College and at the Anglican Diocese as well as among all of the professors – that Dayspring, Edmonton, was an absolute GEM of a congregation. For a time, you were unknowingly famous.
I remember one day quoting our previous minister, John Dowds, to the class: “If the congregation cannot care for its staff, then it should not ever even attempt to pretend it cares for the people. And if the church can’t care for the people, then it certainly can’t care for the outside world.”
I think that is one of the three most important lessons I ever heard from another minister in the church.
Paul, a big fan of wrestling, next says, you are “my crown,” meaning that they represent an outstanding achievement to him, similar to winning the victor’s crown in the Olympic Games. When Paul guides them, he points to the benefits of the proper behavior. Instead of orders, the Apostle Paul says, “I ask you,” and even “I beg now.” When he speaks fondly of the church from his confinement, he says, I feel as if you are “with me.” He says, “I long to return to you.”
He calls them “agapatos” or “dearly loved,” a word found outside the bible in ancient love letters and in poetry.
Paul cared a lot about this church. He writes, “I thank my God every time I remember you.” He also says, “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.” He loves them.
In one sense, there is nothing extraordinary about this. The minister loves their congregation, and I share that sentiment. But Peace, Joy!?! How can Paul be filled with joy and pray with joy while beaten and lying in shackles for two years, not even knowing if or when he will get to plead his case in court? It’s amazing.
I read an old proverb a while back. It says, “If you wish to be happy for one hour, eat bacon. If you wish to be happy for three days, get married. If you wish to be happy forever, learn to fish.”
I like the proverb, but truth be told, it’s just not true. I’d rather be married than go fishing and eat bacon sandwiches (though my wife may beg to differ). But that’s kind of my point. The error, of course, is that happiness and joy are not the same thing. C.S. Lewis wrote, “Happiness is an emotion you feel. Joy is an attitude that overwhelms your troubles.” That is why Paul has joy: not because his circumstances make him happy but because his joy has overwhelmed his troubles and brought him peace.
Later, Paul writes, “7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.”
Paul’s church isn’t perfect, of course; none is. The saying goes, “The church would be perfect if not for all these people.” The Church is the Church. It is the people, and this building is where our Church meets. But we (the Church) are a people, (the word just means “Gathering”) so we are far from perfect, just as all gathers are.
The world likes to point condemning and criticizing fingers at our churches today, declaring that the church is “full of hypocrites.” The media seems to revel in supposed holy men and holy women falling from the pedestal. And I’ll admit I, too, have had a certain smug sense of satisfaction at the drop of a couple of “fallen angels” I had always had certain suspicions about. But the reality is – that it should be expected. No one ever said we’d be perfect, and I don’t think I’ve ever met a Christian who made that claim. If I did, I’d be concerned because at the heart of the Christian gospel is the fact that we are sinful yet forgiven people. We are a gathering not of Saints but a gathering of sinners. When I look out into the church, I see what East Indian evangelist Daniel Thrombyaja Niles saw when he said the church “is one beggar telling another beggar where bread is to be found.” We’re not perfect, most certainly I’m not, but as Paul says, “All of you share in God’s grace with [him].”
The apostle continues. He says, “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day we meet until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Paul’s crown, as he calls them, brings him joy in troubled times because he sees how they have grown in faith, with or without him, and he trusts that God will continue to bless them for their faithfulness.
It’s strange, you know, it’s almost impossible to see the forest through the trees. To me, Maddie Wesley and Cohen look the same all the time. But that’s because I’m there with them. You can hardly see their growth when you’re with people a lot. But when my wider family see the kids, even on video, they are always surprised how quickly they grow.
It’s like that in the church, too. Although signs of spiritual and physical growth surround us, they’re not always easy to see until someone points them out. It’s slow, but it’s genuine, in Phillipi and at Dayspring too.
There is a form of Moso Bamboo that drops its seeds once every 65 or so years. Now… if you take one of those seeds, pick the right spot, and prepare the soil, you can’t plan that tiny see. You can water it and wait… and wait… and wait… and continue to water it daily for an entire year – nothing will happen. No bud, no sprout, nothing to see. So you keep watering and diligently mark the area, taking care of a plant that should be there but you can’t see. So….., in the second year, you water, fertilize, and protect the seed… you feed it every day, and ….. nothing will happen. So…..the third year, your water daily, fertilize and protect the seed, and….. nothing will happen. So….., in the fourth year, you water every day and fertilize and protect the tiny seed, and….. again, nothing will happen. So….., in the fifth year, you water daily and fertilize and protect the seed.…. Finally, during the fifth year, the plant begins to grow. It grows about 2 inches every hour and hits 80 feet tall in just over 6 weeks!
The question is, did it grow 80 feet in six weeks or five years? The answer, of course, is that it grew 80 feet in five years. It took the first five years to expand the substantial root system it would one day take to support an 80-foot-tall plant.
The people in Philippi couldn’t see their growth the way Paul could. He saw the roots of a people devoted to the gospel and the strong tree they would someday be as God completed the work he began in them.
So I am not Paul.
I have not been in chains for the last two years, but his words for his beloved church are also my words for mine.
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy five because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, six being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you since I have you in my heart
May we grow together in love,
May we find joy not because life is perfect or because we are always well but because our Joy in the Lord has overwhelmed our troubles,
While we may not be perfect together, we can be a gathering of forgiven sinners telling other beggars where bread is to be found,
And may we continue to grow deep roots together as we live out our common faith in Christ as one: my family, my crown, my agapatos, my dearly loved. Amen
Song: Oh come, oh come Emmanuel (122: vss 1,3,6,7)
We respond to serve God.
Our time of giving
Prayer of gratitude and for others and ourselves
In our weakness you are strength, in our darkness you are light, in joy you are pleasure, and in our sorrows, you are comfort and peace. Let your love overflow in us more and more so that with insight and strength we may pray with our hearts as well as our lips and serve you with our strength and bodies as we are able. Into each situation we name and picture, visit with your steadfast love.
We give you thanks for moments of joy and celebration in our lives, for times when the low places have been raised up, for times of excitement and expectation; for love given and received, for friendships which furnish our life with meaning and happiness, and for family who show us some picture of unconditional love. In all relationships and interactions keep us mindful of your call to see you in one another. Bless our homes and families that love and joy may dwell there and keep those who are absent from us within your care.
We pray for all those who frame laws, adjudicate justice, and shape society, who work and pray for peace and who keep the peace. Move in the hearts and minds of rulers so that in governments and countries where the innocent are punished, where the weak serve the wealthy, and where injustice rules, justice will be done.
Lord in your mercy.
We remember with sadness the divisions in the world and that our world is not at peace. We recall the places torn by war and the people for whom too often this is a world where violence is a way of life. We pray for places where people are misused and often scorned and for those who have found a new track in life and enjoy a reordered way of being and freedom from life inhibiting forces.
We pray for those who suffer and are ill and for those people who mourn and fear for the future and what it may bring. Surround them with your love, support them with strength and open our hearts and our eyes to see how we might be comfort in situations of hurt and pain.
Eternal God, you hold all souls in life, and we trust that the dead as well as the living are in your care. We thank you for your people of every age and place and for those dear to our own hearts who have entered into your heavenly presence. Keep us in communion with them and bring us with them at the last to dwell in your light.
Hear us as we offer prayers in silence for your people in need. … Amen.
Song: Lord, I want to be a Christian (571)
Sending out with God’s blessing
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus —to the glory and praise of God. Now go grow some more deep deep roots in Christ. Amen.
Response: God to enfold you
Music postlude (Binu and Lorraine): Make me a channel of your peace
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Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).
The Rev. Brad Childs retains the copyright (© 2024) on all original material in this service. As far as Brad Childs is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is his own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.