Lessons and Carols - Christmas - Year B

Lessons and Carols

Year B

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Opening Prayer 

Assurance

Lighting the Christ candle.

Hymn: Angels We Have Heard on High (verse 1-2).

First Lesson: Creation - Genesis 1:1-5 

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, ² the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. ³ Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. ⁴ And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵ God called the light Day, and the darkness God called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Reflection for Genesis 1:1-5 Creation.

Hymn 114: O Come O Come Emmanuel (verse 1). 

Second Lesson: Covenant - Genesis 22:15-18 

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, ¹⁶ and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷ I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, ¹⁸ and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.”

Reflection for Genesis 22:15-18 Covenant

Hymn: O Come O Come Emmanuel (refrain). 

Third Lesson: Compassionate and Forgiving – Psalm 103: 1-8

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name.
² Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and do not forget all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the Pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
⁵ who satisfies you with good as long as you live
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶ The Lord works vindication
    and justice for all who are oppressed.
⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
    his acts to the people of Israel.
⁸ The Lord is merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Reflection for Psalm 103: 1-8

Fourth Lesson: Growing - Isaiah 11:1-4 

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
² The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.³ His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; ⁴ but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

Reflection for Isaiah 11:1-4 Growing

Hymn: O Little Town of Bethlehem (verse 1-2). 

Fifth Lesson: Good News - Mark 1: 1-8 

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ.

 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way,

the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
    ‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
    make his paths straight,’ ”

 so John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And the whole Judean region and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Reflection for Mark 1: 1-8 Good News

Hymn: It Came upon the Midnight Clear (verse 1-2).

Sixth Lesson: Birth - Matthew 1:18-23 

Now 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. ¹⁹ Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. ²⁰ But 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. ²¹ She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ²² All 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.”

Reflection for Matthew 1:18-23 Birth

Hymn: The First Noel (verse 1-2).

Seventh Lesson: Shepherds Visit – Luke 2:8-16 

⁸ In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹ to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.

Reflection for Luke 2:8-16 Angels around Us.

Hymn: Hark the Herald Angels Sing (verse 1-2).

Eighth Lesson: Wise Visit – Matthew 2:1-11 

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise ones from the East came to Jerusalem, ² asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” ³ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴ and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

⁶ ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
    who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

⁷ Then Herod secretly called for the wise ones  and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. ⁸ Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” ⁹ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹ On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Hymn 132: O Come All Ye Faithful (verse 1-2). 

Ninth Lesson: New Beginnings - John 1:1-5 (Inclusive)

In the beginning, there was the Word, and the Word was in God’s presence, and the Word was God. ² The Word was present to God from the beginning. ³ Through the Word, all things came into being, and apart from the Word, nothing came into being that has come into being. ⁴ In the Word was life, and the life was our light-- ⁵ Light that shines in the darkness, Light that the darkness did not overcome.

Reflection for John 1:1-5 New Beginnings

Hymn: Silent Night (verse 1-2).

Benediction:

From 2 Thessalonians. 

A Voice Cries Out - Mark 1: 1-18 - Advent 2B

A Voice Cries Out

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Mark 1: 1- 18, Psalm 85, Isaiah 40: 1-11

Opening prayer

Being sick last week made it a bit difficult to “wake up.” Yet here in week 2 of Advent  “A voice cries out” or is it, “a voice cries out!” 

So we have another opportunity to “wake up!” Why does this voice cry out ?

The familiar words of Isaiah bring us closer to Christmas celebration and in midst of Hanukkah today. 

The words of baptizer brings us closer to the kingdom but how. What does John say to us today as we prepare for the coming and how we prepare for God in our midsts?

John proclaims a baptism of repentance and of forgiveness of sins. For you who have walked in darkness and were lost, this is for you!

Yes, Advent is a new beginning for us as we start the new church year, but also as we prepare our hearts and minds for what?  What exactly are you preparing for?  What do you need that you need this repentance and this forgiveness?

We know we cannot do this existence, this life, alone. We know that every time we think we have all the answers, that is when God will remind us that is not quite the case.

Yet John comes to us with this thing called baptism - waters that cleans not just the dirt from our hands but waters that invite the spirit into our hearts:  A soulful cleansing. 

This presence to come; this spirit brings not just a repentance but restoration. Jesus comes to us as the living presence to pour out for us something so rich and so pure that John does not believe himself to be worthy to tie the sandals. 

That my Beloved is the essence and the Good News of Jesus Christ - Here is your God - now in the presence of Jesus. 

There is someone in the back who says why should I care? I have to go to work, and I am seeing prices rise before me which makes my life hard. Why do I have to se people complaining all the time …?

Good question! Why do we care? Why do we care what John is doing or what Jesus says when all of those things are happening and we feel those things in our lives today? 

For we are reminded in this passage of the exile of Israel, but also our own exile and our trials for Jerusalem has “served her term…” You and I have went through many of these in our own journeys where we felt like our selves were part of a diaspora, lost and under tyranny of evil. 

Doesn’t that sound like our current politics? Where people cant even approach the subject with civility out of a deep fear of being mocked and ridiculed for speaking up against a potential dawn of authoritarianism and destruction of democratic systems. Ridiculed for having compassion for neighbors in need - for those looking for a fair shake, for recognition of historical neglect and violence and for those looking for answers from a broken system.

We may seek the answers, and some will fein an attempt with earnest but not tell us the cost of their answers is the very soul of our country. We need to look beyond our own misery and our own egos to look with the eyes of hope that John brings to us: hope in the God of love and grace and yes forgiveness. There, more than any political leaning, brings peace.

Thus we, through our baptism, can cleanse our souls of the miseries, the questions, the pains and the deceptions. We can witness and believe in the life that is given - not just for you and I - but all those around us. We can look with hope . 

Why because God! That Beloved is why a voice cries out.

We can break free of all that is holding us back and deceiving. We can look up and see a light that draws us close and works our hearts not to fear but to grow and to share love.

Prepare your hearts not just for today, not just for Christmas, not just for presents under the tree. Prepare your hearts and minds for hope - true hope and let that hope fill you and walk with you with peace - the hope and peace of Advent.

Remember to not leave it in the pews this morning but to take it with you to brunch, to your neighborhoods, and to share with those around you this hope.  

So yes we have inflation, we have wars in our world, and we have people with real concerns. That you have a decent job. That you have that ability to care for your family and that you can extend empathy are also gifts that we can share.

Take a breath for a moment and see all the gifts you have, be thankful. Look with the hope of John, the hope of your baptism, the hope of Christ and find peace this Advent. 

Let that peace be with you through out your life and help you see beyond - to see God in your life this day, this hour.

“The Lord will give what is good and our land will yield its increase.” (Ps 85:12

That my Beloved is why the voice cries out.  That Beloved is…

Thanks be to God

For the Least of Us - Matthew 25 - Reign of Christ

For the least of us

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Matthew 25:31-46, Psalm 100

Opening prayer

Happy Reign of Christ Sunday!

What does that mean?

It may be too tempting for us to go about our lives and complain that we don’t get enough respect or don’t have opportunities. Then shift blame to someone else, like our misery is not our doing but someone else’s.

I have often seen folks complain about people getting food stamps or unemployment checks and then complain when they don’t get their government money - like government money is only for the few and privileged.

Well aren’t the people on the corner going back to a nice apartment and nice cars? Really?  Panhandling is a charade?

When I have helped to run charity drives at work for food banks or families in need, there were people that absolutely refused to give anything.

People will complain about people for many reasons, but to knock someone who is already down, what does that say about that person?

Yet, if you are here in the church, if you are listening to the words of Jesus and you see this happening in your actions and thoughts, you are not heeding the words of the Lord.

No matter how we try to twist it or bend the rules, this is basis of what Jesus says. That in order to be among the first , one must be willing to be among the last.

“Just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.  

Christian is not just a nice title or things we put on walls. This a main theme of Matthew that of words, deeds, robes and such, these are meaningless when our hearts and minds are not filled with God. To be “Christian”, we must embody the words of Jesus - even when it feels difficult.

Just as Jesus described throughout Matthew (and Mark and Luke). Ministry is not about privilege and honors but what we do in God’s name - how we are the face of God to someone who needs it - how we are the image of Christ to people here on this Earth. That image is revealed in our actions and thoughts not just in a nice hall with stained glass windows on a Sunday morning , but in our daily lives. How do we live out these principles of extravagant welcome when even we need a little love in our hearts and little love extended to us?

Yes many of us here need some love - today - now - and you know what? You deserve love too. You need to share some love, first and foremost, with yourself. Learn to give yourself some of this blessing, and know that god loves you. Why? Because God loves you just the messy way you are.

Further, God wants for you to extend that extravagant love to others around you and especially those that really need it.  

This is love is for those at home and at the dinner table. This love is for those in the nursing home and hospitals. This love is for those who don’t have a home and lost a job. This love is for those who lost loved ones, who are searching for meaning, who are questioning the reasons why. You know who they are. Are you one?

This action of sharing love does things too. Not only are you doing what God tells us to do, but it raises our church and our community. It invites people to belong where they may not felt included. This act of sharing, much like what we do at UBFM, is without judgment but with a lot of love grace and caring.

No matter who you are or your time on this journey of life, you are welcome to the love of God. And if you feel imperfect and perhaps messed up, that love comes with gift of forgiveness - for you, for me and for those around you.

Yes love and forgiveness poured out for you who are well-to-do. You who are suffering, you who are struggling, you who are in sorrow, you who are black, white, Latino, woman, man, child, queer, indigenous, parent, alone, in prison, or sick. This love and forgiveness is especially for you.

That Beloved is the reign of Christ. This is a reminder that all life bears the image of God (Genesis 1:26:27) When you see someone, find God in them. Robes, and special clothing not needed. Places of honor unnecessary because the place we need to be is in the community with all the people. 

With the holidays upon us, the things we need are not on the shelves of stores or in the malls or in car lots. We remember to lift up love and forgiveness even to those we may question. For love and forgiveness is given to us and judgement is left to the Lord. 

So extend that love and forgiveness. Start now. Look to your left  and right, the person behind you or in front. 

Take a moment and practice sharing that love - reach to them and tell them God loves them and that they matter to you - that you love them. “Make a joyful noise.”

Now when you go out the door, don’t leave that love here. Take it with you. Take it with you where you go and smile because the love of God is with you. 

Know that the Lord is God. God made us and we are children of God. (Psalm 100)

Share that love with thanksgiving and praises.

That Beloved we do because …

Thanks Be to God

Cost of Foolishness - Matthew 25 - Proper 27A

The Cost of Foolishness

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Matthew 25:1-13, Psalm 78, Joshua 24: 1-3, 14-25

Opening Prayer

What is the cost of Foolishness? That is our question this day.

This passage from Matthew talks about these bridegrooms that go and wait for groom that arrives later than most think, but only half of them are prepared to meet this would-be husband.

Those that weren’t have to go and fetch sense at the wrong time of day (or night).

Since we are talking bout Matthew. Being ready means something more than just saying the words. It means something more than wearing the dress, but also a state of mind and actions. 

Yet foolishness does something by doing nothing. It forgets, it doesn’t bother with questions, it doesn’t even consider the question. Foolishness leaves things that should not be and hides truth with excuses and rhetoric. 

It is the person who lets their car repairs go without attention and suddenly they can no longer stop. It is the person who ignores the doctor instruction to lose weight, stop smoking, or avoid alcohol and then wonders why they have huge medical bills.

Foolishness is telling the expert how things should be done but have no idea what that plan entails, who it impacts or how the many ways it could go wrong. Not prudent but ignorant. You’ve met this person.

Foolishness is the one who is drunk, drives and ends up killing the mother of kids in school.  The cost can be enormous - beyond measure.

I have done my fair share of foolish, and in each instance, I walk out with pain and misery. Yes foolishness does things besides causes us to scratch heads. It is the root of folly. It is ignoring basic fact. It is ignoring neighbors and our responsibility. It has costs and it hurts.

Foolishness is more than just not filling the lamp - remembering we should be the light of the world. It is the absence of taking heed, of caring and especially of understanding. I mean why should I care or attempt to understand?? Why should I worry what happens to those kids who don’t have a mother anymore? That is pouring out the fuel to burn.

I have learned German language so that I could speak with German folks when we were in Germany. Was it folly to spend time learning a language I would use with people that knew better English than us? I submit not because I could tell people appreciated hearing their “Muttersprache” or at least the attempt. 

Which is far more than we do here here, but often many simply demand that one knows and speak “American.” To be bilingual here is for some reason to be scorned and ridiculed. In fact, the mere presence of intelligence is feared and scorned as some sort of trickery. Excuses are given to ignore facts. That my friends is foolish.

That is why we have broken government, broken schools, broken institutions because we want to believe lies and folly rather than actually read and learn. It is the people in the back of the classroom making fun of those actually trying to learn the issues and lesson. You can see them and hear the jeers. That my friends is foolish.

When I tell you about experiences with the homeless, people will cast doubt and say they are just people making thousands of dollars, parking their cars block away only to “tug our hearts” on the corners. I can’t tell you how wrong that impression is. That my friends is foolish on many levels.

When we do these foolish things, we ignore our responsibility. We ignore humanity, and we ignore what we are taught -what we are commanded to do. There are costs both in real money and actual pain.

Yet our broken society celebrates the jeers, the material and the foolish too often. That is a broken society, broken people, looking for answers in the wrong places. That is people covering their eyes from the possible - covering their eyes of God. That hides the cost of not doing- not having faith. That my friends is foolish.

Because when we need God the most, when we are questioning everything, when we don’t have the answers, when we need guidance, when we can’t see the light at the end of the path, when we have just had enough… that is not a time for foolish… that my friends is when we need to look to our Creator. 

There is where we can find answers, peace, and love.  There is when we think not only about ourselves but we see the person on the corner as a person with the sign, who just a day ago was kicked out of the house. We don’t know the where or why’s, but they are homeless nonetheless. 

When we aren’t foolish, we might understand the panic of someone who just lost a job or someone who lost a spouse to a heart attack. We see the mom crying over a child murdered. We see the plight of millions stuck in unnecessary wars. 

There is where we take down the curtains of hate and fear - the curtains of foolishness. That is where we tear down the walls of fake invincibility and let the light of God shine upon us and reveal to us. That is the where we truly see. That is when we are more than just words, but God’s work on this earth - action and invitation. Thus invite the love of God.

And yes - That is why we need to keep fuel (the fuel of love, faith, and hope) in our lamps because we need to be the light of Christ to those around us when they need it. 

We see ourselves in our neighbors. Even more, we see God in them and in us. Plainly, we see God.

That Beloved, is where we find wisdom in love because in love we see God.

Yes we need to keep fuel in our lamps because we never know the day nor hour when the groom comes.  When God comes, let us be ready and inviting. 

Thanks Be to God