Preacher: Pastor Nathan Hosler, PhD

Date: December 24, 2023

Scripture: Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26, Luke 1:26-28, 2:1-40, Titus 3:4-7

Waiting with bated breath we have been. Waiting for the coming Christ child. In these weeks of Advent—we have—at least principle, been waiting for the promised Messiah, the long-expected savior. Waiting. Longing. Hoping.

If, however, you were distracted (as I often was) the month may have slipped by. However, I imagine that doesn’t mean that you weren’t waiting for something else. Final paperwork to get in before the year ended. Waiting in a flinching way for the news of the next global crisis or for a health report. Waiting for a ceasefire. Waiting in excited anticipation for the holiday break from school or to see loved ones. We often hang suspended—waiting, with bated breath.

The sun slowly rising on a new day we participate in the waiting—with the dawn breaking forth. Or the setting of the sun bringing a close (for many) to a busy day. As we have joined and journeyed through the Advent of waiting, we have done so with countless followers of Jesus across the globe. The sun slowly rises and gradually illuminates. The dawning of Christmas day spreads and Christians have been gathering to mark this Sunday as Christmas’ Eve—the 4^th Sunday of Advent and will gather or be with others as the day of Jesus’ arrival dawns tomorrow. This has been shared waiting and shared hoping. A common anticipation with the Body of Christ around the world.

Last week, Julia, commenting on the darkness of waiting in the winter (in this hemisphere) can feel like the waiting of despair. However, in Advent this is, rather, the waiting darkness of the womb. The waiting of possibility.

Indeed, the arrival of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, is not arrival of the end but the beginning. The word which was in the Beginning and the Creating arrives having been knit together in his mother Mary’s womb. The arrival is the end of waiting for Mary. The end Simeon and Anna who have long waited and watched for the Messiah. In Luke 2:22-40 we read of this encounter and end of the long watch:

²² When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), ²⁴ and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the law, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,

²⁹ “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
    according to your word,
³⁰ for my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
³² a light for revelation to the gentiles
    and for glory to your people Israel.”

³³ And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed ³⁵ so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul, too.”

³⁶ There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸ At that moment she came and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

³⁹ When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.

Anna, of “great age” and a widow—vulnerable on many counts—has been waiting and watching in the temple. Anna, who the scriptures name a “Prophet” heralds the coming of Jesus with great joy. The wait is over, but the beginning is only just beginning. But the beginning of what? The waiters, and we, anticipate and imagine what the gift will bring. Jesus, however, upended the expectations of many. Jesus, continues to challenge and up end our expectations. As we conclude this portion of the journey, and embark on the next, may we be blessed and surprised and challenged by the way and places we meet Jesus.

As I thought of meeting Jesus in this new year I thought of Matthew 25. Beginning in verse 31 we read,

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, ³³ and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. ³⁴ Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, ³⁵ for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink? ³⁸ And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? ³⁹ And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ ⁴⁰ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.

Munther Isaac, pastor in Bethlehem, Palestine, wrote, “If Jesus is to be born today, he would be born in Gaza under the rubble as a sign of solidarity with us. This is what Immanuel means—precisely that he is with us in the midst of our pain and suffering. This is how we understand I, and this is the message of Christmas to us.”

Our Gospel readings today were from the book of Luke. Luke is the first installment of a 2-part telling of the life of Jesus and the Early Church. In a recent commentary by two Brethren scholars, they observe the literary commonalities and strategy of this and other texts of the same time period. They also note differences in how the author, Luke, writes. Both differences in values as well as in the structure. For example, the book of Acts, which covers the early church and spread of the Gospel ends in a perplexing way. Luke ends with a suspended ending on what will happen. The book of Acts ends with a suspended ending and invites readers to consider how we are called into continuing the work and story of Jesus. (Luke and Acts: Turning the World Upside Down, p 156)

Christmas celebrations may have been cancelled in Bethlehem this year, but this means the following Jesus, the Prince of Peace, Emmanuel—God with us, the long anticipated power of God wrought under an occupation, all the more urgent. This is not the work of you solitary heroes but Spirit filled and led people and communities embracing the vulnerable child—Christ the King.

Jesus, the long-expected one has arrived! Let us join in the journey with this Jesus.

Titus 3:4-7

⁴ But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. ⁶ This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Image: https://cbnisrael.org/2021/12/25/immanuel-god-with-us/