Sermon for 7/25/10 "Christmas in July"
Favorite Things Worship Series
"Not Quite What Was Planned"
Some weeks just don't go as planned. Have you ever had one of those? On Thursday afternoon your TO DO List from Monday is not even half finished, and you can't find the things you have done on the TO DO List anywhere. Well, this was one of those weeks. As I was driving out of the Raleigh-Durham International Airport Parking lot on Thursday afternoon, the Ticket Reader said, "Have A Nice Day" and I paused for a moment, unsure whether to laugh or cry. It was not quite what was planned. Now, I love being in ministry, and I am glad that I can be open to the working of the Spirit. I say some of this to answer the camper’s question from Mission Camp who asked, “So what does a pastor do all week?” Let me back up and start at the beginning.
We have been working for months to bring guests from our Sister Church in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, here for a visit. Roman Brady and I have planned. We've been in contact with Alma and her sister Ninfa from Fuenta Da Vida Moravian Church. They waited on the US Embassy for Visas. We purchased Plane Tickets thanks to last Christmas Eve's offering to help foster relationships with Fuenta Da Vida. We were FINALLY able to have Alma, her son Jordy, and Ninfa's son Fernando come for a visit. They arrived in Winston-Salem Thursday a week ago. They journeyed to Laurel Ridge for Senior High Camp this week, and then were to join us here in Raleigh for this weekend to visit. That is until my phone rang Monday morning at 8:50am.
Roman called from Laurel Ridge to say they had just learned that Alma's brother had died unexpectedly Sunday night and they all needed to return home for the funeral. So--I spent Monday and Tuesday on the phone with Delta Airlines and Roman trying to rearrange their flights to get them back in time for the Funeral. (As a side note--Delta Airlines has been phenomenally helpful and kind throughout this whole process--Thank you Delta!!)
As I was talking to the reservationists for Delta, one was asking about Alma and her family. I couldn't answer most of her questions and finally almost broke down in tears. I said to her, "I don't know them yet. I was supposed to spend the weekend with them and get to know them, but now we won't get to. I am just so disappointed." It was at that point that I believe the Holy Spirit invited us to have a gathering to honor our guests and take the opportunity, however brief, to get to know them. The email blast went out, the Facebook invitation was sent, and the party was a GO.
So-we had 30 people at our house this Wednesday evening for an impromptu cookout to meet our friends. It was a wonderful time! I took a moment to look around and enjoy the opportunity to watch everyone talking, laughing, playing games, and sharing a meal together. Everyone showed up with something in hand to contribute to the meal, and we had a feast! There was so much food eaten, and so much food leftover. I recall hearing someone say it was like loaves and fishes being multiplied before our very eyes. Food, friends, and fellowship make a festive, holy combination. 
Thursday morning I brought Alma, Jordy, and Fernando by the church to show them Raleigh Moravian. Fernando found pictures of his dad and grandmother on our bulletin board, and they named many of the people in the pictures from back home. Then we hit Interstate 40 and headed to the RDU Airport. It had been less than 24 hours since I met them when I stood and watched them head through security. It was a bittersweet moment. I felt incredibly glad to have met them and had the time that we shared together, and so sad they had to leave and not be here for worship this morning to get to see all of you!
I headed to my car and pulled up to the gate to leave the parking deck. "Have a nice day." It flashed the message at me, and I paused. I thought to myself, "Have a nice day?" My new friends are mourning the loss of a family member. It's not really a nice day for them. My week hadn't gone like I planned at all. It was not really a nice day for me either. And Sunday isn't going to be a celebration with our friends from our sister church, but instead a time to remember them in prayer during their time of loss.
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| [Suzanne, Steve, Pennsy, Alma, Fernando and Jordy after the party] |
Funerals have such a way of changing our plans. The visit was holy in so many ways, and so wonderful, but it was NOT QUITE WHAT WE PLANNED! That's when it hit me. Maybe, just maybe God was helping us to celebrate Christmas throughout this entire week instead of just on Sunday morning.
Could it be? I suddenly found myself feeling like Mary in some strange way. I doubt giving birth in a manger with the animals and overflow crowd gathered around was quite what she had planned. Births and deaths have a way of changing our plans. They make us reexamine our priorities and adjust our schedule to reflect the new circumstances. Our realities are different. Life is different now, and it wasn't what we had planned.
The more I have thought about Jesus' whole life, the more this week feels interwoven with Scripture. So many different stories from the Bible include tales of plans changed, journeys re-routed, and lives forever altered. Just looking at the beginning of Luke--we see the old couple, Elizabeth and Zechariah, told they are finally going to have a child [Luke 1]. This was an answered prayer, but not what they expected. Mary and Joseph were engaged, but their wedding and life together took a sudden and unexpected turn when she was visited by an angel [Luke 1]. I seriously doubt this was what she planned as she looked through the latest Bridal catalog, visited the local Bridal Boutiques, and filled out their personalized stone tablet on The Nazareth Knot.com registry.
I doubt the innkeeper planned for the crowds that showed up due to the census being taken [Luke 2]. He was probably surprised to receive the knock on the door by this sojourning couple. I imagine Mary was clearly about to give birth, and he found himself offering the best hospitality to this young couple that he could given the circumstances. At least they were in from the weather, had straw to keep warm, and a place to lay their heads. He might have even called in a midwife or local woman to be there to help with the birth--that is if time allowed it. Speaking of "If time allows"--A year ago today my youngest niece was born, but it certainly wasn't what her family had planned for her birth. She arrived so quickly that they didn't even make it to the car to head to the hospital. Thankfully 911 was only a call away, and the paramedics arrived in time to help cut Lexi's cord. When we got the phone call, we called 2 other family members just to confirm the story! Births often don't go as planned. Mary and Joseph knew that very well.
As for the shepherds in the fields trying to stay awake and guard the sheep... they were startled to be surrounded with a host of angels that night [Luke 2]. Perhaps they were sitting there, rubbing their eyes, and nudging one another, just trying to see if what their eyes saw was really happening? It wasn't the night they had planned. That night should have been like the night before--sitting peacefully in a field listening to the crickets chirp and the sheep doze on the grass. What a tale they had to share!! “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10b-12)
I know many of us have been looking forward to Christmas in July today, and I've had some great conversations about Christmas! At the Blood Drive on Monday, Carolyn Watts shared a quote with me from a seven-year-old named Bobby. He said, "Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." I think that's pretty profound. Christmas is all about Love.
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| [Pastors Craig and Suzanne with our Decorated Lovefeast Buns from Christmas 2009.] |
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| This was my lovefeast bun from the 2nd Christmas Eve lovefeast last year! |
At our potluck on Wednesday night, we had the opportunity to spend time together in a room soaking in the love that was being shared. There was no wrapping paper or bows strewn across the floor... instead there were people whose plans had been changed in unexpected ways because of both a death and a birth. A family member was being mourned, and yet in the midst of that sorrow, God's love shone in the darkness.
I must tell this one story from the potluck. When I arrived home on Wednesday from picking up Alma, Jordy, and Fernando in Winston-Salem, I opened the fridge. In there was a bowl of dessert that I knew I hadn't made. I asked Steve where it had come from. He said his co-worker had seen my posting on Facebook about the potluck, and just happened to have the ingredients at home to make this chocolate cherry dessert. So she showed up at work on Wednesday with a dish for our party just to make sure we had enough food. God's love shines in the darkness and in the sweetness of chocolate and cherries.
On this past Wednesday and today, and hopefully every day, we celebrate a feast of love and joy and share the Good News that death does not have the final word. In fact, Jesus' death didn't end as planned either. The sorrowful disciples found out their plans had changed in quite unexpected ways when their loved one walked through the wall and joined the party. Jesus' whole life and ministry did not go as people expected, and Jesus came to show God's kingdom often happens in unexpected ways as well. It's the small things, like a bowl of dessert, that often show us God's kingdom of love at work.
May the Good News of Christmas cause us all to pause and reflect on the birth of God-With-US--Emmanuel. Christ the Lord. We can and should celebrate every day that the Promised Messiah has arrived, most unexpectedly and not at all how we planned, and our lives are forever changed by God's gift of love. Amen.
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