Includes Sermon Audio
Advent four – 23 December 2018
Sentence:
Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.
Luke 1: 45
Collect of the day
Gracious God, you have visited your people and redeemed us in your son: as we prepare to celebrate his birth, make our hearts leap for joy at the sound of your work, and move us by your spirit to bless your wonderful works. We ask this through him whose coming is certain, whose day draws near, your son our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.
Amen.
Today’s readings
Micah 5: 2 – 5 a
Song of Mary
Hebrews 10:5 – 10
Luke 1:39 – 45
A thought to ponder upon
Some thoughts on Luke 1:39 – 45
The readings for the 4th Sunday in Advent each year shift the focus from Advent’s call to preparation for the Messiah to setting the stage for the Christmas event in today’s gospel, Elizabeth proclaims had joy filled faith in God’s promise of salvation that will be accomplished through Mary’s child and praises her young cousin “yes” to God’s plan.
In Mary and Elizabeth’s meeting and in our own similar “visitations” the spirit of God is present in the healing, comfort and support we can extend to one another in such moments. In the light and hope of this holy season, may we “make haste” to bring such a reconciling piece and healing justice in our own “visitations” to others, in our own in characters in which the grace of God enables us to see one another in God’s eyes.
God’s spirit, who inspired the prophets to preach, who enabled the nation of Israel to enter into the cold with Yahweh stop at work in the world in new and creative ways. Jesus Christ is the ultimate and perfect fulfilment of that covenant.
The “mystery” of the Incarnation is not that God would become one of us – the inexplicable part is how God could give his love away so freely to his people without expectation or condition. As Saint Ireneaus Preached: “because of his great love for us, Jesus, the word of God, became what we are in order to make us what he is himself.”
© Connections/Media Works
Sermon Audio
The Reverend Josie Steytler preaches from the text after the gospel reading.
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