Advent Joy: Welcoming Chloe into God's Family

We find ourselves in Advent, and we are at the moment a people of waiting. Waiting for light in the darkness, waiting for hope to be born, waiting for God's promises to be fulfilled. And today, as we wait, and as we prepare to arrive at the manger on Christmas Day, we come to celebrate the joyful sacrament of baptism. A sign of God's grace given before we can even earn it, or understand it, or know it. In baptism, God says to us again, I am with you, I have called you by name, and you are my child. [00:26:31] (41 seconds)  #CalledByName

During Advent, we are looking at some of the prophets who pointed their way towards the coming of Christ. It's the prophets who say what no one else wants to hear. What no one wants to believe. It's the prophets who point us in directions no one wants to go. Points and places no one wants to look. It's the prophets who hear God when everyone else has concluded that God is silent. It's the prophets who see God when no one else would guess God is present. It is the prophets who sing God's song and sometimes, sometimes interrupt the program with a change of tune. [00:58:06] (56 seconds)  #ProphetsChangeTheTune

This is not a joy spoken to a people who have everything sorted out and know where they are going. It is a joy spoken to a people who have been humbled and scattered and brought low. It is spoken to a people who are weary. And so we can embrace the blessing of this passage, which is that joy is not dependent on ideal circumstances. [01:02:15] (33 seconds)  #JoyBeyondCircumstances

This is not a joy spoken to a people who have everything sorted out and know where they are going. It is a joy spoken to a people who have been humbled and scattered and brought low. It is spoken to a people who are weary. And so we can embrace the blessing of this passage, which is that joy is not dependent on ideal circumstances. [01:02:15] (33 seconds)  #JoyForTheHumble

But that's not enough for God. Because God loves us so much, He doesn't want to go just as far as that. He wants to go even further. He doesn't want to be just with us. We're told again, a little further on in verse 17, that He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will exult over you with loud singing. The Psalms teach us to turn our praises to God and to sing to Him. But here, here we're told that God sings to us. He sings to us, not over perfect people, not over a flawless faith, but over people who have known failure and shame. He rejoices. [01:04:37] (56 seconds)  #HeExultsOverYou

``The Psalms teach us to turn our praises to God and to sing to Him. But here, here we're told that God sings to us. He sings to us, not over perfect people, not over a flawless faith, but over people who have known failure and shame. He rejoices. So as we wait in Advent, we wait remembering that God does not come into our world grudgingly. He comes with joy and renews us in His love, Zephaniah declares. [01:05:07] (43 seconds)  #GodSingsOverUs

It means becoming a church that reflects that joy outwardly through welcoming and gathering and restoring and making space for one another and making room for hope. Because Advent joy is not loud optimism, but it is a quiet confidence and a faithful God. Advent joy does not say rejoice because life is easy. Rather, I hope and I pray that this Advent and this Christmas you will hear the whisper turn into a song. A song that sings in our minds and in our hearts. A song which we share with everyone whom we meet. A song that says rejoice. Rejoice because God is in your midst. Rejoice because God is here. That, that is joy enough. [01:06:34] (69 seconds)  #AdventWhisperToSong

Advent joy does not say rejoice because life is easy. Rather, I hope and I pray that this Advent and this Christmas you will hear the whisper turn into a song. A song that sings in our minds and in our hearts. A song which we share with everyone whom we meet. A song that says rejoice. Rejoice because God is in your midst. Rejoice because God is here. That, that is joy enough. [01:06:58] (45 seconds)  #ShareTheSongOfJoy