Advent Message of Hope        First Sunday in Advent    November 27, 2005

This Sunday after Thanksgiving, our economy is humming with Christmas shopping and advertisements. They tout the newest games, the latest toys, the best bargains. On store promises to unwrap the magic of Christmas. The magic is happy families, children and adults all smiling together with the latest products.

But the reality is that many people are buying gifts for people they don’t really like, with money they don't really have. This time of year, there are more divorces, more family problems.

The FWPD reports that throughout this city, there is a twofold increase in family violence and domestic calls. Police often get injured when they are called to domestic disturbances. The fact that more people drink more alcohol factors into this. I think it’s a great time to have Herb and Betty Dollar here to talk to us about Lutheran Marriage Encounter.

In addition to family violence, other crimes also increase this time of year. Car burglaries go way up. Those who leave merchandise in plain view are targets for thieves. The police are asking for help from the Citizens on Patrol. Officers work longer hours. When the police longer hours, their personal lives suffer.

One minister was talking to a police officer who worked nearly 48 hours on patrol, and then worked another 20-hour extra security at a store. “Why are you working so much,” he asked? The officer said he needed money for Christmas. “Have you been home lately?” “Only to sleep.” Then he asked him, “How’s your patience level right now?” The officer just laughed.

He told him what the scriptures say about the commandment to remember the Sabbath to keep it holy. The scriptures say that after finishing the creation, God rested. Jesus taught that the Sabbath was created for us, for our benefit, not God’s benefit. Sabbath means a holy rest, and we need Sabbath time to give thanks to God, and to rest. The scriptures say that we should not even make our servants or animals work on the Sabbath.

The police are notorious for family issues and health issues. I’m concerned about police, and anyone working more than 48 hours a week. I don’t like depending on officers that are over worked, and will raise that concern quietly with Chief Mendoza.

If you follow all the laws of the old testament, they worked 48 hours a week. I think that it would be wise for us to heed that limitation. When you work more than 48 hours a week, you will run into problems, either with your family, your health, or at work. Sometimes a combination of all three.

Many overworked people develop health problems, both physical and mental. We pastors are the worst offenders. Pastors who overwork tend to get into problems with their health, their family, or their work. I know two bishops have said that pastors who overwork and are isolated are more at risk for getting into problems. With pastors, some of the problems are crazy personal issues, but some are as simple as a heat attack. The ELCA health insurance company is searching for ways to encourage the pastors to take better care of ourselves. The culture we live in cannot give us the hope, peace, and joy Jesus brought us when he came into the world.

In many ways, the Corinthian culture was similar to ours. In the time of Paul’s writing, Corinth was a thriving, multi- cultural city. It was a seaport town with lots of commerce. It was a good place to make money, buying and selling. It also a popular city for criminals. People had come to Corinth from all over the Roman Empire speaking various languages. The title of "Sin City" for Corinth would not be too far off the mark. There were brothels and gambling halls all over town.

And the Corinthian church had lots of problems, too. The Apostle Paul wrote to them more than any other church in the Bible. Form his letters, we can see that there was fighting fighting among several cliques in the church. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians addressed the controversies that tore the church apart. He What is remarkable even though he was well aware of all their issues and problems, Paul had faith and confidence in them that they would be ready for the final judgement of Jesus Christ. Paul was eternally hopeful.

And, I believe that what Paul wrote to them, he would also say to us as we are caught in the trap of the Christmas season. Paul would have the same hope, the same confidence in us as he did in the Corinthians. He says he always thanks God for them! He assures them that God gave his very life as followers of Jesus Christ. For people like us, Jesus died on the cross. The Spirit of Christ has enriched everything they know and say. They were blessed with knowledge of every kind in the hearts, souls and minds. They knew the gospel of Jesus Christ was true.

So he says, you will never lack in any of God's gifts, as you wait for Jesus to return. God will keep you strong and innocent until the very end, the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ! You can trust God because of your relationship to Jesus Christ, our Lord. Then goes on to address the issues in Corinth with a sure and certain hope that in the end, they will get it right.

Paul’s knew that had personally received the best gift of all, the undeserved grace of God. He maintained that since that God gave him this grace, it produced a new live centered in giving thanks to God. He saw this pattern for all receive God’s unmerited grace in Christ. Paul assured the Corinthians that in spite of all their moral issues, their social issues, their family issues, they would be blameless and innocent when Jesus came again to judge the world by the grace of God alone.

This season, we can have this same hope that Paul has for the Corinthians. It is ultimately hope in the grace of God and the power that has to change lives, to make us right in mind and body and soul. Once we receive God’s grace, it changes how we see ourselves and the world we live in. Everything we have becomes a gift from God, even the trials of life become a gift because we know that in the end, all things will be reconciled in Christ Jesus.

Receiving God’s grace produces a life of grace for us. We don’t have fight the traffic, fight the family, fight the pressures of this season. We hope of have the true hope of Christmas, the one who came and the one who will come again. Let us receive him now, and serve him each day until he comes again. Serve him in our families, in our congregation, serve him in our community where we live and work, and we will be blameless and innocent when he comes again.

Amen!