Reflections...

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on 3 December 2023 by Rev. Phyllis Wong. The scripture readings that day were Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19 and Luke 1: 1-23. 

Today is the 1^st Sunday of Advent. It marks the beginning of a new church year. 

 

The word “advent” means “coming” or “arrival”. The Latin translation of the Greek word parousia, meaning the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, the season of Advent serves as a dual reminder of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah, as well as the waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ byChristians today.

In the season of Advent, the most important part is to prepare our heart for Jesus as we are celebrating his birth and waiting for his coming. 

 

When we are preparing our heart, what do we have to do?

 

Every year, the church has a tradition to arrange clean up days on Friday and Saturday to clean the church and decorate it as we are preparing for the 1^st Sunday of Advent, the new church year.

 

The significance of clean up days is not just physical cleansing of the building and making it bright and clean, so that people coming to church will feel refreshed and good. Clean up days also have their spiritual meaning. That is to cleanse our hearts to prepare space for God, to welcome the savour of the world to entering in.

 

The world we are living in is full of worries. Senseless killings in the wars in Middle East between Israel and Hamas. Some young people from our church who joined the Solidarity Trip last month reminded us the unjust and oppressive situation in the Philippines are still prevalent. The unjust imprisonment for human rights activists near and far in the world. People are forced to leave their homeland to seek asylum or work to overseas to sustain lives. Some friends are suffering from health challenges – cancers, deteriorating walking ability, some are mourning for the death of family members and friends. Some friends who have paid jobs are under stress with long working hours, huge work demands and job insecurity. The list is endless!

 

All these worries may have occupied our hearts and made us disconnected to God. All these worries may have taken away our hope and joy.  

 

When our hearts are occupied by worries of different kinds, we are doomed to failure. On the first Sunday of Advent, the new year of the church, we are reminded to refocus our life and direction. 

 

The Psalm 80 we heard this morning is a communal lament, it is a response to the destruction of the Northern kingdom of ancient Israel. The nation had been going through ongoing oppression. The people of Psalm 80 were chronically downcast  and suffering constant aggression from hostile forces. With the invasion of other powers, many Israelites were forced to exile and leave their homes.

 

The hope offered by the Psalmist is to keep making petition to God who is the King and the God of sovereignty. 

 

In verses 3, 7, 19, the Psalmist has repeatedly seek God to save their nation and to restore their lives.

 

For three times, the Psalmist proclaims : Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved. (Psalm 3,7,19)

 

The word “Restore” – meaning ‘a Cause to turn’ –  from physical return from exile to spiritual rebirth!

 

Psalm 80 reminds us the spiritual rebirth – the return to God, to recognize God’s sovereignty with God’s face shine upon us, we will be saved. 

 

Today, the first Advent candle is “Hope”

 

There is no hope without God! Turn to God and by keeping God at the centre of our heart and our life is the foundation of Hope in the weary world we are living in! 

 

The second reading for today is taken from Luke 1:1-20.

 

It is a familiar gospel account. It tells us about Zechariah’s encounter with the angel Gabriel who came to bring him good news – God will give him a son, named him John. John is known as John the Baptiser. He is Jesus’ cousin, coming to prepare the path for Jesus the Saviour.

 

Zechariah is a priest, a religious person. In God’s eyes, he is righteous. But he did not have a child because his wife was barren. Not having a child at his time was a shame to the couple and family. When the angel tells him the good news about God will give him a baby, he was puzzled and asked question for clarification. Angel Gabriel replied by saying, “because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.”

 

In this gospel account, I would like to share with you my inspirations that are related to the theme of Advent – to turn to God by preparing our heart and waiting for the Lord.  

 

Advent is a time of waiting. Remember this my beloved sisters and brothers in Christ. While we are waiting, God is waiting for us too! 

 

God is present at all times and in all places. God is formless and timeless. With this understanding of God. God is here. God lives in our heart and in our world right now. It is us who have wandered away or too pre-occupied by other things like our own worries or our personal interests & desires, that have taken away our attention to God. When the eyes of our heart are blind, we do not see God. We are not aware of God’s presence. We are not aware that Christ is here and living within us.

 

In the gospel account of Zechariah, I have seen one possibility that may have made him not able to see God and understand God’s blessing to give him and his wife Elizabeth the gift of a child, sign of joy and hope to them and the nation. 

 

What was it? It was his fixed belief.

 

When Angel Gabriel told Zechariah God would grant him a son. Zechariah responded by saying he and his wife were too old to have a baby. Zechariah used his normal thinking from a human point of view to respond to God’s grace

 

Dear sisters and brothers, are there any fixed belief within you that may have hindered you to receive God’s amazing grace through his sovereign power? Are there any fixed belief and pattern of life that have hindered you to develop closer relationship with God?

 

In the season of Advent, I would invite you to pray and meditate about it, and to seek the power of the holy spirit to make a change. You may use the devotional materials the Church has prepared for your spiritual rebirth exercise during this time.

 

Another inspiration that I received from this gospel account is this.

 

When Zachariah expressed his puzzle on the angel’s message. Angel Gabriel replied “because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.”

 

When I think about this reaction from the Angel, is it a punishment to Zechariah from God for his unbelief and little faith? Is God that narrow minded. At the end of the day, Zechariah’s question is very normal for a human being.

 

When I am contemplating the text and trying to seek God’s wisdom to understand, I realize this: When Zechariah is not able to speak, he is given more time and space to listen to God more deeply.

 

God has given us two ears, but only one mouth. So we should listen more speak less. When we listen, we need to listen attentively and with our hearts fully present. 

 

Christmas is coming. In December many of us would be very busy to prepare many celebrations and events for Christmas. Before we do that, let us remember the essence of Advent: waiting and preparing our hearts to receive the Lord. Our turn to God for spiritual rebirth is the key.  

 

Advent is a time for us to prepare our heart for God, and to graciously to receive God with hope, peace, joy and love. By receiving it wholeheartedly, we will become hope, peace, joy and love, to share with others in the world! The essence of Christmas love, to receive God’s love and share it with others.

 

KUC 100^th Anniversary, today is the kick off

 

Next year KUC would be celebrating her 100^th anniversary. The Centenary Committee would like to do a kick off today to invite the congregation to pay attention to this remarkable year.

 

Yes, there would be a series of programs and activities for the celebration. But when we are planning and doing all that, the most fundamental one is to turn to God by reviving our soul – our spiritual rebirth!

 

When we are connecting to God, we will truly become a Community of Christ that is able to reveal God, the light and life .

 

The season of Advent reminds us and invites us for spiritual rebirth. In doing this, we need to begin with and continue this spiritual discipline - be still and know that I am God. We have to set time to be with God through stillness, through silence – listen to the Holy Spirit with our hearts, speak less and do less on those unnecessary things.

 

To close my sermon, I would like to invite you all to pray in silence, to meditate with a pure heart to see and feel the presence of God within you. If your mind is too active, you may focus on your breathing as breath is an obvious sign of God’s presence.

 

I will finish the moment of silence by the sound of the singing bowl.